Abstract
ABSTRACT This historical study uses qualitative methods to analyze and describe the components of the material world of nursing care in Spain between 1855 and 1955 based on the analysis of eight nurse training manuals. A total of 360 objects and 45 procedures were recorded. Manual analysis was carried out concurrently with data collection based on the Grounded Theory approach. Findings show that the material world of health care was composed of objects that were handed down by the medical profession to health care professionals and adapted objects, improvised mainly out of everyday household items. While the handing down of medical tools and instruments could be said to be a theoretical and technical achievement, it is not clear whether it was also a scientific accomplishment. The improvisation of objects out of everyday household items promoted by the manuals highlights the artisan-like and ingenious nature of nursing practice, which should be explored further in future studies to provide a greater understanding and promote the recognition of these objects as a health care technology.
Highlights
The material world of nursing practice is integrated by objects in movement that have varying meanings according to the society in which they are set.[1]
The analysis of the training manuals revealed that the material world of nursing care was made up of objects “handed down” by the medical profession and by therapeutic instruments improvised by caregivers from mainly household objects to satisfy patients’ care needs
One of the manuals refers to the vulgar nature of the technical knowledge of health care professionals: “care should be taken to write a brief and compendious description of matters of science; and when it is necessary to vulgarize in order to make it more intelligible, technical language should be economized with utmost care, because only those who follow other kinds of studies will be able to understand it” (CM2:2)
Summary
The material world of nursing practice is integrated by objects in movement that have varying meanings according to the society in which they are set.[1]. Throughout the history of Spanish nursing, the meanings and symbolism surrounding the material world of care-giving practice have not been scrutinized, and the role of technological objects in nursing and the status of the profession has not been explored or sufficiently recognized. Though a relatively new concept associated with Modernism, technology has always existed and it may be considered as any instrument used to satisfy human needs.[1] Technology is a way of naming the material world and the objects, tools and instruments created and used by people in all types of activities.[2] It is the underlying purpose or intention of use of an object that makes it technology and gives its meaning within a given context.[2] Objects have played an important role throughout both the history of civilization and the history of nursing
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