Cuidar da pessoa em fim de vida com sofrimento espiritual

Abstract

This study was carried out with the following research question in mind: “How does a nurse regard his/her role in the relief of spiritual suffering in terminally ill patients?” In the end of life, patients are many times collated with existential challenges that take it to a personal and unique suffering, transcending the physical dimension The nurses must assume a boarding that incorporate the spiritual dimension of life, being precociously prepared to recognize and to care of the person with spiritual suffering. Accordingly, we describe the way nurses perceive spiritual suffering in terminally ill patients, identify the nursing care provided so as to relieve this suffering and indicate the problems experienced by nurses when caring for terminally ill patients with spiritual suffering. This study takes on a qualitative research approach, with an inductive orientation and using (thematic) content analysis technique. Three themes were identified: “the acknowledgement of spiritual suffering”; “the relief of spiritual suffering” and “reflected action – constructive self to the care in spiritual suffering”. Each thematic dimension was analysed and the following conclusions were reached: - Nurses acknowledge the spiritual suffering of terminally ill patients by means of verbal communication (from patients’ spontaneous verbalizations or from nurses patient questioning), as well as through non-verbal communication, by the perception of signs and behaviour that indicate spiritual suffering; - In order to relieve spiritual suffering, nurses provide spiritual care which consists of offering spiritual accompaniment, encouraging the search for sense and purpose and manage hope; - Nurses consider that the care provided to relieve spiritual suffering enables the patient to find spiritual well-being, which in turn has a positive effect on the family, providing them with comfort; - They recognize the existence of a reflexive process which enables them to identify strengths and weaknesses in their duties; - They identify self-knowledge as one of their strengths; - Nurses identify weaknesses/constraints related with: interprofessional knowledge, time management and accompaniment conditions.

Date of Award	12 Sept 2013
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	José Joaquim Penedos Amendoeira Martins (Supervisor)