Enfermería: Simbología, estereotipos e imagen social. Una visión trasgeneracional" de enfermeras y médicos en la Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá, un homenaje en sus 40 años

Nursing emerged in the late nineteenth century as a key health service profession for patient care. Symbols such as the uniform, cap, coat and lamp generated an image that gave nurses credibility, respect and consideration in society. Over time, the sudden increase in the numbers of nurses and external social influences such as the mass media have distorted that social image. This has led to a loss of professional identity and underestimation of the role of nurses in health care work. Objectives: The study sought to explore the perceptions of nursing and the role of nurses within a group of nurses and physicians who represent different generations at the Fundacion Santa Fe de Bogota. Methods: The study was qualitative and historical-hermeneutic. It used oral history and symbolic interaction as methods for data collection. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 3 nurses and 3 doctors from different generations at the Fundacion Santa Fe de Bogota in 2012. Results and Discussion: The professionals interviewed agree that nursing requires a high degree of commitment and responsibility. They recognize that professionalism has been lost. There are many causes including low levels of undergraduate education, proliferation of university health care departments, low salaries, overloads of work, family duties, and loss of commitment and identity with the uniform and the profession. Finally, everyone agrees that nursing and nurses are key elements of the health care team. The image of nursing must be rescued by raising the level of professional quality not only in the field of health care, but also in academic and research fields.