Abstract
Objective: Describe the nurses leadership profile of the leadership of Family Health Program and their influence on the work process. Methods: Exploratory descriptive study with a qualitative approach, conducted in the Family Health Strategy units of a city in Pernambuco. Fifteen nurses working in the units were interviewed. Data collection was performed from a semi-structured interview script. For content analysis, the proposal by Bardin was adopted. The study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee. Results: Nurses that shown to have democratic leadership in the face of conflicts and problems experienced at work. However, regarding decision making, they made clear their authoritarian stance, individualizing the decisions inherent to the service. They reinforce the need and importance of group meetings. Factors that affect nurses' leadership profile were also punctuated, such as salary reduction, institutional support, workload, and changes in position and unit professionals. Conclusion: The leadership profile exercised by nurses in Health Units interferes considerably in the work process, as decision making and conflict management are essential postures in the organization.