#ensinopublicogratuitodequalidadeSIM

Abstract

Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da USP-REEUSP) celebrated achieving the highest impact factor among all Latin American and Caribbean journals (IF = 0.743)! What does this mean? It means that we were able to reach readers from all over the world, publishing articles that dialogue with the concerns and scientific problems of researchers beyond the borders of our country. It also means that we have acquired greater agility in promoting scientific dissemination to this area's researchers, since the IF is defined by the count of citations of very recent publications. However, we must bear in mind that Brazilian and foreign nursing articles are enduring, i.e. they are cited for a long time after the first two years of publication which are covered by the IF calculation. Therefore, in the Nursing area, the IF is not sufficient to define the impact that scientific dissemination must accomplish by means of scientific journals. In addition, the IF does not measure the social validity of research, that is, it does not evaluate how much the result of an investigation leads to improvements in care practices in the daily life of health institutions-or houses, when it comes to home care. It also does not measure to what extent changes in paradigms or public policies related to health or care are introduced. Yet there is no doubt that this is a significant achievement which brings greater responsibility, especially considering the menaces we have faced this year, widespread by groups that, whenever possible, infamously depreciate free of cost quality public education. Shockingly, these groups exist within public universities such as Universidade de São Paulo! But what does REEUSP have to do with public and free university? Everything! REEUSP is a journal supported mostly by School of Nursing (Escola de Enfermagem-EEUSP), whose endowment is part of Universidade de São Paulo's budget which-like UNICAMP's and UNESP's-is financed by the Merchandise and Services Circulation Tax (ICMS-Imposto de Circulação de Mercadorias), which applies whenever merchandise circulates, e.g. shopping in supermarkets and bakeries, electricity and gas consumption, etc. Once ICMS is collected, part of it is directed to financing the three São Paulo State universities. Hence, it would be more appropriate to say that the education they provide is prepaid. However, only a very small number of taxpayers have access to this apparently free education. EEUSP conducts research and trains qualified personnel to act as nurses, as well as Nursing Masters and Doctors. Research is essential to produce knowledge, innovation and solutions to epidemiological and clinical problems surrounding caretaking assistance in Nursing. It is an essential part of education, especially for the PhD program. It is the state's function to train qualified professionals while producing science and innovation. Free (or prepaid) quality public universities are a moral and civic obligation of democratic states. Inside