Educational strategy experimented with mastectomized women: experience report

Objective: to report the educational strategy on the social support networks experimented with mastectomized women. Method: this is a descriptive study, with an experience report nature, on the activities of the university extension project << Assistance to the mastectomized woman in the Mastectomized Women Association of Ceara>>, carried out on June 2012. Twenty eight mastectomized women participated in the activity, taking into account the relevance of the existence of social support networks to promote the reintegration into society of women who underwent mastectomy, since they favor rehabilitation. Two stages were adopted: a practical one (through the interaction technique using the soft/hard technology (“a ball of string”) and a theoretical one (expository explanation), favoring the share of content related to the theme. Results: Nursing recognizes the need for social support networks aimed at these women and it indicates the concern of constructing along with them some knowledge on the subject. Conclusion: it was possible, in a playful and interactive way, to associate theory with practice, encouraging women to be co-responsible in the teaching-learning process. Descriptors: Health Education; Nursing; Mastectomy; Social Support. RESUMO Objetivo: relatar a estratégia educativa sobre as redes sociais de apoio vivenciada com mulheres mastectomizadas. Método: estudo descritivo, do tipo relato de experiência, sobre as atividades do projeto de extensão universitária << Assistência à mulher mastectomizada na Associação Cearense de Mulheres Mastectomizadas >>, realizado em junho de 2012. Participaram da atividade 28 mulheres mastectomizadas, tendo em vista a relevância da existência de redes sociais de apoio para a reinserção à sociedade de mulheres submetidas à mastectomia, uma vez que elas favorecem a reabilitação. Foram adotadas duas etapas: uma prática (por meio de técnica de interação com o uso da tecnologia leve/dura (“um rolo de barbante”) e outra teórica (explanação expositiva), favorecendo o compartilhamento de conteúdos relativos à temática. Resultados: a Enfermagem reconhece a necessidade das redes sociais de apoio a essas mulheres e indica a preocupação de construir junto a elas um conhecimento acerca do assunto. Conclusão: foi possível, de forma lúdica e interativa, associar teoria à prática, estimulando a mulher a ser corresponsável no processo de ensino-aprendizagem. Descritores: Educação em Saúde; Enfermagem; Mastectomia; Apoio Social. RESUMEN Objetivo: relatar la estrategia educativa acerca de las redes sociales de apoyo vivida con mujeres mastectomizadas. Método: esto es un estudio descriptivo, del tipo relato de experiencia, acerca de las actividades del proyecto de extensión universitaria “Asistencia a la mujer mastectomizada en la Asociación de Mujeres Mastectomizadas de Ceará”, realizado en junio de 2012. Veintiocho mujeres mastectomizadas participaron en la actividad, teniendo en cuenta la relevancia de la existencia de redes sociales de apoyo para la reinserción a la sociedad de mujeres sometidas a mastectomía, ya que favorecen la rehabilitación. Se adoptaron dos etapas: una práctica (por medio de la técnica de interacción con el uso de la tecnología leve/dura (“un ovillo de hilo”) y una teórica (explicación expositiva), favoreciendo el intercambio de contenidos relacionados con la temática. Resultados: la Enfermería reconoce la necesidad de las redes sociales de apoyo a estas mujeres e indica la preocupación de construir con ellas un conocimiento acerca del asunto. Conclusión: fue posible, de manera lúdica e interactiva, asociar teoría a la práctica, estimulando a la mujer a ser co-responsable en el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje. Descriptores: Educación en Salud; Enfermería; Mastectomía; Apoyo Social. Undergraduate Nursing student at Universidade Federal do Ceara/UFC. Scientific Initiation scholarship holder (PIBIC/UFCE/CNPq). Fortaleza (CE), Brazil. Email: camilabrasil@alu.ufc.br; Nurse, Post-PhD in Nursing, Adjunct Professor at the Nursing Department and at the Graduate Program in Nursing of Universidade Federal do Ceara/UFC. Fortaleza (CE), Brazil. Email: afcana@ufc.br; Undergraduate Nursing student at Universidade Federal do Ceara/UFC. Scientific Initiation scholarship holder (PIBIC/UFC/CNPq). Fortaleza (CE), Brazil. Email: mirasul18@hotmail.com; Nurse graduated at Universidade Federal do Ceara/UFC. Fortaleza (CE), Brazil. Email: line_mayra@yahoo.com.br; Nurse. PhD Professor at the Graduate Program in Nursing of Universidade Federal do Ceara/UFC. Fortaleza (CE), Brazil. Email: mlavinas@fortalnet.com.br    CASE REPORT ARTICLE Moreira CB, Fernandes AFC, Gomes AMF et al. Educational strategy experimented with... English/Portuguese J Nurs UFPE on line., Recife, 7(1):302-5, Jan., 2013 303 DOI: 10.5205/reuol.3049-24704-1-LE.0701201339 ISSN: 1981-8963 One estimates for 2012 the occurrence of about 53 thousand new cases of breast cancer in Brazil, diagnosed at an advanced stage and having aggressive treatments as a consequence. Among the aggressive treatments for breast cancer, mastectomy stands out, which, in turn, is a mutilating procedure and, consequently, is the most feared by women, since, besides affecting the perception of one's body image, it also represents the loss of femininity and sexuality. Literature indicates that mastectomy presents physical, social, and psychological implications, generated by uncertainties, fears, and anxiety as a result of the aesthetic change and physical limitation caused by the surgery. In this sense, one may indicate the importance of the existence of social support networks to embrace the woman who underwent mastectomy and act as a means for biopsychosocial rehabilitation, becoming relevant in the process of resuming her roles, as she’ll need to face, besides the physical barrier, prejudices and stigmas posed by society. Through, for instance, the development of art workshops, informative lectures, courses on improvement of manual artifacts, conversation wheels, stretching sessions, and debates with a psychologist, among other activities which may favor this coping. Currently, in Fortaleza, Ceara, Brazil, there are many associations for women who underwent mastectomy, since, with the support of the Brazilian Federation of Philanthropic Institutions to Support Breast Health (FEMAMA), many entities are getting access to the population visibility, besides, population is also getting access to them. Thus, one reaffirms the importance of the work of nursing professionals in the provision of health education on social support networks along with mastectomized women. The social support network may be defined as a system consisting of several social objects, i.e. people, functions, and situations which provide the person with instrumental and emotional support, concerning her/his different needs. The network points may be individuals, institutions, or groups which are included in a context where there’s a goal to be achieved. Therefore, each type of network will have a specific function in every person’s life, so, when people are undergoing an illness status, whether physical, psychological, or social, the network may be of paramount importance for the health-disease process of these individuals. Recognizing that society often isn’t aware of the existence of this type of social support, health education is a means for spreading knowledge and the participants in the activity are active subjects in the learning process and co-responsible for empowerment to self-care. Having as one of the teaching strategies the method application in a playful manner, health education, carried out through group dynamics, makes the teaching and learning process a collective experience, i.e. everyone is included in the educational process, something which facilitates the community’s interaction and participation in the activity. In face of this reality, this study aims at describing an educational strategy carried out with mastectomized women connected to a social support network. Descriptive study, with an experience report nature, carried out by faculty and students from a university extension program ― Maternal and Breast Health (support, attention, and visits by health professionals, such as physicians, nurses, and psychologists, as well as undergraduate and graduate students, in order to rehabilitate and train mastectomized women for self-care) ― connected to the Nursing Department of Universidade Federal do Ceara (UFC), and coordinated by a professor/nurse. The study site was the Mastectomized Women Association of Ceara, connected to the Project Care to Mastectomized Women; the study had the participation of 28 women on June 2012. Health education was used as a teaching method, based on the method by Paulo Freire, who advocates for mutual learning, in which everyone is included in the teaching-learning process. The educational strategy was conducted in two stages: a practical one (through the interaction technique using the soft/hard technology “a ball of string”) and a theoretical one (expository explanation on the theme). The activity started with the practical stage; first, the advisor explained how the group dynamics should occur: women were asked to stand upright in the shape of a circle, then he started holding the edge of the string and handing in the ball to the participant with whom he talked more, had closer affinity, or provided greater support. After receiving the ball, the woman should hold a piece of the string and hand in the ball METHOD INTRODUCTION Moreira CB, Fernandes AFC, Gomes AMF et al. Educational strategy experimented with... English/Portuguese J Nurs UFPE on line., Recife, 7(1):302-5, Jan., 2013 304 DOI: 10.5205/reuol.3049-24704-1-LE.0701201339 ISSN: 1981-8963 to the participant who was most important to her, with whom she had closer affinity, or who provided her with greater support. And so on, until the ball was handed in to every woman pa