A humanização como expressão máxima do cuidado ao doente crítico

Abstract

This report, developed in the framework of the master's degree with specialization in Medical-Surgical Nursing, seeks to portray an academic and professional career founded on the interaction between patients, families and healthcare professionals, in different times and settings, but that overlap in terms of the achieved personal growth, development of expertise and the depth of the established relationships. Although the internships took place in different healthcare contexts, namely palliative care and the emergency room, – the technological advances of which do not cease to amaze me – in addition to the necessary technical and scientific skills, the rights of the person, the respect for their autonomy and privacy, were taken into account. The nurse-person/family relationship plays a key role in the quality of care and is one of the main axes of humanization, hence my concern in approaching this issue with clarity and featuring it in the first chapter of the report, in the form of a systematic review of the literature. How each person behaves is indicative of their way of being in life, however, we only exist and grow when in relationship with others. It is through the interpersonal relationships, the act of communicating, that we are able to meet some of our needs, in particular those of recognition, confidence, respect, protection and dignity. It is on these principles that I have tried to support my interventions during my career, always viewing the sick person as a holistic being. As such, the humanization of care presents itself as a requirement to the health-disease process. From the conviction that the human person and his life have immeasurable value in any situation stems the interest and need to address this issue that is transverse to both internship placements. In view of the above this report presents nursing interventions directed to the critical patient, both in situations in which the healing project makes no sense, but on the other hand the CARE is absolutely essential, as in the context of palliative care; and when there’s an immediate need for recovery or maintenance of vital functions, as in the context of emergency. The different nature of the two internship placements demanded the use and contribution of some of the literature revision found in School of Interaction by Hildegard Peplau and Joyce Travelbee, which served as a guideline to the communication process with the sick person, and in School of Caring by Jean Watson and Kristen Swanson, thus vesting my interventions with a sense of underlying humanized care. In order to illustrate each of the modules, which will be done in a chronological order of achievement, I attempted to use a descriptive methodology that would allow inclusion of reflective and critical aspects of the developed activities, while taking the internship project and portfolio into account.

Date of Award	2014
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Patrícia Pontífice-Sousa (Supervisor)