This study presents the difficulties, challenges, and overcoming of nurses of the Family Health Strategy in the practice of health education. Eight professionals from family health teams of the municipality of Montes Claros, state of Minas Gerais (Southeast Brazil), were interviewed based on unstructured interviews. The data were transcribed and analyzed pursuant to the discourse technique. The results were grouped into analysis categories. In these subjects' view, there are difficulties in the teamwork process, barriers in the physical structure, and a lack of material resources at the healthcare facilities. They also report inconsistencies in the relationship with the users when undertaking health education. A dialectical movement of reality is noted because, while there are difficulties to be overcome, substantial advances have been made with new practices that may potentially transform the reality being studied. The dynamic nature of the change process is taken into account, with its advances and setbacks, which translate into a reality that is constantly under construction.
health education; family health; qualitative research; nursing