SUMMARY
Objective: to understand the daily work and access to health services of female sex workers. Methods: qualitative research using the ethnographic method. Participant observation with record in a field journal, semi-structured interviews, and a form with sociodemographic data were used for the data collection. For data analysis, thematic analysis was associated to ethnography. Results: four thematic categories emerged: insertion in prostitution; family relationships; suffering and illness; and access to health services. Conclusion: the daily life of the women is marked by precarious working conditions and the search for health services to solve specific problems at their own initiative. The work routine in this context places women in situations of clinical and social fragility, exposing them to vulnerabilities in health.