Abstract
Objective:
To understand the impact of the hospitalization process on the family companion of critical patients admitted to a Semi-Intensive Care Unit (SICU).
Method:
Exploratory research with a qualitative approach, conducted in the months of April to July of 2016 through a semi-structured interview applied to relatives who were accompanying patients hospitalized in an SICU of a high complexity care hospital in Fortaleza. The interviews were submitted to content analysis.
Results:
Three themes emerged through the perception of the family members, which reveal the companion's functioning during the hospitalization period: emotional, familiar and behavioural.
Conclusion:
The companion experiences an intense process of suffering and emotional fragility, causing changes in the family organization. The companion, being a caregiver, is subjected to high levels of stress, having to use coping skills, with; spirituality and social media among the most evident. The companion is an integral care unit for the hospitalized patient and a key piece in the humanization process of health.
Keywords:
Semi-Intensive care; Hospitalization; Caregivers; Family