Analysis of Brazilian publications on distance education in nursing: integrative review

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the publications that focus on distance education in nursing in Brazil from 2010 to 2016. METHOD: Integrative review of the literature with data collection in June 2016 in the following databases: LILACS, MEDLINE via PUBMED, CINAHL and SCOPUS. For the data analysis and interpretation, the thematic categorization was chosen. RESULTS: We selected 18 articles for discussion, whose textual analysis permitted the construction of three thematic categories: use of virtual technologies for distance education in nursing; construction of virtual learning environments with the aid of virtual technologies for distance education in nursing; and evaluation of the learning process through virtual technologies for distance education of nurses. CONCLUSION: Distance Education stands out as an effective teaching-learning strategy in this type of education in Brazilian nursing, focused mainly on the improvement and complement of traditional teaching.