The present study aimed to identify which term is more frequently used by nursing students - user, client or patient - and also to acknowledge the collective understanding of each term. This prospective, quantitative-qualitative research was conducted at the Nursing School of the University of São Paulo with students from all Nursing Baccalaureate years. From the 215 students approached by the study, 162 responded to the question. Of this number, 60% used the term "user" most frequently. Regardless the term employed in healthcare practice, it is important to highlight that the common concepts of autonomy and health service must be respected as a right, while the inhumane relationship and passiveness must be ousted in the dialogic relationship established between healthcare professionals and users-clients-patients.