The study aimed to examine nurses' understanding of the principles of the Unified Health System: universality, equity and integrality. Descriptive study conducted in August and September 2008, through semi-structured interviews with 26 nurses of the basic units of Health in Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. In organizing the data was used the technique of content analysis. The results show that nurses perceive the universality is the universal access for all users of health services, equity is the attendance of the population equally providing more attention to the poor and integrality of care is the provision of services at all three levels care. We conclude that the signal has a professional design principles similar to that present in the Federal Constitution. This represents an important element for the implementation and strengthening of the model of health care law in Brazil.
Equity in health; Unified Health System; Health services