Total quality improvement according to hospital nursing executives.

Total quality management (TQM) is certainly a hot topic in health care today. The Department of Veterans Affairs is not alone in launching the quality movement in their hospitals. The question is, can it succeed. The success of total quality lies in the commitment of the organizations' leaders. Nursing leadership has yet to be studied regarding TQM implementation. Nursing performs a vital role in hospitals, and if nursing leaders are opposed to total quality, then it is highly unlikely that the philosophy will succeed. This study is designed to measure the attitudes and perceptions of VA nursing chiefs regarding the total quality improvement (TQI) process.