Enfermagem especializada no cuidar em fim de vida na unidade de cuidados intensivos

Abstract

Within the scope of the master’s degree in Nursing, in the Specialization in Medical Surgical Nursing in the area of nursing for people in critical situation, this report was developed, in order to demonstrate, through description and reflection, my professional and personal evolution as a future specialist nurse and master. In the three internship contexts carried out, such as General Emergency Service, Non-Invasive Ventilation Unit and Intensive and Intermediate Care Unit, the provision of palliative care was a referenced topic, because it’s present throughout several stages of the health-disease process, and it isn´t exclusive to a single hospital unit for providing end-of life care. Palliative care can be present in the course of an acute, chronic or exacerbation of the aforementioned illness. Therefore, they can also be present in times of critical illness, being necessary in an emergency service or an intensive care unit, because palliative care is an action that seeks to alleviate suffering and provide comfort to the person and family. Therefore, it has emerged a systematic review on the experiences of end-of-life care, of nurses who work the intensive care unit, where the importance of research is underlinedin order to develop master's skills. Subsequently, a description and analysis of the competences developed in this academic and professional period was carried out, based on the norms of competences that regulate the nursing specialties. Of the common skills, I highlight the competence of continuous quality improvement, where I demonstrate my active participation in improving the quality of care. Regarding the specific competences, they were developed throughout the three contexts of internships in a transversal way, emphasizing the development of competences to care for people with altered respiratory pattern, also constituting comfort and the reduction of uncertainty as a central focus of my care. I also highlight the development of communication competence with the patient and family and the consequent reduction of suffering through the perception of their needs. At the end of this journey, I believe that the objectives were achieved, which allowed me to improve my path as a person and a nurse, since it's not the end, but a path to continue my growth.

Date of Award	18 Jul 2023
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Maria Manuela Madureira Lebre Mendes (Supervisor)