The role of nursing in promotion mental health in schools

Abstract

Mental health among children and adolescents has become an increasing concern in public health, particularly within the school context, where social, emotional, and educational factors strongly influence students’ development. Schools represent a strategic environment for mental health promotion, allowing early and preventive interventions. In this context, nursing plays a fundamental role by working in an integrated manner with the school community, families, and health services. This article aims to analyze the role of nursing in promoting mental health in schools, highlighting strategies, contributions, and challenges. This is a qualitative, descriptive, and exploratory study conducted through a narrative review of the scientific literature. The results indicate that nurses’ actions in schools contribute to the early identification of psychological distress, the development of socio-emotional skills, the promotion of well-being, and articulation with psychosocial care networks. It is concluded that nursing plays an essential role in promoting mental health in schools, requiring stronger public policies to expand and consolidate this practice.