Teaching the history of nursing: an overview of Brazilian public universities

Abstract

Objective: To describe the teaching of the History of Nursing in the curricular structures of Undergraduate Nursing Courses at Brazilian public universities. Method: A documentary, descriptive study with a qualitative approach carried out between February 2021 and August 2023. The sample included the curricula of active face-to-face undergraduate courses at public educational institutions (n=136) identified on the e-MEC platform. The content of the syllabuses was organized into a textual corpus and content analysis was carried out with the support of the IRaMuTeQ software. Results: 99 syllabuses were identified among the 136 courses. A total of 100 (73.5%) courses have a specific subject dedicated to the History of Nursing. Five classes emerged which addressed the historical evolution of nursing in Brazil and worldwide, the creation of nursing schools, the division of labor, dimensions of care, and legal aspects of the profession. Conclusion: The teaching of the History of Nursing is described in the curricular structures by aspects that make it possible to learn about the historical achievements and current challenges of nursing.