The demand for emergency services has increased sharply in the last decades. However nursing staff training for this specialization is still a great challenge for healthcare institutions. This study was performed in the emergency room of a teaching hospital, using own instruments; the objective was to develop a profile of the patients, according to the degree of dependence on nursing care. From June to December 2002, both the patients treated in the emergency room and those admitted to this area while waiting for admittance in other units were classified. It was found a predominance of grade III and IV patients who were admitted at the emergency room and grade I and II patients who were treated there; at the same time, a lack of clear guidelines for action and a deviation from the nursing team’s functions were evident. The patients’ profile that was found provides an in-depth reflection on the philosophy of emergency care and establishes the bases for the training of nursing staff towards progressive care.