Privilegiar la dignidad durante la muerte en unidades de cuidados intensivos. Perspectivas del personal de salud

Patients admitted to the intensive care units (ICUs) do not always progress toward recovery. This implies that the ICU staff has a holistic vision centered in family reassurance and mitigation of suffering to favor a “good death”. Objective: to understand the sense given to ICU healthcare professionals regarding end-of-life care to patients while providing emotional support to their relatives. Methodology: a qualitative descriptive study was conducted in two ICUs in Bogota. Data capturing was based on focus group sessions and the Taylor and Bogdan methods adapted by Amezcua and Hueso were used for data analysis.  Results: the following four analysis categories were identified: senses and meanings of the interdisciplinary team regarding death; communication at the end of life in the ICU; perceptions about dignity in dying in the ICU; and ethical dilemmas regarding therapeutic management at the end of life. Conclusions: critically ill patient care at the end of life includes ensuring comfort, absence of pain and family reassurance, spiritual well-being, respect for the will of patients and good communication facilitating involvement of relatives in end-of-life care decision making. We suggest training heath care staff and designing multidisciplinary protocols as a means to mitigate the overburden and suffering generated by death and end-of-life decision making.