Espiritualidade e saúde: o caso de pacientes da unidade de cuidados paliativos em um hospital geral

Abstract

Spirituality, when manifested in pain, reveals the human power to rebuild himself/herself, even when faced with the inevitability of the end. This study addressed the theme of spirituality inserted in health, more specifically in the context of Palliative Care (PC) within a general hospital, having achieved part of its objective of understanding, through the experiential narratives of the research participants, how spirituality is experienced from the diagnosis of PC to the terminality criteria. The qualitative method of phenomenological nature provided an expanded and holistic analysis of the object, allowing access to a level of experience that would not be able to be quantified. Four patients diagnosed with PC participated in this research. Despite the sample loss of some of the participants, the research revealed that spirituality plays an essential role in the experience of illness and in coping with finitude. The narratives indicated that spirituality manifests itself in different ways, going beyond formal religious practices and revealing itself in reconciliation with one's own history, in connection with others and in the search for meaning. It was observed that, even when a cure is impossible, spirituality contributes to the reconstruction of the individual and to the redefinition of death, transforming the hospital environment into a space of dignity and meaning. It is recommended that future research deepens into the topic in different PC contexts, expanding the understanding of the role of spirituality for patients, family members and health teams. This study reinforces the need to integrate the spiritual dimension into palliative care, contributing to more humanized and comprehensive care