This study was origined in the interest to understand the nurse's autonomy. We accomplished individual interview with 8 nurses, which works in a hospital unit, and the focus of the interviews was their experiences in making choices in her settings. The analysis of the data, through fenomenologic analysis, results in the identification of 4 themes which explain the meanings that guidance the nurse's actions in work's situations, when she makes a choice. They are: "OBLIGATIONS AND RESTRICTIONS DEFINE THE INSTITUTIONAL ROLE OF THE NURSE", "IDENTIFY RESOURCES THAT SUPPORT HER ACTES", "TO FEEL WEAK FOR MAKE CHOICES" , "TO TRY PRESERVE HERSELF" . The internal autonomy was identified as a condition
Professional autonomy; Nurse's role
