Transforming Nasal Irrigation Experience of Children and Families with Therapeutic Instructional Plays.

Abstract

In Brazil, nasal irrigation is a common procedure for children hospitalized with respiratory conditions. However, it often causes stress for both the child and their family. Nurses need to rethink their approach to care, and the use of therapeutic play can be an ally in transforming the stressful context. To understand the family perceptions of nasal irrigation in hospitalized children after an educational intervention mediated by instructional therapeutic play (ITP). This descriptive, exploratory, and qualitative study was conducted from the perspective of Herbert Blumer's Symbolic Interactionism in a hospital in São Paulo, Brazil. The study included family members of hospitalized children aged 3-6 years who participated in an ITP intervention and remained for 6 hours afterward. Participants self-reported literacy with preserved cognition and verbal communication. This study was conducted between March 2023 and January 2024 using semi-structured interviews with 38 family members. Data were analyzed using Bardin's thematic content and lexical analysis with IRAMUTEQ® software. The interaction of families with ITP for nasal irrigation in children led to a redefinition of the procedure from distressing to enjoyable. ITP was evaluated as an essential and stimulating method that familiarized the child with the procedure, facilitating the understanding process for both the child and the family. ITP is a caregiving technology that nurses can use to assist with nasal irrigation, re-signifying the experiences of children and their families during the procedure.