Envisioning and implementing new directions for health care.

Across the entire health sector, federal analysts indicate that in 2006 approximately $2.1 trillion were spent on health care, over $7,000 per person. With expenditures at this level, it is no surprise that people are asking whether the public receives value commensurate with the financial investment. While strides are being made on a number of quality of care fronts, given the financial resources being consumed, overall forward momentum is glacial. Educating the public is a particular challenge given amplified sound bites and attack ads designed to preserve the status quo. All of this underscores that nursing has a role not just in implementing new directions in health care but envisioning them as well.