O preparo do terapeuta ocupacional para lidar com o processo de morte e morrer

Abstract

Death is something inherent to life, but in Western society it is still seen as a taboo. This course conclusion paper aimed to describe and analyze the preparation of the Occupational Therapist to deal with the process of death and dying, of the patients under their care. Data were analyzed through documental analysis of modules information of twenty state and federal Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), that are offering the course of Occupational Therapy in Brazil. Therefore, it was sought in the modules information any discipline that was described containing one or more of the following key words or expressions: Thanatology, Death, Mourning, Loss, Palliative Care, Terminal(ity). Fifteen percent of HEIs have specific disciplines on the subject, however, sixty-seven percent of the universities contents related to the subject are during the undergraduate course. In conclusion, therefore, the death and the dying process should be studied more specifically during the graduation of occupational therapists, making them better prepared to care of their patients.