Nursing needs a variety of innovations to improve clinical effectiveness. The present study tries to understand the sorts of innovations that have been made and their applicability so that policy can be made to encourage more innovative behaviors.

Nurses who had produced or published any innovations during 1997 and 2006 were enrolled into the study. They were asked to complete the questionnaires on the sorts of innovation they had made as well as their personal assessment. Among 114 questionnaires sent, 72 (63.2%)were collected. The results showed that 30 innovations (41.7%) were made onto medical equipment or commodities, 23 (32%)were released by oral presentation, poster or publication, 6 (8.3%) were carried into clinical trials, and 1 (1.39%)got patented. Among them, 58 (80.6%)were still kept in use by the initiators, 32 (44.4%)were developed further into other intra-hospital settings, 8(11.1%) were mimicked by other hospitals, and 9(12.5%) were still being renovated. Clinical efficacy was accountable in 28 (38.9%) to save manpower, in 16 to save goods consumption, in 26 to curb cost, and in 40 to make some other benefits. The average scores for their opinions in the establishment of an innovation encouraging system were 3.59, revealing an ambiguous, neither-for-nor-against attitude. Awarding system is the most favored (3.69), and the chance to participate in policy making is the least favored (3.56). These results may direct us to a more feasible decision making if such a system will be made in the future.