Conflitos éticos vivenciados por enfermeiros relativos a pacientes terminais

Abstract

The present study aims to identify and understand the ethical conflicts related to terminal patients experienced by nurses and are what considered for decision making to cope with these conflicts. The methodology adopted was the qualitative strand, using the content analysis proposed by Bardin. Ten nurses were interviewed in a general hospital in Sao Paulo. After the analysis emerged three categories and fifteen sub-categories: Category 1-The experience of nurses in relation to the patient terminal. Subcategories: care as an essential condition for assistance to terminally ill patients; Posture family towards the patient terminal; Consequences of professional experience with terminal patients, and professional attitude to patients facing terminal. Category 2-Factors generators to ethical conflicts in respect to the terminal patient. Subcategory: Therapeutic futility; Situations administrative on generating of conflict; The breaking secrecy and privacy disrespect of the patient terminal; A lack of professional preparation; and lack of autonomy of nurses. Category 3-Factors considered in the decision-making in relation to the conflicts ethic facing the terminally ill patient. Subcategories: ethical and legal aspects; The use of scientific knowledge; The participation of multidisciplinary teams and nursing staff; The Respect for patient autonomy and family; The importance of clarifying patients and families, and, The multifactorial competing to decision-making. The study showed that ethical conflicts related to the patients, experienced by nurses, emerge from their everyday and are caused by several factors related to assistance, to management and capacitation professional. It was evidenced, also, that the nurses point to factors that must be taken account in decision-making process, but they reveal their little participation in this process front to the ethical conflicts related to terminally ill patients.