CHALLENGES AND STRATEGIES REPORTED BY FAMILIES OF NEWBORNS AFTER HOSPITAL DISCHARGE: AN ANALYSIS OF EXPERIENCES IN HOME CARE

Abstract

Considering the need to understand the critical and challenging transition experienced by families during the post-discharge period of neonates who underwent prolonged hospitalization, this study sought to identify how home care is managed and which gaps persist in the continuity of assistance. It aims to analyze the main challenges faced by families of neonates after hospital discharge, characterize the sociodemographic profile of the newborns, describe the strategies adopted in home care, and relate the families’ assessment of professional performance to reports of successful practices or negative outcomes. To this end, we proceeded with a descriptive, cross-sectional, quantitative study involving 31 families attended at the outpatient clinic of a referral maternity hospital, using a structured questionnaire for data collection and analysis. In this way, it is observed that caregiving responsibilities fall predominantly on low-income mothers who face insecurity, insufficient guidance, and emotional overload. The most frequently reported strategies were emotional support, family assistance, and the use of social media to obtain information, which allows us to conclude that significant weaknesses persist in the transition from hospital to home and in the continuity of neonatal care, reinforcing the need for public policies that strengthen health education, provide specialized follow-up, and enhance the support offered to neonates and their families.