The influence of capitalism on the production of knowledge in nursing Influências capitalistas na produção do conhecimento em enfermagem Influencias del capitalismo en la producción del conocimiento en enfermería

b Escola Superior de Enfermagem do Porto (ESEP). Porto, Portugal. ABSTRACT Objective: To understand the capitalist influence over the production of nursing knowledge according to Brazilian and Portuguese researchers. Method: Descriptive, exploratory, and qualitative research, with 17 research nurses selected using the snowball technique. Data were collected from October 2011 to November 2012 in Brazil and Portugal, by means of semi-structured interviews. We analysed the content of the interviews and produced inferences based in the theoretical assumptions of Gaston Bachelard and the notion of an epistemological obstacle. Results: The results were organised into three categories: Blocks to creativity/innovation and the practice of repetition; Overestimation of the quantitative; and Resistance to rupture. Conclusion: It is necessary to create new ways of assessing scientific literature from a qualitative perspective that allows room for creativity, professional development, and critical and reflective thinking. Solidarity is perceived as an alternative to overcoming the problems caused by the capitalist way of producing knowledge.