Postoperative nursing conduct towards children experiencing cardiac surgery: study analysis

Abstract

Congenital cardiopathies represent anomalies including structural and functional heart defects, which demand early nursing intervention at the bedside. The present study aimed at analyzing studies that addressed the nursing care provided to children postoperatively following cardiac surgery. It consists of an integrative review of the literature from different databases, using the descriptors: Nursing care; Cardiac surgery; and Pediatric nursing. From the eleven articles that were identified and completely analyzed, six corresponded to the criteria adopted in the study, with evidence levels ranging from level II to level VI. The publications highlighted recommendations concerning prevention, assessment, recovery and/or rehabilitation. It is concluded that this study contributes to the development of nursing care plans to provide improvements in healthcare practices, based on actions of health promotion, with emphasis on pain assessment, verification of the internal temperature and non-pharmacological measures to cope with pain, among others.

Descriptors: Nursing Care; Thoracic Surgery; Pediatric Nursing; Peer Review.