The concept of transformed body in end-of-life care patients

Abstract

This work is an argumentative essay on the interpretation of the meanings of the bodies of patients in end-of-life care (EoLC) from a triple conceptual perspective: nurse/patient/ family. This triad is relevant to the production of meanings when one deals with the body of the Other that requires physical, psychosocial and spiritual care. The concept of “transformed body” emerged from an investigative study, which aimed to understand the interaction process between nurse and person receiving EoLC in a hospital context. The results point to the urgent need for debates and proper training of health professionals in palliative care (PC), with regard to the meanings attributed to the body of a person in care at the end of life. To make known the meanings attributed to the body is, therefore, the objective of this reflection, opening up a new ontological possibility that highlights the development of the nurse as both a person and a professional. It is concluded that the meaning attributed to the body by the nurse is relevant to the production of meanings when dealing with the body of a person in EoLC, which gains relevance and meaning in PC. Finally, we also highlight that, in the work that gave rise to this article, ethical, consent, confidentiality and data security issues were considered and respected.