COLETA DE CITOPATOLÓGICO: A importância do conhecimento e da assistência de enfermagem na prevenção do câncer do colo uterino em mulheres com mais 64 anos

According to the Ministry of Health, it is estimated that in Brazil, cervical cancer is the third most common malignancy, surpassed only by non-melanoma skin cancer and breast cancer. It is the fourth cause of death from cancer in the female population. The aging of the population has accelerated rapidly due to the decrease in fertility and mortality, which generates greater life expectancy, a factor that is accompanied by chronic non-communicable diseases, such as neoplasms. Women over 65 years of age are more resistant to undergoing cytopathological examination, a condition that raises public health concerns due to the complications of uterine cancer for these women, which can even lead to the loss of their lives. The role of nurses in preventing cervical cancer is fundamental, as they play the role of educator and can use innovative methods that arouse women's interest in seeking health services to undergo the examination. The main objective of this research was to find out the contribution of nurses' knowledge in collecting cytopathology in women over 65 years of age. The specific objectives described were: to understand the factors that lead to the occurrence of cervical cancer in women over 65 years of age; identify the role of nurses in welcoming and carrying out preventive examinations in women over 65 years of age; strengthen the importance of diagnosis and promote early diagnosis. The research consisted of a narrative review of the literature about cytopathology collection in women over 65 years of age and the importance of nurses' knowledge and assistance. Searches were carried out on articles published between 2013 and 2023 in articles indexed in the VHL and SCIELO databases that discussed the topic. After the research, it was concluded that nurses have a fundamental role in preventing cervical cancer in women over 65 years of age, both in assisting and welcoming patients in health units, encouraging these women to carry out the test collection cytopathology and to take care of themselves, aiming to prevent cervical cancer.