Aim: The aim was to explore first line nurse managers' experiences of opportunities and obstacles to support evidence-based nursing.

Design: A qualitative study with a phenomenographical approach.

Method: Data were collected through focus group interviews with 15 first line nurse managers' in four settings.

Results: The results are presented in four categories of description headed: Manage the everyday work vs. evidence-based nursing; Uncertainties about evidence-based nursing and nursing research; Time as a reality, as an approach; and Shaping awareness-towards an active approach to evidence-based nursing. The overarching category of description has been formulated as follows: The internal relation-how active leadership influences evidence-based nursing. The outcome space is presented as: The individual path-how to make vision and reality become a working entity around evidence-based nursing.