HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS’ PERCEPTIONS OF INFECTION PREVENTION AND CONTROL IN PEDIATRIC NEUROPATHIC CARE IN A HOSPITAL IN NORTHERN BRAZIL

Abstract

This study, conducted as a requirement for the completion of a Medical degree, investigated healthcare professionals’ conceptions regarding infection control and prevention in pediatric neuropathic patients. The research was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the State University of Roraima, under CAAE number 77089124.3.0000.5621. A qualitative and descriptive approach was adopted, grounded in Thematic Content Analysis proposed by Laurence Bardin and informed by Cecília Minayo’s methodological reinterpretation. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with professionals working in the Long-Term Care Unit of a pediatric hospital located in the northernmost region of Brazil. The analysis resulted in five thematic categories that reflect participants’ perceptions and understandings of infection control and healthcare-associated infection prevention. The findings reveal elements of knowledge, perceptions, and subjectivities that influence professional practice in the care of neuropathic children and in preventing infectious complications. The study contributes to advancing the understanding of the educational role in preventive practices and highlights the need to strengthen medical training, particularly regarding the specificities involved in caring for pediatric neuropathic patients.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.56238/sevened2026.009-002