This qualitative study aimed to describe the meaning of the profession to beginners in a Nursing undergraduate course. A structured interview was administered to 33 students of the first semester in a public university in Rio de Janeiro, in 2006. Ethical principles were respected. The thematic analysis revealed that, when entering the profession, the students visualize nurses as the professional who takes care of clients, in a restricted view of care, and associate Nursing practice to situations of dedication, care and love. Clarify high school students about Nursing, the labor market and Nursing areas of action could stimulate the search of the profession by people more conscious about their choice.
Nursing; Students; Higher education; Qualitative research