[Bioethical focus in the scientific production of nurses: characterization and analysis]

Bioethics raises ethical questions inherent to life, stimulated by biomedical and technological advances. Nursing has taken an interest in bioethical studies with the appearance of the first ethical studies based on gender relations. Here we undertake a quantitative-qualitative study of the scientific production of nurses in Brazil into Bioethics. The bibliographical survey considered postgraduate studies through CEPEn catalogs and articles published in national Nursing journals between 1990 and 2002. Reading and analysis of the material revealed that bioethical studies carried out by nurses are principally focused on the nursing professional. Production is seen to be sparse, with post-graduate studies containing the most examples.