Includes bibliographical references and index.

Contents: Your professional identity -- Coping with returning to school -- What is theory? -- Evolution and use of formal nursing knowledge -- Models for health and illness -- Evidence-based practice -- Effective communication -- Working with groups -- Critical thinking -- Teaching-learning process -- Leadership -- Management in organizations -- Change -- Professional ethics -- Managing and providing care -- Healthy initiatives for at-risk populations -- Quality health care -- Informatics and computer use -- Health-care economics -- Protecting the populace -- The Politically active nurse: an imperative -- Nursing's health-care agenda -- Expanding the vision --