Entre o cuidar e o sofrer: a experiência da morte e do luto na prática dos profissionais de saúde – uma revisão da literatura

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The process of death and dying represents one of the main challenges faced by healthcare professionals, involving emotional, ethical, and human dimensions that directly impact the care provided to patients and their families. OBJECTIVE: To reflect on the relationship between professional preparation and the strategies used in coping with the process of death and dying of patients. METHODOLOGY: This is an exploratory study with a qualitative approach, developed through an integrative literature review. Data collection was carried out using the Virtual Health Library (VHL) between January and April 2026. For data analysis, the Content Analysis proposed by Bardin was adopted. The final sample consisted of 16 studies published between 2021 and 2026. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The results revealed weaknesses in the academic training of healthcare professionals regarding coping with terminal illness, highlighting insufficient discussions about death, grief, palliative care, and the communication of bad news. Feelings of helplessness, sadness, anguish, and emotional exhaustion related to frequent contact with death were also identified, in addition to the use of defense mechanisms and coping strategies, such as spirituality, team support, and rationalization. It was observed that practices based on empathy, acceptance, and humanized communication favor a more dignified end-of-life process. CONCLUSION: This topic still requires greater inclusion in academic training and healthcare institutions, aiming to strengthen the emotional, ethical, and humanistic preparedness of professionals in the face of the process of death and dying.