Humanization of nursing care in the emergency service: a systematic review

Abstract

Introduction: Nowadays, in spite of technological and scientific advances, there is the need for health care humanization in the Emergency Department, with a special emphasis on nurses, who are the promoter of provided care. In this way, the nursing team should be prepared to attend the other varied situations, thus, the humanization seeks another look to the assistance to the critical ill patient reflecting on the nursing care practices [1]. The aim of this review is to ascertain the importance of the humanization of the nursing care, in the critical ill patient in the emergency service. Materials and methods: This systematic literature review was conducted through scientific research, in the time space of February 2008 to February 2018 in the B-On and Ebscohost databases. Inclusion criteria: To have at least, two of the following descriptors searched in the B-on Platform: Humanization, Nursing Care, Critical Ill, Emergency Service; Full text available; in the following Languages: Portuguese, English and Spanish. The research question of this review is: What is the importance of humanization (O) in the nursing care (I) in the patient (P) in the emergency department. 35 studies were selected by exclusion and inclusion criteria. 7 studies were excluded after reading the title and the abstract and 5 were selected after reading the full text. Results: The main factors that influence the humanization of care for unstable patients are those that affect the patient’s physiological, psychological and social changes [2]. It is important to look at the unstable patient in their various aspects, seeing him as a whole, thus performing holistic nursing care [2]. There are fundamental principles, which regulate the humanized practice of nursing care, who work in the emergency field, who guarantee the basic human needs through teamwork, as well as aim at self-care, recovery and health promotion [3]. Humanized hospital care is understood as synonymous with “patient perception in its totality”, taking into account not only the physical aspects but also the social and emotional aspects [4]. Humanization is absent in the daily life of the Emergency Service [5]. Humanized care has given rise to “dehumanization”, both from the nursing professional to the patient, and from the institution to the professional [6]. However, humanization and nursing care are inseparable [6]. Discussion and conclusions: The need to provide well-being to the other should be felt as a priority to the satisfaction of the patient, experiencing humanization in all its breadth, privileging the pleasure of caring. The difficulties in the humanization of emergency departments are due to overwork and shortage of professionals, as well as inadequate structural and organizational conditions to develop health-restructuring activities. It is necessary to promote the training of health professionals, the encouragement for the creation of action strategies, giving priority to the human right to dignity and respect as a patient. Professionals should be recognized through incentives, with a good hospital structuration, as well as an adequate nurse-patient ratio in the sector to guarantee humanized nursing care.