Abstract

QUERO RUFIAN, Aurora et al. Family caregivers in the University Hospital Traumatología and Rehabiblitación in Granada. Index Enferm [online]. 2005, vol.14, n.48-49, pp.14-17. ISSN 1699-5988.

Introduction: Generally hospitalization affects familiar relationships and it also obvies to take certain changes in families’ routine. That is why family caregivers have acquired an important role, as they fulfil the needs of the patients. Most of the times, this activity is performed by women. Aims: The aims of this article are: to explain family care givers profile and the kind of care they provide in the following units: Maxilofacial, Neurology, Neurosurgery and Traumatology in the University Hospital Traumatología y Rehabilitación in Granada.This article will analyse different needs and problems family caregivers find within the hospital and inform about nurses opinion concerning the role of family caregivers. Design: A qualitative design has been used by means of systematic observation and focal group. Surveys and in-depth interviews have been carried out within 2 different groups: nurses and auxiliary nurses. The results obtained have been analysed by the programme Atlas/ti 2.4. Results: The results mentioned above were the appropriate for an hospital in relation with family caregivers as far as activities, level of information, and requests are concerned. Conclusion: On the whole atmosphere in hospitals is somehow hostile to family caregivers. For this reason it will be convenient to set up a different kind of professional relations between health staff and family caregivers. Moreover, it is necessary to recognize the importance of family caregivers role in the hospital.