[The nurse and patient's nudity]

Abstract

This is a qualitative study about the relationship among nurses of a university hospital and their patients when they need to undress those patients to take care. The purpose was to analyze speech of seven nurses in this situation. The information was taken by transcribing the semi-structured interviews which were analyzed according Michel Foucault's thought. The results demonstrated that the relationship among nurses and patients at the time when nudity is needed to perform nursing care is full of power, to which the nurses don't feel always prepared. Also the nurses don't think that, acting as they act, they exert power over the patients. It is suggested to Nursing schools to perform seminars about the care with the naked body.