Abstract
Objective: To describe and analyze the process of nursing care provided to patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Methods: This is an integrative literature review that sought articles published from 2016 to 2020 and available in LILACS, BDENF and SciELO. Results: Seventeen articles were selected to compose the research and were grouped into important thematic categories: Nursing care in coping with anxiety related to cardiac surgery; Diagnoses and Nursing Process in the perioperative period of cardiac surgery; The importance of training nursing professionals to care for cardiac surgery. Final considerations: This study highlighted the need for holistic and individualized care for patients undergoing cardiac surgery, highlighting: assessment of the emotional state and reduction of anxiety related to the procedure; adherence to the Nursing Process (NP) and the Systematization of Nursing Care (SAE) in a systematic and organized way; need for training for the entire team, because the conducts exercised by nursing are highly complex and the care provided is focused on evidence-based care.