Family caregivers’ itineraries of preschool children who survived leukemia: implications for primary healthcare nursing

OBJECTIVES: to analyze the path taken by family caregivers of preschool children who survived leukemia and discuss the implications for primary healthcare nursing. METHODS: the narrative interview guided by a talking map and body knowledge was used with family members of children who survived leukemia, living in Rio de Janeiro (capital) and São Paulo (countryside). Conversation analysis was applied to the data. RESULTS: five family groups (seven people) of five children started their journey in the professional subsystem of private services; four were assisted in the private sector since the onset of the illness; one was assisted in public and private services. Living conditions reduced barriers to accessing supplementary health, facilitating coordination, and listening to a reference professional. FINAL CONSIDERATIONS: the itinerary was marked by attentive listening to family caregivers by reference professionals, favoring early diagnosis, initiation of treatment, and resolution of leukemia with the cure of children.