Background: Nurses have the major role in care continuity and health promotion. They frequently affect total factor productivity in organization. But there is not adequate information about nursing productivity. Therefore objectives of this research are assessing nurses’ view about productivity and its effecting factors. The study conducted between the years 2003-2005 in the hospitals of Tehran university of medical sciences.

Materials and Methods: We chose the grounded-theory approach for analysis of the participants' experiences and their viewpoints regarding the nurses’ productivity. Semi-structured interviews were used to gather the data. Purposeful sampling was used 26 participants were interviewed and the constant comparative analysis method was used.

Results: 26 participants were consisted samples from nurses, head nurses, supervisors, matrons and nurseducators. 23% of participants were male and 77% were female with mean age of 39.8 ± 7.6 and 17 ± 7.9 years of service. Nurses defined productivity as being useful for the clients and delivering effective and high qualitative nursing care. However, they believed that their productivity is low becaues of obstacles such as staff shortness, high level of non-nursing duties, and inefficient management strategies such as dictatorial and selfish behaviors of managers. They emphasized that the manegers performance and behavior can facilitate or hinder the nurses productivity.

Conclusion : Qualitative studies are apropriate for recognising the variables and the process of organizational and social conditions like productivity. nurses defined productivity as being usful for the clients and delivering effective and high qualitative nursing care. Effective management can improve productivity and enhance quality of care – essntial mission of health care organization. Qualitative studies are suggested for recognising the process behind the organizational behaviors.