OBJECTIVE The purpose of this qualitative research study was to ascertain which nurse behaviors a subsection of adults 50 years and older who had had a recent inpatient admission believed conveyed nurse listening. BACKGROUND Listening by nurses has been identified as one of the factors with the greatest impact on patients' overall rating of their hospital experience. The behaviors of nurses that lead to patients' perceptions that listening has occurred have been unexamined, thus hampering attempts at improvement. METHODS Because of lack of literature support, a qualitative study using interpretative phenomenological analysis was undertaken to elicit a rich description of patients' lived experiences related to nurse listening behaviors. RESULTS Study participants provided specific behaviors, both verbal and nonverbal, which led them to believe the nurse was either listening or not. These perceptions affected their sense of safety and ability to trust. CONCLUSIONS Embracing these described behaviors could significantly impact patients' safety and recovery.

The aim of this study was to describe the evidence-based practice (EBP) attributes among California nurse leaders who are members of a professional nursing organization. BACKGROUND: Nurse leaders are pivotal for successful EBP implementation. The Association of California Nurse Leaders' (ACNL) mission to equip nurses to lead self, others, and systems propelled them to conduct a study of members' EBP beliefs, knowledge, competencies, and implementation. METHODS: Evidence-based practice attributes of California nurse leaders were measured using valid and reliable scales via an anonymous, electronic survey. RESULTS: Although ahead in the subjective EBP scales, California nurse leaders' perceptions of organizational EBP culture were comparable with those of a similar national sample. Scores still indicated opportunities for improvement.