The general purpose of this study was the identification of the nurse within the public health work force in the Regional Health Department of Ribeirão Preto of the State Health Secretariat of S. Paulo. A questionnaire the options of which included: identification, level of training, progress in career, function, future professional expectations and membership of professional associations, was the chief data source. Of the group studies 35 were female, 40% of whom were between 20 and 39 years old, 51.5% were married and 77.2% had been in service for from zero to fifteen years. Regarding the other categories, distribution was as follows: 1 nurse per 13.5 assistants; 1 nurse per 9.1 doctors. Concerning professional training, 71.5% were qualified in Public Health Nursing and 8.6% specialized in Public Health. No career opportunities were available in the nursing profession and their salaries ranged from two to seven minimum salaries, only one receiving ten. All condemned the system of performance assessment. All nurses performed largely administrative services and the inspectors did so for some 65% of their time. Among nursing assistants this percentage rose to 73.3% for those in charge. The nurses were prepared to participate in primary care programmes and 84.3% intended to continue working until retirement.