Objective: To describe the reorganization of nursing work in an intensive care unit of a public hospital due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Method: Report of the experience from February to April 2020, about the reorganization of a unit.
Results: The description of the experience was divided into four moments: Definition of the cohort isolation; Reorganization of the intensive care units as General and Respiratory; Health care teams and work shifts; and Wearing and removing protective clothing by the teams.
Conclusion: The COVID -19 pandemic brought numerous challenges to the management of intensive care units. The socialization of management experiences can contribute to the definition of new strategies, including in the post-pandemic period.