Book excerpt: This comprehensive text explores the philosophy that all nurses are leaders who use creative decision making, entrepreneurship, and life-long learning to create a work environment that is efficient, cost-effective, and committed to quality care. Broad and comprehensive coverage encompasses leadership and management theories and processes by synthesizing information from nursing, health care, general administration and management, and leadership literature. Activities teach them how to research decision-making data (participatory action research process) and analyze and make reliable choices in managing their work environment. Theory-based, scholarly yet practical, this is the most comprehensive and engaging baccalaureate text on the market.