FEELINGS EXPERIENCED BY COMPANIONS OF CRITICALLY ILL PATIENTS ADMITTED TO INTENSIVE CARE UNITS

Abstract

Introduction: The Intensive Care Unit is a hospital sector that differs from the others, as it is a place for advanced care and constant monitoring, which generally contributes to the development of family fragility, especially when the patient is in a state of hemodynamically unstable. Objective: Reflect on the emotions of family members and transcend a broad reflection, covering the feelings of family members regarding the patient's hospitalization in the Intensive Care Unit. Methodology: This is a study of the narrative literature review type, with characteristics of a theoretical-reflective type, with a qualitative approach and an exploratory bias. The search took place in the databases, BDENF, LILACS and the SciELO portal, with the inclusion criteria, articles published in full with free access and that addressed the subject of the study, dissertations, theses, book chapters, in Portuguese and English. And exclusion criteria, studies incompatible with the research theme. Furthermore, there was a search for health descriptors combined with the Boolean operator “AND”. Results: In this scenario, they showed that the main feelings shown by the companions of critically ill patients in the ICU are: anguish, fear, impotence, sadness, guilt and despair. Conclusion: Therefore, qualified professionals are important to promote a better connection with companions, and thus improve the assistance offered, which also applies to companions, taking care of the emotional factor and solving any possible doubts that may arise.