The profile of nursing management graduates from the nursing programs in southern Brazil

This is an exploratory-descriptive study, performed on a documental basis and using a quantitative approach. The objective was to describe the profile of graduates from the Nursing Graduate Programs from Southern Brazil, from 2006 to 2009, which titles revealed they were in the lines of research regarding nursing management. The data was collected using The CAPES Indicator Books and searches on the graduates' Curriculum Lattes/CNPq. The Nursing Graduate Programs in Southern Brazil totaled 409 students, 129 (31.5%) of which worked in the lines of research associated with nursing management/administration: 116 (89.9%) Masters and 13 (10.1%) Doctorates. Most graduates currently work as faculty. Of those with a master degree, two (1.7%) have already obtained a doctorate degree, and 39 (33.6%) are currently in the doctorate program. The intellectual production after obtaining the degree adds up to 501 published scientific articles, with an average 1.1 and 1.8 article/year among masters and doctorates, respectively. The study presents indicatives for the preparation of differentiated masters and doctorates to work in nursing and health management/administration.