Brazilian Health Professionals’ Perception about Death: An Integrative Review

Authors

  • Paula Camila Alves de Assis Pereira Doctor of the Family Health Strategy, Health Station Três Bodegas, Icó, Ceará, Brazil.
  • João Welberthon Matos Queiroz Doctor of the Family Health Strategy, Health Station Camelo Lopes, Campos Sales, Ceará, Brazil.
  • Daniel Felipe Bonfim da Silveira Doctor of the Family Health Strategy, Health Station Itamaraty, Uruburetama, Ceará, Brazil.
  • Maria do Carmo Andrade Duarte de Farias Academic Unit of Life Sciences, Teacher training center, Federal University of Campina Grande.
  • Eliane de Sousa Leite Academic Unit of Life Sciences, Teacher training center, Federal University of Campina Grande.
  • Kennia Sibelly Marques de Abrantes Academic Unit of Life Sciences, Teacher training center, Federal University of Campina Grande.
  • Betânia Maria Pereira dos Santos Academic Unit of Life Sciences, Teacher training center, Federal University of Campina Grande.
  • Geofabio Sucupira Casimiro Academic Unit of Life Sciences, Teacher training center, Federal University of Campina Grande.
  • Joyce Carolle Bezerra Cavalcante Student of Medicine, Academic Unit of Life Sciences, Federal University of Campina Grande.
  • Luiz Carlos de Abreu Scientific Writing Laboratories, Faculty of Medicine of ABC, Santo Andre, SP, Brazil.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3823/1748

Keywords:

Death, Attitude to Death, Nursing, Doctors, Literature Review.

Abstract

Introduction: Recognizing deeply the death and all the elements that surround it should be of interest to all health care professionals, so that this can appreciate the comfort and dignified death of the patient without feeling guilty or overwhelmed with negative feelings.

Objective: Analyzing the perception of Brazilian health professionals about the terminally life.

Method: It was used the integrative review for organization and systematization of knowledge. The research was conducted in November 2014, in the LILACS database, through descriptors: nursing, medical, perception, attitude towards death, dying and euthanasia in Portuguese and English in PubMed. The results were obtained after a thorough analysis of 15 selected articles.

Results: The evaluation of the work made possible the detection of five perceptions towards death: life stage, technicist conception, move to a better place, liberation from suffering and unexpected interruption of life. It was noticed that nurses are the professionals who have more comprehensive understanding of death as multifaceted event. Moreover, most doctors have a vision centered on the technicists and biological ideals.

Conclusion: The reduced number of studies conducted with health professionals from other areas makes it impossible to generalize the findings and promote the need for more studies in the area. Even with a comprehensive understanding by some professionals, those still have difficulties in dealing with the process of death in their daily life. Therefore, there is also need for greater discussion of the topic in academia and in daily practice, to improve the understanding and the attitude of health professionals facing death.

Author Biographies

João Welberthon Matos Queiroz, Doctor of the Family Health Strategy, Health Station Camelo Lopes, Campos Sales, Ceará, Brazil.

Doctor of the Family Health Strategy, Health Station Camelo Lopes, Campos Sales, Ceará, Brazil.

Daniel Felipe Bonfim da Silveira, Doctor of the Family Health Strategy, Health Station Itamaraty, Uruburetama, Ceará, Brazil.

Doctor of the Family Health Strategy, Health Station Itamaraty, Uruburetama, Ceará, Brazil.

Maria do Carmo Andrade Duarte de Farias, Academic Unit of Life Sciences, Teacher training center, Federal University of Campina Grande.

Academic Unit of Life Sciences, Teacher
training center, Federal University of
Campina Grande.

Eliane de Sousa Leite, Academic Unit of Life Sciences, Teacher training center, Federal University of Campina Grande.

Academic Unit of Life Sciences, Teacher
training center, Federal University of
Campina Grande.

Kennia Sibelly Marques de Abrantes, Academic Unit of Life Sciences, Teacher training center, Federal University of Campina Grande.

Academic Unit of Life Sciences, Teacher
training center, Federal University of
Campina Grande.

Betânia Maria Pereira dos Santos, Academic Unit of Life Sciences, Teacher training center, Federal University of Campina Grande.

Academic Unit of Life Sciences, Teacher
training center, Federal University of
Campina Grande.

Geofabio Sucupira Casimiro, Academic Unit of Life Sciences, Teacher training center, Federal University of Campina Grande.

Academic Unit of Life Sciences, Teacher
training center, Federal University of
Campina Grande.

Joyce Carolle Bezerra Cavalcante, Student of Medicine, Academic Unit of Life Sciences, Federal University of Campina Grande.

Student of Medicine, Academic Unit of Life Sciences, Federal University of Campina Grande.

Luiz Carlos de Abreu, Scientific Writing Laboratories, Faculty of Medicine of ABC, Santo Andre, SP, Brazil.

Scientific Writing Laboratories, Faculty of Medicine of ABC, Santo Andre, SP, Brazil.

References

Combinato DS, Queiroz MS. Morte: uma visão psicossocial. Estud psicol [Internet]. 2006 May; 11(2): 209-16. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S1413-294X2006000200010

Siqueira-Batista R, Schramm FR. Eutanásia: pelas veredas da morte e da autonomia. Ciênc saúde coletiva [Internet]. 2004; 9(1): 31-41. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S1413-81232004000100004

Felix ZC, Costa SFG, Alves AMPM, Andrade CG, Duarte MCS, Brito FM. Eutanásia, distanásia e ortotanásia: revisão integrativa da literatura. Ciênc saúde coletiva [Internet]. 2013 Sept; 18( 9): 2733-46. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S1413-81232013000900029

Santos MA, Aoki FCOS, Oliveira-Cardoso EA. Significado da morte para médicos frente à situação de terminalidade de pacientes submetidos ao Transplante de Medula óssea. Ciênc saúde coletiva [Internet]. 2013 Sept; 18( 9): 2625-34. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S1413-81232013000900017

Souza MT, Silva MD, Carvalho R. Revisão integrativa: o que é e como fazer. Eistein [Internet]. 2010 Jan-Mar; 8(1): 102-106. Available from: http://apps.einstein.br/revista/arquivos/PDF/1134-Einsteinv8n1p102-106.pdf

Moreau VH. Busca bibliográfica na internet: uso da base de dados PubMed do centro nacional de informação biotecnológica instituto nacional de saúde. Diálogos e ciência [Internet]. 2007; 5(11): 1-14. Available from: http://www.ftc.br/dialogos/upload/03-09-2007_18-09-03_BUSCA%20BIBLIOGR%C3%81FICA%20NA%20INTERNET.pdf

Ursi SE, Galvão CM. Prevenção de lesões na pele no perioperatório: revisão integrativa de literatura. Rev latino-am enfermagem [Internet]. 2006 Feb; 14(1): 124-31. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0104-11692006000100017

Matheus MCC. Metassíntese qualitativa: desenvolvimento e contribuições para a prática baseada em evidências. Acta paul enferm [Internet]. 2009; 22(5): 543-5. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0103-21002009000800019

Marques CDC, Veroz M, Sanches MR, Higarashi IH. Meanings assigned by a pediatric intensive care unit nursing team on the process of death and dying. Rev mineira enf [Internet]. 2013 Oct-Dec; 17(4): 831-37. doi: http://www.dx.doi.org/10.5935/1415-2762.20130060

Oliveira PP, Amaral JG, Viegas SMF, Rodrigues AB. Percepção dos profissionais que atuam numa instituição de longa permanência para idosos sobre a morte e o morrer. Ciênc saúde coletiva [Internet]. 2013 Sept; 18(9): 2635-44. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S1413-81232013000900018

Souza LF, Misko MD, Silva L, Polis K, Santos MR, Regina SB. Morte digna da criança: percepção de enfermeiros de uma unidade de oncologia. Rev esc enferm [Internet]. 2013 Feb; 47(1): 30-37. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/s0080-62342013000100004

Fraga F, Boas RFOV, Mendonça ARA. Significado, para médicos, da terminalidade da vida e dos cuidados paliativos. Rev bioét [Internet]. 2012; 20(3): 514-19. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S1413-81232013000900017

Borges MS, Mendes N. Representações de profissionais de saúde sobre a morte e o processo de morrer. Rev bras enferm [Internet]. 2012 Mar-Apr: 65(2): 324-331. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0034-71672012000200019

Mota MS, Gomes GC, Coelho MF, Lunardi-Filho WD, Sousa LD. Reações e sentimentos de profissionais da enfermagem frente à morte dos pacientes sob seus cuidados. Rev gaúcha enferm [Internet]. 2011 Mar; 32(1): 129-35. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/s1983-14472011000100017

Vane MF, Posso IP. Perception of physicans of intensive care units of the clinicas hospital complex about orthothanasia. Rev dor [Internet]. 2011 Jan-Mar; 12(1): 39-45. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S1806-00132011000100009

Silva LCSP, Valença CN, Germano RM. Percepções dos profissionais de enfermagem intensiva frente a morte do recém-nascido. Rev brasileira enferm [Internet]. 2010 Mar-Apr; 63(2): 238-42. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/s0034-71672010000200011

Vilela LP, Caramelli P. Knowledge of the definition of eutanásia: study with doctors and caregivers of Alzheimer`s disease patients. Rev assoc med bras [Internet]. 2009; 55(3): 263-67. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0104-42302009000300016

Menezes MB, Selli L, Alves JS. Distanásia: percepção dos profissionais de enfermagem. Rev latino-am enferm [Internet]. 2009 Jul-Aug; 17(4): 443-48. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0104-11692009000400002

Sanches PG, Carvalho MDB. Vivência dos enfermeiros de Unidade de Terapia

Intensiva frente à morte e o morrer. Rev gaúcha enferm [Internet]. 2009 Jun; 30(2): 289-96. Available from: http://www.seer.ufrgs.br/index.php/RevistaGauchadeEnfermagem/article/view/3294/6687

Sulzbacher M, Reck AV, Stumm EMF, Hildebrandt LM. O enfermeiro em Unidade de Tratamento Intensivo vivenciando e enfrentando situações de morte e morrer. Scientia medica [Internet]. 2009 Jan; 19(1): 11-16. Available from: <http://revistaseletronicas.pucrs.br/ojs/index.php/scientiamedica/article/viewFile/3873/3852>.

Quintana AM, Kegler P, Santos MS, Lima LD. Sentimento e percepções da equipe de saúde frente ao paciente terminal. Paidéia [Internet]. 2006 Sept-Dec; 16(35): 415-25. Available from: <http://www.scielo.br/pdf/paideia/v16n35/v16n35a12.pdf >. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0103-863X2006000300012

Fernandes MEN, Fernandes AFC, Albuquerque ALP, Mota MLS. Morte em uma unidade de terapia intensiva: percepções do enfermeiro. Rev RENE [Internet]. 2006 Jan-Apr [cited 2014 Nov 14]; 7(1): 43-51. Available from: <http://www.revistarene.ufc.br/revista/index.php/revista/article/view/767/pdf>.

Nunes ECDA, Silva LWS, Pires EPOR. O ensino superior de enfermagem: implicação da formação profissional para o cuidado transpessoal. Rev latino-am enferm [Internet]. 2011 Mar; 19(2): 1-9. Available from: <http://www.scielo.br/pdf/rlae/v19n2/pt_05.pdf>. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0104-11692011000200005

Downloads

Published

2015-06-30

Issue

Vol. 8 (2015)

Section

Medical Humanities

License

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

  1. Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
  2. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
  3. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access and Benefits of Publishing Open Access).

 

 

Most read articles by the same author(s)

<< < 1 2 3 4 5 6 > >>