Presented to the Graduate Program in Nursing of the Health Sciences Institute of the Federal
University of Pará, Master's Degree in Nursing of the UFPa as part of the requisites required
to obtain the Master's Degree in Nursing. This research aims to study the social representation
of nurses on cancer and its implications for the nursing care provided to cancer patients.
Interest in this subject appeared when I began to perceive the change in the profile of patients
hospitalized at the hospital where they worked, from acute patients (leptospirosis, rabies,
bacterial and viral meningitis, among others) to chronic diseases, specifically cancer. Cancer
is a disease that first affects the cognitive level of the individual, who after the process of
assimilation, comes to understand and fear. For this reason it accepts the treatment, which also
implies suffering (mutilating surgeries, radiotherapy and chemotherapy). But when the
manifestations of the disease materialize in the patient's body, his previous biotype is altered
which translates into signs and symptoms, such as: severe weight loss, loss of muscle strength
and others. The disease, now visualized by others, leaves the psychological sphere passing,
also, to the sociological one - it becomes a psychosocial disease. Regarding the professional's
view, cultural dimensions imply the understanding that cancer is a terminal illness, that is,
when the individual is affected by the pathology, however great the dedication of the health
team to death is inevitable . I emphasize that this reality is grounded not because cancer is a
terminal disease, but because of the existence of a strong bureaucracy present in health
services. It is worth mentioning that in the state of Pará, this problem is more pronounced due
to the large size of the territory, which makes it difficult for patients to access health services.
Cancer is a disease that is widely exploited by many types of research, including those of a
psychosocial nature. But I would like to point out that the discussion about the social
representations of nurses about cancer is of fundamental importance for a rethinking of
nursing about the care given to a patient with a chronic and almost always terminal illness.
Based on this understanding, I formulated the following objectives: characterize the social
representation of nurses on cancer and analyze the implications of this social representation
for the nursing care provided to cancer patients. The study is descriptive-exploratory, with a
qualitative approach and theoretical contribution of the concepts of Theory of Social
Representations. The work is based on primary sources: statements of nineteen nurses and a
nurse, produced from a semi-structured interview and the technique of free association of
ideas. I first opted for the application of the technique of free association of ideas, as a way to
deepen the themes that emerged in the free association of ideas, I used the semi-guided
interview as a second technique. The information was worked through the thematic analysis,
which allows to know a reality, through the communications of individuals who have ties
with it. I sought to follow the guidance of this author who unfolds this type of analysis in
three stages: the first is the pre-analysis, which consisted in the selection and organization of
the material, with the realization of floating reading and the constitution of the corpus; The
second the exploitation of the material and the third, the data treatment and interpretation. As
a result of the consolidation of two thematic units, so-called: cancer a chronic, degenerative,
suffering and deadly disease and cancer patient: the experience of a new nursing care. The
results evidenced the suffering experienced by the nurses in providing care to the cancer
patient due to the frustration of the unreached cure. The implementation of a new care
allowed the deponents to insert in their care practice an integral and humane care to this
clientele.
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