Traditional values and attitudes still influence current nursing practice although the role of the nurse at all levels is changing. Nurses are under great pressure to improve the quality of patient care and to make their service more responsive to individual needs. The process of this change is not without its own problems and until now, little guidance has been offered to nurses on how to implement patient-centred care within current clinical practice. Drawing on some unique action research with many real life examples, Freedom to Practise identifies practical strategies for making step-by-step changes and improvements to patient care irrespective of specialty. It: includes comprehensive insight into the changing culture of ward life; helps the nurse to analyse current practice and effectively implement changes; presents strategies for the development of patient-centred practice on the ward; and serves as an essential guide for nurses of all levels who wish to develop their careers in nursing. 'Within the context of my thirty plus years of experience in this particular field, I have never read a more thorough, more interesting, or more practical discussion of the practice development process.' - Marie Manthey.