The objective of this study was to assess the validity of the hypothesis th
at a self-managing nurse team can successfully combine traditional caring,
expanded nursing and modern management roles and that morale among team mem
bers will be high. The study comprised a 15-month longitudinal case study o
f eleven members of a day surgery nursing team at a newly established day s
urgery unit in a district general hospital. The main outcome measures were
as follows. Morale: sickness absence statistics, results of staff surveys.
Caring role: patient satisfaction survey results. Expanded nurse role: day
case activity performance indicators. Management role: financial performanc
e measures. Morale in the day surgery team was higher than average for hosp
ital staff. The results of patient satisfaction surveys were overwhelmingly
positive. Day case activity performance improved to that of the top percen
tile for Scotland. Financial performance targets were exceeded. The day sur
gery team successfully combined caring, expanded nursing and management rol
es and staff morale was higher than hospital average.