Social Representations of the Death Process in Intensive Care Units of Chilean Public Hospitals

Abstract

Introduction: As a result of advances in health and technology, death has become more technical to extend the period of life. Life support techniques are on the rise, and there are debates regarding their application.

Objective: Understand the social representations of the death process in public hospitals in Santiago de Chile.

Methods: Qualitative design in an interpretive paradigm in three public hospitals from April to June 2019; seven discussion groups were held with medicine, nursing professionals, and healthcare ethics committees. A structural analysis was developed, as well as an interpretative analysis of the ideological discourse and an understanding of the social representations of the studied phenomenon.

Results: The speeches revealed that the most critical social representation is that death is considered a defeat in professional practice. The use of life support technology becomes a space for action by professionals without facing the death process, and care in Intensive Care Units is dehumanized. People are considered things or objects, invaded by technology to save lives.

Conclusions: Deaths in Intensive Care Units are affected by the use of technologies. Hospital institutions have a hierarchical culture that makes decisions and teamwork difficult, and they reproduce heterogeneous practices around death processes. It is necessary to address the problem from the construction of public policies with a collective view toward a dignified death process.