[Nurses' work in Peru: origin and social conditions].

Area of Science:

• Nursing History
• Sociology of Professions
• Gender Studies

Context:

• Examines the historical development and social construction of nursing work in Peru.
• Situates nursing within the broader context of women's social position in a capitalist, patriarchal society.
• Highlights the influence of the Nightingale School model on nursing education and practice.

Purpose:

• To review the genesis and social formation of nursing work in Peru.
• To understand Peruvian nursing through the lens of women's social situation.
• To analyze the impact of a masculine ideology on nursing knowledge and practice.

Summary:

• Peruvian nursing formation was significantly influenced by the Nightingale School.
• The practice of Peruvian nurses historically involved reproducing traditionally feminine social functions.
• Nursing knowledge and practice were subordinated to medical knowledge, largely dictated by a masculine ideology.

Impact:

• Provides critical insights into the historical subordination of nursing within medical hierarchies.
• Underscores the role of gender and societal structures in shaping professional identities.
• Contributes to understanding the socio-historical determinants of nursing practice in Peru.