A qualitative research with a case study design was undertaken at the Center for Palliative Care, located within the Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre, Brazil, aimed at knowing how palliative care is provided to patients at a specialized unit and how the nursing team works with the caregiver's family to continue with comfort and pain relief measures. The project received approval from the Ethics and Research Committee. The data were collected through direct observation and semi-structured interviews with nurses and nursing technicians. The results are presented through the themes: characteristics of the Center for Palliative Care, its team and the initial interaction with patients and their families; and the type of care and the importance of pain management and communication. In conclusion, in this type of work, the role of technology and the attributes of care relationships are redefined, and ethical values like trust and autonomy are emphasized.
Palliative care; Nursing care; Terminally ill; Personal autonomy