30 years of Nursing in Collective Health

Abstract

It is celebrated 30 years of the official launch, in Brazil, of the Nursing in Collective Health, a field of theories and practices supported by the historical and dialectical materialism. Nothing is more instigating than bringing to readers the special edition of REBEn called "Contributions of Public Health to nursing practice". In this editorial, it is questioned: have we been loyal to the original suppositions of the theorical part? The question brings a comprehensive, committed and empirically proved research; therefore, in this editorial, we will highlight only the general impressions. Firstly, can be noted that the theorical field has been suffering, worldwide, a shrinkage or even a certain trivialization of what has been called Collective Health. To understand the power of the original suppositions is necessary to check the source: it is mandatory to revisit the late 1970s, when the Movements opposite to the dictatorial regimen rebelled against the social and political situation, compelling the necessary change in the forms how society interact. The Collective Health, a theorical and practical field, support these Movements, exposing, debating and broaden the quest for better work and life conditions to all Brazilians. For technical professions like Nursing, the understanding about its work object, the reconnection of the work tools to it in the perspective of the sick-disease process understanding was essential, as a phenomenon socially produced and interpreted.