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The origin of medicine in care: a reflection on the historical leadership of nursing

Authors

Keywords:

Nursing, History of medicine, Care, Care science, Patriarchy

Abstract

Nursing, as a discipline focused on care, is the foundation of the health system and historically precedes medicine. This paper reflects on the significance of care in early human societies, the later invisibilization of such knowledge, and the need to recognize nursing as an autonomous science. Rewriting health history from the perspective of care is an act of epistemic and social justice.

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References

Hernández Garre C. Antropología del cuidado: raíces culturales de la enfermería. Madrid: Díaz de Santos; 2018.

Siles González J. Historia de la enfermería: evolución, teoría y práctica. Alicante: Universidad de Alicante; 2016.

Ehrenreich B, English D. Brujas, parteras y enfermeras: una historia de las mujeres sanadoras. Madrid: Capitán Swing; 2017.

Donahue MP. Nursing: The Finest Art. St. Louis: Mosby; 2020.

Hernández Conesa J. Historia de la enfermería: de los cuidados empíricos a la profesión actual. Murcia: Universidad de Murcia; 2015.

Published

2026-03-31

Versions

How to Cite

Torres Fernández, A. (2026). The origin of medicine in care: a reflection on the historical leadership of nursing. Revista Enfermeir@s, 1(46). Retrieved from https://www.enfermerialugo.org/revista/index.php/enfermeiraos/article/view/854