Health care models and the building of nursing knowledge and practice

This is a reflective paper focused on the origins and main characteristics of the epidemiological and clinical models, their connections with the health care models currently adopted in Brazil, and the construction of Nursing knowledge in this context. From this perspective, the authors propose a re-thinking of Nursing knowledge and practice, pointing out possibilities for expanding the Nursing field, as well as the boundaries and challenges to be overcome by the area professionals.