Leading the research initiative: the role of the nurse manager

Outcomes research, an integral part of the nurse manager role, is important because it examines the end result of care and stimulates changes in nursing practice. Without outcomes research, the nurse manager lacks knowledge of what interventions have been tried or their resulting effectiveness. The move from episodic to a continuum of care emphasizes the need for continued research across all organizational boundaries. This paradigm shift questions traditions and requires finding new ways to plan and implement care. Nurse managers assure that they provide the leadership to develop and implement outcomes data to strengthen nursing's role on the health care team and to achieve positive patient outcomes.