The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted the provision of Palliative Care (PC), challenging the teams aiming to provide adequate care. This is a qualitative study that intends to know, from the perspective of health professionals of a Palliative Care Unit (PCU), the main challenges in providing PC during a pandemic and describes the strategies to be adopted to solve the identified difficulties. We utilized the content analysis, according to Bardin, for data analysis of written narratives of health professionals from a PCU (n=14). In the analysis of the difficulties in providing PC, from the perspective of health professionals, were identified five themes: 1) Altered relationship between healthcare professional and patients, 2) altered relationship between healthcare professional and family, 3) altered communication with patients and their family, 4) altered working dynamic within the PCU, and 5) altered use of healthcare resources. Concerning the strategies to be implemented, the health professionals identified two themes: 1) Strategies to implement between the patient and family members and 2) strategies to implement for the healthcare professionals. The provision of PC is affected by changes in the relationship between the health professional and the patient/caregiver or family, in communication with the patient/caregiver or family, and the use of health resources. In an attempt to lessen the impact of these changes, participants identified strategies to improve PC delivery in these circumstances. During this pandemic, it is imperative to implement rigorous strategies for managing specialized human resources. Physical distance and personal protective equipment are barriers to communication and emotional support, which is essential in PC and this barrier is further accentuated by the required physical distance from family members and caregivers. PC´s main aim continues to be the mitigation of suffering.

Enquadramento: O foco de atenção dos enfermeiros deve abarcar os fatores de vulnerabilidade para compreender a dimensão da intensidade das suas intervenções, de forma a facilitar o processo de transição para cuidados paliativos. Objetivo: Determinar a perceção dos peritos em enfermagem sobre as condicionantes da transição para cuidados paliativos. Metodologia: Estudo qualitativo, com abordagem fenomenológica – descritiva, com recurso ao método de análise de conteúdo, de Bardin. Entrevistas semiestruturadas a 9 peritos de uma Unidade de Cuidados Paliativos. Os dados foram interpretados à luz da Teoria das Transições, de Afaf Meleis e organizados com o software ATLAS.ti®. Resultados: Identificaram-se fatores considerados facilitadores, tais como atitudes e significados positivos sobre os cuidados paliativos, a espiritualidade e religiosidade; e, outros identificados como inibidores, tais como suporte familiar insuficiente, expectativas irrealistas e falta de conhecimento sobre cuidados paliativos. Conclusão: Os enfermeiros devem tornar-se agentes facilitadores da transição para cuidados paliativos, identificando as barreiras e enfatizando os fatores facilitadores com vista a uma transição saudável.

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