[Institutional care for patients with mental retardation: forgotten dimensions]

This study was carried out in en institution which assists mentally impaired individuals, and are kept as inters. The institution, herein denominated CASA GRANDE, houses approximately 900 interns. The direct care of the is providad by, on average, 400 nursing assistants. The purpose of this study was to gain knowlwdge of, and comprehend, to work of the nursing assistants in this context, through the representations they have regarding their daily chores. The analysis of these representations provided the compreension of the symbolic dimension of the work, having demonstrated its movements in the psyco-social (individual), social-dynamic (group), institutional (institution) and societal (community) levels.