RELAÇÃO ENTRE A CLASSIFICAÇÃO DO INSTRUMENTO DE NECESSIDADES PALIATIVAS (NECPAL) COM A TERAPIA NUTRICIONAL DE PACIENTES DE UM PROGRAMA DE INTERNAÇÃO DOMICILIAR DO DISTRITO FEDERAL

The Home Care Service (SAD) seeks to continue hospital care at home, covering health promotion, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care, according to the needs of patients. In the Federal District, the Home Hospitalization Program (PID-DF) serves patients with chronic conditions, sequelae, ulcers or in need of palliative care. The study uses the NECPAL instrument to early identify patients who need palliative care and relates this classification to nutritional therapy in patients in the Eastern Region of the Federal District. The cross-sectional and descriptive research was carried out with 47 patients, 66% of whom were elderly and 57% were women. The main diseases were of the circulatory and nervous systems. The majority of elderly people were underweight, while adults were of adequate weight. Around 80% of patients used alternative feeding routes, receiving an average of 25.52 kcal/kg/day and 1.21 g of protein. Of the patients evaluated, 72% had positive NECPAL results. The study concluded that there is a correlation between the exclusive use of alternative feeding routes and the greater demand for palliative care. Patients with higher NECPAL scores tended to be underweight, with adequate nutritional intake. The focus of care for patients at the end of life, however, is to provide comfort and quality of life, rather than caloric and protein goals.