Desmame em recém-nascidos de muito baixo peso ao nascer no primeiro retorno ambulatorial após a alta hospitalar

Investigate intrahospital and neonatal determinants associated to the weaning of very low birth weight (VLBW) infants. Methods: 119 VLBW (<1500g) infants 81 were monitored from July 2005 through August 2006, from birth to the first ambulatory visit after maternity discharge. This maternity unit uses the Kangaroo Method and the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative. Results: Out of 119 VLBW infants monitored until discharge, 88 (75%) returned to the facility, 22 (25%) were on exclusive breastfeeding (EB) and 66 (75%) were weaned (partial breastfeeding or formula feeding). Univariate analysis found an association between weaning and lower birth weight, longer stays in the NICU and longer hospitalization times, in addition to more prolonged enteral feeding and birth weight recovery period. Logistic regression showed length of NICU stay as being the main determinant of weaning. Conclusion: The negative repercussion on EB of an extended stay in the NICU is a significant challenge for health professionals to provide more adequate nutrition to VLBW infants

O processo de cuidar do enfermeiro em unidade de terapia intensiva: uma análise dos conhecimentos utilizados

Care has always been present in the history of humanity and in contemporary nursing it is considered to be a fundamental characteristic. In the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), care occurs within an environment that is known for its stressful factors, technological equipment, social isolation and discomfort. Whilst the reality of nursing practice in ICU demonstrates the lack of planned and systematized care, there is an indication that the professionals working in this setting utilize some type of knowledge. Based on that premise, in this study we aim to identify the knowledge that the nurses use in providing care in the ICU. We believe that the identification and characterization of this knowledge, and how it presents itself in practice, requires a reflective analysis process. Therefore, we utilized a qualitative perspective and Kim´s (1999) investigative methodology of reflective inquiry that is based on the precepts of Action Science proposed by Argyris et al. (1985). The study was conducted with 8 intensive care nurses of a public hospital. Data were collected by means of non-participative observation of the nursing care actions and a semi-structured interview conducted within the reflective mode that focused on the nurses practice in the ICU. The results enabled us no only to detect that the nurses utilized knowledge and patterns of knowledge acquired or constructed, but to identify them as: scientific, philosophic, religious, empirical, personal, ethical, and esthetic knowledge. The predominance of the scientific knowledge in the care process suggests that these nurses hold an acquired scientific substance that they utilize to provide specialized care directed toward critical treatment. The conception of this reality surpasses the theoretical limits, the techniques, and the known facts, and denotes the need for a reflective process in action to aide in the comprehension of the knowledge involved in the construction of excellent care

Saúde Mental e enfermagem: em busca da integralidade na ESF

The present work shows an inquiry about the conceptions and practical work of the nursing professionals on the accompaniment of mental sick patients in the Family s Health Strategy, under the approach of the completeness in health. The justification of this research is given by bringing an special attention concerning the subjet to these professionals of health: the gradual abandonment of the traditional manicomial model leads to the insertion of mental patients in the community . The nursing professionals must be prepared to receive these patients in the basic net of health and contribute to help their adaptation and insertion in the social environment as citizen. In this context, considering the entire attention to the mental health, it is important to detach that the assistance to the patient must search his reinsertion in the community by providing programs that develops his sociability. This analytical study was developed using a qualitative approach and a thematic verbal history. Ten nurses of Nova Natal s Health of the Family Unit, of Felipe Camarão Mista s Unit and of Cidade da Esperança s Health Unit contributed for its development . The information was acquired through an instrument research that made possible the accomplishment of the interviews. These ones were set previously and counted on the assent of the participants. The interviews were recorded and analyzed in accordance with the pertinent literature concerning the subject. The aggregation of the information was then discussed. At this moment three thematic axles were defined dividing the categories of analysis. According to the results of the interviews, the practical procedure given to the patients with mental upheaval is resumed by the prescription of psicotroprics medicaments. It doesn t provide an accompaniment by the professionals of health, specifically, nurses, to the patients and their families. The lack of qualification and a multi-professional team emerged as one of the challenges for the implementation of practical procedures towards the patients with mental upheaval. Therefore, the results of this research show the necessity of transformations in the current scene of the mental health in the Family s Health Strategy. These changes can be reached by politics investments on the mental health area, not only financially but by providing human resources that should allow the professionals to exert the completeness procedures

Conhecimento dos adolescentes sobre métodos contraceptivos: pesquisa-ação em uma unidade do programa saúde da família de Natal

It is a descriptive study with a qualitative approach, and an action-research type, which aimed to analyze the changes of knowledge about contraceptive methods invested to a teenager group attended in Igapó Family Healthcare Unit, in the city of Natal/RN, after consent and institutional assent of Ethics Committee of Rio Grande do Norte Federal University (Protocol No. 131/07). It were researched 16 teenagers of both sexes, with age ranging from 11 to 16 years. We used two structured questionnaires, one in the initial diagnosis and another during the seven meetings of the focus group, in addition to the field notes and the meetings discussions transcriptions. The data-collection was performed in the period of two months by a team composed by a nurse the research coordinator, a dentist, a nursing assistant, a community-based healthcare worker and a nursing academic. The quantitative and qualitative data were organized, tagged and categorized into spreadsheet in Microsoft Excel, being held a thematic analysis of speeches performed by the study participants. The results were presented as tables, graphics, photos, drawings and word clippings. The educational strategy developed in focus group allowed adolescents to discuss, exchange ideas and opinions on several contraceptive methods, providing expansion in knowledge of all contraceptives discussed, especially those natural and surgical, which were less mentioned at the beginning of the study. Among the advantages of the contraceptive methods listed by teenagers, was highlighted avoiding pregnancy and STDs in use of the barrier method of condom. As for the disadvantages more frequently noted by the survey with the misuse of barrier methods, was highlighted get pregnant, acquire STD's and do not prevent STD's in hormonal, natural and surgical methods. Adolescents showed consistency between the advantages and disadvantages and types of contraceptive methods, showing a widening in knowledge among them. It may be said that, in general, those surveyed had a good understanding about the use of the various contraceptive methods. Thus, the study participants had positively evaluated all the criteria used to qualify the meetings in the focus group. The action strategy of the focus group should be encouraged by professionals who work with teenagers, since they prefer to live in groups, one characteristic of adolescence.

Úlcera de pressão em pacientes internados em um hospital universitário em Natal/RN: condições predisponentes e fatores de risco

The pressure ulcers (PU), also known as decubitus ulcers, are defined as injuries caused by the constant pressure exerted on a particular point of the body, causing impairment of blood supply with a decrease or interruption of tissue irrigation, causing occlusion of blood vessels and capillaries, ischemia and cell death. This is a descriptive study with longitudinal design, and panel type, with quantitative approach that aimed to examine the association between predisposing conditions (PC), intrinsic factors (IF) and extrinsic factors (EF) with the occurrence of PU, in hospitalized patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), pain clinical, surgical clinical and neurology wards of a university hospital. The study population was composed of all patients who were restricted to bed during the period from December 2007 to February 2008. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of HUOL / UFRN (No 135/07). The data-collection took place through a structured formulary of observation, data from medical records and physical examination of patients skins. The results were organized in SPSS 15.0 software, tabulated, categorized and analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistics. Of the 30 patients studied, 43.3% had been hospitalized in the pain clinical and surgical clinic wards, 20.0% in the ICU, 20.0% in the ICU / ward and 16.7% in neurology, being the length of hospitalization in those units of 7 to 18 days (63.3%) and from 19 to 30 days (36.7%), predominantly female and aged ≥ 60 years (60.0%). 19 PU were diagnosed in 43.3% of patients monitored, being 38.5% with one PU between 7 to 18 days and 46.2% with two or more between 19 to 30 days of hospitalization, showing significant relationship (ρ-value = 0029) between length of hospital stay and the number of PU. Was found an association of 35.7% of the PC (cardio-respiratory, hematological, metabolic and psychogenic), IF (age group, oedema, skin changes in humidity and change of body temperature) and EF (type of mattress and strength of body pressure) for all patients studied, statistically significant (ρ-value = 0001), between the average scores in patients with and without PU, with reason chance to 12.0 for the development of PU and there was moderate correlation ( r = 0618) in the presence of this association. Results show the influence of the multiplicity of factors and conditions on the occurrence of PU, which brings us to reflect on the assistance focused on prevention and reduction of these injuries which will encourage the reduction of hospitalization length, physical and psychological suffering, and the possibility of improving the clinical condition of the patient.

As representações sociais da morte e do processo de morrer para profissionais que trabalham em unidade de terapia intensiva uti

This study aimed to seize the general social representations of doctors and nurses who work in ICUs on the process of death and dying. We also aimed to know the social representations of these professionals in relation to death and the process of dying of people who are under their care, identify factors that influence the construction of these representations and identify similarities and differences between the two professions. The study was conducted from the perspective of the Theory of Social Representations of Serge Moscovici and the Central Nucleus of Jean-Claude Abric. The study was conducted in the Intensive Care Unit of Natal Hospital Center, a private hospital of the city of Natal - Rio Grande do Norte. This is descriptive and exploratory research. Twenty-four (24) professionals were interviewed, twelve (12) nurses and twelve (12) doctors. Data were collected through two instruments: Test of Free Association of Words, semi-structured interview. Later, they were coded, categorized and analyzed according to Content Analysis of Bardin (1977). The words evoked after the use of inducing words - death and dying - and the interviews, led to three thematic categories: Death and dying as a biological event, death and dying as a psychosocial event, death and dying as a transcendental event. As final considerations, we believe that the social representations of the group are translated in death and dying as biological and psychosocial events and anchored in the transcendental aspects, we do not see obvious differences in the testimonies of doctors and nurses , and the factors that interfere the construction of these offices is the culture, including religion

Infecção do trato urinário associada à sondagem vesical numa unidade de terapia intensiva

A descriptive, quantitative approach and non-participant observation study, which was aimed at analyzing the association between knowledge and practice of inclusion and maintenance of urinary catheter by nursing professionals in the occurrence of urinary tract infection, performed in the ICU of Onofre Lopes University Hospital in Natal / RN. The original sample was composed of 42 nursing staff professional, five (5) nurses and 37 nursing technicians, 27 of them were outsourced (FUNPEC and IEL fellows) and 10 servers UFRN. Data collection was performed using two instruments, the first observation procedures used in the insertion and manipulation of indwelling urinary catheter (IUC) and the second with a questionnaire that addressed the characterization data of respondents, knowledge and conduct the insertion and manipulation of the IUC. The results were tabulated in Microsoft Excel and analyzed using SPSS software, version 15.0. We found the prevalence of institutional staff members on outsourcing - IEL and FUNPEC - (64.3%) were female (69.0%), aged 21 to 35 years (59.5%) and with mid-level education (88.1%). As to knowledge, we found that the nurses had levels of good to excellent and the nursing technicians, to regulate the poor. The nurses made a mistake when choosing IUC (40.0%) and washing hands (30.0%) and technicians on hand washing (74.4%) and the contents of the tray (34.7%). In relation to the conduct of insertion of IUC, the nurses made a mistake when choosing SVD (66.7%) and washing hands (57.1%). Regarding the handling of IUC/drainage system, the technicians were wrong more about washing their hands (56.0%). Analyzing the misconduct to the categorization of knowledge, we saw that the nursing staff who had missed more had inadequate knowledge (ρ = 0.001). At the end we found the risk of a patient to acquire UTI is higher in two and a half times when there is a large number of mismatches, patient spends more time using the IUC and hospitalized in the ICU. As regards the study hypotheses, we accept the alternative hypothesis and reject the null hypothesis proposed at the start of this research, where the number of gaps in knowledge and behavior increases the incidence of urinary tract infection.

Histórias de vidas de Usuários de psicofármacos: o desafio do cuidar para a enfermagem

Study of qualitative approach using the oral history methodology, in modality oral history of life, which aimed to: tell the stories of lives of users of psychotropic drugs for prolonged period of time, in Family Health Unit Santarém (FHU Santarém), Natal-RN-Brazil; identify possible causes which influence and trigger, respectively, use of psychotropic for prolonged period of time; search for greater knowledge about this problem of public health; contribute with the planning and development of nursing cares, to users of psychotropic drugs for prolonged period of time, as well as in Mental Health Care, integrally, in perspective of Family Health Strategy (FHS). It was used as a baseline survey, the coverage area of family health team, from FHU Santarém, which belongs to Health District North II, from Municipal Health Secretariat, in Natal-RN-BR. Eight employees who use psychotropic drugs for prolonged period of time were interviewed. They volunteered to narrate their life stories, which were analyzed by using the thematic modality, since the study is focused on the question of the use of psychotropic drugs for prolonged period of time. The thematic axis crisis, prejudice and care, defined by the categorization of common elements, found through successive and careful readings of narratives, were used to analyze these stories of lives. The study found that users of psychotropic drugs for prolonged period of time are affected by mental health crisis, feeling need to be heard, as well as the existence of social prejudice towards people with mental disorders, and non-completion of development of managed care, by the family health team, and particularly, the nursing care to people suffering from mental disorders and users of psychotropic drugs for prolonged period of time. It is proposed that, in the search of development and planning of nursing care to users of psychotropic drugs for prolonged period of time, and in mental health care, integrally, in FHS, the nurse can think and make a drawing about manners of performing nursing care to this clientele through the use of consultation of nursing, conducting home visits, collective construction of spaces for listening and socialization, which can be used as possible paths for the construction of such care

Conhecimento dos enfermeiros do Hospital Universitário Onofre Lopes sobre sistematização da assistência de Enfermagem

Nursing as a profession goes in search on quality of their care through new frameworks, trying to break postures of the health care system so fragmented in the care. To change professional practices, it is necessary to build their own knowledge grounded on Nursing Care System. The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of nurses' knowledge on care systematization in nursing in the University Hospital Natal-RN. It is an analytical descriptive study carried out at the Onofre Lopes University Hospital (HUOL), Natal-RN, 2010, the sample was composed of 40 active nurses working in hospitalization units of the hospital, the inclusion criteria were being in the monthly scale sector and agree to participate in the study. The non-participant observation and another interview were used for collecting data, statistical analysis was descriptive and inferential with reliability test, Pearson test, chi-square and Fischer, the variables that correlated were analyzed in a model Multiple logistic , calculating odds ratio. The results were: predominance of female professionals (90%), predominantly in the age range 39-46 years (37.5%), nurses who have the undergraduate degree at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (80%), and who have expertise training as a minimal degree (62.5%). Among the surveyed, the knowledge showed significance with the graduation time (p = 0.018) and time working in HUOL (p = 0.036). The majority of the professionals surveyed do not know which organ is responsible for the SAE legislation (52.5%), aware of the steps needed to build the nursing diagnosis (92.5%), understand the characteristics of nursing planning (90% ). However the same professionals do not perform physical examination in patients (50.0%) did not classify the clinical findings (68.4%), and identify the problems encountered as a classification (13.2%). The planning of nursing care is carried out by verbal order of nurses (82.5%), 41% of the professionals assess only the intervention stage, in other words, the actions taken. Regarding the practical application of nursing records 53% of nurses do not realize records, 30.8% is incomplete, the other held notes (p = 0.003). The nurses know the nursing process (90% of appropriate responses), despite the actions defined by the theory are not applied in practice. Investigators believe the condition of the hospital teacher (22.5%) could positively affect the implementation of the SAE associated with the interest of professionals (20%). Of the respondents, 17.5% accept as truth the lack of facilities to assist the SAE implementation in the hospital. It was concluded that nurses know the theory that underlies the SAE and the nursing process, but do not develop the service know as well, there is need for action to boost the SAE implementation as practice of nurses in the hospital investigated

Acidentes de Trabalho : análise em profissionais de enfermagem que atuam nas unidades de terapia intensiva e urgência Natal/RN

It is a descriptive-exploratory research, with a quantitative approach, aiming to characterize typical occupational accident suffered by the professionals from nursery group, in the Intensive Care Units and Emergency in a hospital in Natal-RN, trying to identify the factors that contribute to those accidents; to identify some information taken by those professionals related to the accident risks; to know the procedures taken after each accident. This sample is composed by 176 professionals that are 44 nurses and 132 nursing technicians/auxiliaries, collected from March to April 2010. The results related to the personal characterization of the nursery group showed that 31 (18.61%) are between the 36-40 years of age; 148 (84.09%) females and 96 (55.68%) had finished High School. Related to the professional characterization, 53 (30.11%) are nurses, and 123 (69.88%) nursing technicians and auxiliaries; 44 (25.00%) are working as nurses, and 132 (75.00%) as nursing technicians and auxiliaries; 45 (25.56%) are working in the nursery area between 15 to 20 years and 11 months; 53 (30.11%) are in this institution between 10 to 14 years and 11 months; 79 (44.88%) work in the ICU; 55 (31.25%) are working in this area from 1 to 4 years and 11 months; 110 (62.50%) like to work in this area; 161 (91.47%) work 30 to 40 hours per week; 90 (51,13%) have another employment. Related to knowledge about typical occupational accident, 167 (94.88%) said they know about it; 96 (54.54%) know the accident rules; 103 (58.52%) think it is important to talk about this subject in the nursery courses; 92 (52.27%) said this subject is important to be discussed in the work and 372 (87.73%) think education is necessary to reduce accident. Related to the data about accidents, 104 (59.09%) have suffered typical occupational accident, among them 69 (39.20%) have suffered it once; 47 (36.19%) did not register any accident; 60 (57.69%) were caring some patient during the accident; 47 (45.19%) of them occurred in the ICU; 50 (48.07%) professionals were working during the night period; 69 (66.34%) have suffered perforation; 86 (82.69%) had upper limbs affected; 64 (61.53%) were affected by needle; about the reason of the accident, 89 (60.54%) said it occurred due to carelessness. Related to the accident evolution, 88 (85.57%) did not need to remain off work after accident; 13 (81.25%) remained off work during 15 days; 87 (83.65%) had no sequelae and for 101 (97.11%) it was not necessary rehabilitation. We conclude that typical occupational accident can occur with young workers who admit a knowledge about the subject, however they do almost nothing to prevent it. We believe this research has contributed to the characterization of this kind of accident suffered by the nursery group of a public hospital in Natal, and it can stimulate the creation and reformulation of personal protection against typical occupational accident suffered by nursery professionals

O cuidar de enfermagem e da família à pessoa idosa no domicílio: uma abordagem etnográfica

O envelhecimento é um processo multidimensional que envolve entre outros os aspectos físico-biológicos, sociais, econômicos e psicológicos. Ao avaliar essa fase da vida dentro de uma visão social e cultural, percebe-se que ser idoso ou não varia com as concepções culturais, sendo necessário investigar as variações que atuam no processo e rege o fenômeno sociocultural da realidade em que se está inserido. Com o aumento da população idosa mundial, esse processo tende a se intensificar. Estima-se que até em 2050 existam cerca de dois bilhões de pessoas com mais de 60 anos no mundo, e a maioria delas vivendo em países em desenvolvimento. No Brasil, acredita-se que existam, atualmente, cerca de 20 milhões de idosos. A normatização e legislação brasileira de amparo ao idoso em relação à saúde iniciaram-se a partir da Constituição Federal de 1988 e da Lei 8080 que regulamenta o Sistema Único de Saúde em 1990, em seus níveis de complexidade: atenção básica, média e alta complexidade. Para auxiliar nessa prestação dos serviços na atenção básica de saúde é importante observar as condições sociais, culturais, econômicas e de saúde dos idosos e seus familiares. Nesse sentido, a visita ao domicílio e a avaliação deste idoso em seu ambiente doméstico torna-se fundamental para acompanhar o cuidar prestado e o quanto esse processo irá interferir no sistema de saúde, na família e na qualidade de vida dos idosos. Neste contexto, o enfermeiro como integrante da Equipe de Saúde da Família, presta assistência à saúde do idoso no domicílio. Nesse sentido, o objetivo do estudo é analisar o cuidado de enfermagem e da família à pessoa idosa no domicílio com vistas à identificação das influências socioculturais. Trata-se de um estudo do tipo descritivo e de abordagem qualitativa, norteados por princípios teórico-metodológicos da etnografia com vistas ao estudo da influência dos aspectos culturais e sociais na assistência da família e do enfermeiro à idosos em domicílio. Foi realizado no município de Santana do Matos, RN, tendo como participantes, idosos, familiares e enfermeiros da equipe da ESF, definidos a partir da população do município e obtendo-se uma amostra intencional de 25 participantes: 6 enfermeiras, 10 idosos e 9 grupos familiares. Para a coleta de informações, utilizou-se observação, entrevista, diário de campo e grupo focal. Os resultados foram apresentados em forma de narrativa descritiva, na perspectiva dos conceitos de Boris Cyrulnik, com análise interpretativa cultural de Geertz, na busca dos significados e símbolos próprios da cultura da velhice de idosos e dos seus familiares, sobre cuidados que são realizados, tanto pela família, como pelos enfermeiros em domicílio. Observou-se que a família e o cuidador, dentro de sua realidade social e cultural, precisam ser mais compreendidos pela equipe de saúde para ser melhor orientados e capacitados na realização do cuidar de forma adequada. Por sua vez, os profissionais de saúde, em especial o enfermeiro, enfrentam dificuldades para realizar o cuidado ao idoso no domicílio como a grande demanda de atribuições na unidade de saúde como consultas e atendimentos; falta de transporte até os domicílios; extensão territorial do município e das áreas assistidas; número de pessoas atendidas por cada equipe; falta de compreensão dos profissionais de saúde quanto à importância da visita domiciliária na atenção básica. Entendem a necessidade de realizar ações de promoção em saúde, prevenção de agravos e de educação em saúde, além de reconhecerem a importância de uma melhor formação acadêmica para atuar nessa perspectiva e contribuírem para as mudanças necessárias na prática dos cuidados ao idoso em domicílio

O processo de cuidar em Unidade de Terapia Intensiva

The environment of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is commonly referred to as a place where caring is inextricably linked to high technology. The care in ICU often changes the patient into a taxpayer being left apart from its complexity and sometimes seen through a reductionist perspective. Thus, studies circa the care process are needed oriented from a historical ransom, raising the prospect of a more centralized human care. Hence, this study aimed to analyze the care process in a nursing intensive care unit from the perspective of the professional, family and patients. The study is characterized from a qualitative, descriptive and exploratory methodological approach. The actors were participating nursing professionals, patients and family members of an intensive care unit of Mossoró / RN. Data were collected in the period of May-June 2011, through interviews and observation of activities performed by nursing professionals, and their records in the chart. Data analysis was divided into topics and subtopics representing the phases and shapes that formed the collection. The analysis and discussion of the interviews were based on Bardin's proposal, when we created categories from a process of sorting and grouping criteria adequately defined. The observation of nursing records intended to observe the emphasis which is described in those notes as well as their consistency with practice of FCN and resolution 358/2009. The analysis showed that the nursing staff also performs work focused on mechanized activities and technical-bureaucratic institution that seem to override the needs of patients. In an overview, the care provided by professionals occurs either fragmented or insipient, however there is a service that involves other aspects beyond technical-curative practice, considering that major attention is given to the family and patient, focused on the concern of Nursing guiding their actions in not only the performance of procedures. However, the process of humanizing not always ends with an engagement between professional and patient, which mischaracterizes the true meaning of human care. The records also showed a tendency to focus on caring in a positivist line, where, in most cases, the factors of the disease and the obligation to meet the productivity have overshadowed other relevant aspects to a holistic understanding of caring. Regarding FCN Resolution No. 358/2009, which guides a systematization of nursing care, it is confirmed a technical view, a fragmented and superficial view of the patient, as well as a weakness of care, caused by ignorance and unpreparedness of the entire team. The perspective of caring demonstrates a reality with dialectic between what is proposed in a humane nursing and what happens in this performance space. Besides, it was shown a daily full of important considerations that arise in professional practice, in their views and also those people who were participants in the process

À beira do leito : sentimentos de pacientes durante a passagem de plantão em Unidade de Terapia Intensiva

This study aims to understand the feelings of patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) that experienced a change of shift at the bedside. The change of shift is one of the routines used by nursing in their work process and of great significance for the patient; therefore, deserves careful analysis in seeking to perfect themselves for the improvement of nursing care. It is a descriptive research, with a qualitative approach. The collection of information was performed using semi-structured interview, in August and September of 2011, after authorization from the Ethics Committee of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, as opinion 290/2011. The analysis, based on interviews of patients, took the humanization as the thread of investigation backed by authors who deal on the subject and the theory of the gift of Marcel Mauss that sits on drug give-receive-return. The results indicate that the change of shift at the bedside but has not configured, the content of the speech of patients interviewed, as a moment that has generated fear and anxiety, could be deduced by the expression of silence, tears and other signs during interviews, how hard it is to live this experience. Nevertheless, despite this apparent tranquility, revealed uncertainty and apprehension face the speech of professional, during the visit at the bedside, particularly when referring to their health and their neighbors. On the other hand, the indifference to the participation of the patient at the time of the visit, expressing an attitude of merely technical nature, dehumanizes the act of taking care, the essence of nursing. And, for all the patients that we understand, about the visit to the bedside, as well as the ICU, we can infer that there is suffering for them. However, we understand your feelings and revelations seeking support in the theory of Mauss's gift: the patient receives the gift (care), and imbued with a feeling of gratitude, the rewards in the form of compliments and courtesies. Precisely for this reason, we need to sharpen our sensitivity to deal about the human condition in all its vulnerability.

Segredos da alma: a dádiva da assistência de Enfermagem

The present study is an analysis of interpersonal relationships between the nursing staff and the patients under their care. Its objectives are to analyze ties/links that may possibly exist in such relationships and to describe, based on the experience of the patients, how they are received by the nursing staff, and what is the extent of their reliability on the nursing staff within the hospital. This investigation is analytical in nature and qualitative in approach, having as its leading thought Marcel Mauss s gift-exchange theory. The study involved eighteen in-patients, eight of them from government institutions, at a large hospital school and ten others from a private specialty hospital; both in the city of Natal, state of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. Data were collected between January and March 2006. Results point to ties being created between the nursing staff and patients irrespective of their social status, involving especially the development of friendship and reliability. We have noticed that in both services the interpersonal relationship is associated with the circulation of the symbolic goods mentioned in the patients discourse, such as attention, loving care and concern, among others, marking the formation of ties during hospital stay. Likewise, reliability is also present in close relationship with the technical competence of the professional. Patient hospitality is associated with the manner in which the patients were treated on being admitted to the hospital, although they also refer to hospitality at later moments, during the course of their treatment. Finally, we are in a position to say that there are ties/links between in-patients and nursing staff, irrespective of the patient s social status and class divide. It is thus evident that the antiutilitarian symbolism of gift to give, receive, give back -, which shapes the setting of social ties also takes place in today s utilitarian, individualistic and competitive societies. Thus, human beings whose existence is dependent on mutual relationships try to save their humanity, especially those who are fragile and dependent as is the case of the hospital in-patient

Cuidado de enfermagem ao potencial doador de órgãos em morte encefálica: uma reflexão sobre a prática

Despite of the technological advances that favor the transplant process, there are issues of effectiveness of care necessary for the maintenance of potential organ donors with brain death, which contribute to the no realization of transplants of organs and tissues of these patients. It is presupposed that the problems could be related to perceptions and understandings that the professionals of the units of internment have about the care required by the diagnosis of brain death. The aim of this study was to understand the meaning of the nursing care of the potential organ donor with brain death to the nursing staff. Descriptive study with qualitative approach guided by Action Science Theory and the critic-reflexive research methodology accomplished with five nurses and 19 nursing technicians from Operative Rehabilitation Center in a public hospital at Natal / RN, Brazil, between March and May 2013. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with individual reflection about the care and through group interview, after approval by the Ethics and Research Committee, CAAE No.: 04255612.7.0000.5537. The analysis was performed in a thematic way according to Bardin. During the group meeting the participants were driven in a discussion about the need for change and how to perform them. The results indicate that the professionals actions are consistent with those required for maintenance of potential organ donors, although the material and human resources are not adequate. That situation leads the professionals to develop a meaning of care as one labor more, demanding more than they can give. They express beliefs and feelings concerning the hope that their care brings a greater good that is to save lives. The reflection for a possible change of action was difficult to accomplish due to professionals not to be able to self evaluate, what lead to direct your changes suggestions for other team members. It is concluded that the care provided to these patients is a difficult care, evidenced by suffering both death situation of the person cared and pain of their families, as the dehumanizing conditions of work, helping themselves to keep distance from patients to not suffer so much. The knowledge impregnated in their act, are scientific, ethical, aesthetic and personal kind with a predominance of the scientific followed by the personal. The study was also relevant to the practice of nursing in maintaining the potential donor, in that it allowed the identification of the knowledge used by nurses in their care practice and the meaning understanding of the professionals on the care provided, as a good action that brings satisfaction when the transplanting is executed. Other experiences are suggested with the critic-reflexive research methodology, both in research as in teaching nursing