My role and responsibility: mothers’ perspectives on overload in caring for children with cancer*

Abstract

Abstract Objective: To understand the experience of maternal overload in caring for children with cancer from the mother’s perspective. Method: Symbolic Interactionism was adopted as a theoretical framework and the Grounded Theory as methodological framework. The study was conducted in a public hospital, which is reference in pediatric oncology. Data was collected from six mothers through semi-structured interviews in the second semester of 2017. Results: Mothers of children with cancer attributed meaning to the care experience when trying to cope with the emotional, social, physical, financial, family-related, information and moral overload. Maternal overload arises as a dynamic inter-relation process between the many types of overload. Conclusion: The maternal figure is the main person involved in care and experiences overload in caring for their sick child, facing limitations and responsibilities. The research acted as a key element to broaden the analysis and intervention of the family nurse, not only contributing to the theoretical construct related to maternal overload, but also and mainly to the scope of practice in patient care.