A theory development role for nurse administrators.

Nurse administrators can formulate useful theories while solving the complex problems of practice. An awareness of the mental perspective that frames one's thoughts about experiences can aid in theory development. Examples are developed to illustrate how different mental perspectives lead to different theories, decisions, and outcomes. It is argued that a system perspective, when used as an aid for conceptualizing experiences, will assist nursing administrators in developing theories that address their comprehensive sphere of activity and influence.