OBJECTIVE: To recognize the profile of platelet donors and the profile of the plateletpheresis session as well as to investigate the main adverse events of platelet donation using plateletpheresis and associated risk factors.METHODS: This retrospective, cross-sectional and analytical study was performed with a quantitative approach by analyzing 316 donation files from February 2010 to December 2011. The IBM SPSS Statistics program was used for data processing and analysis. The chi-square test was used to verify whether there was an association between factors related to the procedure and the donor, and the adverse events that occurred.RESULTS: The mean age of platelet donors was 40 years old (standard deviation = 8.9), with the prevalent age group being between 40 and 49 years old; the prevalent blood type was O positive (53.8%), the mean duration of the procedure was 73 min and the mean amount of anticoagulant used was 360 mL. The association between procedure duration and the volume of anticoagulant was inverse and statistically significant; the longer the procedure and the greater the volume of anticoagulant used, the less adverse reactions occurred.CONCLUSION: The low incidence of adverse events indicates that the procedure is well tolerated by donors. Obtaining data regarding the incidence of adverse events is a way of promoting a dynamic review of medical and nursing teams to improve the safety and comfort of the donor.

Family caregivers' perception of chemotherapy treatment supports the development of effective and humanized nursing care plans. This study, which aimed to describe family caregivers' perception of chemotherapy treatment in children and adolescents, is characterized as qualitative and descriptive; it was undertaken in a Chemotherapy Center with 10 family members. The data, organized using the ATLAS-ti software, were analysed using content analysis, from which the following categories emerged: Ambiguity of the feelings regarding chemotherapy treatment, Chemotherapy as a resource for achieving a cure and Religiosity and faith. It was observed that the family members perceive the chemotherapy treatment as the only means of obtaining a cure, and that this process includes the search for balance between the contrasting feelings, through belief and faith, pervaded by a perspective of hope.

La percepción de los familiares cuidadores acerca del tratamiento quimioterápico subsidía la elaboración de planes asistenciales efectivos y humanizados de la enfermería. Esta investigación, que tuvo por objetivo describir la percepción de los familiares cuidadores acerca del tratamiento quimioterápico en niños y adolescentes, se caracteriza por presentar naturaleza cualitativa y descriptiva. Fue realizada en la Central de Quimioterapia con 10 familiares. Los datos, organizados en software ATLAS-ti, fueron examinados por análisis de contenido, de la cual resultaron las categorías: Ambigüedad de los sentimientos delante del tratamiento quimioterápico, Quimioterapia como recurso para alcanzar la curación y Religiosidad y fe. Se observó que los familiares perciben el tratamiento quimioterápico como el único medio para obtenerse la curación y que ese proceso incluye la búsqueda del equilibrio entre los sentimientos opuestos, por medio de la creencia y de la fe, permeado de una mirada de esperanza.

A percepção dos familiares cuidadores sobre o tratamento quimioterápico subsidia a elaboração de planos assistenciais efetivos e humanizados da enfermagem. Esta pesquisa, que teve por objetivo descrever a percepção dos familiares cuidadores sobre o tratamento quimioterápico em crianças e adolescentes, caracteriza-se de natureza qualitativa e descritiva; foi realizada na Central de Quimioterapia com 10 familiares. Os dados, organizados no software ATLAS-ti, foram analisados por análise de conteúdo, da qual emergiram as categorias: Ambiguidade dos sentimentos frente ao tratamento quimioterápico, Quimioterapia como recurso para alcançar a cura e Religiosidade e fé. Observou-se que os familiares percebem o tratamento quimioterápico como o único meio para se obter a cura e que esse processo inclui a busca do equilíbrio entre os sentimentos opostos, por meio da crença e da fé, permeado de um olhar de esperança.