CONTRIBUTIONS OF HUMANITUDE CARE DURING THE PANDEMIC IN AN INSTITUTION FOR THE ELDERLY IN PORTUGAL

Objective: to identify the contributions of the Humanitude Care Methodology in the comprehensive care provided to the elderly in a long-term care institution during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: a qualitative, exploratory and descriptive research study. Data collection took place through individual online interviews in September and October 2020 with eight caregivers of elderly people from a long-term care institution for aged people in Portugal. Thematic categorization was adopted for analysis and treatment of the information. Results: the contributions of the Humanitude Care Methodology contemplated operationalization of the humanization of care, that is, approach, consolidation, professionalization of the relationship, and intentionality in the interaction. It also contemplated the organizational system with changes in care and opening to the outside and, finally, contributions to aged people such as acceptance of the care provided, decrease in agitation, promotion of autonomy and self-care, respect, satisfaction and promotion of verticality. Conclusion: the strategies related to the Humanitude Care Methodology facilitate the care practices during the COVID-19 pandemic period. Although organizational and operational matters of the care provided were altered, it was possible to maintain comprehensive care for aged people, due to the fact that the principles of Humanitude were already integrated in the institution’s care practices. © 2022, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina. All rights reserved.

Biosafety measures to prevent COVID-19 in healthcare professionals: an integrative review

OBJECTIVE: to identify the main biosafety measures for preventing COVID-19 in healthcare professionals. METHODS: this is an integrative literature review, with studies published between January and July 2020, on the MEDLINE/PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, LILACS, SciELo, Wiley Online Library, Cochrane CINAHL databases. The selection of studies followed the PRISMA recommendations. RESULTS: among the 2,208 publications identified, 12 studies comprised the sample, which enabled the analysis in four thematic categories: The importance of using recommendations about the use of personal protective equipment;The restructuring of new operational and clinical routines and flows in the practice of services;Monitoring professionals, especially testing;Conducting training. CONCLUSIONS: the phenomena involved are innumerable, covering operational management and the training of teams to deal with highly infectious pathogens and disease outbreaks.