Dimensionamento de pessoal para cuidados paliativos em uma instituição complexa de oncologia

Abstract

The present study deals with the dimensioning of human resources for palliative oncology care. The justifications are based on arguments such as the epidemiological transition of cancer associated with the aging of the population and worldwide estimates of the shortage of health professionals. The main objective of this work was to contribute to the dimensioning of human health resources within the scope of palliative care in oncology. The specific objectives were to review methodologies for dimensioning human resources used for palliative care; analyze the workload of human health resources in a complex oncology palliative care unit and develop recommendations for sizing and patterns of activities in the palliative care work process in oncology. A quantitative-qualitative, descriptive and exploratory investigation was carried out, anchored in the functionalist perspective, based on bibliographic research using an integrative review and documentary study. A case study was added to the investigative process using semi-structured interviews using thematic content analysis and application of the WISN tool using software. The results showed that there is a lack of specific literature for dimensioning personnel in oncology palliative care; that the roles and duties defined for professionals in this area are generic and do not reflect the complexity of everyday life; that there is no standard of activity stipulated by category; and that measuring workload can assist with service planning. The product of the research was a definition of standard activities for each professional group, analysis and comparison of activities by categories, sectors, work shifts and recommendations to include human resources as a fundamental part of a national palliative care policy. It was concluded that the WISN tool is applicable for the planning of human resources in oncological palliative care institutions and allows several developments for analysis that can be used with other methods established in the literature.