Being a nurse, being a counselor: awakening to social control and public health

Abstract

Objective: Understand the time of awakening to social control and its contributions from the perspective of health counselor nurses. Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight nurses who work/worked as health counselors. The information was analyzed using the thematic analysis of Minayo. Results: The interest in participating in the council emerged from the professionalization in the Family Health Strategy, whether in the continuation of the Municipal Council of Health, in the training, or in the participation in the student movement. The contributions included the development of a critical and reflective spirit, better understanding of health system management, increased sensitivity to the needs of the user, and close relationship with the community. Final Considerations: Despite some deficiencies and misconceptions of nurses, it is believed that nursing is on the right track in the defense and construction of a societarian project.