The practice of sedation in palliative care for oncologic patients: Fantasies reported by a nursing team in a specialized hospital in Brazil: A qualitative study

Introduction CONTEXTUALIZATION: Palliative sedation is a resource used to control symptoms of terminal patients in general. It is considered that it should be discussed by the professionals involved in the process, based on the competence of each one, as well as with family members and patients wh...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: E. Turato, C. Santos, J.R. Rodrigues, A.C. Bispo, C.S. Lima
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press 2021-04-01
Series:European Psychiatry
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933821019775/type/journal_article
Description
Summary:Introduction CONTEXTUALIZATION: Palliative sedation is a resource used to control symptoms of terminal patients in general. It is considered that it should be discussed by the professionals involved in the process, based on the competence of each one, as well as with family members and patients when possible. Objectives AIM: To understand symbolic meanings attributed by nursing professionals who provide assistance to the terminal patient regarding to the act of the palliative sedation. Methods Strategies: Clinical-qualitative design, semi-directed interview of open questions in depth. Nine oncologist nurses participated in the study; sample closed by the criterion of theoretical information saturation. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed fully, categorized by qualitative content analysis. The results were discussed by colleagues of the Laboratory of Clinical Qualitative Research at the University of Campinas. Results FINDINGS: The treatment of the data led to 6 emerging categories: (1) death maintains its ambivalent values in our culture; (2) serving the death symbolically on a tray; (3) the act of sedation and its “unfortunate coincidences”; (4) palliative sedation: agent of a pious death; (5) late sedation: cause for distress to the professional; (6) the professional’s self-comfort considering certain psychological strength from the patient and family. Conclusions Final considerations: palliative sedation takes a general and individual meanings for the professional and even in case of experienced professionals regard to palliative sedation, the death phenomenon conduct them to expresses multiple and peculiar emotional issues, not ever perceveid. Disclosure No significant relationships.
ISSN:0924-9338
1778-3585