Percepção de acompanhantes acerca da aplicabilidade da ludicidade no ambiente hospitalar pediátrico

Abstract

Hospitalization in childhood can trigger emotional and behavioral changes, as the experience is often perceived by the child as unpleasant, accompanied by anxiety, fear, stress, discomfort, and even pain. The use of play-based activities offers a genuine way for children to express their experiences, facilitating treatment while also providing support to their accompanying caregivers. Thus, this study aimed to analyze the perceptions of accompanying caregivers regarding the applicability and effects of playbased activities in the pediatric hospital setting. This research was a quantitative and qualitative, exploratory, and descriptive field study involving caregivers of hospitalized children aged 4 to 12 at the Maternal and Child Hospital in Bacabal, Maranhão (MA). Data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire containing seven questions on the topic. The data were subsequently analyzed and transcribed using concurrent triangulation—a characteristic of mixed-methods studies involving the simultaneous collection of quantitative and qualitative data—carried out in three stages: 1) simultaneous data collection; 2) organization and analysis via statistics and interpretation of perceived experiences; and 3) processing of results. The study included 22 caregivers, whose responses revealed a largely favorable perception of play-based interventions. A consensus (100%) was observed regarding the contribution of these activities to the children's emotional well-being and to improving the caregivers' own experiences during the hospitalization period. Furthermore, participants reported positive changes in the children's behavior, highlighting expressions of joy, calmness, enthusiasm, social interaction, and distraction, as well as a reduced focus on pain and the hospital environment. Similarly, there was 100% agreement regarding the relevance of play-based resources for a child's recovery, the promotion of comfort during hospitalization, and the minimization of pain and discomfort. It is concluded that play constitutes an important complementary therapeutic tool in pediatric care, fostering emotional, social, and behavioral benefits for hospitalized children and their accompanying caregivers, while also contributing to the humanization of care and strengthening the role of nursing in this context.