Nursing mental health care strategies in Brazilian family health program

Abstract

Psychiatric reform has been procedurally defragmenting the process and conception of madness in society in order to build a notion of care for people with psychological distress. Currently the right to health in Brazil is guaranteed via public policies, including the Family Health Strategy The intent of this study was to discuss the strategies used by "nurses of the family" to care for people in psychological distress. This field research used a descriptive and qualitative approach to the data obtained through open interviews and then subjected to thematic content analysis. This study identifies a lack of knowledge among nurses interviewed concerning the term mental suffering. It is also difficult to identify care and concerns for health care patients with psychological distress as part of the operationalization of Family Health Strategy daily actions. Even not specifically planned, there are indirect care strategies for the people who are suffering.