ABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to know the nurses' conception about the emphasis of the activities that they develop in the work process, in the clinic model assistance. This study is a qualitative research, with dialetic approach. To form the sample one nurse was chosen in each of the 17 units of a university hospital in Porto Alegre/RS. The data were collected through semi-structured interview. To analyze the data the material was classified in relevant structures, from which nine categories were established. The results showed that, although there is a prevalence of management activities of the care concerning the assistance activities, the nurses considered that these dimensions are indissociable in their work. It was concluded that the relation between assisting and managing are not excluding and that the management is one of the dimensions of nursing care.