The goal was to understand the humanization of the nursing actions while designing the nursing staff, learning the meaning of humanization in practice. To achieve this, an exploratory descriptive study with qualitative analysis was used based on the semistructured interview technique. Twelve interviews were conducted with five nurses and seven nursing assistants in a public hospital in Fortaleza, Brazil, in 2005. Data analysis was performed after multiple readings had been made, and the results were interpreted based on the analysis of the content, a process leading to two themes: humanization - treat well, care and respect; and experiencing humanization. It was concluded that the nursing staff, although having made the humanization concept explicit, revealed to be aware of the concept and showed the importance of looking beyond the disease, respecting the child as a human being. There was also concern with the lack of material, which in the view of some subjects rendered it difficult to provide decent, less painful care with resolution.
humanization of assistance; hospitalized child; nursing staff