This qualitative descriptive study was carried out with six mothers of children hospitalized in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), with the aim of identifying the role of the social network for them. The data was collected through observation and semi-structured interviews. Two categories emerged from the analysis of the data. First, the sharing of experiences as a mechanism of coping with pain and suffering, and second the support of the family in the hospitalization of the child. The results demonstrate the importance of the social support network, with emphasis on the family support and the network formed by the mothers of the hospitalized children. It was concluded that the encouragement of support groups consisting of mothers/caregivers of children hospitalized in the PICU is an essential strategy to cope with this difficult period in life. This is all the more important when these women cannot count on a social support network outside the hospital.
Social Support; Intensive Care Unit; Family; Child Health