Experiences of the companion man facing the woman submitted to the mastectomy.
Breast Neoplasms. Mastectomy. Spouses. Oncology Nursing.
Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in the world's female population, and is responsible for the physical and emotional consequences to the lives of women and their partners. The objective of the research was to understand the experience of the women’s partner who was underwent mastectomy. This is an exploratory and descriptive research, with a qualitative approach, developed with 12 fellow men of women submitted to mastectomy, developed at the Hospital da Solidariedade and at the Centro de Oncologia e Hematologia de Mossoró, in the city of Mossoró, Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil. According to the inclusion criteria, participants should be 18 years old or be older than this; and live with his breast cancer patient's partner, who underwent mastectomy. The information collection took place from July to October 2016, through a semi-structured interview. This was preceded by the approval of the referred hospitals, approval by the Research Ethics Committee of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, with Certificate of Presentation and Ethical Appreciation nº 55191216.1.0000.5537 and opinion nº 1.618.233 as well as signing the Term of Consent Free and Clarified by the interviewees. The data were analyzed using the Content Analysis method, in the thematic analysis modality proposed by Bardin. Three categories emerged from this process: Knowledge of breast cancer and the mastectomy procedure of his lifemate, Feelings before the companion submitted to the mastectomy and Support to the woman in the difficult moments, and seven sub-categories, which were Analyzed and discussed based on the literature on the experience of the companion man before the woman submitted to the mastectomy. It was found that those interviewed, when experiencing the mastectomy of their lifemates, were inserted in a context of understanding the disease and release of feelings, and it is essential to provide support to the woman. Therefore, based on the study, it was considered the necessity of the insertion of the companions of mastectomized women in the care, because they are fundamental character to assist in the treatment of the woman. Given this, it’s relevant that the nursing team consider the different situations faced by the man during the mastectomy of his partner, having as a priority his insertion in the care process, minimizing its psychological consequences and using it as an instrument for the care of the patient. woman.