Assistência em fim de vida em Portugal, no século XIX

Abstract

Nurses play an extremely important role in the provision of care for the end of life. However, these were not always care provided by staff with scientific knowledge. Until the late nineteenth century, the nurses had no preparation. The period studied was the nineteenth century which corresponded to a period of great change and instability in our country due to the French invasion and subsequent war between liberals and absolutists. This work is inserted in the master of Palliative Care and the same results in the dissertation. The methodology used was essentially a review of existing literature, historical studies. At the time, the leading causes of death were general diseases, which included the infectious diseases, tuberculosis and respiratory diseases. Most religious orders and hospitals refused to admit patients with chronic and contagious diseases that were incurable. Death was then living at home within the family. In contrast, today the death occurs primarily in hospitals, in a more solitary. We are witnessing a medicalized death, since there are still professionals who still look at the death of their patients as a failure in their acts. Since the death inherent in the human condition and across all ages, assistance to people in the end of life has yet to be well developed. The death must be regarded as something natural, becose only then be able to improve enf of life care in hospitals by the health professionals and by the family and friends

Date of Award	2012
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Margarida Maria Vieira (Supervisor)