Impact of burns and the hospitalization process at a burns unit on family dynamics: a literature review

Abstract

This study aimed to describe, by means of a literature review, the impact of burns and the hospitalization process at a burns unit on family dynamics. The review was accomplished through a bibliographic survey in Lilacs, Medline and Dedalus, using the following key words: family, burn and hospitalization, from 1975 to 2005. Seventeen articles were analyzed. The studied themes were organized in the as follow: impact of the burn on the family during the hospitalization of one of its members at burns units; interventions and possibilities of support the team offers to the family; parents’ participation during their children’s hospitalization at burns units; teams’ attitudes towards parents’ participation in care for hospitalized children and difficulties faced by the team in contact with the relatives. Studies about this subject are needed to support greater family participation at burns units.