[The task of caring for terminally ill cancer patients]

This is a study conducted in the palliative care unit of the INCA National Cancer Institute, in an attempt to understand the nature of the work and its effects on the health of the professionals. A qualitative approach is adopted, based on participant observation and semi-structured interviews with professionals from the hospital. Most of the professionals are female and were unaware of the concept of palliative care when they started their careers in the Unit. Teamwork is highly valued by the professionals who involve the families in the care actions and motivate the participation of patients and relatives in decision-making. However, these workers experience high emotional stress due to their involvement in the suffering of patients and families. They are also exposed to considerable physical stress caused by the intense demand of the daily routine and the dependence of the majority of patients. The study revealed that there are many professionals on leave of absence due to musculoskeletal problems and psychiatric disorders. There is a pressing need for health support programs for these professionals and awareness of daily care measures for their own health. However, their suggestions for improvement of working and health conditions are merely passed on to be implemented by the institutions themselves.