Abstract
Palliative care is the care provided by an interdisciplinary team to improve the quality of life of patients facing life-threatening diseases and that of their families; home care is among the types of support that offer this assistance. This study aimed to understand the meanings of palliative care for professionals of a home care team. It consists of a descriptive exploratory research of qualitative nature conducted with nine professionals from different areas of a Home Care Service (HCS) linked to a School Hospital in the countryside of Rio Grande do Sul. Data were collected by semi-structured interviews and analyzed using content analysis. The results show that the investigated professionals understand palliative care as an interdisciplinary practice that provides benefits for patients and professionals involved. The participants also consider that professionals working in palliative care must manage their emotions well and be prepared to face complex situations. At the same time, they believe that this activity can provide personal and professional development. Thus, the results highlight the importance of a formation that contemplates the principles of palliative care and an emotional support for the professionals, who, from the conviviality with suffering and human finitude, should transform these experiences into learnings.
Keywords:
Palliative Care; Home Assistance; Patient Care Team