This study presents the dimensioning of nursing staff at a university hospital. The main study goals were: to determine the number of nurses, nursing technicians and aids for the several sectors; to define the Technical Security Index that reflects reality at the Hospital; to verify the adequacy of a Patient Classification System and of the method used at the hospitalization sectors. Methodologically speaking, we used a structure that considers progressive care, we calculated the Technical Security Index, adapted and testes a Patient Classification System and applied a questionnaire to evaluate the methods in use. We concluded that: the study allowed us to attain the necessary number of staff for each hospital sector; the Technical Security Index reached the goal of covering for absences; the patient classification system proved to be adequate, except for two sectors, and that the structure used for the hospitalization sectors is adequate.