Advanced practice nurse in intensive care in the Brazilian context: a scoping review.

OBJECTIVE

to map the scope of practice of advanced practice nurses in intensive care and its applicability in the Brazilian context.

METHOD: a scoping review conducted between September 2024 and February 2025, based on the JBI and PRISMA-ScR guidelines. The search was carried out in PubMed, Virtual Health Library, CINAHL, SCOPUS, BDENF, Web of Science, COCHRANE, and LILACS, in addition to thesis and dissertation repositories. Two independent reviewers selected the studies, and a third resolved disagreements. Data extraction followed a standardized instrument, with descriptive synthesis.

RESULTS

a final sample of 20 publications was selected. The advanced practice nurse in intensive care performs invasive procedures, such as central venous catheter insertion, orotracheal intubation, lumbar puncture, and chest tube insertion. Furthermore, the use of advanced technologies and the high level of clinical autonomy of this professional provide effective diagnostic and therapeutic decision-making for the management of critically ill patients.

CONCLUSION

the scope of practice of advanced practice nurses in intensive care, although still incipient, presents perspectives for scientific, autonomous, and highly qualified advancement in the nursing field in Brazil, directly contributing to a responsive and effective healthcare approach. However, the scarcity of regulatory legislation and the lack of standardized and specific training for advanced practice nurses still constitute limitations to their implementation in Brazil.