<p>FOR THE government's clinical governance agenda to become a reality, all nurses must be equipped with the skills to appraise critically the quality of research evidence and evaluate the quality of the care they deliver. These skills are not only essential to deliver the government's agenda, but increasingly healthcare professionals are coming Into contact with members of the public who are presenting themselves armed with the latest 'evidence' that they have downloaded from the Internet. Nurses must have the requisite knowledge and skills to help these individuals appraise the quality of this information. As more nurses develop these skills, many, frustrated by the gaps in the knowledge base for practice, are further developing their skills to undertake research themselves and generate new knowledge.</p>