Systematization of Nursing Care: how did the concept mature?

Objectives: to analyze the Systematization of Nursing Care conceptual maturation from the perspective of pragmatic utility.

Methods: a concept analysis study. The stages were: select the concept; elaborate analytical questions; comprehensively review the literature; and determine concept structural components. Sixty-one documents were analyzed after a search carried out until October 2019.

Results: four temporal periods of contextual changes have occurred since the emergence of ideas of a systematization in the 1960s. This first lasted until 1990. It was followed by those from 1990 to 2002, from 2002 to 2009 and from 2009 onwards. Partial conceptual maturity was identified, operationalization over the years, based on multiple definitions, and, currently, a concept of Systematization of Nursing Care with managerial and organizational attributes.

Conclusions: the concept of Systematization of Nursing Care is partially mature, presents multiple definitions, being operationalized in uncertain connections with other concepts.