Social support in caring for premature infants after hospital discharge

Abstract

The objective of this study was to identify the social support that mothers of premature children receive to care for their children at home, describing the challenges regarding outpatient treatment. This descriptive, qualitative study was performed with mothers of preterm babies. Data collection was performed using semi-structured interviews and descriptive observation, using thematic content analysis, which revealed the categories: family’s assistance in caring for the child; effect of hospital admission; and the child’s outpatient treatment. Results showed that mothers were the ones who took care of the children because they felt confident in their skills, and the available social support was centered on the domestic activities performed by relatives. Health institutions provided inadequate assistance, as they did not meet the children’s needs regarding specific exams they required and the period evaluations recommended for premature children. Therefore, there is a need to reconstruct public policies to become an effective social network.

Descriptors: Pediatric Nursing;  Infant, Premature; Infant Care; Social Support;  Home Nursing.