THE ROLE OF NURSES IN PRE-HOSPITAL CARE IN REDUCING MORTALITY AND MORBIDITY ASSOCIATED WITH ACCIDENTS AND VIOLENCE: A LITERATURE REVIEW

Abstract

Pre-hospital care is an essential part of the public health chain. It offers support in critical situations and can be a matter of life or death. Given the demand for specialized care for patients in serious clinical situations, what is the role of the nurse within the pre-hospital care system? This study aimed to analyze and understand the role of the nurse in pre-hospital care in reducing mortality and morbidity. Articles were collected through digital platforms using resources such as PubMed, SciELO, and CAPES Journals. This is a qualitative and descriptive literature review, in which the aspects considered for the selection of works included the relevance of the general and specific objectives, the particularities of the data collected, and the depth of the discussions on the themes and results found. From the 12 indexed articles, it was noted that in an emergency situation, the first necessary intervention is called Basic Life Support. This procedure aims primarily at preserving the patient's life and, on certain occasions, mitigating possible sequelae resulting from the trauma. These actions must be performed quickly and efficiently, in order to guarantee the individual's stability until they can be treated in a hospital as quickly as possible. The nurse is considered the leader of the nursing team, responsible for coordinating and uniting all members, ensuring that they work together for the patient's well-being and health. From this perspective, the nurse becomes a fundamental element in the Pre-Hospital Care team, effectively committing, along with their colleagues, to providing quality care to critically ill victims who are under immediate threat of death. Regardless of the action the nursing professional takes in response to an emergency or urgent situation, it is essential that the professional possesses the technical and scientific knowledge to perform the necessary maneuvers. This means that, in practice, there must be a clear demonstration of competence in pre-hospital care, which requires speed and efficiency in order to save lives in the shortest possible time, while maintaining the quality of service provided.