Background:

the sedation of patients under invasive ventilation has undergone a paradigm shift, translated into the use of light sedation protocols, which allows them to be aware, whenever possible. Nurses, through the implementation of appropriate nursing therapeutics, play an important role in the occurrence of this health-disease transition.

Objectives:

to identify nursing therapeutics valued by Intensive Care nurses in caring for patients with invasive ventilation, sedated and conscious.

Methodology:

qualitative, exploratory study, starting a focus group meeting, using content analysis according to Bardin. The sample consisted of six expert nurses, specialists in medical surgical nursing, working in Intensive Care Services at four hospitals in northern Portugal.

Results:

emerge five categories of nursing therapeutics: redimensioning of surveillance, management of therapy, self-care(with five subcategories), implementation of communication strategies and implementation of strategies in the face of agitation/disorientation( with three subcategories).

Conclusions:

nursing therapeutics for sedated, conscious and invasively ventilated people, valued by intensive care nurses, focus on increasing patient surveillance, in the management of analgesia/sedation, in promoting the potential for self-care, implementing strategies to facilitate communication and strategies for managing agitation/disorientation.