The principles of action research were used to identify the reasons for substandard patient care in two long-term care facilities in Quebec; then, a 20-hour inservice education course for nurse managers at the facilities was developed, presented, and evaluated. Fifteen nurse managers (1 director of nursing, 12 health care managers, and 2 nurse clinicians) who volunteered for the study completed a learning needs assessment to identify their work-related values and gaps in their managerial and clinical expertise and self-efficacy. The nurses then participated in 10 2-hour training sessions that were designed on the basis of the needs assessment and ongoing discussions. At the end of the 10-week course, participants completed 2-hour written evaluations. One month later, they participated in a learning circle and responded to trigger questions to validate the evaluation findings. The course was credited with effecting changes in the participants' values and behaviors that in turn resulted in improved practice on the part of personnel in their units. (Contains 21 references. Appended are the student information forms, questionnaires, supervisor nurse rating forms, and follow-up questionnaires used in the study along with French translations of a nurse rating sheet and the study conclusions.) (MN)