Transforming a Practice Environment Through Caring-Based Nursing Leadership

Today's tumultuous healthcare environment presents many challenges for nurse leaders. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010 has been designed to restructure a system of healthcare in America that is both fragmented and financially unsustainable. A key part of the new legislation and the accompanying changes in reimbursement is a focus on care that is more patient-centered with an emphasis on value over volume.1 Historically, this has not been a priority in healthcare, especially in long-term mental health facilities where staff often lose sight of the needs of individual patients. This article presents a journey that began in 2009 by a nursing leadership team at a 355-bed mental health facility in South Florida to transform the practice environment through caring-based nursing leadership. Our lessons learned are presented along with implications for other nurse leaders about a need to practice leadership through the lens of caring.