to describe the process of content adaptation and validation of the Geriatric Institutional Assessment Profile (GIAP) for nurses working in the health care for older adults in Brazilian hospitals. methodological study conducted in five stages: initial translation, synthesis of initial translation, back translation, evaluation by committee of judges, and pre-test for cultural adaptation of the instrument. the instrument evaluation had good agreement between the judges, with general content validity of 0.94. The items of the translated version evaluated as unsatisfactory by the judges were reformulated from the professionals' considerations in each group. Thirty-one subjects participated in the study. They considered the instrument easy-to-understand and suggested minor adjustments in some items. the content of the Brazilian version of the GIAP is considered adapted and validated, with potential use in hospital institutions. The next stage will be to submit the instrument to the evaluation process of its psychometric properties for use in Brazilian populations.