Objective: to understand the perception of nurses, as is continuing education in intensive care units. Method: an exploratory study of qualitative approach, carried out with five nurses in intensive care units (ICU) in a hospital in the metropolitan area of Porto Alegre/RS. Data were collected in April 2010 through interviews with semi-structured. Results: the institution studied the educational process is theoretic-practical, general, comprises professionals from different areas, without

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... to the specific needs of the work in intensive care. The courses take place as needed momentary or identification of deficiencies in team work, without any assessment of individual performance. Conclusion: despite the intensive care unit is a complex and highly specialized in the institution studied, there is an education policy for the purpose of promoting the care with focus on this specialty. But no appreciation of the educational processes in general