[Nursing performance in materials management in intensive care units]

This study had as a goal to identify the nursing practice in management of material resources in a general hospital. It is a descriptive work of quanti-qualitative nature, performed in four ICU's (Intensive Care Units) among the largest general hospitals in Salvador-Bahia. It has been observed that (only) in three out of four Units, there was the presence of nurses in the commission of material purchase and selection. In addition, the participation of the nursing group in the process of material prevision and control is the lowest, there is lack of evaluation of purchased material; resulting, in turn, in the not occasional presence, of second line, useless and of low quality materials which directly or indirectly affect the provided care. It has been noticed that the nursing performance in material resources management became restrict, only for the reposition of these consumed materials, without, therefore, an effective and efficient insertion in the process of prevision, selection, purchasing and controlling.