Rooming in hospitalization: participation achieved?

Abstract

The objective of this study was to analyze the participation of the accompanying mother in the rooming in hospitalization system at a public pediatric hospital. This was an exploratory descriptive study with quantitative methodology conducted in the medical-clinical wards of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte pediatric hospital using a semi-structured interview with 22 mothers that accompanied their children during hospitalization. All of the mothers (100%) conducted hygiene activities with their children and 19 (86%) did feeding actions. The mothers report satisfaction in caring for their children. They do activities that are commonly done by nursing, thereby demonstrating the reality of rooming-in hospitalization. It is suggested that the professionals look upon these activities as an acquired conquest of the mothers and not as a responsibility.