Fostering research growth in a nursing department

Introducing research objectives in nursing departments is presenting challenges for nurse administrators. Where does one begin? The Nursing Department at Toronto General Hospital implemented a number of strategies to make the vision, "research integrated with daily practice", a reality. The strategies served to translate the vision into concrete actions. Three broad themes are used to describe the strategies--bringing resources together, raising awareness about research and conducting research projects. This article describes some of the strategies we implemented in anticipation that other Nursing Departments may benefit from our experiences.