CONHECIMENTO DE ENFERMEIRAS SOBRE EDUCAÇÃO PARA O AUTOCUIDADO NA ANEMIA FALCIFORME

This study aimed at describing and analyzing the level of knowledge of nurses working in family health units about education to foster self-care among sickle cell anemia carriers. A descriptive exploratory study was carried out between April and June of 2011 using semi-structured interviews for data gathering, conducted by 12 nurses. The Discourse of Collective Subjects technique was used for the analysis process. The study findings showed that although the nurses understand the primary principles of self-care related to sickle cell anemia, they still face difficulties at the basic health units with planning the activities and with following-up persons living with the disease. This study concludes that the knowledge of nurses about education to foster self-care among sickle cell anemia carriers, from a collective health education perspective, is important to rethink the insertion of sickle cell anemia carriers within the primary health care system.