A dor na criança e família

Abstract

This report aims to describe my learning process during the nursing internship course that began with the development of an individual project that aimed to "Pain in Child / Family" and aimed to contribute to the development of skills in scope of advanced nursing in child care / family with pain, through the relief and minimization of pain, within the tasks assigned to the Nurse Specialist in Pediatrics and Child Health. The knowledge concerning pain in children has been receiving more recognition and it is accepted that children learn early on the meaning of pain, however, some beliefs persist, often influencing child care. A number of interventions performed by everyone who cares for the child such as parents or health professionals, contribute decisively to the reduction and pain relief over invasive procedures. The theoretical principles underlying the work presented, was Katharine Kolcaba, and her Theory of Comfort (1994), which focuses on healthcare needs such as physical comfort, environmental, psycho-spiritual and cultural needs. The choice of this theory derives from the fact that pain can be interpreted and explained by the taxonomic structure of comfort defended by Kolcaba. The needs of the child / family, were essential in the initial evaluation, allowing me to diagnose the situation. Thus, planning of activities was defined with a base grounded in the child’s individual experience of health. I will highlight the development of the following activities within the primary health care strategies for pain relief before the early diagnosis and vaccination in the neonatal implementation of the "Wrapped Bath" and in the context of the implementation of emergency pediatric pain assessment and of non-pharmacological strategies for pain relief in children / family. In this formative process, I developed technical, scientific, moral, ethical and relational skills that allow me to care as a specialized advanced nurse for the child and family, contributing to my growth and development, aiming to reduce the pain and anxiety of the child in situations of invasive procedures and thus achieve excellence of care, and this, is what is expected of a Nurse Specialist in Pediatrics and Child Health

Date of Award	Jun 2011
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Elisabete Nunes (Supervisor)