Do clinical nurse specialists and nursing unit managers believe that the provision of quality care is important?

The nursing profession has a long tradition of evaluating the quality of its product in order to ensure that the best possible care can be given. However, in the climate of economic rationalism which prevails worldwide, it is possible that the emphasis on fiscal restraint has distracted nurses from their previous focus on quality. This paper discusses the findings of two research studies designed to determine the competencies expected of nursing unit managers and clinical nurse specialists. Discussion focuses specifically on their roles in the provision of quality care.