Introduction:

During the Chilean military dictatorship there were social changes in the social security politics which led to persecutions, tortures, and the death of thousands of people. A consequence of this situation was the creation of an organization called Vicaría de la Solidaridad which implemented diverse programs in the area of health.

Objective:

To unveil the social role of professional nursing within the Vicaría de la Solidaridad, Chile 1976-1992.

Methodology:

This is a qualitative research with a history of life design which used in depth interviews to five female nurses and one male nurse of the Vicaría, and which were intentionally selected. The theory of Margaret Newman was used as the theoretical foundation. A text and concept analysis was carried out. Ethical requirements were fulfilled, and the information consent from the participants was obtained.

Results:

From the analysis, the following categories emerged: a)function of assistance; b)function of education; c)function of management; and d) function of research.

Discussion:

The social essence of nursing includes carrying out context mediated actions aimed at favoring the protection and enhancement of human dignity. Coherence was found between the findings of this study and the literature on the topic.

Conclusion:

Nurses were characterized by their profound social compromise and sense of ethical duty. Nurses counterweighted the social problems during those years using their skills of observation, coordination, analysis, leadership, and decision-making. This study opens a research line on the history of nursing in Chile and its actions during times of crisis.