Key Findings:

• Opinion leaders rate doctors and nurses first and second out of a list of options for trusted information about health and health care.
• Opinion leaders say government and insurance executives will have a great deal of influence in health reform during the next 5–10 years.
• Opinion leaders perceive patients and nurses to have the least amount of influence in health reform in the next 5–10 years.
• Opinion leaders say reducing medical errors and increasing the quality of care are two areas where nurses now have a great deal of influence in policy and management.
• Relatively few opinion leaders say nurses currently have a great deal of influence in increasing access to care, including primary care.
• Reducing medical errors, increasing quality of care, and promoting wellness top the list of areas in which large majorities of opinion leaders would like nurses to have more influence.
• Opinion leaders identified top barriers to nurses’ increased influence and leadership as not being perceived as important decision makers or revenue generators compared with doctors; nurses’ focus on primary rather than preventive care, and nursing not having a single voice in speaking on national issues.
• Opinion leaders’ suggestions for nurses to take on more of a leadership role: make their voices heard and have higher expectations.