THE NURSY AND PALLIATIVE CARE FOR THE CHILD WITH CANCER:

AN INTEGRATING REVIEW

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: CURRENTLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST PUBLIC HEALTH PROBLEMS IN THE WORLD IS CANCER, DUE TO ITS HIGH INCIDENCE AND PREVALENCE. PALLIATIVE CARE IN PEDIATRICS IS THE ACTIVE AND TOTAL CARE PROVIDED TO THE CHILD IN THE CONTEXT OF THEIR BODY, MIND AND SPIRIT, AS WELL AS THE SUPPORT OFFERED TO THEIR ENTIRE FAMILY. OBJECTIVES: GENERAL OBJECTIVE: TO KNOW HOW PALLIATIVE CARE IS PROVIDED TO CHILDREN WITH CANCER IN RELATION TO SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES: DESCRIBE THE PROFESSIONALS INVOLVED IN THE PALLIATIVE CARE OF THE CHILD; DESCRIBE HOW PALLIATIVE CARE IS PERFORMED ON CHILDREN; TO POINT OUT THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF NURSES TO PALLIATIVE CARE. METHODOLOGY: AN INTEGRATIVE LITERATURE REVIEW WAS CARRIED OUT. SCIENTIFIC ARTICLES WERE USED IN THE PERIOD FROM 2012 TO 2017 (FIRST QUARTER), COMPLETE, ORIGINAL, FREE, IN THE PORTUGUESE AND SPANISH LANGUAGES. A SEARCH FOR SCIENTIFIC ARTICLES MADE AVAILABLE IN SCIELO (SCIENTIFIC ELECTRONIC LIBRARY ONLINE) AND IN THE VHL (VIRTUAL HEALTH LIBRARY) IN THE DATABASES: LATIN AMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN LITERATURE IN HEALTH SCIENCES (LILACS), NATIONAL LIBRALYOF MEDICINE (MEDLINE), NURSING DATABASE (BDENF), USING THE DESCRIPTORS: PALLIATIVE CARE. PEDIATRICS. CHILDHOOD CANCER. RESULTS: AFTER READING THE DATA WERE CODIFIED IN FOUR CATEGORIES: 1 MINIMIZATION OF PAIN AND COMFORT PROMOTION; 2 COMMUNICATION (BONDING AND GIVING OF AFFECTION); 3 USE OF PLAY AND 4 MULTIPROFESSIONAL WORK. THE CONCLUSION WAS REACHED AFTER THE MOST PREVALENT DATA WERE COLLECTED BETWEEN THE AUTHORS. THE ARTICLES SHOWED THAT NURSES RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE AND EFFECTIVENESS OF PALLIATIVE CARE. THEY ARE USED TO PROVIDE QUALITY OF LIFE TERMINATION TO THE CHILD, HAVING AS PRIORITIES, PAIN RELIEF, PROMOTION OF COMFORT, COMMUNICATION, GIVING AFFECTION AND AFFECTION AND THE USE OF GAMES TO MAKE THE HOSPITALIZATION PROCESS LESS TRAUMATIC. CONSIDERATIONS: THE STUDIES POINTED OUT THE IMPORTANCE OF PALLIATIVE CARE IN THE NURSES TRAINING PROCESS, SO THAT IT AIMS TO PROVIDE DIGNIFIED LIFE AND DEATH FOR THEIR PATIENTS. IN THIS CONTEXT, PALLIATIVE CARE COMES TO HELP NURSES TO REFLECT ON THEIR PRACTICE.