The nursing team's perceptions of the happiness doctors (Médicos da Alegria) and the hospitalization of children

Abstract

Médicos da Alegria, an innitiative inspired on the principles of the Medical Claws' program, are a group of health care university students who perform voluntary artistic work the purpose of which is to help individuals cope with the situations-problems resulting from chldren's hospitalization at a hospital in inner São Paulo state. Under the nursing team's perspective, this study aimed at apprehending the perceptions of the measures implemented in order to minimize stress and other negative consequences of hospitalizing children in this hospital, as an attempt to specifically understand the perceptions related to the abovementioned innitiative. By means of the qualitative research approach, 15 semi-structured interviews were applied. The Content Analysis/Thematic Analysis technique made it possible to systematize data into two topics, with their respective sub-topics: Topic 1 - Measures that contribute to minimize stress and facilitate the recovery of hospitalized children: the presence of parents; the team's ties and empathy with the children; recreation and hospital class; appropriate technology and a trained team; and Topic 2 - Médicos da Alegria in the pediatrics ward: playing, make difference in pediatric hospitalization; when they come, they facilitate the team's work; there should be greater integration among all participants. This study is concluded with suggestions on the improvement of the identified measures, particularly in relation to the ludic work developed by the Médicos da Alegria, among which is a stronger inclusion of the nursing team in the children's play.