ABSTRACT
Objective
To understand how the theoretical-practical articulation is effective in a curriculum of an undergraduate Nursing course.
Method
This is a unique case study, with a qualitative approach, developed through document analysis and individual interviews with semi-structured script with 10 teachers and 14 students interviewed from February to May 2015. Data analysis was performed according to the assumptions of Critical Discourse Analysis.
Results
The data revealed the existence of tensions and ambivalences among two forms of relationship between theory and practice. The first, related to theory-practice as an indissoluble unit and the second, to the view of theory and practice as dichotomous instances and the predominance of theory preceding practice.
Conclusions and implications for practice
There are weaknesses in the implementation of theoretical and practical articulation in the curriculum of the Nursing course investigated, showing the supremacy of the cartesian paradigm in higher education in Nursing. Thus, it is urgent to institute strategies that enable the theoretical-practical inseparability in the curriculum.
Keywords:
Nursing; Nursing Course; Curriculum; Teaching