Unit-based education: meeting the needs of staff nurses in the '90s.

Staff development is an integral component of nursing and plays a vital role in the development and maintenance of nursing competency. Currently, nursing staff development departments are facing reductions in size due to financial concerns of the institutions. These reductions in size result in decreased educational support available to each staff nurse at the unit level. This article will discuss the history of nursing staff development, as well as an innovative way to meet current educational needs of staff nurses.