The care for oncologic patients undergoing pediatric palliative care and the griefs of a health team

Abstract

Introduction: The health care offered to children and adolescents with cancer has been expanded, giving space to orthothanasia and palliative care, with a comprehensive look at the subject facing the threat to the continuity of life, as well as challenging professionals to access issues related to grief. Objectives: In order to explore this reality, this study intended to analyze how professionals experience grieving processes in the exercise of palliative care in pediatric oncology. Method: A qualitative research was conducted with the participation of 23 health professionals working in palliative oncology and pediatric care, who responded to a semi-structured interview script, whose analyses were performed with the support of the IRaMuTeQ (Interface de R pour les Analyses Multidimensionnelles de Textes et de Questionnaires) software. Results: The results were organized in four classes: in class 1, the specificities of the treatment of children with cancer and other aspects related to chronic illness are portrayed; class 2 shows that health trainings do not prepare professionals to deal with death and with patients with no possibility of cure, and these professionals have (pre-) concepts about palliative care; class 3 highlights the principles of palliative care and other factors of the work in this therapy; and class 4 deals with the bonds formed by professionals and their grieving experiences. Conclusions: Cure must not be a requirement for the provision of care in relation to children with cancer that can benefit from the adoption of palliative care therapy and the validation of the sensitivity of professionals.