Premium
Therapeutic letters: A qualitative study exploring their influence on the hope of parents of children receiving pediatric palliative care in Portugal
Author(s) -
Fonseca Ricardo,
Carvalho Matilde,
Querido Ana,
Figueiredo Maria H.,
Bally Jill,
Charepe Zaida
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal for specialists in pediatric nursing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.499
H-Index - 38
eISSN - 1744-6155
pISSN - 1539-0136
DOI - 10.1111/jspn.12325
Subject(s) - thematic analysis , palliative care , intervention (counseling) , qualitative research , psychology , nursing , medicine , therapeutic relationship , promotion (chess) , pediatric nursing , psychotherapist , social science , sociology , politics , political science , law
Purpose The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore the hope experiences of parents of children diagnosed with complex chronic conditions (CCCs) who received therapeutic letters. Design and Methods A purposive sample of 10 parents of inpatient children with CCCs was recruited from a pediatric palliative care unit in a Portuguese public hospital. A demographic form and audio‐recorded semi‐structured, face‐to‐face interviews were conducted with each participant to explore the experiences, processes, and meanings of hope, and to describe how parents of children receiving pediatric palliative care perceived the usefulness of receiving therapeutic letters. The interviews were transcribed verbatim, and using a thematic analysis, a systematic approach to data analysis was completed. Findings Data analysis resulted in three main themes including Trust in the Future; Strengthening Hope; and Moments of Hope. Findings highlight the positive influence of therapeutic letters including supporting parental hope, facilitating personal inner‐strengthening, recognition of parental skills, and promotion of self‐efficacy during hospitalization. The themes and related subthemes add value to the existing literature and highlight the need for supportive palliative nursing care aimed at promoting parental hope. Practice Implications To optimize the value of supporting parental hope, therapeutic letters can be delivered at the time of diagnosis, during times of celebration, and when learning the difficult tasks of daily childcare. Additional research can inform the development of a formal hope‐based intervention to provide an evidence base from which to enhance the well‐being of parental caregivers of children who have CCCs.