Trying to preserve the integrity of the family unit: the family Living with the experience of having a child in the pediatric Intensive Care Unit

Abstract

The purposes of this study were to: understand the dynamic functioning of the family with a child admitted to a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) and to construct a theoretical model about the living experience of a family with a child admitted to the PICU. The study used as a theoretical reference the Symbolic Interactionism, and the Grounded theory methodology. The comparative analysis of the data permitted identify two phenomena: Having a family rupture and Living with the possibility of loosing a child. The relationship of these phenomena has permitted the identification of the core category TRYING TO PRESERVE THE INTEGRITY OF THE FAMILY UNIT based on which it was possible to propose a theoretical model to explain the experience.