The evaluation of a clinical development unit leadership preparation program by focus group interviews – Part I: positive aspects

Abstract

In 1996, in Western Sydney, Australia, the Area Health Service and the University of Western Sydney entered a strategic alliance to develop a nursing research culture in the health services. One of the strategies implemented to achieve this was the establishment of a network of research-receptive environments known as Clinical Development Units (CDUs). At the time, however, evidence suggested that research receptivity will only develop in units where the leadership style is permissive and participatory; evidence also suggested that the successful establishment of CDUs hinged critically on the effective management of CDU leadership stressors. In light of this, it was agreed to conduct a CDU Leadership Preparation Program in Western Sydney. The aim of the program was to equip CDU leaders with the participatory leadership skills required to develop and manage their units. It was anticipated that the acquisition of these leadership skills would, in turn, help them minimise the leadership stressors to which they could expect to become subject. This paper provides details of the first CDU leadership preparation course: how participants were selected, the aims of the course and its content. It focuses, however, on a discussion of the positive evaluative data harvested through 2 focus group interviews which were conducted 5 months following participants' successful completion of the program. A second paper focuses on the more negative evaluative data, 2 themes which unexpectedly emerged during data analysis and how the current program has been modified in light of this data.