The study aimed to build an instrument to collect nursing data for patients in a General ICU, based in Horta. Action research developed in three phases: identification of the empirical indicators in hospitalized adults in a General ICU; validation of the indicators and formatting of the preliminary instrument; apparent and content validation with a posterior arrangement of the instrument final version. A number of 545 empirical indicators were identified, remaining 179 with IC > 0.80, being the final version of the instrument structured in four main areas: Identification, Interview, Physical Examination, Nurse Impressions and Intercurrences. It is believed that this instrument will identify situations of health and disease and nursing care needs; will promote a more effective interpersonal relationship among nurses, clients and families; will disclose the imperative of the systematization of nursing care on quality of care, as well as raise new researches working with Nursing own tools.