[Expansion of undergraduate Nursing courses: study in Piauí]

A study of descriptive, exploratory and retrospective study with a quantitative approach is to evaluate the expansion of graduate programs in nursing in the state of Piauí in the period 1973 to 2008. It was researched, aided by a form, all ten institutions of higher education in this period, in Piauí. The results pointed to an expansion of nursing programs in the last 10 years, growth in the period 1973 to 2008 in the order of 1.300%. There was a total of 2,949 licensed nurses per capita showing a relation for Piaui of 0.93 nurse/1.000 inhabitants. From the data of the study there is the potential of Piauí in training nurses, with growth of courses and places. Thus, stirs up to reflection on the part of institutions and professional bodies as to the relative labor market and demand for graduates, quality control and course vacancies offered.