Most importantly, ask competing firm to describe their plan to integrate nurse into the design process. Some firms actually employ nurses who work with the designers in their interface with the hospital’s nurse, so request information as to the actual roles that nurse consultant and your own nurse will assume in the design process. The nurse executive must evaluate the proposed design team’s recognition of the value of nurse as essential partners in the design process and select firms that not only articulate an appreciation of nurse in design, but also demonstrate evidence of nurses involvement and contributions in past designs.