This article presents the experience of the health policy dialogue on nursing held in Uruguay in 2021, based on the theory of change. Four working groups were held, with the participation of 725 people. The points discussed included: the shortage of registered nurses to implement programs and cover functions at all levels of health care; the poor visibility of the healthcare impact of the activities carried out; insufficient financial resources for undergraduate and postgraduate training; and poor integration of nurses in management teams and policy decision-making spaces in the country. Participants expressed the need to implement the national nursing development plan so that the country can: reduce the shortage of professionals; invest in job creation to meet the demand for professional care; improve staffing of services at all levels of care; improve working conditions; create new spaces for nurses by expanding their role through postgraduate training, while continuously improving the quality of training. Participants emphasized the need to increase intersectoral coordination in the areas of governance, regulation, and management, and to step up efforts to increase investment in health professionals in Uruguay.
