O enfermeiro navegador e a continuidade da assistência na atenção primária à saúde

Abstract

Objective: To summarize current scientific evidence on the use of patient navigation as an intervention method in primary health care. Methods : This is an integrative review of the literature, carried out through the Prisma-Scr steps. The guiding question was created based on the acronym PCC - P (Population receiving primary care) C (Patient Navigation) C (Primary Health Care). Therefore, the following guiding question was created: “What is the current evidence that uses the nurse navigator as an intervention method in primary health care?” The survey of studies was carried out in the following databases: MEDLINE/PubMed, Scopus (Elsevier), Web of Science and Cochrane Library, with data collection up to march of 2023. To search these databases, the following descriptors were used: Patient Navigation; Nursing; Health Centers; Primary Health Care, combined with each other by the Boolean operators AND and OR . Results : The main sectors of primary health care in which patient navigation was used were related to cancer screening, women's health, children's health, and wounds and dressings, with a higher prevalence in the United States and Canada. As benefits of implementing the nurse navigator; studies have pointed out: greater patient autonomy related to their illness and care, strengthening of the bond between patient and professional, better access to health services, reduction of time between consultation and diagnosis, improvement in patient communication primary sector and other levels of health care, reduction of barriers to accessing services (communication barriers, linguistic understanding and transport). The main challenge identified in implementing the nurse navigator was the lack of human resources. The nurse was the health professional who most played the role of patient navigator, although in conjunction with other functions. Conclusion : The synthesis of evidence has pointed out ways for the implementation of the nurse navigator in primary health care, highlighting its uses and strengths, as well as the challenges to be overcome, at a reduced cost. The results obtained through this integrative review have the potential to impact care management in primary care, through the improvement of work processes, using patient navigation in areas related to care, such as guidance and education of patients and family members, coordination of care, improved adherence to treatment and higher resolution of health problems, increasing network integration and generating continued care.