Neonatologia e fim de vida: análise das percepções dos profissionais de saúde

Abstract

The end of life care in neonatology is a subject that arouses many ethical conflicts between professionals, mainly by the possibility of death due to postponement of new devices coming from the development of science, even when cure is no longer possible. This qualitative study examined how the perception of health professionals in a neonatal intensive care unit of the federal network of Rio de Janeiro. This research was conducted twenty interviews with therapists, doctors, nurses, nursing technicians, psychologists and nutritionists, all female. Elements such as the perception in relation to: conduct which is performed in patients at end of life, which they believe to be the most appropriate, what feelings before a newborn terminal, whom they perceive that these situations and decide who they believe they should participate in the decision process, as well as whether they would like to participate if they were mothers of a baby terminal were collected and divided into categories for discussion. In conclusion, we note that the professionals reported that behaviors that lead dysthanasia are common in the industry, although many believe that the best therapy is palliative care. Feelings of sadness, helplessness and anxiety are common among them to cope with terminal and therapeutic obstinacy. The lack of communication is highlighted as an important factor in view of the interviewed for the small contribution of the entire multidisciplinary team and parents in decision-making in end of life situations