Transfer of nurse education to universities under a model of person-centred care: A consequence of changes in Spanish society during the democratic transition.

BACKGROUND: In Spain the transfer of nurse education to universities was accompanied by a shift towards a model of person-centred care.

AIM: To explore whether the change in nurses' professional profile (from physician assistant to providers of person-centred care) was a response to changing needs in Spanish society.

DESIGN: Qualitative study.

METHODS: Theoretical sampling and in-depth interviews using an inductive analytical approach.

RESULTS: Four categories described the nursing profession in Spain prior to the introduction of university training: the era of medical assistants; technologisation of hospitals; personal care of the patient based on Christian values; professional socialisation differentiated by gender. Further analysis showed that these categories could be subsumed under a broader core category: the transfer of nurse education to universities as part of Spain's transition to democracy.

CONCLUSION: The transfer of nurse education to universities was one of several changes occurring in Spanish society during the country's transition to democratic government. The redefined public health system required a highly skilled workforce, with improved employment rights being given to female health professionals, notably nurses.