Life history and meanings: end of life in an intensive and semi-intensive care unit.

This study addressed the end-of-life experience of a patient admitted to an intensive and semi-intensive care unit based on the accounts of a family member who accompanied her therapeutic journey. The study sought to understand how healthcare teams consider patients' life histories and how this influences care strategies. We also sought to identify the interaction between healthcare teams and patient family members when patients are no longer able to communicate. Immersion in an intensive and semi-intensive care unit enabled an ethnographic approach involving participant observation, in-depth interviews and monitoring of bedside visits. The results show that, despite not being considered by the care team in the case presented in this article, understanding a patient's life story, even when narrated by family members, is important for ensuring humanized care and developing effective care plans for these individuals.