O paciente terminal pediátrico e a resposta emocional da equipe

Abstract

The child is full of life and, naturally, his death provokes a strong psychological impact. Nor caring for a terminal patient is easy, being aggravated when this patient is an infant. The aim of the present study was to investigate the behaviour and emotional response of the professionals, who are near the child when death becomes imminent. The sample consisted of a team, the staff dealing with dying pediatric patient at the intensive treatament center of Rosa Pedrossian Regional Hospital in Campo Grande, MS – Brazil. A total of thirty-nine professionals, including doctors, psychologist, speech therapist, physiotherapist, nurses and auxiliary personal, participated in the study. They were asked the same randomized questions during an unstructured interview held by the researcher. No time limits were preestablished. The following conclusions were drawn. The team may be defined as multidisciplinary. An interdisciplinary model would be preferable. The professionals working with pediatric patients in terminal state suffer from stressfull setting. The character of aid providing moral support is predominately the divine. The professionals try to offer the patients the best care possible, but improvement is needed, because the internal relationships within the team are not ideal. The children even without the possibility to take part in the discussions are aware of their true health status.