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Human living process and nursing from the vulnerability perspective

OBJECTIVE: This is an integrative review study aimed at analyzing the articles addressing this subject, health vulnerability and nursing, published in national and international journals. METHODS: The survey was conducted on the following database: MEDLINE, CINAHL and SciELO, covering the period 2004 to 2008, using the descriptors Vulnerability, Health vulnerability, vulnerable populations associated with the descriptor Nursing, being selected 28 articles for analysis. RESULTS: The characterization study allowed a brief history describing the concept of vulnerability and extracting their contributions to nursing practice. CONCLUSION: From the several approaches and perspectives of the concept of vulnerability it is important that nurses take ownership of this concept to contribute to the renewal of the care practices giving greater completeness and fairness to the actions in the health care.

Vulnerability; Health vulnerability; Vulnerable populations; Nursing


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