Nurse leaders are held accountable for staffing decisions and quality outcomes, sometimes without proper decision support tools. A nursing services dashboard can provide information to guide staffing decisions for positive outcomes. The authors examine the sources, attributes, and uses of administrative data to assist nurse leaders to make informed decisions in selecting data for inclusion in their nursing services dashboard.

Success for first-time takers of the NCLEX-RN has implications for the students, faculty, and nursing programs. As the passing standard for the NCLEX-RN has risen, some programs have experienced a corresponding decrease in their graduates' first-time pass rates. This article describes one baccalaureate program's journey from low first-time NCLEX-RN pass rates in 2001 to greater student and program success using a data-based, analytical approach. Although passing an exit exam was a program requirement for 20 years, the change to computerized testing and more in-depth test preparation has enhanced opportunities for success for students and reduced stress among faculty. The resulting best practices for preparing students for NCLEX-RN success are described.

Success for first-time takers of the NCLEX-RN has implications for the students, faculty, and nursing programs. As the passing standard for the NCLEX-RN has risen, some programs have experienced a corresponding decrease in their graduates' first-time pass rates. This article describes one baccalaureate program's journey from low first-time NCLEX-RN pass rates in 2001 to greater student and program success using a data-based, analytical approach. Although passing an exit exam was a program requirement for 20 years, the change to computerized testing and more in-depth test preparation has enhanced opportunities for success for students and reduced stress among faculty. The resulting best practices for preparing students for NCLEX-RN success are described.

Zotero is a powerful free personal bibliographic manager (PBM) for writers. Use of a PBM allows the writer to focus on content, rather than the tedious details of formatting citations and references. Zotero 2.0 (http://www.zotero.org) has new features including the ability to synchronize citations with the off-site Zotero server and the ability to collaborate and share with others. An overview on how to use the software and discussion about the strengths and limitations are included.