Considering the perspective of phenomenology, the author's proposal using testimonies of nurses working in the ITU (Intensive Therapy Unit) is to learn the meanings they attribute to this experience. Reflecting upon these meanings and allying them to her professional experience, the author searches to understand the phenomenon "being a nurse at an ITU". Written testimonies, from nurses working in the intensive therapy unit of the Emergency Unit of the "Hospital das Clínicas", College of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, have been collected having as a guide question: "What does it mean to you to be a nurse in the ITU?" Analyzing those testimonies and according to MARTINS (1992), thematic categories emerged showing that being a nurse in the ITU isto care personally of the patients, have administrative capacity live together with machinery and equipment, master specific knowledge, perform important, gratifying and responsible functions, as well as to live with limiting and stressing situations. After a comprehensive reflection upon the mode of the being of the ITU nurses, the author's intention is to contribute to find new perspectives of "the doing", widening their horijons of possibilities.
Nurse; Nursing; Phenomenology; Intensive Care Units