title: Against the odds: experiences of nurse leaders in Clinical Development Units (Nursing) in Australia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This paper is a report of a longitudinal study to develop an understanding of the phenomena of Clinical Development Unit (Nursing) leadership by exploring the experiences of the nurse leaders of nine Australian units as they attempted to develop their existing wards or units into recognized centres of nursing excellence.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The concept of Clinical Development Unit (Nursing) in Australia originated in the British Nursing Development Unit movement, which has been widely credited with introducing innovative approaches to developing nurses and nursing. A network of nine Clinical Development Units (Nursing) was set up in a suburban area health service in Australia. The aim was to develop existing wards or units into centres of excellence by disseminating a new vision for Australian nurses that was based on the pioneering work of the British Nursing Development Unit movement.
  
  
  METHODS
  Principles of Heideggerian hermeneutic phenomenology provided a framework for the study. Nine Clinical Development Unit (Nursing) leaders participated in qualitative interviews from 1998 to 2002. These interviews were transcribed into text and thematically analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Despite attempts to implement a variety of measures to nurture these Clinical Development Units (Nursing) until they had become well established, the new Clinical Development Unit (Nursing) leaders were unable to maintain the Clinical Development Unit (Nursing) vision with which they had been entrusted. This paper discusses their reactions to the problems they faced and the new understandings they developed of their Clinical Development Unit (Nursing) role over time.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings illuminate the difficulties involved in maintaining the commitment of all levels of staff and management when attempting to introduce new nursing projects.
authors: Diabetes Centre, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, and School of Nursing, College of Health and Science, University of Western Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. c.atsalos@uws.edu.au
authors: Christine
authors: C
authors: Atsalos
authors: Louise
authors: L
authors: O'Brien
authors: Debra
authors: D
authors: Jackson
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001315:Australia; D005260:Female; D006757:Hospital Units / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007857:Leadership; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009729:Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009745:Nursing, Supervisory / Q000458:organization & administration; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D018802:Patient-Centered Care / Q000458:organization & administration