Keywords
Health personnel
Aged
Perception
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Abstract
Objective: To investigate healthcare professionals’ perceptions regarding palliative care and dysthanasia in hospitalized elderly patients at the end of life. Methods: A qualitative, exploratory, and descriptive study conducted in two public hospitals in the Federal District, Brazil. A total of 101 healthcare professionals participated. Data collection took place in 2023 through semi-structured interviews. The interviews were analyzed using the IRAMUTEQ software, applying Descending Hierarchical Classification and Word Cloud analysis, in addition to descriptive statistics for sociodemographic data. Results: The sample consisted predominantly of women (78.22%) and professionals aged between 20 and 49 years (88.11%). Nurses, physicians, and nursing technicians were the most represented professional categories. Textual analysis identified five thematic classes: dignity at the center of care, professionals’ feelings, personalized care, professional preparedness, and patient beliefs. Participants highlighted the importance of respecting patient autonomy, communication with patients and families, the indication of palliative care, and spirituality as a relevant factor for well-being. Conclusion: The study shows that healthcare professionals recognize palliative care as fundamental for preserving the dignity of elderly patients at the end of life and for avoiding dysthanasia practices.
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