[Operative nursing: a new perspective for care in "crash" situations]

Operative Nursing (EO) allows for a new perspective in military nursing education. This case study from a qualitative approach aimed to describe the construction process of EO at the School of Health (ES) of a Brazilian Navy (MB) Hospital and to characterize "military nurses'" care performance in "crash" situations. Data collection started in 2002 through a literature review, combined with meetings between military to discuss the rules and bases of this modality, which gave rise to the reorganization of the curriculum, infrastructure and normative instruments and the review of ethical-legal aspects. This study discloses a valuing sense of human life and allows for the search to legitimize the activities of a differentiated nursing before competent organs.