Integrative literature review nursing interventions aimed at the family of the person in end of life under palliative sedation

Objective: Identify in the literature the nursing interventions aimed at the family of terminal patients at the time of the decision-taking concerning palliative sedation. Method: An integrative revision of the literature using the electronic research platform EBSCOhost. The research was conducted on the 5th October 2014, establishing as research limiters, publications of the last five years, which were available in full text. The research was based on 19 publications, of which, after the submission of the inclusion and exclusion criteria, resulted on 9 publications. Results: Of the nursing interventions, the ones that were more recurrent in the literature were connected with supporting/ comforting the family, considering their complex needs, involving them in the decision-taking in the beginning of the palliative sedation and in the active care during this process, promoting teaching during care and preparing them for the death process. Conclusions: It`s possible to verify the need for further studies on this issue, essentially on what concerns the nurses, as applying these interventions to the family could prevent the occurrence of pathological mourning.