Family visitors and companions of hospitalized elderly and adults: analysis of the experience from the perspective of the nursing working process.

This is a qualitative study using Grounded Theory as the methodological reference and the Process of Work in Nursing as the theoretical reference in order to understand the role assumed by nurses regarding hospital norms and routines applied to family visitors and companions of adult and elderly patients in a teaching hospital. Data analysis identified the theme: defining the modality of family support during hospitalization. This theme aggregates two main categories: becoming the family visitor and becoming the family companion.