Communication in palliative care: Team, patient and family

Abstract

Palliative care aims to fully take care and welcome patients and their families, in cases when cure of the disease is no longer possible, making use of good communication to improve quality of life. The study aimed to evaluate communication in palliative care and how it can influence the team-patient-family relationship. This is a qualitative, descriptive and exploratory research, involving six participants approached at a public health hospital in Suzano, in the State of São Paulo, Brazil. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews and were analyzed using the content analysis technique. It is concluded that proper communication is a relevant strategy for establishing a good team-patient-family relationship, however, it is necessary to identify other phenomena that are beyond the communicative skills of professionals. From a Bioethics perspective, communication stands out in healthcare and creates a bond that enables shared decisions.