Design director: a new role for nurses.

This article describes the experience of a director of nursing as she led a design team through the process of planning of a maternity renovation project. The advantages of incorporating the perspective of the clinical experts in hospital facilities design are high-lighted and the stages of the planning process and the role of the design director are outlined.

The role of the nurse in clinical cancer research.

Although advances have been made in the treatment of a number of cancers, no standard effective treatment exists for many forms of the disease. To answer remaining questions about cancer therapy, patients are encouraged to enter clinical trials that test new therapies or combinations of therapies. These trials take place not only in cancer centers and large university hospitals, but also in community hospitals and private offices throughout the country. The nurse can be an active participant in these trials as both the patient advocate and the liaison between the patient and the physician or the nurse researcher responsible for conducting the clinical investigation. Each protocol contains specific guidelines that include eligibility requirements, detailed treatment regimens, patient evaluations, and data collection schedules. The regulatory issues or Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval, informed consent, toxicity reporting, and maintenance of accurate records for investigational drug accountability are also part of the research process. A nurse who is well informed on these issues is an asset to the successful completion of any clinical study.

An interview with Carolyn Hutcherson. Interview by Barbara J Barnum.

Nursing & Health Care is pleased to interview Ms. Carolyn Hutcherson, president of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. Ms. Hutcherson has the challenging job of trying to achieve cooperative action among the states' boards, each of which has separate legal accountability to its own state.

First-line nurse administrators in academe: how are they prepared, what do they do, and will they stay in their jobs?

This article examines the role characteristics, responsibilities, and anticipated career patterns of first-line nurse administrators employed in university-based nursing education programs throughout the nation. First-line administration is the first level on the administrative ladder, and these administrators are most frequently entitled department chairpersons; division, program, and level directors; or coordinators. This was an exploratory and descriptive research project, and the questions addressed were (1) How are first-line nurse administrators in academe formally educated and informally prepared for their administrative role? (2) What are the administrative competencies important for this administrative role? (3) What strains, conflicts, and work overload are associated with the first-line administrative role, and what strategies are used to cope? (4) What do these administrators anticipate as a career pattern in administration based on their experiences as first-line administrators? Fifty-six first-line nurse administrators were interviewed from 42 schools of nursing that offer both bachelor's degree and graduate nursing programs. Data indicated that one third of the study participants completed graduate level courses in administration, and the majority had worked with administrative mentors. They ranked having character and integrity as their most important competency, which was defined as being trusted by faculty, other administrators, and students. Settling priorities for their administrative work caused them their greatest strain, and work overload was most predominant. Role conflict was present consistently as they attempted to meet the traditional triad of faculty responsibilities (research and scholarship, teaching, service) plus administrative duties. Numerous time-management strategies were used to cope, but nonetheless, one half will not continue in an administration career pathway. Implications for academic nurse administrators are cited.

Financial techniques for evaluating equipment acquisitions.

The author explains various financial techniques that can be used to evaluate equipment acquisitions. She also introduces the concept of the time value of money and explains how incorporating this concept into the analysis can provide nurse executives with a better perspective of the factors involved in committing organizational funds to long-term capital purchases.

Administrative fellowship. A bridge to success.

The transition from graduate administration student to nurse manager is difficult. One method of easing the transition is an administrative fellowship program. An administrative fellowship serves as a bridge between graduate education and management practice by providing the fellow with a supportive environment in which to operationalize theoretical knowledge. For the nursing department, it can be an effective way to recruit and select talented nurse managers for a challenging position.

Nursing administration model for administrative practice.

The winds of change have swept in a new era for nursing. Complex decisions can be aided by a conceptual model for nursing administration practice. The authors discuss how the Iowa Model of Nursing Administration can be used by nurse administrators to solve administrative problems. Two practical examples are described.

Predicting the marginal cost of direct nursing care for newborns.

The author describes a study on the cost of nursing care for newborns using cost functions. A sample of 70 institutions in New Jersey were studied during a 2-year period. The models explained 95% of the variation of nursing costs in the study population. This information can be used by nurse executives to more appropriately make decisions about optimal unit size and the profitability of certain services.