Gather information.:Problem solving begins with collecting facts.
This information gath- ering initiates a search for additional facts that provides clues to the scope and solution of the problem. This step encourages people to report facts accurately. Everyone involved can contribute. Although this may not always provide objective information, it reduces misin- formation and allows everyone an opportunity to tell what he or she thinks is wrong with a situation.
Experience is another source of information—one’s own experience as well as the experience of other nurse managers and staff. The people involved usually have ideas about what should be done. Some data will be useless, some inaccurate, but some will be useful to develop innovative ideas worth pursuing.