This article presents a retrospective analysis of the Brazilian Nursing concerning the professionalization of workers at technical level. It also provides some indication about the trends of professional education. There is a clear indication of increased intellectual and conceptual accumulation in the four decades the professional education in nursing at technical level has been part of the public policy agenda. This experience serves as reference for the formulation of new actions directed to other professionals of technical level who deliver direct care to the population. The study shows that there was reformulation of the nursing professional qualification issue, including in the discussion the need to improve the quality of educational processes and extensive supply of continuous education to workers already inserted in the process, in order to keep the constant changes in the Brazilian Health system.
education, nursing, associate; education, nursing; health manpower