This is a convergent-assistance research, whose goal was to analyze the knowledge and experiences of caregivers focused on the prevention for post-surgical respiratory in the elderly people, in order to develop a care plan to be implemented with these clients. The theoretical and conceptual bases founded on the Critical Pedagogy of Freire. The subjects were 14 caregivers of elderly on a pre-surgical period. The technique used was individual interviews, participant observation and the analysis of a thematic content. The results showed that the caregivers accumulate knowledge, concerning to the basic care in the post-surgical, able to prevent respiratory problems. Through the dialogue it was developed a shared care plan to be realized with the elderly, as a result from the integration of the knowledge and experiences from the caregivers and from the nurse-researcher on a pre-surgical visit. The result was the new or revisited practices, culminating into a congruent care to the real needs of the clients and theirs companions, becoming partners in the care process.
Nursing; Education in Health; Pre-Surgical care