[Characterization of the care profile of adult patients of an emergency medical service].

It was developed an exploratory study, having as a method the study of case which aimed to characterize the profile of adult patients admitted at the emergency medical service in a general public hospital in São Paulo as subsidy for the nursing personal downsizing. Subjects were the patients admitted during the period of thirty days. Data was obtained through application of a patient classification instrument by Fugulin. This study showed patients in the category of intensive care, semi-intensive, high dependence, intermediate and minimal and occupation rate above official prediction making physical space inappropriate to the patients and professionals, reflex of the lack of control service.