NURSING CARE AND HUMANIZATION IN THE ICU: AN INTEGRATIVE REVIEW

Abstract

The present study focuses on analyzing the importance of humanized care provided by nursing professionals in Intensive Care Units (ICUs), being limited to nursing practice within the critical hospital context. The need to integrate technical-scientific knowledge with sensitivity, empathy, and respect for the patient’s dignity is emphasized. The general objective was to describe the importance of nursing professionals in providing humanized care in ICUs. To achieve this, an integrative literature review was adopted as the methodology, with a qualitative and exploratory approach, carried out through searches in the PubMed, SciELO, LILACS, and VHL databases, considering publications between 2015 and 2026. Descriptors structured according to the PICo strategy were used, enabling the careful selection of studies relevant to the topic. Eligibility criteria included original and review articles available in full text in Portuguese, English, and Spanish. After the screening process, 16 studies composed the final sample. The results showed that nursing professionals play a central role in the humanization of care, standing out for their continuous proximity to patients, effective communication, welcoming approach, and attention to biopsychosocial needs. It was observed that humanization contributes to improving the quality of care, reducing suffering, and strengthening bonds. However, challenges such as work overload, structural limitations, and the biomedical model still persist. It is concluded that nursing is essential for the implementation of humanized care, requiring investments in professional qualification and better working conditions.