Objectives: to understanding the perception of Primary Health Care users about the professional identity of nurse.
Methods: this is an exploratory, descriptive, cross-sectional and quantitative study, using the STROBE instrument. The sample included 94 users grouped according to the Family Health Strategy coverage.
Results: the idealized identity of nurses dates back to the past of the profession. The subjects, in 81.9%, associate the female gender to the profession. 63.8% of them believed that the nurse is a subordinate, and from these, 90% believed they were subordinate to physicians. The analysis of the perception of the activities under responsibility of the nurse showed the predominance of assistance activities that are not exclusive to them. Conclusions: the findings indicate partial awareness about the identity and the role of nurses in Primary Health Care. The main deficits are related to the competences of this professional. The understanding of the role of the nurse was higher in the population under the coverage of the Family Health Strategy.