Introduction:

Chronic kidney disease is the irreversible loss of kidney function and requires renal replacement therapy, which has excellent results based on scientific evidence, but neglects the complexities of the care environment, such as feelings, considered qualitative evidence inherent to the existential dimension of the individual.

Objective:

To unveil existential concepts in the context of care for the being-in-the-world of chronic kidney disease from the perspective of humanistic nursing theory.

Materials and methods:

Qualitative study using Grounded Theory. The study was conducted in a university hospital in southern Brazil. The sample consisted of 10 nursing professionals and 10 patients on renal replacement therapy. Data were collected between January 2020 and January 2021 through a semi-structured interview conducted virtually using the Zoom application. Data analysis was based on existentialist philosophy and the grand humanistic nursing theory.

Results:

One category was revealed (context of care of chronic kidney disease's being-in-the-world), and two subcategories (environment and temporality), which gave rise to five concepts (environment, adaptation to reality, establishing a living space, temporality, and becoming routine) and one assumption (the passage of time).

Discussion:

The context of care is an environment that is a living, dynamic space of interrelationships between beings of this world.

Conclusion:

It is understood that nursing, as a theoretical-practical science, needs theoretical reference points that guide clinical a type of care that considers the biological, spiritual, and existential dimensions of the being, making this care more effective, considering the environment, which influences adaptation and adherence to treatment.

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