HOME NURSING CARE IN THE CARE OF TERMINALLY ILL CANCER PATIENTS: A BRIEF REVIEW

Abstract

The study aims to address in the literature the various practices employed in the care of terminal cancer patients, and thus point out the strategies that the nursing team will apply to improve the lives of patients and their families. This is a study of the literature review type, of qualitative integrative character, in which active methods of reading and interpreting the manuscripts were used, carried out between March and July 2021. The stages of production of the study were characterized sequentially, by theme choice, establishing the research problem and guiding question, applying the eligibility and exclusion criteria of the articles, defining the descriptors in Portuguese and English, performing a search in the Virtual Health Library (VHL) databases; Latin American and Caribbean Literature on Health Sciences (LILACS) and Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO). In the care of terminal cancer patients, family education and encouragement of self-care are bases for effective and humanitarian care, and thus health professionals exemplify in practice all their theoretical knowledge about alternative methods to promote well-being, and teach family members , thus creating a continuous cycle of teaching and learning. It is concluded that it is necessary to prepare the family and professionals to deal with the care of terminal patients, and thus successfully perform their activities, providing relief and well-being to the patient.