RESUMEN
The purpose of this study was to understand the meanings attributed to the organizational context and the role of nurses in care management at emergency care units.This study was based on qualitative research and the Grounded Theory methodological framework. Data were collected from September 2011 to June 2012 by means of semi-structured interviews with 20 participants from two emergency care units (UPA) in southern Brazil, divided into three sample groups. The context is marked by constraints that hinder communication and interaction between professionals and the search of assistance by patients with demands that are not resolved at other levels of care. This scenario highlights the performance of nurses in the managerial dimension of their work, who assume the responsibility for managing care and coordinating professional actions in favour of improved care practices.