História de vida de enfermeiras envelhecentes, ex-diretoras do sindicato dos enfermeiros do Distrito Federal

Abstract

Introduction: The Brazilian union movement, from which the process of politicization of nurses in Brasília-DF derived, contributed to the creation of conditions for institutional change and the resumption of democracy, bringing new characters to the Brazilian historical scene. As a result, several trade unions and professional associations were formed, organized on a union basis, due to the kind of professionals they brought together and they incorporated large sectors of the urban middle classes such as doctors, teachers and nurses. Objective: To describe the life history of aging nurses, former directors of the Union of Nurses of the Federal District - Sindenfermeiro-DF. Method: This is a qualitative study that used the life history methodology, focusing on the individual narrative, providing opportunities for reflection. The study setting was Sindenfermeiro-DF, with former presidents of the entity as subjects. Data collection was done through a semi-structured interview, recorded and transcribed, and using the content analysis proposed by Bardin. The life histories were transcribed by the researcher and divided into family, academic and professional trajectory. The final text was read by each of the interviewees and its content was approved. Furthermore, a pseudonym was chosen for each interviewee: Florence, Wanda and Anna Nery. This option is justified by the relationship that these names have with the pioneers of nursing in the world, and because this study is the first to be carried out on the life histories of the former directors of one of the first unions of nurses in Brazil. Result: The family trajectories and the function of the family as identity support through the reports constituted a temporal and relational perspective of the participants. In short, most of them came from humble families without many financial resources, but their parents wanted them to get a good education. The trajectory of the interviewees in religious activities was also considered important because it awakened in them the impulse to help others and act for social causes. In this way, all of them engaged in student movements and this experience contributed to the feasibility of building the professional self to awaken new projects and future perspectives in terms of social representation. Soon they took on nursing leadership in different scenarios, always aiming at the common good of the profession and thus had the opportunity to work in more than one class entity. Conclusion: The former presidents started their militancy in the profession concomitantly with their beginning in the professional life. This fact made them known among the others and thus they had the opportunity to work in other professional associations, such as the Brazilian Association of Nursing (Federal and Federal District branches), National Federation of Nurses, and even at the Central Única dos Trabalhadores. As a result, during their professional experiences, they carried out work with nursing leaders from Brasilia and Brazil.