Strengthening the capacity of nursing leaders through multifaceted professional development initiatives: A mixed method evaluation of the 'Take The Lead' program.

Background: Effective nursing leadership is necessary for the delivery of safe, high quality healthcare. Yet experience and research tells us that nursing leaders are commonly unprepared for their roles. Take The Lead (TTL), a large-scale, multifaceted professional development program was initiated in New South Wales, Australia, to strengthen the capacity of Nursing/Midwifery Unit Managers (N/MUMs).