Bereavement care in the SUS: experience report of group practises

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: In palliative care, dealing with death and grief is a guiding principle, and supporting the bereaved family member is consistent with the principles of this approach. This study understands grief as an inevitable, unpredictable, and fundamentally human life experience that can be the target of professional support. OBJECTIVE: To reflect on the experience of caring for people in the grieving process through the provision of support groups in services of the Sistema Único de Saúde - SUS (Unified Health System) to identify tools used by these services to deal with grief, and to report on the work processes of residents implementing grief support activities in health facilities. METHOD: This is an experience report of group support practices implemented across the three levels of care in the SUS. Knowledge construction and the effects of the learning process were recorded in a field diary for analysis. RESULTS: The results are organized as a narrative of the group practices implemented. The study identified that support interventions for bereaved individuals offered in health facilities are important tools for validating the expression of feelings and contributing to the process of coping with loss. Conclusion: Support for bereaved individuals proved to be effective when carried out in health services, fostering the sharing and collective elaboration of the grieving experience.