Professional perception of palliative care nutrition

Abstract

As palliative care intends to promote quality of life and relief of suffering for patients and family, the feeding strategies adopted in this context require reflection from the patient care team. Hence, this study examined how oncology hospital professionals perceive the nutrition/feeding of palliative care patients. We conducted individual interviews with ten professionals, who saw palliative care as improving the quality of life of patients and family by managing physical, psychological and spiritual symptoms. For them, in addition to meeting nutritional needs, food can bring pleasure, comfort and evoke affective memories, with communication being a key element to an integrated and humanized care. Thus, developing intervention strategies for the training and continuing education of these professionals is paramount.