Background:

health quality is a multiprofessional task, in which rehabilitation nursing adds value, therefore understanding the social representation of rehabilitation nursing can provide relevant contributions to increase the visibility of the profession and promote changes in clinical practice practices and contexts.

Objective:

to describe the social representation of rehabilitation nursing for nurses.

Methodology:

qualitative, exploratory and descriptive study, in an accidental non-probabilistic sample with 110 participants, with nurses as the target population. The data collection was carried out through a test of free association of words, through electronic means, to the nurses in the network of contacts of a higher education institution. In data processing, we use the computer software IRAMUTEQ.

Results:

The central nucleus of the social representation evidenced the expressions autonomy, recovery and kinesitherapy, reinforced by the findings of the first periphery - independence, gait training and care. Emerging domains or common competencies, such as physical exercise and management, were less relevant to the structure of social representation.

Conclusion:

If it is not possible to build a social thought within the profession that translates the social mandate of rehabilitation nursing, the population may also not reach it, which could have implications for the demand for care.