Enhance the Emotional Dimension of Caring: The Emotional Labor Model in Pediatric Nursing

Background/Objectives: The health-disease processes experienced by children and their families are often accompanied by profound emotional distress, which can prove to be a significant challenge for the nurses entrusted with their care. The objective of this article is to introduce the Emotional Labor Model in Pediatric Nursing and demonstrate its applicability to improving care for children and families. Methods: A doctoral thesis (2010), with a qualitative approach and Grounded Theory methodolo-gy, led to the emergence of a medium-range theory, revealing how nurses use emotions as a therapeutic tool in pediatric hospitalization. Corbin and Strauss (2015) argue that from a medium-range theory emerges the formulation of a logical, systematic and ex-planatory model, that has been validated in different pediatric settings, through re-search, clinical internships and discussion with clinical nurses and expert academics. Results: This model provides guidance for operationalization emotional labor in the context of pediatric nursing and is characterized by “Promoting a safe and affectionate environment”, “Nurturing care with affection”, “Facilitating the management of the client's emotions”, “Building stability in the relationship” and “Regulating one's (nurses) emotional disposition to care”. The applicability of this model requires triple centrality: in the clients, in the nurses, and in the nurse-client relationship. Conclu-sions: Humanizing care is facilitated by an awareness of the emotional experiences of clients and the ability of nurses to manage emotionality. Research-based models of care are necessary to guide and empower pediatric nurses in this emotional dimension of nursing.