Caracterização dos grupos de pesquisa e perfil produtivo dos pesquisadores líderes de história da enfermagem no Brasil

Abstract

Introduction: This study analyzes the contemporary configuration of Research Groups (RPGs) in Nursing History in Brazil, focusing on their organizational structure and the scientific production profile of their leaders between 2000 and 2023. It is based on the hypothesis that transformations in the field of Nursing have reconfigured Research Groups, potentially indicating the emergence of a new generation or the deepening of the most recent generation described by Salles and Barreira (2010). Accordingly, the study aims to characterize the Nursing History research groups (HE-RPGs) registered in the Brazilian Directory of Research Groups; to describe the scientific production profile of their leaders; and to analyze the extent to which these configurations reveal processes of continuity, renewal, or generational transformation in the field of Nursing.Method: This is a documentary and analytical-descriptive study, grounded in a quantitative historical approach, which examined official data from the CNPq Directory of Research Groups covering the period from 2000 to 2023. Data collection involved identifying and manually extracting information available on the RPGs’ webpages and on the Lattes curricula of their leaders, following the criteria of pertinence, sufficiency, exhaustiveness, representativeness, and homogeneity proposed by Barros (2012). Data treatment consisted of organizing variables into spreadsheets, thematic segmentation, consolidation of historical series, and the application of descriptive statistical procedures. The interpretative analysis articulated the results through Karl Mannheim’s concepts of generational position, generational connection, and generational unit, complemented by the scientific generation model of Salles and Barreira (2010), which guided the sociological and historiographical interpretation. This integration between quantification and interpretation made it possible to examine patterns, continuities, and potential generational inflections in the constitution of the Nursing History research groups in Brazil. Results: The results indicate a significant expansion in scientific production, along with growth in the number of researchers, increased academic qualifications, and greater diversity of educational backgrounds within the groups. Leaders exhibited robust academic trajectories, predominantly linked to consolidated graduate programs, which contributed to the qualification and visibility of the HE-RPGs. An initial institutional concentration in the Southeast region was identified, followed by progressive internalization and a more balanced geographic distribution in the past decade, reflecting processes of expansion and democratization of research across the country. Growth in the number of groups, institutional diversification, expansion of research lines, and the strengthening of federal institutions as central loci of historical production were also observed. Leaders demonstrated high academic qualifications, participation in collaborative networks, and significant bibliographic, technical, and cultural outputs, albeit with regional asymmetries. Their trajectories also revealed increasing articulation between Nursing History, Public Health, and Education, reflecting the thematic transversality that characterizes newer generations of researchers. Additionally, diversification of production formats, geographic expansion, alternating cycles of growth and retraction influenced by funding policies, changes in graduate education, and the impacts of the pandemic were identified, along with the strengthening of collaborative networks, expansion of internationalization, and adaptation to CAPES evaluation requirements. When interpreted through the generational framework, these findings suggest that while the HE-RPGs preserve characteristics of the fifth scientific Generation, such as internationalization, indexing, and collective production, they also incorporate emerging elements, such as digitalized practices, increased thematic transversality, and reorganized scientific production, indicating a transitional movement toward a hybrid generation in the field of Nursing History. Final Considerations: The scientific community of Nursing in Brazil has undergone important structural transformations in recent decades, driven by the expansion of graduate education, CAPES evaluation policies, and increasing internationalization. However, these changes do not constitute the rupture necessary to define a new generation; rather, they reinforce the consolidation of the fifth generation described by Salles and Barreira. Researchers share generational position, connection, and unit, expressed through similar academic trajectories, shared formative experiences, and relatively stable collective practices. Recent phenomena such as the digitalization of scientific work, intensification of virtual networks, and the emergence of artificial intelligence technologies point to potential future inflections, but they have not yet produced effects sufficient to characterize a new generation.