MENTAL DISORDERS IN NURSING PROFESSIONALS IN THE HEALTH CARE NETWORK: EVIDENCE AND EARLY DETECTION STRATEGIES

Abstract

This article aimed to analyze the scientific evidence regarding the main mental disorders affecting nursing professionals, as well as to identify strategies for their early detection described in the literature. An integrative literature review was conducted, guided by the PICo strategy, with searches performed in the LILACS, MEDLINE, BDENF, and SciELO databases. Descriptors related to mental health, nursing professionals, and primary health care were used and combined through Boolean operators. Original full-text articles published in Portuguese and English between 2018 and 2026 were included, and the study selection process followed the recommendations of the PRISMA protocol. The final sample consisted of ten studies, predominantly qualitative, cross-sectional, and descriptive. The findings showed a higher occurrence of anxiety, depression, occupational stress, psychological distress, and burnout syndrome, mainly associated with work overload, long working hours, inadequate working conditions, and the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is concluded that nursing professionals are highly vulnerable to work-related mental illness, highlighting the need to strengthen institutional actions focused on prevention, psychosocial support, continuous monitoring, and early identification of signs of psychological distress.