NURSING STRATEGIES FOR PROMOTING ADOLESCENTS' MENTAL HEALTH IN THE SCHOOL SETTING: AN INTEGRATIVE LITERATURE REVIEW

Abstract

This article aimed to understand the role of nursing in promoting mental health in schools, presenting its practices, the challenges it faces, and its contribution to students' development. This integrative literature review used six DeCS databases and included studies published between 2016 and 2026 in Portuguese and English, available in full text. The results were analyzed using Bardin's methodology. After applying the inclusion criteria, we selected 20 publications. The results show that nursing work contributes to institutional functioning and supports students' development, even amid challenges such as professional training and organizational conditions. Thus, it became clear that when the nurse is present and accessible, teenagers can talk about what they need and seek support. However, challenges remain in strengthening these practices, such as the nurse's capacity and available organizational and institutional conditions.