Cuidar da pessoa com doença oncológica em situação paliativa

: o significado atribuído à esperança pela equipa de enfermagem

Abstract

Introduction: People with severe, incurable and progressive disease experience a multiplicity of physical, emotional, social and spiritual problems. Therefore it is important to understand the emotions and suffering inherent in the entire course of illness in order to ensure the preservation of dignity and to promote quality of life of the person and his family. Nurses should underpin the therapeutic relationship in the person’s individuality and adapt it to the peculiarities of the disease process, only this way the nursing diagnosis, the planning and the interventions will be conducted on a sustainable basis. Hope in palliative care is related to the psycho-spiritual well-being, with the finding meaning in life, with targets and goals for the future and a hopeful attitude and conduct. Nurses play a primary role in palliative care, so they are in a strategic position to encourage or destroy the hope of the person at the end of his life. Objectives: The aim is to know the meaning of hope in the palliative care of people with cancer disease from the perspective of the nursing team and understand how nurses promote hope alongside the person with oncological disease in palliative situation, from their meanings on the concept. Material and Methods: This study was based on a qualitative methodology with an exploratory and descriptive approach. The population sample was made using the intentional sample technique. It consists in six nurses, who work in a Day Hospital of a private institution. As a technique of data collection it was used the semistructured interview. For data treatment it was applied the descriptive/inductive statistics and the analytical statistics using the content analysis technique. Results: The meaning assigned to hope by the nurses is related with the following concepts: live the best possible, meaning of life, quality of life, believing and individualization of care. Nurses promote hope through the control of symptoms, satisfaction of basic needs, the appreciation of the achievements, establishing a helping relationship, engaging the family in the care process and help the person on his route and meaning. Nurses identify the enablers of hope as: the typology of the service, the dynamics of the job, the career paths, their availability and the good working environment. As inhibiting factors: lack of resources, the routinization of care, the delegation of tasks and the lack of reflection and records. Conclusions: Nurses believe that hope is an integrated and valued element in the practice of nursing and consider this as a significant element of care. With these results it was identified the importance of exploring hope as a fundamental element in the nursing care in all vital cycle, from the understanding of the concept from the perspective of health care professionals.

Date of Award	25 May 2015
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Zaida Charepe (Supervisor)