Actions in oncology service’s waiting room: experience report

Abstract

The “Sala deEspera” Extension Project, initiated in 2011, was created by the UFC Psychology Tutorial Education Program to act in “Centro Pediátrico do Câncer” (Pediatric Cancer Centre) in partnership with the “Associação Peter Pan” (Fortaleza), developing prevention, promotion and rehabilitation in Psycho-oncology. The project develops psychological, recreational and socio-educational interventions with children and adolescents and their parents or relatives while the patients are in the waiting room waiting the call to do invasive procedures. This paper describes the experience of the “Sala de Espera” Extension Project, discussing its importance in the psychological training.Every action is unique, despite the use of the same logistics: first the selection and the supply of materials for the local group then the presentation of the instrument produced by participants themselves – an illustrated album –in order to share, in a simple and reliable way, information on tests carried out in that space, which can generate fears and fantasies in patients and family memberswho do not follow the procedures. In addition to the benefits of the project to this public, the activities promote professional and social training of the students involved, through the daily learning and contact with patients and family members in this health care context.