Cuidados paliativos para profissionais de saúde atuantes em oncologia

Abstract

Especially at the national level, the palliative care approach is still considered recent and unknown. The few empirical studies conducted so far have privileged the knowledge of the practices of health professionals. In this sense, the present research, in addition to presenting data on health professionals, also presents data about the speeches of support technicians on palliative care. Palliative care is a form of comprehensive care, with a multidisciplinary approach, aimed at patients with chronic, limiting and progressive diseases, aiming to promote a better quality of life for the patient and his family. Palliative care can be performed by all health professionals. In addition to these, the support technicians, directly linked to medical practices, play an important role in providing comprehensive health care to people in need of care, considering that full assistance extends to all practices performed by the teams of: doorman/stretcher bearer, secretary, scullery, cleaning services, among all the others. The present study had as general objective to know the discourses about palliative care of professionals that compose the multiprofessional health teams and support technicians who work in an oncology reference hospital, in the city of Campina Grande - PB. The study was set up as an exploratory and descriptive, quantitative-qualitative approach. Data were collected through two instruments, a sociodemographic questionnaire and a semi-structured interview. The sample of this research was composed of 20 health professionals and 11 support professionals who work in a referral service in cancer treatment. After the data collection, the data were analyzed through the Content Analysis method, using the enunciation technique. Quantitative data were presented in tables and qualitative data in sense association trees. The study followed the steps set by the Resolution 466 of December 12, 2012, of the National Health Council, respecting the ethical aspects of research with human beings. For better understanding and visibility the results were divided into two broad categories. The first one addresses the speeches of health professionals about palliative care in the oncology area and the second the speeches of support professionals. In regard to health professionals, it was reported that they present knowledge of palliative care, but still very much associated with end-of-life care. Some support professionals, however, denote limited knowledge and others are totally unaware of this philosophy. Some actions were mentioned by the health professionals and those of support do not consider their actions as being exclusive to palliative care. The affective bonds were evidenced as cause of suffering before the death of the patient for both groups. The feelings of impotence and frustration marked the speeches of the health professionals, besides the technical difficulties and the health system. It is hoped that the result of this research will collaborate with other scientific studies demonstrating the importance of greater investments in the palliative care area, in the training of health professionals to work with this public, as well as in the preparation of the support team, which also contributes to the integral care of the patient.