Objective:

The present work aims to show evidence that reveals how the first phases of the professionalization of nursing in Spain have been marked by the social and gender perspective.

Methods:

A historiographic study has been carried out, with a discourse analysis from Gadamer's perspectives.

Results:

A masking of the work of European women towards the professionalization of nursing in Spain is revealed. It is demonstrated that Florence Nightingale, a source of inspiration in the professionalization of care in our country, was not recognized at the time due to gender issues, both by the founder of the first nursing school in Spain and by society as a whole.

Conclusions:

In light of the aspects analyzed, the need for new research in the history of nursing emerges from this perspective; in order to germinate studies on the reality of the historical construction of care.