Abstract

CALVETT, Prisla Ücker; SILVA, Leonardo Machado da  and  GAUER, Gabriel José Chittó. Health psychology and hospitalized child. Psic [online]. 2008, vol.9, n.2, pp. 229-234. ISSN 1676-7314.

This article discuses the issue of humanization in hospitals, more specifically in the treatment of children in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). In that scenario, the child is normally confined to a bed, where the role of the health psychologist could involve both the affectionate stimulation and the training of health care professionals. That could enhance patient's immunologic response, improve quality of life and help reducing recovery time, as the child becomes actively taking part of the healing process. Considering the main purpose of the ICU to take care of the life of the child and consequently improve quality of life, we suggest that health care professionals should consider an integrative approach to health care and prioritize an affectionate relationship with the patient. For this reason, humanized care becomes an important practice which could be developed by health professionals when caring for both child and family.

Keywords : Health psychology; Humanization; Hospitalized child.

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