O cuidar confortador à pessoa e sua família em situação crítica

Abstract

This report aims to demonstrate, in a critical and reflective manner, the activities that were performed, and the skills that were acquired, throughout the author’s academic years, as a future specialist nurse in the area of Medical-Surgical Nursing. In a care context where scientific and technological development prevails, nurses face highly complex situations, in which critically ill patients and their families seek global and holistic answers to their needs. The report begins with an integrative review of the literature on the nurses’ actions, when faced with critically ill patients suffering from sepsis. The author highlights their fundamental role in the early identification, control and prevention of that condition, avoiding its progression and reducing the discomforts associated with it. As part of the internship that took place in the emergency department, the author developed skills with respect to the provision of specialized nursing care to critically ill patients and their families, as well as competences destined to improve the care provided to patients with sepsis and the respective families. The author raised the team’s awareness, through the elaboration of a poster about “Via Verde Sépsis”, which was subsequently disseminated. This context was the starting point for the integrative literature review. During the internship at the intensive care unit, the author further developed her skills regarding the provision of specialised nursing care to critically ill patients and their families, having prepared a poster about delirium, which was presented to the scientific community. Attempting to improve the care provided to critically ill patients with sepsis and the respective families, the author disclosed the results of the literature review to the nursing team. With regard to the development of competences that contribute to, and/or promote, communication with patients subjected to invasive mechanical ventilation, in addition to the use of various specific techniques, the author created an image board and acquired adapted material for writing, which could facilitate the communication process. All the interventions sought to provide comforting care that offered well-being, relief from suffering, and the prevention of complications. As such, comfort was explained, in its various contexts, throughout the report.

Date of Award	4 Oct 2019
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Patrícia Pontífice-Sousa (Supervisor)