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The aim of this descriptive study was to determine what events are perceived as stressful to patients in the thoracic surgery postoperative unit, according to nursing evaluation. Data were collected at two hospitals, where the intensive care nursing team members completed the questionnaire. A 4-point Likert scale was used to evaluate 42 possible stressors. ⋯ The average stressfulness score of the items was 2.97 (from little stressful to stressful). The most important stressors were: having pain, having tubes in nose and/or mouth, being tied down by tubes and not being able to sleep. We concluded that, according to nursing evaluation, the main stressors for patients are associated with the surgical procedure.