Expectativas dos doentes face ao internamento numa Unidade de Cuidados Paliativos

the goal of palliative care units is to focus on the “bio-psycho-social-spiritual” whole of patients and their families, minimizing pain and providing emotional and spiritual support to all involved in the process of dying. to develop care practices that facilitate living at the end of life, it is imperative to understand the expectations of these patients while in a palliative care unit and of healthcare professionals who work in these units. this study, qualitative in nature, used grounded theory as its methodological base. data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 14 patients admitted to two institutions. data analysis was based on theoretical coding, allowing identification of the “the process of denial of death” as the central theme, representative of the interaction between the main themes perceptions of illness and expectations of the person admitted to a palliative care unit. the transition process in which these patients find themselves involves psychological reorganization and becoming aware of a distinct reality. however, it is a matter of psychological survival, maintaining hope in the face of death while denying it. as inpatients in a palliative care unit, they look for cure or recovery, or at least some quality of life.