CAPS - Saberes e práticas do enfermeiro: desafios e possibilidades

Abstract

Brazilian mental health has undergone several transformations over the past decades. Structured around the ideas of the Psychiatric Reform and the replacement of the hospital-centered model by more humane and democratic models, it led to a reconfiguration of mental health care. Through public policies, implementations in the Legislation and contributions from groups that defend the rights of patients with mental problems, it was possible to structure and expand an extra-hospital network where the CAPS (Psychosocial Support Center) is integrated, guaranteeing that individuals with psychological disorders can feel welcome, their needs identified, valued in their way of being, inserted in their social and family context. This is an integrative literature review that aimed to identify the knowledge and practices performed by nurses in CAPS, in direct contact with users of the service and their families, and to know the limitations and possibilities of nurses in caring for the mentally ill in CAPS. For the extraction of information, 14 articles were used, allowing the structuring of two thematic categories, in particular: knowledge and practices performed by nurses in CAPS; limitations and possibilities of nurses in caring for the mentally ill in CAPS. Reception, health education, individual care, home visits, medication administration, therapeutic groups, and family support were the main activities reported by nurses, in addition to the administrative actions that still stand out. The work challenges listed by the nurses were: lack of material resources and transportation; deficiency in the structure of the service; little professional qualification; and the weaknesses of cooperative work. The results show that the nurses who work in mental health need to develop the necessary competencies for the practice of health promotion and deal efficiently with the current challenges. There is a great need to develop training processes for nursing workers in the area of mental health.