In 2004, Vanderbilt Medical Center developed an initiative to improve the culture of the organization. The objective was to take already good performers and transform them into great performers in the areas of service to patients, clinical quality, staff and faculty satisfaction, growth, and finance. The surgical intensive care unit (ICU) chose the Vanderbilt pillar goals—People, Service, Quality, Growth, and Finance—as our goals to improve our performance from good to great.

In 2005, I began a 2-year research internship program led by Dr Nancy Wells. In this program we learned how to enhance our skills in evidence-based practice. We wrote abstracts, made poster presentations, and listened to professionals from throughout the hospital on how to enhance our research abilities as nurses. The goal for the second year was to implement a research project in our unit. With the eager support of our manager, followed by a discussion with the other...

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