[The meaning of the nursing process for nurses of intensive therapy units: an interactionist approach].

The study aimed at comprehending the meaning of the Nursing Process practice for nurses in an intensive care unit. Symbolic interactionism and thematic analysis were used as the theoretical-methodological reference. Seven nurses from an intensive care unit who experience this practice in a public hospital in the city of Fortaleza, Ceará were part of the study. Data collection was performed from May 1st to August 30th, 2006, using participative observation and semi-structured interviews. The results show the social interaction of the nurses with other professionals, the meanings of the nursing process and opinions for improving the ICU. The comprehension of the nurses' experiences allowed for the recognition that their experiences are contradictory and the meanings are manifested and expressed through self-interaction and interaction with other people.