Care for women involved with drugs: social representations of nurses

qualitative research founded on the theory of social representations, with 42 nurses from a public maternity ward of Salvador-BA, using identification questionnaire, test of free association of words, and semi-structured interview. We analyzed the structure of social representations and the similarity tree of free evocations, and also analyzed the content of interviews.

Results:

care for women involved with drugs is represented by a set of words that shows theoretical questions and scientific techniques, but faced with experiences in the training, in the daily work and in ideas and values assigned to the consumption of drugs especially in the gravidic-puerperal period.

Conclusion:

The social representations of nurses show conflicts between social and cultural aspects around the problem of drugs and the health care provided to women involved with drugs.

Descriptors:
Nursing Care; Nurses; Women's Health; Disorders Related to Drug Use; Drug Users

Theme	Categories	Subcategories	Thematic units
Care for women involved with drugs	Support	Reception	... we are very cordial here at the maternity [...] we encourage the women [...] raising their self esteem [...].
		Actions of guidance	… I talk to them and I think this is our role as well [...] explain to them the procedures that will be done [sic]. [...] female drug users are socially deprived, have no type of guidance, education, have no prenatal care, so they don’t have the real sense of what the use of drugs can cause to pregnancy.
		Specialized referral	... it is the psychology sector that ends up referring to some CAPS (Center for Psychosocial Care)[...] I report to the Child Protective Services [...] in case of abstinence, we usually ask the the obstetrician to prescribe a medication to pacify them [...] we call social services [...] the therapist, psychologist, social worker, and the physician issue [...].
	Incompetence and difficult	Lack of training	... and if I tell you that I have training? [...] in undergraduate, graduate programs, there is no training for this professional [...] more qualified.
	Incompetence and difficult	Programmatic gaps	The services have to be more prepared, more trained.
	Fear and prejudice	Violence	... in the situation she is out of control, there’s the matter of fear, of vulnerability [...]. Sometimes, we’re afraid to ask, to get close, say something and the patient overreact and feel offended.
	Fear and prejudice	Transmission of infections	... be careful with the PPEs, [...] Aids is often associated [...] with drug use and other communicable diseases [...].

Associação Brasileira de Enfermagem SGA Norte Quadra 603 Conj. "B" - Av. L2 Norte 70830-102 Brasília, DF, Brasil, Tel.: (55 61) 3226-0653, Fax: (55 61) 3225-4473 - Brasília - DF - Brazil
E-mail: reben@abennacional.org.br

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[1] CORRESPONDING AUTHOR: Andreia Silva Rodrigues. E-mail: enfandreiarodrigues@hotmail.com

Average frequency	AOE < 2,9			AOE ≥ 2,9
Average frequency	Term evoked central elements	Frequency	AOE	Term evoked 1 st Periphery	Frequency	AOE
≥ 8	Support Attention Incompetence Difficult Patience No judgement	13 12 12 12 9 8	2.846 2.833 2.417 2.083 2.000 2.750	Guidance Reception Strength	11 8 8	3.545 3.000 4.250
Average frequency	Term evoked central elements	Frequency	AOE	Term evoked 2 nd Periphery	Frequency	AOE
< 8	Treatment Understanding Assist Humanization Sexually transmitted infections	7 7 6 4 4	2.857 1.857 2.167 2.500 2.500	Prejudice Fear Love Refer Vulnerability Respect Services Intensified care Multiprofessional Care Exhausting	7 7 5 5 5 5 4 4 4 4 4	3.429 3.000 4.600 4.400 3.400 3.200 3.750 3.500 3.500 3.000 3.000