For decades there have been calls for nurses to be more innovative in order to address the challenges of scarce resources, continuous change, expanding knowledge and global workforce shortages. Innovation in practice requires innovation in education. This paper provides examples of nursing innovation that reveal the importance of dialogue between nurse educators and nurse clinicians. They involve people who were prepared to explore new ways of thinking about nursing education and practice. Nurse managers can facilitate innovation by providing an environment in which creativity is valued and encouraged.