Nursing perceptions about abortion management and care: a qualitative study

Abstract

This study aimed to describe management and implementation of care for women hospitalized due to an abortion, from the perspective of nursing professionals. A qualitative study performed in an obstetric hospital unit of a University Hospital in the extreme South of Brazil, by means of a semi-structured interview with 19 nursing professionals. For the analysis, the Collective Subject Discourse technique was used. The statements were ambivalent. Some nursing professionals reported interference in discriminatory behavior and little interaction with the woman, resulting in care being organized with a focus on clinical aspects. Others considered care to be appropriate, regardless of the etiology of abortion, pointing out some humanized initiatives such as emotional support and provision of a private therapeutic environment. This research broadens the range of information about the management and implementation of care for women hospitalized due to abortion, highlighting the importance of articulating perceptions, feelings and ethical behavior with actions to plan, manage and provide care.