This is a qualitative study of socio-historical approach that aimed to historicize the daily lives of nursing workers, elderly nowadays, in a psychiatric hospital in Santa Catarina state in the period between 1951 and 1971. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with six nursing staff using the method of oral history. The memory was used as the theoretical framework and the data were categorized on content analysis. The results showed the knowledge and practices of nursing staff, working conditions and relationships between professionals in the health care team. The results showed that the situation experienced by workers in this institution was congruent with the situation of Brazilian nursing, especially in psychiatric hospitals asylums. Moreover, these nursing workers, elderly people today, had a key role in nursing care to patients admitted.
Psychiatric Nursing; Nursing History; Nursing; Elderly