[Nurse-woman communication. Choosing a permanent contraceptive method]

The article deals with the needs thirty women; residents in two favelas in the northeastern region of Brazil, manifested when they spoke about their lives and their feelings derived from their condition of being women as well as their relationship with the world; all of this is related to tying up their Fallopian tubes. This article describes the actions which nurses carried out based on the needs each of these patients manifested. Data were compiled by means of directly observing these patients, using interpersonal relationship techniques. This shows the importance of a humanistic attitude on behalf of nurses when dealing with a person who needs help.