Perceptions of the multi-professional team on the implementation of palliative care in intensive care units

The scope of this paper was to analyze the perceptions of the multi-professional team on the implementation of palliative care in an adult intensive care unit. An exploratory-descriptive study using a qualitative approach was conducted with 14 health professionals from a public teaching hospital. The information was collected between February and April 2012, by means of semistructured interviews and non-participatory observation interpreted using content analysis. Three thematic categories were identified: Care for terminal patients in an ICU fostering physical comfort; Lack of preparation of the team in dealing with terminal patients; and Challenges of palliative care practices in the intensive care environment. The interviewed parties reported having some knowledge of the proposal for palliative care though divergences were observed in the therapeutic conduct of the team in the care provided, demonstrating a lack of interaction and communication among the professionals. The drafting of a national policy to promote care for terminally ill patients is necessary, as well as ongoing training of professionals and the creation of care protocols for promoting the comfort of the patients and their families during the end of life phase.