Abstract

THE NEED TO ADVANCE CLINICAL inquiry is paramount in today's rapidly evolving healthcare environment, coupled with an exponential growth of healthcare-related knowledge. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, with its emphasis on Accountable Care Organizations, requires healthcare institutions to determine the best approaches for delivering high-quality care while using resources judiciously.1 Nurses must work to the full extent of their education to fulfill these requirements and become complete partners in redesigning the healthcare system, as noted in the Institute of Medicine's landmark Future of Nursing report.