Cuidar até o fim: A atuação do Enfermeiro da Estratégia de Saúde da Família no percurso dos cuidados paliativos

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.22533/at.ed.820811225251116

• Palavras-chave: Enfermeiro. Estratégia de Saúde da Família. Cuidados Paliativos

• Keywords: Nurse. Family Health Strategy. Palliative Care.

• Abstract: Palliative care, which originated internationally in the 20th century, became consolidated in Brazil from the 1980s and 1990s onward, advancing in a more structured way through humanization policies and SUS guidelines. The establishment of Primary Health Care and the Family Health Strategy (ESF) strengthened the integration of this approach in the community, promoting comprehensive, continuous, and patient and family-centered care. Population aging and the rise of chronic diseases have intensified the demand for longitudinal follow-up, symptom management, and emotional and spiritual support. In this context, the ESF nurse emerges as a key figure, given their closeness to the community, ability to perform comprehensive assessments, and home-based practice. The literature shows that bonding, effective communication, and health education are essential pillars of palliative care in primary care. However, challenges persist, such as gaps in training, work overload, resource shortages, and weaknesses in coordination across levels of care. Despite these limitations, the presence of the nurse in the community enables humanized, respectful practices aligned with patient preferences, reaffirming that “caring until the end” is an expression of dignity, ethics, and humanization within the SUS.