Nursing technicians' perceptions about the use of play and playfulness in professional practices

Gabriele Petrucelli; Monika Wernet; Aline Oliveira Silveira; Edmara Bazoni Soares Maia; Cristiane Leite de Almeida; Fernanda Manuela Loureiro

doi:10.1590/1980-220X-REEUSP-2025-0024en

Nursing technicians' perceptions about the use of play and playfulness in professional practices

Gabriele Petrucelli^*
, Monika Wernet
, Aline Oliveira Silveira
, Edmara Bazoni Soares Maia
, Cristiane Leite de Almeida
, Fernanda Manuela Loureiro

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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Abstract

Objective: To understand nursing technicians’ perceptions in a pediatric inpatient unit regarding the use of play and playfulness in their professional practices. Method: An exploratory study with a qualitative approach, supported by the Symbolic Interactionism theoretical framework, developed in a pediatric unit of a university hospital in the countryside of São Paulo. Data collection took place from March to December 2024, through semi-structured interviews, with 14 participants. Reflective thematic analysis supported data assessment. Results: The topics “Purposes of adopting play and playfulness” and “Determinants of adopting play and playfulness” revealed that nursing technicians link resources with the execution of technical procedures and formation of bonds. However, they highlighted a context that was not very supportive of this use and that led to the meaning that these resources were other professionals’ responsibility. Conclusion: The use of play and playfulness predominated for the execution of procedures, with a secondary, informal, voluntary and non-institutionalized place in nursing care for children.

Translated title of the contribution	Percepções de técnicas de enfermagem acerca do uso do lúdico e do brincar nas práticas profissionais
Original language	English
Article number	e20250024
Number of pages	10
Journal	Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da USP
Volume	59
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1590/1980-220X-REEUSP-2025-0024en https://doi.org/10.1590/1980-220X-REEUSP-2025-0024pt https://doi.org/10.1590/1980-220x-reeusp-2025-0024es
Publication status	Published - 14 Jul 2025

Keywords

Pediatric nursing
Hospitalization
Child
Play and playthings
Licensed practical nurses

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10.1590/1980-220X-REEUSP-2025-0024enLicence: CC BY
10.1590/1980-220X-REEUSP-2025-0024ptLicence: CC BY
10.1590/1980-220x-reeusp-2025-0024esLicence: CC BY

124109556_ENFinal published version, 298 KBLicence: CC BY
124109556_PTFinal published version, 298 KBLicence: CC BY
124109556_ESFinal published version, 299 KBLicence: CC BY

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.14/54147Licence: CC BY

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Petrucelli, G., Wernet, M., Silveira, A. O., Maia, E. B. S., Almeida, C. L. D., & Loureiro, F. M. (2025). Nursing technicians' perceptions about the use of play and playfulness in professional practices. Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da USP, 59, Article e20250024. https://doi.org/10.1590/1980-220X-REEUSP-2025-0024en, https://doi.org/10.1590/1980-220X-REEUSP-2025-0024pt, https://doi.org/10.1590/1980-220x-reeusp-2025-0024es

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abstract = "Objective: To understand nursing technicians{\textquoteright} perceptions in a pediatric inpatient unit regarding the use of play and playfulness in their professional practices. Method: An exploratory study with a qualitative approach, supported by the Symbolic Interactionism theoretical framework, developed in a pediatric unit of a university hospital in the countryside of S{\~a}o Paulo. Data collection took place from March to December 2024, through semi-structured interviews, with 14 participants. Reflective thematic analysis supported data assessment. Results: The topics “Purposes of adopting play and playfulness” and “Determinants of adopting play and playfulness” revealed that nursing technicians link resources with the execution of technical procedures and formation of bonds. However, they highlighted a context that was not very supportive of this use and that led to the meaning that these resources were other professionals{\textquoteright} responsibility. Conclusion: The use of play and playfulness predominated for the execution of procedures, with a secondary, informal, voluntary and non-institutionalized place in nursing care for children.",

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author = "Gabriele Petrucelli and Monika Wernet and Silveira, \{Aline Oliveira\} and Maia, \{Edmara Bazoni Soares\} and Almeida, \{Cristiane Leite de\} and Loureiro, \{Fernanda Manuela\}",

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doi = "10.1590/1980-220X-REEUSP-2025-0024en",

language = "English",

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Petrucelli, G, Wernet, M, Silveira, AO, Maia, EBS, Almeida, CLD & Loureiro, FM 2025, 'Nursing technicians' perceptions about the use of play and playfulness in professional practices', Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da USP, vol. 59, e20250024. https://doi.org/10.1590/1980-220X-REEUSP-2025-0024en, https://doi.org/10.1590/1980-220X-REEUSP-2025-0024pt, https://doi.org/10.1590/1980-220x-reeusp-2025-0024es

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AU - Petrucelli, Gabriele

AU - Wernet, Monika

AU - Silveira, Aline Oliveira

AU - Maia, Edmara Bazoni Soares

AU - Almeida, Cristiane Leite de

AU - Loureiro, Fernanda Manuela

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License.

PY - 2025/7/14

Y1 - 2025/7/14

N2 - Objective: To understand nursing technicians’ perceptions in a pediatric inpatient unit regarding the use of play and playfulness in their professional practices. Method: An exploratory study with a qualitative approach, supported by the Symbolic Interactionism theoretical framework, developed in a pediatric unit of a university hospital in the countryside of São Paulo. Data collection took place from March to December 2024, through semi-structured interviews, with 14 participants. Reflective thematic analysis supported data assessment. Results: The topics “Purposes of adopting play and playfulness” and “Determinants of adopting play and playfulness” revealed that nursing technicians link resources with the execution of technical procedures and formation of bonds. However, they highlighted a context that was not very supportive of this use and that led to the meaning that these resources were other professionals’ responsibility. Conclusion: The use of play and playfulness predominated for the execution of procedures, with a secondary, informal, voluntary and non-institutionalized place in nursing care for children.

AB - Objective: To understand nursing technicians’ perceptions in a pediatric inpatient unit regarding the use of play and playfulness in their professional practices. Method: An exploratory study with a qualitative approach, supported by the Symbolic Interactionism theoretical framework, developed in a pediatric unit of a university hospital in the countryside of São Paulo. Data collection took place from March to December 2024, through semi-structured interviews, with 14 participants. Reflective thematic analysis supported data assessment. Results: The topics “Purposes of adopting play and playfulness” and “Determinants of adopting play and playfulness” revealed that nursing technicians link resources with the execution of technical procedures and formation of bonds. However, they highlighted a context that was not very supportive of this use and that led to the meaning that these resources were other professionals’ responsibility. Conclusion: The use of play and playfulness predominated for the execution of procedures, with a secondary, informal, voluntary and non-institutionalized place in nursing care for children.

KW - Enfermagem pediátrica

KW - Hospitalização

KW - Criança

KW - Brincadeiras e brinquedos

KW - Técnicos de enfermagem

KW - Pediatric nursing

KW - Hospitalization

KW - Child

KW - Play and playthings

KW - Licensed practical nurses

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105011536209

U2 - 10.1590/1980-220X-REEUSP-2025-0024en

DO - 10.1590/1980-220X-REEUSP-2025-0024en

M3 - Article

C2 - 40679141

SN - 0080-6234

VL - 59

JO - Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da USP

JF - Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da USP

M1 - e20250024

ER -

Nursing technicians' perceptions about the use of play and playfulness in professional practices

Abstract

Keywords

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CIIS - Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Health: UID/04279/2025. Pluriannual 2025-2029

Erratum: nursing technicians' perceptions about the use of play and playfulness in professional practices (vol 59, e20250024, 2025)

Cite this

Nursing technicians' perceptions about the use of play and playfulness in professional practices

Abstract

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Projects

CIIS - Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Health: UID/04279/2025. Pluriannual 2025-2029

Research output

Erratum: nursing technicians' perceptions about the use of play and playfulness in professional practices (vol 59, e20250024, 2025)

Cite this