Evolução histórico-documental do código de ética na enfermagem : da Normatização institucional à era da saúde digital

Abstract

The Code of Ethics for Nursing Professionals constitutes a fundamental normative instrument to guide professional conduct, ensuring patient safety and corporate autonomy. This study analyzes the historical-documentary evolution of the code's versions published by the Federal Nursing Council since 1975, focusing on the structural transformations of rights, duties, and prohibitions over the last decades. This is a qualitative, documentary research of a descriptive-exploratory nature. The results indicate that the normative transitions demonstrated a progressive shift from a purely corporatist stance based on disciplinary care duties to a model grounded in professional autonomy, human rights, and patient protection bioethics, involving behaviors linked to telehealth, the use of artificial intelligence, and the qualification of ethical-disciplinary processes. It is concluded that the continuous review of these ethical frameworks reflects the scientific maturation of Brazilian nursing, serving as a protective shield for both society and the workers themselves in the face of the technological changes in digital health.