Citation

Guerriere D, McKeever P. J. Soc. Pediatr. Nurs. 1997; 2(3): 105-115.

Affiliation

Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. denise.guerriere@utoronto.ca

Copyright

(Copyright © 1997, Nursecom)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

9292853

Abstract

PURPOSE: To explore how mothers come to terms with the multiple changes that occur with children who sustain sudden brain injuries. DESIGN: A descriptive study based on symbolic interactionist principles. SETTING: Mothers' homes or a private interview room in a hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Seven mothers recruited through a pediatric rehabilitation center. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Each mother described her experiences with her child in one open-ended interview. RESULTS: Mothers' lives changed abruptly and profoundly when a previously healthy child suffered a catastrophic brain injury. Their accounts revealed how they had come to regard themselves and the children as "different people" after the injury. Their reconstructions were the result of continuous self-reflection and interactions with others. Mothers had recast life in general from being predictable and controllable to being precarious and dominated by fate. Believing they had no other choice, they played the hand they had been dealt. CONCLUSIONS: Nurses can play an important role in helping mothers of children who have brain injuries by reassuring them that feelings of guilt and helplessness are not uncommon, praising them for learning new caregiving skills, and treating children with brain injuries with respect and dignity.

Language: en