The role of nurses in the care of children with autism spectrum disorder: an integrative review

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.9789/2175-5361.rpcfo.v18.14868

Keywords:

Child health, Nursing, Autistic Disorder, Review

Abstract

Objective: identify the role of nurses in the healthcare of children with autism spectrum disorder within Primary Health Care. Method: an integrative literature review conducted in the databases National Library of Medicine, EMBASE, and Web of Science. Data collection took place from June to November 2025. Results: a total of 290 studies were identified, and after applying eligibility criteria, eight studies were selected for the final sample. Most studies were published in 2024 (37.5%), in the United States, and the most prevalent design was observational studies (62.5%), with level V evidence being the most frequent. The findings revealed three domains of practice: well-child care consultations; composition of multidisciplinary teams; and professional qualification. Conclusion: the findings broaden the understanding of the role of nursing in the context of autism spectrum disorder and contribute to clinical practice oriented toward the emerging demands of care for this population.

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Author Biographies

Victoria Catarina Lopes, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN)

Enfermeira, Graduada em Enfermagem, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Santa Cruz- Rio Grande do Norte- Brasil.

Ana Clara Dantas, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte

Enfermeira, Mestre em Enfermagem, Doutoranda do Programa de Pós-graduação em Enfermagem, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal- Rio Grande do Norte- Brasil.

Barbara Ebilizarda Coutinho Borges, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte

Enfermeira, Mestre em Enfermagem, Doutoranda do Programa de Pós-graduação em Enfermagem, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal- Rio Grande do Norte- Brasil.

Ilisdayne Thallita Soares da Silva, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte

Enfermeira, Mestre em Enfermagem, Doutoranda do Programa de Pós-graduação em Enfermagem, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal- Rio Grande do Norte- Brasil.

Mércio Gabriel de Araújo, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte

Professor Adjunto da Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde do Trairi da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (FACISA/UFRN). Docente Permanente do Programa de Pós-graduação em Saúde Coletiva da FACISA/UFRN. Docente da Residência em Assistência Materno-infantil do Hospital Universitário Ana Bezerra (HUAB/UFRN). Doutor e Mestre pelo Programa Pós-graduação em Enfermagem da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (PPGEnf/UFRN). Graduado em Enfermagem (Licenciatura e Bacharelado) pela Universidade do Estado do Rio Grande do Norte- UERN. Membro do Núcleo de Estudos em Processo de Enfermagem e Classificações (NEPEC/UFRN) (2017- Atual). Membro do grupo de pesquisa em enfermagem nos contextos de saúde (GRUPECS) (2024 - Atual). Tem interesse nas seguintes áreas: Saúde da Criança e do Adolescente, Políticas, Planejamento e Gestão em saúde, Processo de Enfermagem com ênfase em diagnósticos de enfermagem, intervenções de enfermagem e resultados de enfermagem. Associado a ABRASCO. Membro da Comissão Permanente de Sistematização da Prática de Enfermagem - Seção ABEN-RN (COMSISTE - RN) e Secretário da Seção ABEN-RN. Membro Associado da NANDA-I e da Rede de Pesquisa em Processo de Enfermagem (RePPE).

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Published

2026-05-27

How to Cite

1.
Lopes VC, Dantas AC, Borges BEC, Silva ITS da, Araújo MG de. The role of nurses in the care of children with autism spectrum disorder: an integrative review. Rev. Pesqui. (Univ. Fed. Estado Rio J., Online) [Internet]. 2026May27 [cited 2026Jun.26];18:e-14868. Available from: https://seer.unirio.br/cuidadofundamental/article/view/14868

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Integrative Review of the Literature

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