[The nursing image in Italy: an analysis of the historic archive of national newspaper].
OBJECTIVE
The main aim is to describe the nursing profession image as it appears in one of the main national newspaper.


METHODS
A retrospective study has been conducted through the analysis of 2017 articles published between 1906 and 2005 on the national newspaper "La Stampa".


RESULTS
11 thematic clusters emerged from the analysis. The articles published with a higher frequency were those concerning "news and chronicle", with a relevant increase after the second half of the '80s, followed by "working conditions" with a maximum spread during the '90s. Instead the articles that rarely appeared on the newspaper were those concerning, "aesthetic" and "contests". More than half of the articles concerning "staff shortage" reported consequent disruptions. Almost all the articles concerning "malpractice" highlighted the inadequate care delivered from nurses and they have been published with constant trend starting from the a '50s. The articles concerning "staff shortage", "innovation", and "education", showed their maximum spread starting from the '90s.


CONCLUSIONS
The analysis of the articles published in the newspaper "La Stampa" allowed to read the nursing profession story as troubled, made of professional achievements obtained from struggles, claims and countless educational and organizational changes though many of the analyzed articles did not contributed to show, and consequently to appreciate, the nursing profession for its real content and contributions to the population's health.
Lucia
L
Dignani
Paola
P
Montanari
Angelo
A
Dante
Milena Giovanna
MG
Guarinoni
Cristina
C
Petrucci
Professor of Nursing Science, Università degli studi dell'Aquila. Corrispondence: loreto.lancia@cc.univaq.it.
Loreto
L
Lancia
D001109:Archives; D007558:Italy; D009524:Newspapers as Topic; D009729:Nursing; D011639:Public Opinion; D012189:Retrospective Studies