The study was compounded by bibliography collecting with the objective of identifying terms referred to nursing activities: to diagnose, prescribe and evaluate. The data collecting was done by making use of Brazilian nursing journals, dissertations and the theses from nursing school's heap of Brazilian library belonging to Universidade de Sao Paulo. Catalogues and nursing researches from the Research and Study Center from Brazilian Nursing Association were used, for the period of time between 1988 and 1992. From 119 issues which were found it was shown that 53,5% referred to a nursing prescription term, 39,0% was related to nursing diagnostic and 7,5% to assistance evaluation. Each of these terms got different denominations which show the patterned language necessity.