THE ROLE OF NURSING IN THE TREATMENT OF SCHIZOPHRENIA: CHALLENGES AND PERSPECTIVES IN PATIENT CARE

Abstract

Schizophrenia is a chronic and severe mental disorder that requires a comprehensive treatment model, based on the deinstitutionalization of the Brazilian Psychiatric Reform (RPB). This study, an Integrative Literature Review, aimed to analyze the role of nurses in the care of patients with schizophrenia and identify the main interventions, challenges, and perspectives within the Psychosocial Care Network (RAPS). Nineteen articles published between 2005 and 2025 were analyzed using the LILACS, SciELO, BDENF, and PubMed databases. The results reveal the central and multifaceted role of nurses, who, based on the Systematization of Nursing Care (SAE) and the Singular Therapeutic Plan (PTS), act as care coordinator, family mediator, and psychosocial rehabilitation agent. Essential interventions include strict monitoring of pharmacotherapy (antipsychotics, clozapine, ECT), the promotion of the therapeutic bond (embracement and active listening), and ongoing psychoeducation to combat stigma and alleviate the family's biopsychosocial burden. The main challenges in this field lie in the fragility of training, professional insecurity, and gaps in the implementation of Matriculation in Primary Care. It is concluded that nurses are the primary agents for the implementation of humanized, comprehensive, and autonomy-focused care, requiring investment in research and continuing education to overcome conceptual and structural barriers.