NURSING CARE STRATEGIES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH VIRAL HEPATITIS IN THE CONTEXT OF PRIMARY HEALTH CARE

Introduction and Objectives

Nursing professionals play an important role in the prevention, diagnosis, and care of viral hepatitis in Primary Health Care. Understanding nursing practices is essential to strengthening disease elimination strategies.

To identify nursing actions in the care of people with viral hepatitis in the context of Primary Health Care.

Materials and Methods

Data were collected through a form developed by the General Coordination for the Surveillance of Viral Hepatitis and the Federal Nursing Council, sent to nursing professionals in Brazil. The data were then tabulated, entered into an electronic database, and analyzed using descriptive statistics.

Results

The sample consisted of 1,573 participants. It was found that 91.3% of nursing professionals assess users' vaccination status. However, 71.3% of nurses reported never having requested viral load or molecular tests for viral hepatitis, although 83.6% stated that doing so would simplify diagnosis and patient referrals. Regarding complementary exams, 42.8% of nurses had never made such requests, despite recognizing they have legal support based on established clinical protocols. Additionally, 47.6% acknowledged that allowing nurses to request viral load and complementary tests would simplify diagnosis and referrals, highlighting the need for training to support this role.

Conclusions

Nursing plays a strategic role in eliminating viral hepatitis within Primary Health Care. Ongoing training and professional empowerment are essential to expand access, overcome barriers, and implement the actions outlined in Technical Note 369/2020 at the local level.