Professional caregivers: stress and coping in the face of loss and trauma

Professional caregivers who work with the trauma and suffering of others, such as doctors, nurses and psychologists, may face significant challenges along with the risk of adverse, long-term mental and physical health problems. Caregivers with responsibility for dependants outside their professional work reported more stress. This finding is of particular relevance in respect of caregivers in underdeveloped countries such as Zimbabwe, where many households have taken in additional children who have been orphaned, whose parents are ill, or whose parents have temporarily gone elsewhere in search of work. For the purposes of the study, a qualitative phenomenological research design was selected as appropriate to the focus on human experience. An interpretative approach was adopted to explore and explicate the lived experiences of the participants and the meaning they attached to them. The major sources of stress for professional caregivers emerged as being resource constraints, interpersonal issues, and personal issues. Factors found to promote coping include the caregiver’s meaning making perspective, making a difference, and constructing a sense of personal control

Desenvolvimento de conceitos: novas direções para a pesquisa em tanatologia e enfermagem Desarrollo de concepto: nueva dirección para la investigación en tanatología y enfermería Concept development: new directions for research in thanatology and nursing

O artigo tem como objetivo apresentar a importância do desenvolvimento de conceitos para a construção do corpo de conhecimentos em Tanatologia e Enfermagem. Aborda as etapas do Modelo Híbrido de Desenvolvimento de Conceitos e sua aplicação em uma pesquisa que busca desenvolver o conceito de morte digna na UTI pediátrica. A elucidação dos antecedentes, atributos e consequências do conceito de morte digna na UTI pediátrica na fase de campo permitiu mover o conceito de um vago domínio teórico para um fenômeno clínico mais concreto. Isso possibilita subsídios tanto para assistência à criança e à família, quanto para o avanço do ensino e da pesquisa sobre os cuidados de final de vida em pediatria.<br>El artículo tiene como objetivo presentar la importancia del desarrollo de conceptos para la construcción del cuerpo de conocimientos en Tanatología y Enfermería. Aborda las etapas del Modelo Híbrido del Desarrollo de Conceptos y su aplicación en una investigación que busca desarrollar el concepto de muerte digna en la UCI pediátrica. La explicación de los antecedentes, atributos y consecuencias del concepto de muerte digna en la UCI pediátrica en la fase de campo, permitió mover el concepto de un vago dominio teórico para un fenómeno clínico más concreto. Eso posibilitó subsidios para la asistencia del niño y la familia, así como el avance de la educación y la investigación sobre los cuidados en el fin de la vida en pediatría.<br>The article aims to present the importance of concept development for the construction of the body of knowledge in thanatology and nursing. Discusses the steps of the Hybrid Model of Concept Development and its application in a study that seeks to develop the concept of good death in a pediatric ICU. The elucidation of the antecedents, attributes and consequences of the concept of good death in a pediatric ICU during the field allowed moving the concept of a vacant field theory to a clinical phenomenon more concrete. This provides benefits for both child care and family, and for the advancement of teaching and research on the care of end of life care in pediatrics