Paulista School of Nursing celebrates 80 years: a history of triumph

Abstract

The aim of this study is to explore the historical importance of the Paulista School of Nursing for education, nursing profession, and production of knowledge in nursing and health from 1939 and 2019. This is a social-historical research with a qualitative approach that observed/explored documents, official publications, and scientific studies, photos and images. The sources in this research were: reports of highest in circulation national journals, books, published scientific articles, dissertations and theses. As a result we found that School of Nursing of Hospital Sao Paulo was founded in 1939, and it was the first higher education institution of the city of São Paulo. The profile proposed for new school was based on competence, ethical, moral, and spiritual values. Because of the constant presence in the national political scenario of the Brazilian nursing, such as the Brazilian Nursing Association, and by the participation of faculty in activities to represent the school institutionally, the Paulista School of Nursing is considered a reference in nursing and health area due to its contribution in education and technological and scientific production to the Brazilian health system. The Paulista School of Nursing graduate program has been contributing for four decades to education of master’s degree students, PhD students, and post-doctoral researchers, in addition to improve the production of knowledge in the field of nursing and health sciences nationally and internationally. The 80th anniversary of Paulista School of Nursing represents a story of efforts and achievements and the school has contributed significantly to develop knowledge in nursing and health area, prepare undergraduate students, professors, and researchers, and improve the nursing professionals globally.

History of nursing; Education, nursing; Schools, nursing

Resumo

Este estudo tem por objetivo resgatar a importância histórica da Escola Paulista de Enfermagem para a formação, para a profissão de enfermagem e para a produção do conhecimento de enfermagem e saúde no período de 1939-2019. É um estudo histórico-social, de abordagem qualitativa por meio da observação/exploração documental de arquivos, publicações oficiais, textos bibliográficos e fotográficos e de imagens. As fontes documentais neste estudo foram: reportagens de jornais de grande circulação nacional; livros; artigos científicos e Teses e Dissertações de Mestrado. Como resultados resgatamos que a Escola de Enfermeiras do Hospital São Paulo foi fundada em 1939, sendo a primeira instituição de ensino superior da cidade de São Paulo. O perfil proposto para a nova escola baseou-se na competência, valores éticos, morais e espirituais. Por sua presença constante no cenário político nacional da Enfermagem brasileira, assim como na Associação Brasileira de Enfermagem, a Escola Paulista de Enfermagem é referência na área de enfermagem e saúde, contribuindo com a formação, qualificação e produção tecnológica e científica para o sistema de saúde brasileiro. Seu Programa de Pós-Graduação vem há quatro décadas contribuindo com a formação de mestres, doutores e pós-doutores, agregando valor à produção do conhecimento no campo das Ciências da Enfermagem e da Saúde no cenário nacional e internacional. Estes 80 anos da Escola Paulista de Enfermagem representam uma história de lutas e conquistas tendo contribuído expressivamente com o desenvolvimento do saber em enfermagem e saúde, na qualificação de discentes, docentes e pesquisadores, além da melhoria da profissão de enfermagem no país e internacionalmente.

História da enfermagem; Educação em enfermagem; Escolas de enfermagem

Resumen

Este estudio tiene el objetivo de rescatar la importancia histórica de la Escola Paulista de Enfermagem para la formación, para la profesión de enfermería y para la producción de conocimiento de enfermería y salud en el período de 1939 a 2019. Es un estudio histórico-social, con enfoque cualitativo mediante la observación/exploración documental de archivos, publicaciones oficiales, textos bibliográficos y fotográficos y de imágenes. Las fuentes documentales de este estudio fueron: reportajes de periódicos de gran circulación nacional, libros, artículos científicos y tesis de maestría. Como resultado rescatamos que la Escola de Enfermeiras del Hospital São Paulo fue fundada en 1939 y fue la primera institución de educación superior de la ciudad de São Paulo. El perfil propuesto para la nueva escuela se basó en las competencias y en los valores éticos, morales y espirituales. Debido a su presencia constante en el escenario político nacional de la enfermería brasileña, así como también en la Asociación Brasileña de Enfermería, la Escola Paulista de Enfermagem es referencia en el área de enfermería y salud y contribuye con la formación, cualificación y producción tecnológica y científica del sistema de salud brasileño. Su programa de posgrado lleva cuatro décadas contribuyendo con la formación de profesionales en maestrías, doctorados y posdoctorados, quienes agregan valor a la producción de conocimiento en el campo de las ciencias de la enfermería y de la salud en el escenario nacional e internacional. Estos 80 años de la Escola Paulista de Enfermagem representan una historia de luchas y conquistas, con una contribución significativa al desarrollo del saber en enfermería y salud, en la cualificación de estudiantes, docentes e investigadores, además de la mejora de la profesión de enfermería en el país e internacionalmente.

Historia de la enfermería; Educación en Enfermería; Facultades de enfermería

Introduction

This research focus on the approach of previous studies concerning history of nurses and nursing care, and nurses’ role in a variety of fields. During the last years we have been working in researches including organizations that nursing has a fundamental role in qualifying human resources, developing scientific knowledge, and constructing new health care practices and a professional identify.(¹-⁶)

We understand that historical studies can and must be committed with social reality that we are part of in a sense of understand it, provide support to enhance health policies and education, and improve the nursing care in professional environments, and create opportunities for revision of the curricula of undergraduate and graduate programs in health care and nursing.

Social-historical researches analyze human groups within their time space and discuss a variety of aspects of the daily life of different classes and social groups. Contexts used in these researches can be a hospital, a school, an organization, a city, and a group of individuals who are part of the specific historical time period. To develop a historical research to construct memory of nursing and analyze critically nursing and nurses’ history is a major challenge to be faced.(⁷)In such research, the results must present enough support to defend good health care and nursing practices. Good practices resulted from the scientific investigation conducted within the last years have generated new discoveries and evidences that enable to improve patients care, clinical management, and decision making.

This study is historical research of the Paulista School of Nursing of the Federal University of São Paulo/Brazil (EPE/UNIFESP) that celebrated 80 years of long and rich existence on March 2019. Celebration hosts of a number of events and activities throughout this year, the goal is to honor people who have contributed for the school development by promoting encounters of formers students, reflecting on past and thinking about future perspectives. The beginning of celebration of the 80 years of the Paulista School of Nursing started with an opening ceremony during the conference “Acta Paulista de Enfermagem: 30 years contributing for science” that was held on December 06, 2018.

This research aims to recover the historical importance of Paulista School of Nursing in education, nursing education, and production of knowledge in nursing and health care from 1939 to 2019.

This is a social-historical research with a qualitative approach that observed/explored documents, official publications, and scientific studies.(⁸)

One of the goals of this historical research is to highlight events from the past in order to reveal the present and foreseeing future issues.(⁷) For this reason, in a historical research the topic to be researched must be aligned with current social priorities.

Documentary research has gained importance among researchers, once this approach enables to reconstruct historical contextualization of previous experiences, and this can be considered the main source of research because the goals is to access relevant sources. This fact is reinforced in studies(⁶) that reaffirm the importance of using documental research in nursing area.(⁷) Documental sources in this study were: reports of highest in circulation national journals, books,(⁹) published scientific articles that enabled to achieve the goals of this study. In addition, primary sources such as thesis and master’s degree dissertations were also used,(¹⁰)as well as other sources that are part of the history of the nursing school.

The technique used for data analysis was Thematic Content Analysis(¹¹) that comprises a set of techniques of communication analysis that main goal is to obtain by adopting an objective and systematic description, the content of messages and indicators that enable to interpret and interfere the knowledge related to such messages.

Celebrating 80 years, many stories to tell

To celebrate 80 years of the Paulista School of Nursing or as affectionally called by its faculty as “EPE” represents an important chapter in the history of Brazilian nursing, since the school has an prominent role in education, improvement, production of knowledge and strengthen the collective identity of the profession. To explore comes and goes in the school’s history construction, as well as discussions, challenges, significant life events of those who played an important role, events, organizations, and places that contribute to preserve and give visibility to the professional can contribute to face present and future challenges.(¹²,¹³)

The school’s history begins before its foundation in March 1st, 1939, more precisely, when the Paulista Medical School (EPM) was created in 1933 by an initiative of the physician Octavio de Carvalho, the school’s first director, which followed the opening of the Hospital São Paulo in May 1938 and the need of a efficient nursing team in the hospital to provide care, teaching and research activities. The creation of EPE was not different from other previous nursing schools such as Escola de Enfermeiras do Departamento Nacional de Saúde Pública (1922), currently named Anna Nerry Nursing School – UFRJ (EEAN/UFRJ), due to an initiative of the sanitarist Carlos Chagas and the Nursing School Carlos Chagas (1934) in Belo Horizonte that foundation was influenced by Lais Netto dos Reys. Other seven nursing schools were created up to 1945, of these five schools only in 1930: two in Goiás, one in Minas Gerais, one in Rio de Janeiro, and one in São Paulo.(¹⁴,¹⁵)

The Hospital São Paulo Nursing School (EEHSP) , found in March 1st, 1939, was the first institution of higher education in the city of Sao Paulo with the aim to “guarantee technical quality to the health care team and to address the lack of nurses at Hospital Sao Paulo, in addition to be complete the requirement needs for the new medical school “.(¹⁶) The school foundation was a result from a collaboration among Paulista Medical School (EMP), Franciscan Missionaries of Mary, and Archdiocese of Sao Paulo represented by Don José Gaspar de Affonseca e Silva, at the time archbishop of Sao Paulo.

The first director of EEHSP was a member of this religious congregation: Madre Maria das Dores. In 1944, she left the position due to health issues, and Madre Áurea Vieira da Cruz, who graduated in the first class of Paulista School of Nursing, became the director. Another important person was Madre Maria Domineuc who was a strong presence during the term of the two mentioned directors and who were also responsible to approve all decisions within the nursing school.”(¹²)

The profile proposed by the new school based on competence, ethical, moral values, and spirituality is featured by the slogan of the school “NON VIVERE NISI AD SERVIEDUM” (not to live but to serve). The curriculum of the school followed the standard model of the official Brazilian school, the Nursing School Anna Nery (ordinance n. 20109/31) and as a quality criteria the decision made was that only the nurses who have graduated from EEHSP were eligible to be unit chiefs at Hospital Sao Paulo and become faculty at the nursing school.(¹⁷,¹⁸)

The EEHSP was officially recognized in 1942 after the graduation of the first class with 5 nurses who received their bachelor’s degree in September 17. The Diario Oficial, Wednesday, April 1st, 1942, in the decree n° 9,101 published the fully expected news:

…officially recognized the Nursing School of Hospital Sao Paulo, located in the city of Sao Paulo. The President of the Republic, according to attributions which are conferred to him by the ordinance 180 of the Constitution: Decided, under the terms of the article 5, Decree n. 20,109, June 15, 1931, to give official approval to the recognition of the Nursing School of Hospital Sao Paulo, located in the State of Sao Paulo. Rio de Janeiro, March 24, 1942, 121° Independence and 54° from Republic. Getúlio Vargas, Gustavo Capanema...^10:52)

In 1950, nursing schools were created all over the country given the professionalization of the career and also due to requirement issued by the Council of Federal Education that all nursing schools need to offer a nursing undergraduate course. The EEHSP started to adequate to the legislation in 1962. However, no changes were need in the curriculum and hours of the course because the content was already following the requirements of the decree issued by the Council of Federal Education.(¹⁹) In May 10, 1968, by the decree n. 62.689/68, the nursing school became the Paulista School of Nursing (EPE).

In 1973, the direction of school was conducted by Sister Francisca Nogueira Soares, a religious nurse and faculty of the Obstetric Nursing Department, her term last for 3 years. When she left office, Professor Esmeralda Augusto took office, and she became the first secular director of EPE. During her term the nursing school became part of federal higher education public system and its graduate programs were opened.

The direction structure was composed by the school’s director, chiefs of departments, and faculty responsible for disciplines of the course. After became a federal school, in 1977, the EPE became a department with sectors and disciplines within the EPM.

Given the need to guarantee more resources from Ministry of Education, in 1994, the Federal University of Sao Paulo (UNIFESP) was created. At that time, the Nursing Department became part of the university with four main disciplines: Principles of Nursing Practice, Medical Nursing, and Surgery; Nursing Pediatrics; Obstetric Nursing and Public Health Nursing; and Nursing Administration. This organization remained up to March 2010, however, after a statutory decision and many effort, the Nursing Department became the Paulista School of Nursing of the UNIFESP, retaking its former name from 1968-1977. The nursing school’s name means the maintenance of the quality in education, care, research and extension kept for years, and specially the name means institutional autonomy.(⁹)

The constant presence in the national political scenario of the Brazilian nursing, such as the Brazilian Nursing Association, and by the participation of faculty in activities to represent the school institutionally, the Paulista School of Nursing is considered a reference in nursing and health area due to its contribution in education and technological and scientific production to the Brazilian health system. It is a model institution located in one of states that nursing is strongly recognized in the country, and a state where the economic activity has a national impact.(¹²,¹⁹)

An important aspect to be report was the acquisition of a space for EPE, a effort led by the nurse Madre Aurea in 1972, who served as director of the school up to 1973, her tireless actions to seek for support, resources, and physical areas for the school were crucial. The space that was previous the residence of students and religious became the installations of the nursing school in 1974. The physical space meant consolidation, exclusivity, and empowering for students and faculty.

“The understanding of the society as historical construction is related to the need of memory preservation, because this is a conductive wire that links generations one to another, given a sense of antiquity, ubiquity, and continuity”.(²⁰)

The graduate studies become more stable in Brazil after the bases and guidelines law n. 4024/61 that was issued by university reform n. 5540/68 with the goal to increase the number of professors in the country, stimulate research, and expand higher education. This reform constitutes a turning point for science and technology in the country. Nursing profession followed this movement with the creation of the first master’s degree program in 1972 in the EEAN/UFRJ and the first PhD program 10 yeas later in the Nursing School of University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirão Preto (EERP). However, of note is that the first nursing research in Brazil was conducted before the creation of these graduate programs, the study conducted by Brazilian Nursing Association between 1956 and 1958 and funded by the Rockefeller Foundation was titled Survey of Resources and Needs of the Nursing. Other study that influenced nursing in Brazil was the thesis titled “A enfermagem moderna como categoria profissional: obstáculos à sua expansão na sociedade brasileira” (Modern nursing as a professional category: obstacles to its expansion in Brazilian society) defended by Prof. Glete de Alcântara in 1963 at the EERP.(¹³)

In 1978, the EPE/UNIFESP aligned with movements to create and develop nursing education in Brazil opened the master’s degree program in pediatric nursing, followed by the obstetric nursing program in 1980, and the nursing adult health program in 1989. The PhD on Mother and Child Health started in 1986, eight years later.(²¹)

In the editorial in celebration of 70 years of EPE reports that the great change in terms of development in nursing graduate courses at UNIFESP occurred in 1996, when the tree master’s degree programs were merged, and the PhD nursing program on mother and child health was transformed into PhD on nursing. This transformation into a single program, according to researchers, was positive for the program once this enabled to address the demands of nurses from a variety of fields and also to achieve performance criteria established to graduate programs in nursing area by the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES).(¹⁹) In 2022 a new change occurred, at this time a merging of existing areas of concentration into a single one, named Nursing Fundaments and Practice in Health Disease Process. In 2005 the UNIFESP determines that all graduate programs to include other professionals, therefore tittles of programs became master’s degree and PhD in sciences.(¹⁹)

In 2008 the new restructuration resulted in the current status of a single area of concentration named “Nursing, Care, and Health” and four research lines in which professors and students outputs are focused on (clinical care in nursing and health, nursing care and collective health, management, management and education in nursing and health, principles, methods, processes, and technologies in nursing and health).

Currently, the graduate program has a excellence score of 5 by CAPES, which means that the program attend the requirements evaluated by CAPES. The graduate program’s researches maintain national and international collaborations and currently the program has 22 groups of studies registered at National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) that are associated, or not, to nursing graduate program.(²²)

A continuous growth has been observed in terms of titles awarded by the program throughout the four decades, a situation that reflects the behavior of nursing graduate program in Brazil, i.e., awarding titles to professionals from all regions of the country and also internationally. A study conducted with former students of the graduate program revealed that the highest impacts mentioned by them were “professional growth” and “academic education”, followed by “personal growth”.(²³)

It is unquestionable the need of science, technology, and innovation for the development of a country and also to improve health care of population. However, to achieve these goals, there is the need of appropriated institutions to provide academic and professional education. Studies conducted in graduate programs have been contributing to create and consolidate research lines, improve the number of qualitative and quantitative publications published in well-ranked national and international journals, as well as to prepare undergraduate students, master’s degree students, PhD students, and pos-doctoral researchers, and strengthen research groups.(²¹)

One more reason to celebrate and point out the great commitment of nursing area at UNIFESP to produce and diffuse scientific knowledge was the creation of the journal Acta Paulista de Enfermagem, which is currently considered as one of the best Brazilian journals in nursing area that is indexed in major databases, and which has been published uninterrupted since 1988. According to the journal’s editor-in-chief, Dr. Janine Schirmer, in her editorial that celebrated the journal’s 30th anniversary,(²⁴)the initial goal was that “Acta” to became a source to promote the science conducted in the nursing department graduate program, and as the journal’s mission was to enable the exchange of experiences and mutual support among nursing schools. During the years, the quality of the journals achieved national and international excellence to support development of nursing professional and aligned with the challenges of different times. All achievements of the Acta Paulista de Enfermagem is the result of the dedication and commitment of the Nursing School faculty and professionals responsible to manage the journal’s editorial production.(²⁵)

Conclusion

This research is justified because we understand the importance of promoting the organization of a collection including important information to the historical archive that already exists at the Paulista School of Nursing. This historical research contributes to expand and spread the knowledge in terms of history of EPE and may serve as a reference for faculty, researchers, and students in nursing and health worldwide who are willing to learn more about nursing in Brazil. To develop historical research to construct memory of nursing and analyze critically the history of nurses and nursing is a major challenge to be faced. In this sense, our contribution to celebrate the 80th anniversary of EPE seems to be crucial to explore and show the value of the beautiful story constructed throughout all these years and guided by strengths and goals of a group of professionals committed with the nursing community.

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Publication Dates

• Publication in this collection
  19 Oct 2020
• Date of issue
  2020

History

• Received
  22 Oct 2019
• Accepted
  17 Feb 2020