Perspective of public health nursing in Portugal (1962)

Abstract

Introduction

It was after World War II that social issues began to raise the development of public health services and witnessed the growth of public health nursing. This communication equates the perspective of nurses on the role and action of the public health nurse in the health of the country socio in the early sixties and intends to contribute to the knowledge of nursing history in the twentieth century.

Objective

Describe the interventions of the nurses who took part in the 1st study session on-nursing in public health, included in the III Week of Nursing, 1962. Explain the issues addressed in order to contribute to the discussion of the evolutionary trajectory of the role and action of public health nurses.

Methods

Used historical research with documentary analysis of papers presented at the 1st study session. The documents were identified, subjected to internal and external critical analysis to give them credibility, seizure of their relevance and historical value. The analysis focused on the speeches of nurses seeking to identify issues, health social context, social role and action assigned to public health nurses.

Results

They identified four themes: the role of public health nurses in the maternity care; Nurse contribution to the health of the child; the action of nurse in school health; functions and responsibilities of the nurse for individuals in adult and elderly age. It was found that correspond to the problems and the country's health needs and guided nurses to existing programs highlighting national and WHO guidelines.

Conclusions

The reflection and discussion of these thematic areas made possible the nurses’ knowledge of experience and knowledge of public health nursing, given that this knowledge did not appear at the time, the official curricula for training of nurses or nursing specialists.