Abstract

In Chile, a Regime of Explicit Guarantees in Health has been developed, backed by a law that prioritizes the attention of people with relevant pathologies to the country, including 15 child health problems. Besides, exist a national program called NANEAS, oriented to the attention of children and adolescents with special needs. Regarding these health initiatives, nursing plays an important role in its development, nevertheless, there is scarce formal dissemination of its functions. The objective of this paper is to describe the role of nursing in the development and implementation of these public policies and programs in Chile. Method: Literature review of bibliography through scientific library Scielo, scholar searcher Google Scholar and MINSAL web pages using the following key descriptors: GES, nursing, child health, NANEAS, Chile. The search results were analyzed and synthesized to describe the role. Results: The management of all childhood pathologies considered in the GES, as well as the NANEAS program, features the act of nursing, developing its role in administration, education, and healthcare. Conclusion: The role of the nurse is essential for the implementation of public health programs and policies, strengthening interdisciplinary work and enhancing the impact of these initiatives to support children and adolescents in Chile. Therefore, it is emphasized the need to disseminate those contributions.