Difficulties and opportunities in providing care to patients in the last hours or days of life: focus group

Background: In Portugal, two thirds of deaths occur in the hospital and it is estimated that these numbers will increase considerably in the coming decades. The proper organization of care at this stage promotes peaceful deaths and catalyzes healthy bereavements. The Project MiMI (Morte Iminente em Medicina Interna; Imminent Death in Internal Medicine) is a collaboration between the Portuguese Society of Internal Medicine, the International Collaborative for the Best Care for the Dying Person and the Institute of Health Sciences of the Portuguese Catholic University, whose ultimate goal is to create a training model adjusted to the needs identified by the health professionals involved in the care of these patients and their families Aim(s): (1) Identification of the main difficulties and opportunities for improving the quality of care for patients with imminent death and their families hospitalized for Internal Medicine care, from the perspective of the professional care provider (doctors and nurses working in the Internal Medicine environment); (2) Identification of training needs in the various moments of monitoring patients in a situation of imminent death (diagnosis; adjustment of individual and integrated care plan; death and post-mortem care). Methods: Qualitative methodology of response to a semi-structured script, by a group of professionals considered relevant in the contributions they can provide to the construction of a training curriculum in the area in question. Thus, a convergent discussion will be promoted with a convenience panel consisting of: two doctors with the Specialty of Internal Medicine and with responsibility for the service management, two doctors of the Specialty of Internal Medicine with at least 5 (five) years of experience and who has taken on the role of training supervisor, two Internal Medicine residents, two nurses working in the Internal Medicine environment and two members of the behavioral sciences area (Psychiatrist and/or Psychologist) with experience in supporting to Internal Medicine war. Results: The meeting is schedule to early September and results will be available in October Conclusions: In the construction of the curriculum, it is essential to incorporate the elements that respond to the main difficulties regarding the diagnosis, elaboration of the care plan, communicational management and care after death.