title: Improving nursing practice and patient care: building capacity with appreciative inquiry.
abstract: Appreciative inquiry is a philosophy and methodology for promoting positive organizational change. Nursing leaders at 6 community hospitals are partnering with the authors on a project that uses appreciative inquiry to improve communication and collaboration, to increase nurse involvement in decision making, and to enhance cultural awareness and sensitivity. In this article, the authors describe appreciative inquiry, how hospitals are using it, and the initial lessons learned.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-77460, USA. dhavens@email.unc.edu
authors.forename: Donna Sullivan
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Havens
authors.forename: Susan O
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Wood
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Leeman
mesh_terms: D003142:Communication; D006764:Hospitals, Community; D006801:Humans; D009732:Nursing Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology*; D010687:Philosophy, Nursing; D011787:Quality of Health Care