Resumen

KUERTEN ROCHA, PATRICIA et al. Care and Nursing. av.enferm. [online]. 2009, vol.27, n.1, pp.102-109. ISSN 0121-4500.

In this article we reflect and discuss the various care conceptions, their evolution, principles, dimensions and results. Its purpose is to offer a theoretical and philosophic basis on what nursing care means and to contribute to future research. In the beginning of times human care used to be empiric, based on nature's mystic forces; but with the evolution of expression care started to be differentiated and it became the responsibility of professionals. The theoretical-philosophic conceptions of nursing care have been influenced by other knowledge areas. Due to this, there are today several ways of interpreting care. Due to these conceptual variations and to the interest of the professional in respect of care, questions arise such as: What is care? Can care be provided by an apprentice or only by a professional? What to do when the care giver requires care too? How to provide care to someone who does not want care? How to provide care without interaction? What is the meaning of professional care? What is nursing care? These questions are discussed and founded in this study. In spite all these questions, and although care is seen from different perspectives by theorists and philosophers, it continues to be the essence of nursing. It is the conductor of theories and praxis thereof, and discussions and studies of its variegated conceptions are necessary to develop and to perfect this science.

Palabras clave : Nursing; Nursing Care; Research; Evolution.

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