Advancing the use of evidence-based practice is dependent on a commitment from the highest levels of nursing leadership within an organization and on the strength of the professional leadership at the unit level. The nurse executive leadership team at Franklin Square Hospital Center has the commitment and structure and through a partnership with the University of Maryland School of Nursing created a professional development program designed for unit level professional nurse leaders. This program focuses on creating a safe learning lab where unit leaders can acquire and demonstrate the competencies of professional leadership using evidence. The educational model includes the use of case based scenarios requiring the identification, evaluation, synthesis, and implementation of evidenced based solutions and changes. This approach will give unit level professional leadership a safe learning experience to strengthen the unit leader's capacity to serve as a role model and champion of change in their unit's practice. The partnership between the Hospital and the School of Nursing has allowed for the hospital to customize targeted scenarios to leverage the desired change in specialized areas. This partnership recognizes that nursing leadership at the unit level has the biggest impact on what patient care decisions are made and how care is delivered. Enhancing the competencies in professional leadership and use of evidence at the unit level improves the contributions to the practice governance structures and models the use of evidence that is the hallmark of professional practice. The challenge for all organizations is to create synergy between the executive leadership and the unit level leaders for advancing the use of evidence in practice. This professional development program was developed to close the gap and equip practicing nurses with the knowledge and skills to effect the changes that are needed to shift professional nursing practice in current settings of care.