PATIENTS AT THE END OF LIFE RECEIVING PALLIATIVE CARE: EXPERIENCES OF A MULTIPROFESSIONAL TEAM

The concept of palliative care can be extended to people who suffer together with the patient, such as family members, caregivers, and health care workers as they are dedicated to improving terminally ill patients' quality of life.1 Such a way of providing care values humanization during patient death. In other words, the process of dying can be understood as an opportunity to provide follow-up to care and not as an ending. [...]according to this perspective, the terminal patients need to be respected, heard and understood.2 In view of the complexity of care at the end of life, the work of a multiprofessional team is indispensable for palliative care. Spiritual advisors also help them according to their religion.1 Multiprofessional teams are responsible for delivering care for patients whose illness does not respond to cure therapy in the hospital environment as the lack of control of pain or other unpleasant symptoms at home makes these patients need hospitalization for relief and improvement of quality of life.3 A study highlighted that multidisciplinary teams are essential for optimal coordination and clear communication among health care workers. Exclusion criteria were professionals who were on vacation or leave during the data collection period. [...]14 multiprofessional team members responsible for providing palliative care composed the study sample: two physicians, four nurses, two social workers, two psychologists, two physiotherapists, and two nutritionists.