Abstract
Objective: to investigate the understanding by nurses about palliative cared at hospital environment for patients assisted in the hospital setting. Method: exploratory study, with a qualitative approach, carried out from February to March 2018, through a semi-structured interview with 20 nursing assistants from a university hospital. The data were submitted to Bardin content analysis. Results: from the analysis of the empirical material emerged four categories: Nurses' understanding of palliative care; Nursing practice promoted by nurses when caring for patients in palliative care; Relationship between patients in palliative care, multiprofessional team and family; Difficulties encountered by nurses in patients care in palliative care.
Conclusion: it was possible to understand the importance of hospital palliative care in the nurses' view, making it necessary and fundamental the specific permanent education of these professionals, in order to improve the quality of care provided to the patient and his / her family.