Escola de Enfermagem Carlos Chagas: projeto, mudanças e resistência - 1933-1950

Abstract

This is a historical documentary research, which aimed to analyze the trajectory of the relation between Carlos Chagas School of Nursing (EECC), in Minas Gerais, and the public health policies, considering the satisfaction of the demands posed by the state government of Minas Gerais and the new fields of health, in the period 1933-1950. These landmarks are, respectively, the year of foundation of the school and the year in which it was attached to the Medical College of Belo Horizonte and federalized. It was found that the nursing school was projected to be a model training institution for high-level nurses who would be able to work in public health and hospital fields. The teaching at the institution was given mainly by doctors, professors at the Medical College. In the curriculum of EECC there was a predominance of disciplines aimed at the hospital field, instead of the public health, which was an attempt to mirror the Anna Nery School of Nursing, the only official nursing school of the country at that time. We highlight the specifics of EECC in teaching, such as the subjects Religion, taught by Catholic priests, and Orpheonic Singing, which led the school to be recognized as Brazilian, Christian and nationalist, according to sources of that time. Despite the excitement and prestige of its founders in the early years of operation, the school underwent several difficulties concerning theoretical teaching and practice. The school struggled to keep the teaching of scientific nursing in Minas Gerais, dealing with the lack of teachers and field internship, particularly hospitals. Moreover, the EECC graduated a low number of nurses, considering the enormous need for professionals in the country in this period, and although about 50% of the graduates held positions in public health, the demand of the state government and the country was still high and few nurses would work in the state rural areas. As to the hospital field, this was not owned by the EECC students during the period, except for the graduates who were sisters of charity. This indicates that the religious tradition of care and the power of religious institutions in the hospital field were still predominant. There was a growing indifference of the state government towards the school, evidenced by the lack of providing for the minimum support of EECC, a situation that, however, was mitigated by the definition of federal public health policies implemented during the period, mainly through the Public Health Special Service, and investments in technical professionals with shorter training. This culminated in the creation of another school, the School of Public Health of Minas Gerais, to meet the demands of the state public health, and the annexation of the EECC to the Medical College, followed by its federalization.