How other members of the top management team see the nurse executive.

This study compared how top-level organizational groups within Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) top management teams perceived nurse executives' participation in strategic decision making. Nurse executives' perceptions of their own involvement in strategic decision making generally agreed with the views of both chiefs of staff and directors. However, the associate director's perceptions of the nurse executive's involvement often differed significantly with those of the nurse. Nurse executives will be better prepared to function effectively within the top management team if they are aware of patterns in how they are perceived by other members.