РОЛЯ НА МЕДИЦИНСКАТА СЕСТРА В ПРОФИЛАКТИЧНИТЕ ЗДРАВНИ ГРИЖИ ЗА ДЕЦА ОТ 1 ДО 3 ГОДИНИ
THE ROLE OF THE NURSE IN PREVENTIVE HEALTH CARE FOR CHILDREN AGED 1–3 YEARS

Summary/Abstract: Early childhood is a critical period during which fundamental behavioral patterns, health habits, and the foundations for a child's future health are established. During this stage, preventive healthcare plays a crucial role in ensuring optimal growth, development, and overall well-being. Regular health monitoring, timely preventive interventions, and active parental support contribute significantly to reducing the risk of childhood diseases and promoting healthy development. The nurse is a key healthcare professional who provides continuous care, monitors children's health status, supports families through health education and counseling, and actively participates in health promotion and disease prevention activities. The aim of this review is to analyze the current scientific literature regarding the role of nurses in preventive healthcare for children aged 1 to 3 years. A literature review and critical analysis of scientific publications and official documents published between 2015 and 2025 were conducted. The literature search included publications in both Bulgarian and English using the electronic scientific databases PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, together with recommendations and clinical guidelines issued by international organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the International Council of Nurses (ICN). The analysis of the reviewed literature demonstrates that nurses play a significant role in monitoring children's physical growth and neuropsychological development, identifying health risks at an early stage, implementing immunization programs, providing parental health education, preventing diseases, and promoting healthy lifestyle behaviors. Nursing interventions improve parents' knowledge and confidence regarding child nutrition, injury prevention, oral health, hygiene practices, developmental stimulation, and the creation of a safe home environment. Effective communication and family-centered care further enhance the quality of preventive healthcare services. Expanding the professional role of nurses in preventive care and health promotion represents an important opportunity to improve the quality and effectiveness of healthcare services provided to young children. Strengthening nurses' professional competencies through continuing education, implementing standardized developmental assessment tools, promoting evidence-based nursing practice, and enhancing multidisciplinary collaboration are essential for achieving better health outcomes and supporting the healthy development of children during early childhood

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