[Transformational leadership in nursing]

This qualitative research aimed at verifying if the presuppositions of Transformational Leadership are present in the nurses practice in a medium size hospital in the countryside of Rio Grande do Sul. The researched people were eleven head nurses in different sectors of the hospital, who have been working for one year or more in the inquired medical institution. The tools used for the research was a semi-structured interview. The data have been analysed through content analyses method, in which five categories emerged: the meaning of leadership; essential abilities for leadership activity; leadership ability in everyday nurse activity; participation of the Institution in leadership development; and the resistance of nurses to the changing process. Some of the presuppositions are identified and noticed as important, although not totally present in everyday activity of nurses.