# Predecessor and contemporary nursing: what is your legacy to future generations?

## TL;DR

This paper reflects on the legacy of historical and modern nursing figures and their impact on future sustainable healthcare practices.

## Contribution

It connects nursing history with sustainable development through the lens of complexity thinking.

## Key findings

- Nightingale, Anna Nery, and Horta's legacies are crucial for advancing nursing.
- Contemporary nursing must embrace disruptive changes and complex thinking for sustainable healthcare.
- Healthcare should be viewed as an interdependent and systemic phenomenon.

## Abstract

to reflect on the legacy of predecessor and contemporary nursing to future generations, with a view to sustainable development.

Theoretical and reflective essay that considered the legacy of Nightingale, Anna Nery and Horta and contemporary bibliographical sources that reflect values and principles associated with sustainable development, in the light of complexity thinking.

The theoretical reflection focuses on four themes: Nightingale’s legacy - the forerunner of modern nursing; Anna Nery’s legacy - the heroine of Brazilian nursing; Horta’s legacy - the protagonist of the scientific foundations of nursing; and Contemporary nursing - what is its legacy to future generations?

Recovering the legacy of Nightingale, Anna Nery and Horta is fundamental to advancing and sustaining the present and future of nursing. It is essential that contemporary nursing provokes disruptive movements and enables an evolutionary complex thinking that sustains health care as an interdependent, complementary and systemic phenomenon.

Refletir sobre o legado da enfermagem predecessora e contemporânea às gerações futuras, com vistas ao desenvolvimento sustentável.

Ensaio teóricoreflexivo que considerou o legado de Nightingale, Anna Nery e Horta e fontes bibliográficas contemporâneas que refletem valores e princípios associados ao desenvolvimento sustentável, à luz do pensamento da complexidade.

A reflexão teórica centra-se em quatro temáticas: legado de Nightingale - precursora da enfermagem moderna; legado de Anna Nery - heroína da enfermagem brasileira; legado de Horta - protagonista das bases científicas de enfermagem e Enfermagem contemporânea - qual o seu legado às gerações futuras?

Recuperar o legado de Nightingale, Anna Nery e Horta é fundamental para avançar e sustentar o presente e o futuro da enfermagem. É imprescindível que a enfermagem contemporânea provoque movimentos disruptivos e possibilite um pensamento complexo evolutivo que sustente o cuidado em saúde como fenômeno interdependente, complementar e sistêmico.