Perception of the Nursing Team in Relation to Oncologic Patient Assistance in Palliative Care in the Intensive Care Unit

Abstract

Introduction: The palliative care in general should retake the possibility of perceiving death as a natural and expected process, facing a life threatening disease. Even if there are efforts aiming toward Palliative Care in the ICU, there are still difficulties that hinder such practice, by the fact that it demands individual activities toward the patient. Objectives: describe the perception of the nursing team in relation to oncologic patient assistance in palliative care admitted to the ICU. Methodology: Descriptive, transversal, quali-quantitative study, with field data collection, in which 29 nursing professionals were interviewed through an individual questionnaire, made by the researcher herself in a hospital from Rondônia countryside in 2020. Results: it was possible to prove that the Palliative Care theme is still not widespread and lot of professionals don’t know its principles, such reality hinders the care in relation to these oncologic patients admitted to the ICU. Conclusions: It stands out, then, that there is a need for the nursing team to be ready to attend oncologic patients, just as it becomes evident the team’s interest over the presented theme. To offer continuing education about intensive care is essential, just as providing an emotional support to these professionals who deal everyday with pain, suffering and death.