Continuidade do cuidado por enfermeiros a pacientes covid-19 após alta hospitalar na Amazônia paraense

Abstract

Objective: to understand nurses' strategies for continuing care for patients recovered from Covid-19, post-discharge, in a reference university hospital in the Amazon of Pará. Method: qualitative descriptive study, part of a multicenter project, which investigated the reality of ten institutions in Brazilian territory. Interviews were carried out with nurses who worked in clinical sectors caring for patients with Covid-19 at the João de Barros Barreto University Hospital (HUJBB), in Belém (PA), from December 2021 to May 2022. The interviews were transcribed and submitted to content analysis by Bardin, with the support of the free software IRAMUTEQ. Results: 15 nurses were interviewed (12 women and three men), with an average experience of one year and nine months in the Covid-19 patient sector. Three analyzes were carried out with IRAMUTEQ: similarity; word cloud; and descending hierarchical classification (CHD). The words that appeared most strongly were: patient and care. From the CHD, two categories emerged that guided the discussion: the first category dealt with admission and care during hospitalization of patients with Covid-19 in the hospital environment, in which the following stood out: rapid or laboratory testing for positive Covid-19; oxygen therapy; control of vital signs; dressings; among other aspects; the second, addresses hospital discharge and the continuity of care for patients recovered from Covid-19, demonstrating that the discharge process is a medical decision, and, after this process, Nursing assumes care and guidance at home, directing patients subject preferably to the institution's outpatient clinic. Conclusion: it was possible to understand that the nurse identifies the need for transition of care and the clinical conditions that require post-discharge care, but there is still no structured transition care practice in the institution.