Nursing, Policy and Politics in Twentieth-century Chile: Reforming Health, 1920s-1990s

This book offers the first in-depth account of healthcare policy in  Chile across the twentieth century. It charts how nursing and nurses  intersected with the political context of healthcare, with a focus on  the country’s transition across welfare systems. Drawing on extensive  archival research and interviews with nurses and governmental  representatives, this book explores how the nursing profession  implemented and challenged reform, while policies had an impact on  nurses. It analyses nurses’ employment and mobility, and their lobbying  through the press and through unions. The authors demonstrate that while  Chilean health policy was influenced by US cultural politics, reform  depended on the flexibility and willingness of nurses to carry through  reforms. By examining the participation of the largest female  professional group, the book offers new insights into the privatization  of society on the pinnacle of industrial development and seeks to  contribute to contemporary debates on Chile’s welfare system. It is a  vital read for scholars researching the history of public health.