title: [Nurse specialists in nutritional therapy in Brazil: where and how they are acting].
abstract: Hospital malnutrition prevails. Among 105.841 registered nurses in COFEN, 47 are Nutritional Therapy specialists (0,04%).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  to characterize population and to know how and where they are acting, if there is legislation applicability on their practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  nurse specialists in Brazil associated to Brazilian Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition. Descriptive study which used an applied questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Population participation of 57,4%, 85,2% graduated on public schools, on the 80 decade, 59,3%. Fulfilled habilitation 37,4%; on Nutritional Therapy, 3,7%; capacity lato sensu fulfilled by 63% on different areas from Nutritional Therapy; stricto sensu capacity on Nutritional Therapy by 11,1%. Act on hospital 66,7%; direct or indirect on Nutritional Therapy 59,2%, charge as assistance nursing 44,0%. Apply legislation on practice 85,2%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  representative population but insignificant for this country demand. It is necessary to investigate who is setting in order to manage Nutritional Therapy.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Estadual de Campinas, SP.
authors.forename: Deolinda Marçal Vieira dos
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: Maria Isabel Pedreira de Freitas
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Ceribelli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D044623:Nutrition Therapy; D013041:Specialties, Nursing