Nursing care of the hospitalized elder: a bioethical approach

Abstract

Populational aging requires trained professionals to assist elders and to deal with bioethical issues. This qualitative study aimed at understanding how nurses in public hospital in Feira de Santana-BA perceive the bioethical dimension of hospitalized elders’ care. The collection of data was undertaken through interviews. Data were analyzed according to content analysis method. Nurses recognize the importance of values in care, such as respect and responsibility, they identify bioethical problems such as violation of patient and elder’s rights, conflicts in the care relationships and patient selection for ICU. It is necessary that this issue should be worked in health services, that the Code of Ethics for Nursing Professionals be more streamlined among professionals of the sector, that the rights of elderly patients should be disseminated among patients and their families, in order to ensure that those who are involved in caring know and exercise their rights and duties.