www.eerp.usp.br/rlaeComunicações Breves/Relato de Casos SOCIAL SUPPORT AND SOCIAL NETWORK IN FAMILY NURSING: REVIEWING CONCEPTS

Social support and social network concepts are resources applicable to Family Nursing, as they are aimed at improving families ’ quality of life, and also at promoting, strengthening and maintaining their well-being. This study aimed to reflect on the main social network and social support concepts, relating them with Family Nursing, with a view to their application in nursing research and practice. We conclude that there is a lack of consensus about these concepts and that further criteria are needed for their use. In using Family Nursing, researchers must select the most relevant social network and social support concepts in literature to achieve the proposed objectives. DESCRIPTORS: social support; family nursing; concept formation RED Y APOYO SOCIAL EN ENFERMERÍA FAMILIAR: REVISIÓN DE CONCEPTOS Los conceptos sobre red y apoyo social se constituyen en recursos aplicados en Enfermería Familiar, considerando que su finalidad es mejorar la calidad de vida de las familias, así como promover, fortalecer y mantener su bienestar. El objetivo del estudio fue reflexionar con respecto a los principales conceptos sobre red y apoyo social, los cuales se relacionan con Enfermería Familiar dentro de la investigación y práctica de enfermería. Se concluye que la falta de un consenso sobre estos conceptos, genera la necesidad de utilizar más criterios para su aplicación. Cuando se trabaja con Enfermería Familiar, el investigado