GOMES, I. P. Influência do ambiente na percepção das crianças em quimioterapia ambulatorial [The environment influence on children perception being under ambulatory chemotherapy]. 2011. 167 p. Master’s Dissertation – Universidade Federal da Paraíba. João Pessoa, 2011.
Available on: http://tede.biblioteca.ufpb.br/handle/tede/5093#preview-link0
Childhood cancer is a chronic disease that, when diagnosed, has major repercussions on the child and his family lives. The outpatient chemotherapy is an alternative to minimize damages relating to impaired family links, since the child is replaced by the possibility of receiving the proposed treatment and be released to return home after a few hours. In pursuit of excellence in health care, it has been recently appointed that the influence of physical space on the different actors in the hospital environment, such as patients, staff and carers, is of growing importance. The Instituto de Pediatria e Pericultura Martagão Gesteira built a new area for the chemotherapy room which was remodeled and decorated based on the movie Finding Nemo, known now as Aquário Carioca (Carioca Aquarium). Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the influence of the environment of the Carioca Aquarium in the perception of the child in relation to the context of the care and well being of the same during the sessions of chemotherapy. This is qualitative, exploratory and descriptive research. The subjects were seven children of school age who had or were undergoing chemotherapy at the Carioca Aquarium. Data collection was performed in May 2010, using an adaptation of the Drawing-and-Story Procedure for the production of empirical data. To interpret the speech of children followed by thematic analysis. Emerged from an empirical category: hospital ecology in Carioca Aquarium. The subcategories were: the process: from diagnosis to survival; the Carioca Aquarium environment; care in the aquarium. The results showed that cancer brings much suffering to children and their families at different stages from diagnosis to survival. However, the physical environment was significant and representative for adherence to treatment and was a significant tool for coping with the child and his family in childhood cancer. The children enjoyed playing around the place, even when their presence was not needed in the room. Moreover, stories and personal relationships created and experienced in that hospital ecology were essential to minimize the negative impact of cancer and its treatment in child development. Children, even in cancer chemotherapy, did not perceive themselves as sick, only when there was exacerbation of symptoms or troublesome toxicities. The games made a bridge between the professional and the child by providing a closer approximation, therefore the creation of links, through careful and sensitive listening. The hospital ecology of the Carioca Aquarium initiatives strengthens the host of the professionals in the child and his family, providing the production of humanized and comprehensive care. It is recognized that the Carioca Aquarium can be a powerful therapeutic environment.