title: Nurse responses to re-tooling practice, education, and management roles.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this article is to report the results of a survey conducted by one of the nine Area Health Education Centers in North Carolina to inform regional work force planning by ascertaining nurses' views of the need to re-tool for practice, education, and management roles.
  
  
  METHODS
  A work force planning group represented by nursing service and education surveyed 1,050 nurses. Four hundred thirty-two (41%) nurses responded: 87% believed they needed to re-tool and 92% were willing to do so.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Critical thinking was rated as very important to nurse managers, staff RNs, and LPNs, and educators rated teaching as the area most in need of re-tooling.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nurses are clearly interested in re-tooling. Staff development, continuing education, and degree programs can respond to this willingness.
authors.affiliation: Carolina Women's Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 27599, USA.
authors.forename: D K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Kjervik
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Leonard
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing / Q000592:standards* / Q000639:trends; D005181:Faculty, Nursing / Q000600:supply & distribution; D006801:Humans; D007587:Job Description; D020380:Needs Assessment / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009657:North Carolina; D009718:Nurse Administrators / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology* / Q000600:supply & distribution / Q000639:trends; D024802:Nurse's Role; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology* / Q000600:supply & distribution / Q000639:trends; D009743:Nursing, Practical / Q000193:education* / Q000639:trends; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling / Q000592:standards; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D000078329:Workforce