title: [Brazilian nursing and the democratization of health: notes on the National Policy of Popular Education in Health].
abstract: This essay discusses the role of Brazilian nursing as a socially committed practice, in the political and pedagogic plan. The concepts of popular participation, representative and participatory democracy, and education in health are recovered, enlightened by the recent history of the constitution of social network of practices and reflections called Popular Education and Health. The construction process and the ethical-political principles of a National Policy of Popular Education in Health are presented, discussing the participation of nursing in the changes of educational practices, in spaces of political representation and formulation of public policies, with a perspective of achieving a fair and equal social order.
authors: Departamento de Enfermagem de Saúde Pública, Faculdade de Enfermagem, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. helena.david@uol.com.br
authors: Helena Maria Scherlowski Leal
authors: HM
authors: David
authors: Osvaldo Peralta
authors: OP
authors: Bonetti
authors: Maria Rocineide Ferreira
authors: MR
authors: da Silva
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil; D003709:Democracy; D006266:Health Education; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D009729:Nursing