ABSTRACT
Objective:
to investigate the level of knowledge of nurses in Basic Health Units and their engagement in monitoring patients with sickle cell disease and other hemoglobinopathies.
Methods:
this is a qualitative, descriptive-exploratory study, carried out with 12 nurses from basic health units in the municipality of Santa Luzia/Minas Gerais between August 2018 and February 2019. The semi-structured interview was the technique used for data collection, which was analyzed using Content Analysis.
Results:
the analysis of the interviews emerged in the construction of three categories: understanding of sickle cell disease, risk factors, and alterations on physical examination; nursing care at the health unit according to the recommendation of the Ministry of Health; obstacles and facilitators for the tracking and identification of patients. Discourse analysis highlighted: the outstanding presence of misconceptions regarding sickle cell disease; the absence of effective follow-up of patients in the area covered by the nurse; and the non-existence of a positive sickle cell disease patient link with primary care.
Conclusion:
although nursing plays a fundamental role in monitoring and assisting patients with sickle cell disease, the study revealed a significant gap between care recommendations and practice in basic health units.
DESCRIPTORS:
Sickle Cell Anemia; Hemoglobinopathies; Primary health care; Nursing education; Nursing