ESTIMA, Braz. J. Enterostomal Ther., São Paulo, v18, e0620, 2020 1 The senses of being an enterostomal therapist nurse: complexities involved in the specialty Os sentidos de ser enfermeiro estomaterapeuta: complexidades que envolvem a especialidade Los sentidos de ser enfermero estomaterapeuta: complejidades que implican la especialidad Carolina Cabral Pereira da Costa 1, *, Norma Valéria Dantas de Oliveira Souza 1 , Ellen Marcia Peres 1 , Manoel Luis Cardoso Vieira 2 , Jakeline Costa dos Santos 1 , Rafael Seabra Polidoro Cardoso 1 ORIGINAL ARTICLE 1.Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro – Departamento de Enfermagem Médico-Cirúrgica – Rio de Janeiro (RJ), Brasil. 2.Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro – Instituto de Doenças do Tórax – Rio de Janeiro (RJ), Brasil. *Autora correspondente: carolcuerj@hotmail.com Recebido: Nov. 21, 2019 | Aceito: Abr. 6, 2020 ABSTRACT Objective: To describe the meanings of being an enterostomal therapist considering the complexity of the process of caring for people with wounds, stomas and incontinence. Method: A qualitative, descriptive-exploratory study, conducted through a semi- structured interview, between the months of January to April 2018, with 22 graduates from a specialization course in Nursing in Enterostomal Therapy from a public university in the Southeast region, following the snowball technique. Documental research was also carried out in order to complement the data analysis. Results: The interviewed graduates reported that being an enterostomal therapist is taking care of people who have a wound, stoma and/or incontinence, which means they recognized the essence of the specialty. They emphasized that being an enterostomal therapist is to care for people who may be marginalized/stigmatized by society, to work with a focus on the patient’s rehabilitation, seeking social reintegration and independence, and to know how to be an entrepreneur. Conclusion: The meaning of being an enterostomal therapist involves being inserted in a specialty that provides fexibility in the job market and an entrepreneurial character, which gives professional recognition and even fnancial satisfaction. It is suggested, therefore, that further studies be carried out in this area, contributing to the felds of assistance, teaching, research and extension. DESCRIPTORS: Nursing; Enterostomal therapy; Nursing education. RESUMO Objetivo: descrever os sentidos de ser estomaterapeuta considerando a complexidade do processo de cuidar de pessoas com feridas, estomias e incontinências. Método: Estudo de natureza qualitativa, do tipo descritivo-exploratório, realizado por meio de entrevista semiestruturada, entre os meses de janeiro a abril de 2018, com 22 egressos de um curso de Especialização em Enfermagem em Estomaterapia de uma universidade pública da região Sudeste, seguindo a técnica de snowball. Realizou-se, ainda, a pesquisa documental, a fm de complementar a análise dos dados. Resultados: Os egressos entrevistados relataram que ser estomaterapeuta é cuidar das pessoas que apresentam alguma ferida, estomia e/ou incontinência, ou seja, reconheceram a essência da especialidade. Destacaram que ser estomaterapeuta é cuidar de pessoas que podem ser marginalizadas/estigmatizadas https://doi.org/10.30886/estima.v18.825_IN ORCID IDs Costa CCP https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0365-7580 Souza NVDO https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2936-3468 Peres EM https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4262-6987 Vieira MLC https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1614-5848 Santos JC https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1872-320X Cardoso RSP https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7569-6714 HOW TO CITE Costa CCP; Souza NVDO; Peres EM; Vieira MLC; Santos JC; Cardoso RSP . The senses of being an enterostomal therapist nurse: complexities involved in the specialty. ESTIMA, Braz. J. Enterostomal Ther., 18, 2020: e0620. https://doi.org/10.30886/estima.v18.835_IN