Heróis de coração: o papel do voluntariado hospitalar segundo a perspetiva de famílias com crianças hospitalizadas

Abstract

Pediatric hospitalization entails numerous challenges and represents a time of crisis not only for the hospitalized child but for the entire family, especially caregivers, often leading to heightened levels of stress and exhaustion. Hospital volunteering emerges as a source of support and relief and thus, as an important resource to mitigate the negative impact of this experience and contribute to improvements in well-being. In this sense, the present study aimed to examine the levels of parental exhaustion among caregivers of hospitalized children and how these relate to families' perceptions of a hospital volunteering project, intending to characterize their contributions to the experience. A mixed methods approach was employed, including individual interviews and the administration of a questionnaire to caregivers, comprising the Portuguese version of the Parental Burnout Assessment and the translation of the Family, Infant, and Preschool Program Loyalty Scale. A total of 103 caregivers completed the questionnaire, and 10 participated in individual interviews. Results indicated low levels of parental exhaustion, which varied according to some sociodemographic factors, although significant emotional impacts were reported. At the same time, caregivers were very satisfied with the volunteer project, highlighting its various contributions, from logistical to emotional, social, and relational. These findings underscore the importance of addressing not only the needs of hospitalized children, but also of their caregivers, reinforcing the importance to invest in family support measures to promote more humanized and family-centered care.