Experiencias del profesional de enfermería durante el cuidado al paciente crítico: lecciones autoaprendidas

Patient care should be provided in a favorable environment, considering that it is an attitude endowed with understanding, compassion, awareness and competence, taking into account the essence of the profession. Objective: to analyze the nursing professional's experiences during patient care in critical care units. The approach was qualitative, with descriptive design and a phenomenological approach. Ten participants were considered through non-probabilistic sampling and theoretical saturation. The instrument was the semi-structured interview. The data analysis was carried out through Colaizzi's method. Six categories emerged as a result of the research: experiences of the nursing professional during patient care in critical care units; elements that stand out in the affairs of the nursing professional during patient care in critical care units; repercussions of self-taught learning in the nursing professional; humanized comprehensive care; knowledge of the nursing staff on the management of the critical patient; and increased patient-family-nurse bonding. Final considerations According to the findings, in the nursing professional's experiences, deficiencies are perceived in the communication provided to the patient and family with whom the nursing staff should establish an interpersonal bond. Work overload is an element that influences the quality of care of patients admitted to the ICU.