title: [Nightingale's and Semmelweis' postulates: vital power and contagion prevention as strategies to avoid infections].
abstract: This qualitative research used observation as a data collection technique, guided by an instrument elaborated on the basis of Nightingale and Semmelweis' postulates: vital power/life and prevention/contagion. A brief history of infection control is offered from the focus of prevention/contagion. The postulate vital power/life is discussed, presenting the nursing care components deriving from it with a view to care development. This study recommends that both postulates--vital power/life and prevention/contagion--be considered in an articulated way as strategies to avoid infections.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina. telmacarraro@nfr.ufsc.br
authors.forename: Telma Elisa
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Carraro
mesh_terms: D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D009736:Nursing Process; D009742:Nursing Theory