Diana Mason's question "Which Nurse Do You Want?" is not so much about the nurse's education but rather her or his bedside experience, or lack thereof. Critical thinking cannot be taught in the classroom; it can be gained only through experience. Nurses need experience on all shifts to know how to manage a floor before advancing their education. Students are not prepared to work in the very demanding, constantly changing, cost-conscious environment that I encounter in every shift. Nurses should have at least five years of bedside experience on all shifts before pursuing management positions. I encounter too many inexperienced nursing managers making decisions they are unqualified to make, usually based on cost and not on the patients' best interests.

Virginia R. Summe, RN

Cincinnati, OH