Objective:

describe the meanings that the nurse attributes to the promotion of children's environmental health.

Methodology:

descriptive qualitative study, in which 13 nurses who have worked in health institutions of the first level of care of a Colombian city participated. The information was obtained through in-depth interviews conducted in the workplace. The number of informants and the number of interviews was determined by theoretical sampling and saturation of categories. Data were analyzed following the method of comparative analysis of Corbin and Strauss.

Results:

Three categories were identified: Role of nurses in environmental health, nursing actions for the promotion of environmental health and barriers for the promotion of children's environmental health.

Conclusions:

the nurse can act as a promoter of children's environmental health through continuing education to the family and the community, overcoming barriers such as user disinterest and their own ignorance of the subject. This work proposes the training of environmental nurses capable of caring for the environment and protecting the health of children.