Dear sizi,
ad 1.: I assume you have already read the corresponding manual section about Shell elements (ATENA 3D User's, 3.7.2.2.7 Shell Macroelements or ATENA-GiD User's, 5.3.2 Shell Material).
The main criteria against shell elements is if out-of-plane shear is expected to be important.
With respect to embedding discrete 1D bars in 2D shells, I suspect ATENA does not support this yet... which means you have to represent the bars as a smeared reinforcement layer (see also Troubleshooting, 2.2.6.1 Reinforcement layers in Shells).
Ad 2.: If you seek advice on modelling some particular support, please send us some sketches/photos along with a description illustrating the real setup (Troubleshooting, 2.1.1).
Above all, is the axial displacement blocked, or not (i.e., just the rotation and vertical displacement are blocked, but free horizontal sliding remains possible)? Or something else?
If you block horizontal displacement at a vertical surface, its rotation about a horizontal axis (e.g., edge of the surface) is prevented, too.
As I understand you are modelling one span of a continuous slab, possibly the best would be a periodic condition connecting the vertical surfaces at its 2 ends - if simply applying symmetry support at both ends (blocking displacements perpendicular to the surface) does not work well enough.
Or is the loading not periodic (the same for all spans)?
Regards.