From despair to hope: copying of relatives of hospitalized children before bad news report

Abstract

Objective: to understand the experiences of relatives of critically ill children before bad news report. Method: a phenomenological study based on Heidegger’s philosophical framework. Data collection was carried out from October 2018 to March 2019, through phenomenological interviews with 15 relatives of children hospitalized in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. Results: relatives, in their existentiality, experience the facticity thrown into unpredictable situations, regardless of their choices and are faced with feelings of shock, despair and fear before bad news. After emotional impact, especially regarding the possibility of death, relatives reveal hope as a mechanism for coping with the situation. Final considerations: solidarity and sensitivity by health professionals, especially nurses, are essential in understanding the existential dimension of relatives who experience such an experience, understanding the several facets of their existence and offering them opportunities to project themselves.