Facing challenges in times of adversity

At the confluence of tradition, respect for history and a critical approach to the issues inherent to the development of the nursing profession, the Brazilian Nursing Association (ABEn) has been consolidating an exemplary trajectory in Brazilian society. Throughout its history, the reflections, discussions and decisions on pertinent and urgent subjects of the profession have made interventions in relevant matters of the health and life conditions of the population.

In the field of science, ABEn is a reference in the construction and dissemination of nursing knowledge for the benefit of the population. It is important to emphasize that ABEn's service is not restricted to the interests of its members; Its actions are expanded and extended to the political and decisive spaces for the discussion of health, education and science both nationally and internationally.

At the beginning of the 2016-2019 administration, the commitment is to continue building and improving this trajectory. According to Carvalho⁽¹⁾:

The historical evolutions of associative entities succeed in the midst of crises in society and culture. Historical time is currently marked by pressing economic challenges, disputes over hegemony of political power, and the need to move forward is crucial.

The challenges stated by Carvalho⁽¹⁾ have only become worse. Our time is extremely difficult in terms of the national conjuncture, with a significant aggravation of the crisis for all the social sectors, with emphasis on health, education and science, which consequently affect nursing and other related social practices. In terms of social policies, the still insufficient achievements obtained in the last decade, are suffering an overwhelming dismantle, carrying with it other achievements obtained in the professional practices, among them nursing.

In the case of nursing science, despite the difficulties, scientific production has grown exponentially in the last decades. In this field, in addition to ABEn, in its history, a great articulation with the spheres of policy making and funding institutions, such as CAPES, CNPq and FAPs, is the most recent Brazilian nursing journal, the Brazilian Nursing Journal (REBEn). Founded in 1955.

According to Cabral and Almeida Filho⁽²⁾:

[...] REBEn has undergone great transformations, marking important evolutionary leaps, becoming internationalized and reaching periodical status that reflects the thought of the science of Nursing in Brazil and the associative life of ABEn, being a reflection of what happens in our social context. REBEn is a reference source for researchers and students, a database for historical research, as well as channeling the technical-scientific discussions and the political demands of the Association itself.

REBEn currently ranks among the best ranked nursing journals in the area's indexing databases. As it provides open access, the dissemination of knowledge has reached the collectivity of Nursing and Health area nationally and internationally.

It is in this scope that, in the next triennium, the Scientific and Social Communication Board continues with the challenge of the permanent search for the rise of the curves of bibliometric indicators for the journal. In addition, it will expand the use of multimedia resources to facilitate and stimulate interactivity among peers. We intend to provide a new channel of communication with the readers, providing links for video streaming in which the authors can explain the scope of the articles and increase the access to the knowledge.

Another historical concern of ABEn has been the training and qualification of nurses for the professional practice in the various nursing actions at various levels. Training them at the Vocational education level, undergraduate and graduate levels, have been a constantly focus in the spheres of formulation of public policies for education, with intense participation of ABEn representatives. In this context, the Center for Nursing Education is fully working with the formulation of the new National Curricular Guidelines (NCG) for undergraduate courses, and in the near future, it will expand the discussion of the NCG for the vocational education. The benefits and results of this enterprise are not only for its members, but also for the whole nursing category. It is also urgent to strengthen the network of ABEn affiliated schools to build a collective that will spread changes necessary for a training that meets the needs of the Unified Health System (SUS).

In the national scenario, besides ABEn, there are multiple associative entities with purposes that can be closer to ours. In addition to valuing and encouraging specific work, it is important that nursing organizations engage in a collective professional political project, attracting new generations so that the future can be built, by looking at what has already been built in the past and is happening in the present. In spite of the differences inherent to the specificities of our entities, it is necessary to find spaces of confluence of interests and actions that can strengthen us collectively.

In addition to the objective difficulties related to the materiality of actions aimed at survival, already mentioned, the accelerated adverse transformation of some of the fundamental values for social coexistence can and has compromised the realization of the broader performance of ABEn. An example of this is the overvaluation of individualism in contrast to cooperativism and collectivization. Incredibly, although hegemonic social discourse values cooperation, unity of effort, and solidarity (see the content of the messages on social networks), social practices have become increasingly individualistic and competitive. And this is absolutely contrary to the gregarious precept that must illuminate the paths of professional associations for their purposes to be achieved.

Thus, in assuming the management of ABEn for the 2016-2019 administration, we understand that, apparently, no new challenge is outlined in the national nursing scenario. We should, however, be creative in facing our challenges with strategies consistent with the times and the current difficulties. Much has been done and much remains to be done. In order to do so, expansion to both the associative frameworks and the effective participation our members, capillarizing the actions and joining forces to grow.

Additionally, since ABEn does not only work for its members, but also carries out broad and significant actions for the whole community, increasing funding from official development agencies and related institutions is urgent, seeking partnerships and cooperation aimed at improving and Financial autonomy of the entity. It cannot expand and improve without at least our subsistence needs. Once we have overcome these barriers, others will come and we will be attentive to capture and also attend them.

REFERÊNCIAS

• ¹
  Carvalho V. Sobre a Associação Brasileira de Enfermagem - 85 anos de história: pontuais avanços e conquistas, contribuições marcantes, e desafios. Rev Bras Enferm [Internet]. 2012[cited 2016 Oct 27];65(2): 207-14. Available from: http://www.scielo.br/pdf/reben/v65n2/v65n2a02.pdf
  » http://www.scielo.br/pdf/reben/v65n2/v65n2a02.pdf
• ²
  Cabral IE, Almeida Filho AJ. 85 anos de ABEn^© e 80 de REBEn^©: promovendo o desenvolvimento científico e profissional da Enfermagem brasileira. Rev Bras Enferm [Internet]. 2013[cited 2016 Oct 27];66(esp):13-23. Available from: http://www.scielo.br/pdf/reben/v66nspe/v66nspea02.pdf
  » http://www.scielo.br/pdf/reben/v66nspe/v66nspea02.pdf

Publication Dates

• Publication in this collection
  Jan-Feb 2017