This comprehensive text explores the philosophy that all nurses are leaders who use creative decision making, entrepreneurship, and life-long learning to create a work environment that is efficient, cost-effective, and committed to quality care. Broad and comprehensive coverage encompasses leadership and management theories and processes by synthesizing information from nursing, health care, general administration and management, and leadership literature. Activities teach them how to research decision-making data (participatory action research process) and analyze and make reliable choices in managing their work environment. Theory-based, scholarly yet practical, this is the most comprehensive and engaging baccalaureate text on the market! KEY FEATURES *Views the nurse as a proactive decision maker and problem solver engaged in critical thinking. *Encourages active learning by participation in current research and analysis of literature. *Uses research briefs throughout various chapters to help the student with application to practice and evidence based practice. *Features examples, case studies, vignettes, and best practices developed by leading experts and practicing nurses from across care settings and specialties to illustrate theory application. *Includes a broad range of pedagogy chapter objectives, discussion questions, individual and group interactive learning exercises, glossary of common terms, chapter summaries, reference list, and bibliographies.