Lived experiences of cardiovascular postoperative care in pediatric and neonatal critical care: The parents' experience.

Introduction: Heart disease in childhood is the fourth leading cause of illness and, in many cases, requires complex surgical procedures and intensive care unit care. This situation has a significant impact on family caregivers, especially at the psychosocial and emotional levels, due to the uncertainty about the children's prognosis. Therefore, it is essential to provide support to facilitate coping with this critical experience. Objective: To describe the experiences of parents and family caregivers caring for children postoperatively after cardiovascular surgery, hospitalized in in pediatric intensive care units and neonatal intensive care units of a fourth-level institution, during 2023. Materials and Methods: A qualitative study with a descriptive phenomenological approach based on the Colaizzi method. In-depth interviews were conducted with family caregivers, selected by convenience, until data saturation was achieved. Data collection was conducted by the researcher and data analysis was supported by Nvivo software. The information was structured into core themes and subthemes through methodological triangulation. Results: Ten mothers, aged 23 to 46 years, mostly from stratum 2, were interviewed. The children ranged in age from 14 days to 6 years, with common surgical diagnoses such as closure of patent ductus arteriosus. Discussion: The analysis yielded six categories, 15 codes, and common themes such as the need for effective communication and the coping strategies employed. Conclusion: Caregivers require professionals with assertive communication skills who build trust, include them in care, and respect their beliefs to reduce the emotional impact.