The purpose of this research is to investigate the existence of defensive strategies employed by intensive care unit nurses at a public hospital in Brasilia - DF, manage the suffering generated in the nurse-patient relationship, which arises a constant confrontation with life-death contents. This effort involved four collective interviews with eight professionals. The interviews theme were the difficulties, limitations and fulfilment with the patient care. The defensive behavior were analysed through the professionals' speaches. Four strategies were identified: impersonalness, emotional distance, avoidance of communication and high evaluation of technical procedures. The employment of these strategies facilitates a psychological balance to minimize the contact with suffering, although, these defensive strategies can affect quality of work or the nurse's life extra work.
Suffering; Defensive strategies; Nurse-patient relationship