This study aims to identify aspects of the practical dimension in nursing care under the perspective from the social representations elaborated by nursing students beginning the graduation, and others about to conclude it. The theoretical-methodological reference was the Theory of Social Representations. This was an exploratory qualitative study, collecting data through individual interviews applied to 28 students which had a thematic content analysis. The results showed the peculiarities of the constituent elements of social representations made by both groups. Social representations of both groups are distinguished, as the beginners describe a practice focused on affective and expressive aspects markedly while the students about to be graduated bring, effectively, a combination of these aspects with scientific knowledge. Conclusion: The graduation program gradually influences the social representations in care, and consequently in its practical dimension.

This study aims to identify aspects of the practical dimension in nursing care under the perspective from the social representations elaborated by nursing students beginning the graduation, and others about to conclude it. The theoretical-methodological reference was the Theory of Social Representations. This was an exploratory qualitative study, collecting data through individual interviews applied to 28 students which had a thematic content analysis. The results showed the peculiarities of the constituent elements of social representations made by both groups. Social representations of both groups are distinguished, as the beginners describe a practice focused on affective and expressive aspects markedly while the students about to be graduated bring, effectively, a combination of these aspects with scientific knowledge. Conclusion: The graduation program gradually influences the social representations in care, and consequently in its practical dimension.

O objetivo foi identificar os aspectos da dimensão prática do cuidado de enfermagem na perspectiva das representações sociais elaboradas por acadêmicos iniciantes e concluintes da graduação. O referencial teórico-metodológico foi o da Teoria das Representações Sociais. Tratou-se de uma pesquisa de abordagem qualitativa exploratória, com coleta de dados por entrevista individual com 28 acadêmicos, que sofreu análise temática de conteúdo. Os resultados demonstraram as peculiaridades dos elementos constituintes das representações sociais elaboradas pelos dois grupos. As representações sociais dos dois grupos se distinguem, já que os iniciantes descrevem uma prática voltada aos aspectos afetivo-expressivos, enquanto os concluintes trazem marcadamente a conjugação desses aspectos com o conhecimento científico. Conclusão: O curso de graduação, gradativamente, influencia nas representações sociais do cuidado e, consequentemente, na sua dimensão prática.