The purpose of this study was to understand the contributions made by the 'nurse being' in the daily life of the 'manager being' in the hospital context. This is a descriptive, exploratory and qualitative study. The subjects of the study were nine nurses holding managerial positions in three hospitals. The data were collected through semistructured interviews and submitted to content analyses. It was shown that the academic background in nursing gave the nurses the knowledge and the skills for the professional role they were to play and for the adoption of an administrative vision of their work. The 'nurse being' experience is described as one that facilitates the managerial roles. Deficiencies were noted in the educational background relating to the administrative roles. It can thus be concluded that undergraduate nursing courses must be reoriented, seeking to train professionals who are in tune with the quick pace of change in modern society.
work; management; nursing; hospital; training human resources