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Table 3 Percentage of nursing programs according to the preparation of students for the development of actions (n = 110)

From: Situational analysis and reflections on the introduction of advanced practice nurses in Brazilian primary healthcare

Actions and procedures

Prepare

Partially prepare

Do not prepare

Actions legally assigned and historically recognized as nurses' activities

Insert nasogastric, nasoenteric, and urethral intubation

99.1

1.0

0.0

Apply dressings

99.1

1.0

0.0

Administer medications

99.1

0.9

0.0

Conduct health education groups

98.2

0.9

0.9

Execute health promotion actions

97.2

2.8

0.0

Administer vaccines

96.7

2.1

1.1

Plan and execute vaccination campaigns

96.3

2.8

1.0

Perform compulsory notifications

95.7

4.3

0.0

Execute family planning

95.3

3.8

1.0

Perform Pap smear

94.5

3.7

1.9

Perform pediatric consultation

93.6

4.6

1.8

Interpret Pap smear

91.5

3.2

5.3

Perform low-risk prenatal care

90.9

9.1

0.0

Receive patients with risk classification

87.2

11.0

1.8

Prescribe dressings

83.9

10.7

5.4

Perform electrocardiograms

83.2

9.3

7.5

Insert peripheral venous catheters

81.3

10.2

8.4

Perform artery punctures

76.3

10.7

12.9

Average

92.2

5.1

2.7

Actions legally permitted for nurses but historically recognized as exclusive to the physiciana

Interpret laboratory tests

75.2

22.0

2.7

Interpret imaging tests

53.2

25.6

21.1

Request laboratory tests

47.7

29.4

22.9

Prescribe medications provided for in institutional protocols

46.7

46.7

6.7

Perform normal deliveries

42.1

18.7

39.2

Request imaging tests

23.1

24.1

52.7

Prescribe anthelmintics

19.6

15.9

64.5

Prescribe antifungals

13.1

9.8

77.1

Prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs

12.0

6.5

81.5

Prescribe antibiotics

9.3

15.9

74.7

Average

34.2

21.5

44.3

Actions exclusive to the physician

Perform abscess drainage

47.1

14.1

38.7

Communicate nosological diagnoses to patientsb

26.9

12.9

60.2

Prescribe medications for people with chronic illness diagnosed by the physician

17.6

18.5

63.9

Renew medical prescriptions

12.8

5.3

81.9

Apply suturesc

11.1

17.6

71.3

Perform local anesthesiac

9.7

7.5

82.8

Confirm death

8.7

7.6

83.7

Prescribe psychoactive drugs

5.4

3.3

91.3

Make nosological diagnosesb

4.3

2.1

93.6

Average

16.0

9.9

74.2

  1. aLegally permitted by the Federal Nursing Council and the Ministry of Health but subject to the local administrator’s authorization through the creation of nursing protocols
  2. bAccording to the Law on the Professional Practice of Medicine, these practices are not exclusive to the physician, but judicial decisions have ruled in favor of the understanding that the physician is the only professional legally authorized to perform diagnoses. Although it is not exclusive, it can only be shared with other professions by way of federal laws and never by council resolutions or municipal or state laws. Within PHC, these actions can be performed by nurses in services where clinical nursing protocols are in place, but they are limited to common diseases that are not serious (e.g., worm infestations, dermatitis, sexually transmitted infections)
  3. cObstetric nurses can perform these actions within the scope of gynecological assistance (perform episiotomy and episiorrhaphy with the application of local anesthesia)
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Human Resources for Health

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