[Trying to save themselves: nurses' choices in difficult situations].

This study was originated 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 ACTS", "TO FEEL WEAK FOR MAKE CHOICES", "TO TRY PRESERVE HERSELF". The internal autonomy was identified as a condition to the nurse's professional autonomy.