[Surgical Center environment and its elements: implications for nursing care].

The purpose of this qualitative research was to characterize the elements that constitute the environment of the Surgical Center and to analyze its implications for dynamic of care and nursing care. Based on the Environmental Theory's principals. Participated twelve nurses from the Surgical Center of a College Hospital in Rio de Janeiro. Data were gathered through the creativity and sensitivity technique "Map-Speaker", semi-structered interviews and participant observation, and were analyzed by thematic categories. The results showed that care can happen directly and indirectly in favor of full client recovery, counting the environment that the integrate in purpose to maintain harmonic and balanced. The nurse interventions aim to maintain the environment in favorable conditions so that a higher standard of care can be promoted.