Nurses' experiences in caring for children at the end of life and their families: a descriptive-exploratory study
Keywords:
Palliative care, End of life, Child, Family, NursesAbstract
Despite the technological advances in the diagnosis and treatment of paediatric diseases, death in childhood remains a persistent reality. National evidence portrayed in the paediatric services of our hospitals strengthens the urgency to create Paediatric Palliative Care. The aim of this study is to understand the implications to nurses working in a Paediatric Unit of caring for children in the end of life and their families. Methodological strategies consisted in following a qualitative approach with a descriptive-exploratory type of study, using semi-structured interviews as a tool for data collection and treat data through content analysis. The sample is made up by 11 nurses practicing in Oporto’s Portuguese Institute of Oncology Paediatric Service. The results obtained show that the caring experience towards children in the end of life and their families arises a broad connection of feelings/emotions and peculiar
thoughts, intrinsic to the therapeutic relationship which is significantly marked by the awareness of professional responsibility, gratification of good memories and non-acceptance of the death. Express the meaning of pediatric palliative care, as symptom control, quality of life and, particularly, as non-curative care. The end-of-life meaning described focuses on organic/physical death and uncontrolled disease.
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