Care for children at day care centers: integration between health and education/O cuidado a crianca na creche: integracao entre saude e educacao/El cuidado al nino en la guarderia infantil: integracion entre salud y educacion

This qualitative, descriptive study aimed to identify child care practices in the routines of day care center personnel and to discuss nurses' contribution to these practices. Data were collected by semi-structured interviews of 11 personnel at a day care center in San Pedro da Aldeia in April 2012. Data was treated by Bardin content analysis, resulting in the following categories: integrated care; prevention of infectious diseases; health promotion: mistaken focus on disease; careoriented nurses; and professional training for health actions. It was concluded that the cares is comprehensive and nurses play an important role in day care centers by virtue of their knowledge of child growth and development and their peculiarities. The integration between health and education contributes to child care. Palabras clave: Enfermeria; guarderia infantil; promocion de la salud; cuidado del nino.