Educational-Care Needs for Hospital-Home Transition of Children With Hematological Cancer

Background: The transition from hospital to home is a critical period for families of children with cancer, requiring adaptation and new knowledge acquisition to manage treatment at home. Lack of adequate preparation can generate insecurity and negatively impact the quality of home care. Objective: To describe the educational and care demands of family members of children with cancer during the hospital-home transition. By addressing these needs, this study seeks to contribute to health education practices which facilitate a safer and less stressful transition for families. Methods: This is a qualitative and descriptive study developed through semistructured interviews from July to October 2023, with 20 family members of children with cancer undergoing chemotherapy treatment in a public pediatric hospital located in Brazil. The data were processed in Iramuteq software, organized by descending hierarchical classification for lexical analysis and interpreted in light of Afaf Meleis' transitions theory. Findings: Two thematic blocks were structured related to the guidance required by family members and strategies for home care, as well as guidance shared by nurses for the hospital-to-home transition. The educational-care demands included the need for guidance. Conclusion: The study demonstrated the need for nursing actions related to guidance for families on the care to be developed after discharge, with the aim of helping them deal with stressful situations, challenges, and difficulties associated with the hospital-to-home transition process. Nurses should be attentive to the educational-care demands of families, recognizing their particular difficulties and promoting collaborative, welcoming, and healthy learning environments.