This is a descriptive, qualitative study that aimed to describe the use of an educational technology in nursing care practice for mothers of newborns under phototherapy. It was developed and carried out in a large public maternity hospital in Fortaleza, CE, Brazil. The subjects were 25 mothers of newborns under phototherapy. The data was collected from January through March of 2005 by means of participant observation and interviews both before and after the implementation of educational technology. The content analysis theory was applied. In the analysis of the speeches from the first phase the theme of knowledge emerged with a sub-theme of a lack of knowledge about phototherapy. In the second phase, the sub-themes acquired knowledge about phototherapy, didactic resources as support for knowledge, and nursing care for mothers of newborns under phototherapy emerged. This study evidenced that the dialogue between nurses and the participating mothers, together with the support of the educational technology, contributed to effective nursing care practice for mothers of newborns under phototherapy.
Phototherapy; Technology; Newborn infant; Nursing