title: [Perspective of intensive care nursing staff on the limitation of life support treatment].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the perspective of intensive care nursing staff on the limitation of life support treatment (LLST) in the Intensive Care Units.
  
  
  METHODS
  An exploratory qualitative study was carried out by applying the theory of Strauss and Corbin as the analysis tool. Constructivist paradigm.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nursing staff from three Intensive Care Units of Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge. Convenience sampling to reach theoretical saturation of data. Data collection through semi-structured interview recorded prior to informed consent. Rigor and quality criteria (reliability, credibility, transferability), and authenticity criteria: reflexivity. Demographic data was analysed using Excel.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 28 interviews were conducted. The mean age of the nurses was 35.6 years, with a mean seniority of 11.46 years of working in ICU. A minority of nurses (21.46%) had received basic training in bioethics. The large majority (85.7%) believe that LLST is not a common practice due to therapeutic cruelty and poor management with it. There is a correlation with the technical concepts; but among the main ethical problems is the decision to apply LLST. Nurses recognise that the decision on applying LLST depends on medical consensus with relatives, and they believe that their opinion is not considered. Their objective is trying to avoid suffering, and assist in providing a dignified death and support to relatives.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is still a paternalistic pattern between the doctor and patient relationship, where the doctor makes the decision and then agrees with the relatives to apply LLST. Organ failure and poor prognosis are the most important criteria for applying LLST. It is necessary to develop a guide for applying LLST, emphasising the involvement of nurses, patients, and their relatives.
authors.affiliation: Enfermera, Servicio de Medicina Intensiva, Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge, L' Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, España; Profesora asociada, Departamento Enfermería Médico-Quirúrgica, Universidad de Barcelona, L' Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, España. Electronic address: olgavallesfr@gmail.com.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Vallès-Fructuoso
authors.affiliation: Enfermera, Servicio de Medicina Intensiva, Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge, L' Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ruiz-de Pablo
authors.affiliation: Enfermera, Servicio de Medicina Intensiva, Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge, L' Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fernández-Plaza
authors.affiliation: Enfermera, Servicio de Medicina Intensiva, Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge, L' Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Fuentes-Milà
authors.affiliation: Técnico Curas Auxiliares de Enfermería, Servicio de Medicina Intensiva, Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge, L' Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Vallès-Fructuoso
authors.affiliation: Profesora asociada, Departamento Enfermería Médico-Quirúrgica, Universidad de Barcelona, L' Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, España; Adjunta enfermera, Unidad de Formación, Docencia e Investigación Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge-IDIBELL, Universitat de Barcelona, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Martínez-Estalella
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D026688:Bioethical Issues; D064648:Critical Care Nursing; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008020:Life Support Care / Q000941:ethics; D008297:Male
keywords: Bioethics; Bioética; Decision-making; Enfermería de cuidados críticos; Limitación del tratamiento de soporte vital; Limitation of life support treatment; Nursing critical care; Toma de decisiones