The objective was to understand the meaning of the social practice of nurses in Luhmann's perspective and allow for a discussion about the construction of a specific code for nursing; one that would go beyond the traditional health-disease code prevalent in the health system, whose relevant social communication is the disease. The Grounded Theory was the methodological framework. Data collection was performed by interviewing the 35 participants between May and December 2007. Data coding and analysis resulted revealed that assuming that nursing is as a functionally differentiated system implies on developing a binary code to enhance health as socially relevant communication and human beings as social beings who are part of a complex and multidimensional reality.
Nursing care; Nurse's role; Social responsibility; Systems theory