THE PERFORMANCE OF THE CHAPEL SERVICE IN PALLIATIVE CARE PATIENTS IN A PUBLIC HOSPITAL IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF SÃO PAULO

Abstract

Study developed in a public hospital in the city of São Paulo, with the objective of verifying how the chaplain employs spirituality and religiosity in the care of people facing a life-threatening disease and to quantify knowledge about palliative care. An exploratory research was carried out, with a quantitative approach, and data were collected by completing a multiple-choice questionnaire, applied to chaplains by the researchers. The results show that chaplains are people involved in spiritual and religious help to the family and the seriously ill patient , evolved and unhealed, using pray and music for spiritual comfort. The vast majority of respondents are familiar with palliative care and attribute its concept to pain relief care. Like most health professionals in Brazil, chaplains also need to improve their technical and scientific knowledge to competently develop palliative techniques.