THE MEANING OF CARDIAC SURGERY AND THE TOUCH IN THE (A) PERSPECTIVE OF INTERNEES PATIENTS IN INTENSIVE CARE

Abstract

ABSTRACT: This study searched for an understanding of the cardiac surgery and the touch meaning in the perspective of 11 patients in post operative time that had been in at the Federal University of Goiás Clinical Intensive Unit, from July to August, 2001. It was a descriptive research based in a qualitative design. To collect the data was done by observation and semi-structured interviews. After analyzing the data, two main categories took place giving especial sense to the meaning of cardiac surgery and to the touch in intensive care: “cardiac surgery” and “the touch”. From the analysis it was possible to observe that the touch has a meaning that involves essentially the affective aspect, as safety, reliance, comfort, tranquility, comprehension, looking with interest, the encouragement, and at last, an another therapeutic way that makes the professional able to take care of familiars and patients in a consciously and human way. KEYWORDS: Intensive Care; Nonverbal Communication; Thoracic Surgery.