Southern Brazilian Nursing School’s profile in the period of its founders.

Abstract

Founded in 1950, the Escola de Enfermagem da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) - Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul Nursing School - was the first nursing school in the State, being until today a reference in the education of nurses in southern Brazil. This research project is aimed at characterizing the profile of this course in the early 50’s, and to analyze how these characteristics influenced the Nursing School’s foundation and consolidation. For such purpose, a study was developed based on the methodology y of Oral History within the time frame of 1950 and 1957, the management period of the founder. Nine protagonists that lived then were interviewed through a semi-structured script. Is was found out that the period was marked by extremely strong features regarding a rigid moral education, control, body discipline, fight for autonomy, resistance against domination, and a quite high degree of requirements of the students converging into the Nightingale’s model of education.