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Research Nurse

What Is a Research Nurse?

Research nurses conduct scientific research into various aspects of health, including illnesses, treatment plans, pharmaceuticals and healthcare methods, with the ultimate goals of improving healthcare services and patient outcomes. Also known as nurse researchers, research nurses design and implement scientific studies, analyze data and report their findings to other nurses, doctors and medical researchers. A career path that requires an advanced degree and additional training in research methodology and tools, research nurses play a critical role in developing new, potentially life-saving medical treatments and practices.

How to Become a Research Nurse

A highly specialized career path, becoming a nurse researcher requires an advanced degree and training in informatics and research methodology and tools. Often, research nurses enter the field as research assistants or clinical research coordinators. The first step for these individuals, or for any aspiring advanced practice nurse, is to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from an accredited school and pass the NCLEX-RN exam. Once a nurse has completed their degree and attained an RN license , the next step in becoming a research nurse is to complete a Master's of Science in Nursing program with a focus on research and writing. MSN-level courses best prepare nurses for a career in research, and usually include coursework in statistics, research for evidence-based practice, design and coordination of clinical trials, and advanced research methodology.

A typical job posting for a research nurse position would likely include the following qualifications, among others specific to the type of employer and location:

• MSN degree and valid RN license
• Experience conducting clinical research, including enrolling patients in research studies, implementing research protocol and presenting findings
• Excellent attention to detail required in collecting and analyzing data
• Strong written and verbal communication skills for interacting with patients and reporting research findings
• Experience in grant writing a plus

To search and apply for current nurse researcher positions, visit our job boards .

What Are the Schooling Requirements for Research Nurses?

The majority of nurse researchers have an advanced nursing degree, usually an MSN and occasionally a PhD in Nursing . In addition to earning an RN license, research nurses need to obtain specialized training in informatics, data collection, scientific research and research equipment as well as experience writing grant proposals, research reports and scholarly articles. Earning a PhD is optional for most positions as a research nurse, but might be required to conduct certain types of research.

Are Any Certifications or Credentials Needed?

Aside from a higher nursing degree, such as an MSN or PhD in Nursing, and an active RN license, additional certifications are often not required for work as a research nurse. However, some nurse researcher positions prefer candidates who have earned the Certified Clinical Research Professional (CCRP) certification offered by the Society for Clinical Research Associates . In order to be eligible for this certification, candidates must have a minimum of two years' experience working in clinical research. The Association of Clinical Research Professionals also offers several certifications in clinical research, including the Clinical Research Associate Certification, the Clinical Research Coordinator Certification and the Association of Clinical Research Professionals – Certified Professional Credential. These certifications have varying eligibility requirements but generally include a number of hours of professional experience in clinical research and an active RN license. Here’s a breakdown for the various certifications you can get as a research nurse:

What Does a Research Nurse Do?

A research nurse studies various aspects of the healthcare industry with the ultimate goal of improving patient outcomes. Nurse researchers have specialized knowledge of informatics, scientific research and data collection and analysis, in addition to their standard nursing training and RN license. Nurse researchers often design their own studies, secure funding, implement their research and collect and analyze their findings. They may also assist in the recruitment of study participants and provide direct patient care for participants while conducting their research. Once a research project has been completed, nurse researchers report their findings to other nurses, doctors and medical researchers through written articles, research reports and/or industry speaking opportunities.

Where Do Research Nurses Work?

Nurse researchers work in a variety of settings, including:

• Medical research organizations
• Research laboratories
• Universities
• Pharmaceutical companies

What Are the Roles and Duties of a Research Nurse?

• Design and implement research studies
• Observe patient care of treatment or procedures, and collect and analyze data, including managing databases
• Report findings of research, which may include presenting findings at industry conferences, meetings and other speaking engagements
• Write grant applications to secure funding for studies
• Write articles and research reports in nursing or medical professional journals or other publications
• Assist in the recruitment of participants for studies and provide direct patient care for participants

Research Nurse Salary & Employment

The Society of Clinical Research Associates reported a median salary for research nurses of $72,009 in their SoCRA 2015 Salary Survey , one of the highest-paying nursing specializations in the field. Salary levels for nurse researchers can vary based on the type of employer, geographic location and the nurse's education and experience level. Healthcare research is a growing field, so the career outlook is bright for RNs interested in pursuing an advanced degree and a career in research. Here’s a full range of salaries you can expect as a research nurse, according to ZipRecruiter.

Helpful Organizations, Societies, and Agencies

• National Institute of Nursing Research
• Council for the Advancement of Nursing Science
• International Association of Clinical Research Nurses
• Nurse Researcher Magazine

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How to Become a Research Nurse

4 min read • April, 28 2023

Are you looking for a new challenge in your nursing career? Whether you're just starting out or you're an experienced nurse, there are many nursing career paths from which to choose. Neonatal or dialysis nursing, for example, let you expand your knowledge within a specific discipline. Clinical research nursing, on the other hand, offers the opportunity to help conduct clinical trials for developing and testing new treatments, medications, and procedures.

Becoming a nurse researcher can be incredibly satisfying if you want to enhance your medical knowledge, expand therapeutic options for patients, and enjoy face-to-face care.

What Does a Research Nurse Do?

Clinical research nurses are on the front lines of medical innovation, helping research teams test the latest treatments and procedures. The role of a research nurse may vary daily depending on specific studies or trials in which you're participating. You can generally expect a mix of patient care, academic reporting, and record maintenance.

Some studies call for higher levels of patient interaction. You may interview patients before a new procedure or monitor, record, and report their progress after they've received an experimental treatment. Research nurses must often supervise patients to ensure they follow the study protocols correctly.

Besides patient interactions, a clinical research nurse may be responsible for writing reports or study results, submitting and publishing studies in medical journals, or presenting research findings at a medical conference.

What Studies Do Clinical Research Nurses Participate In?

Medical research is either quantitative or qualitative. As a clinical research nurse, you may participate in both. Quantitative studies focus on results that can be empirically measured, such as statistics. Qualitative studies, like case studies, are more holistic and help you better understand a question or issue from all angles.

Most clinical research is quantitative. For instance, a quantitative study of a new surgical procedure might measure how many days it takes a patient to recover compared to the previous method. Qualitative research, on the other hand, might focus on better understanding how cultural norms in a particular population affect their decision to get vaccines.

What Experience and Education Are Required?

The role of a research nurse isn't an entry-level position and typically requires extensive studies, which may include job-specific courses and additional nursing certifications. Due to the time involved in becoming a nurse researcher, you usually won't find many nursing professionals in this role early on in their careers. If you're interested in pursuing a position as a clinical nurse researcher, it's wise to start planning in advance.

Besides your licensure as a registered nurse (RN), you may want an advanced nursing degree such as a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). Not every research nursing job will require an advanced degree. However, some employers prefer them, so having one can make it easier to get work.

Advanced degrees typically require a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) as a prerequisite. If you plan to get one, you'll need to take a longer path to get an RN degree or go back to school for your BSN before pursuing the necessary degrees for clinical research nursing. Some programs offer an accelerated program that combines BSN and MSN degrees.

Depending on your position or employer, you may also need specialized training in clinical research methodology and a certification from the Association of Clinical Research Professionals . To obtain a certificate, you must demonstrate as many as 3,000 hours (the equivalent of eighteen months of full-time work) of relevant work in human subject research within the last ten years. If you meet that requirement, you'll also need to take an exam before receiving your clinical research nurse certification.

How Long Does It Take to Become a Nurse Researcher?

Becoming a clinical research nurse can take ten years or more, depending on how much education and work experience you decide to pursue before applying for your first research position. If you intend to maximize your education and subsequent hiring possibilities, this comprehensive timeline outlines the steps you might consider:

• Years 1–4: Obtain a BSN degree, typically issued as a standard four-year degree.
• Year 4: Get licensed by taking the NCLEX-RN exam for registered nurses.
• (Optional) Years 5–7: Obtain an MSN degree. This program typically takes up to three years to complete.
• (Optional) Years 5–9: Obtain a Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (Ph.D.) degree, which can take three to five years to complete.
• 2+ years of work experience: Whether you go directly from your BSN to your MSN or work in the field before pursuing an advanced degree, you'll likely need to spend time working as a nurse before you can apply for a clinical research position. If seeking certification, you'll also need relevant work hours in human subject research, which can take several years to accrue.

Clinical Research Nurse Salary and Career Prospects

The demand and salary for clinical research nurses are strong. Nurses, in general, are in high demand, and an increasingly technological health care industry always needs nurses to develop new treatments and procedures. The salary for a clinical research nurse is higher than the average for RNs, and these specialists make around $90–100,000 per year on average.

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How to Become a Nurse Researcher

Are you ready to earn your online nursing degree?

how long to become

Degree required, job outlook.

Nurse researchers perform research or work with patients who are participating in medical research and ensure their wellbeing and gather data for the research project. If you enjoy research and caring for patients’ rights, are detail oriented, and want to apply your nursing expertise to make new discoveries, becoming a nurse researcher may be the right career for you. This guide describes how to become a nurse researcher.

What is a Nurse Researcher?

What do nurse researchers do? Nurse researchers work for hospitals, especially academic medical centers, and for research organizations. They may conduct original research on how to improve nursing practice, administrate research studies, or help to care for patients who are participating in research studies. Because most nurse researchers still work with patients, becoming a nurse researcher is an excellent career choice if you want to combine research and patient care. In addition to nurse researcher schooling, nursing knowledge, and nursing skills, you must have strong analytical skills, be able to analyze data and recognize patterns or unusual results, and be able to communicate with academics as well as patients.

Steps to Becoming a Nurse Researcher

The first step to become a nurse researcher is earning a nursing license. Different states have different requirements for this. However, the minimum nurse researcher degree for most jobs is an MSN, making nurse researcher school requirements more academically rigorous than other nursing jobs.

While you can become a nurse with just an ADN, a BSN degree is required for nurse researchers. Typically, this takes four years, but if you have an ADN, you can enroll in an RN-to-BSN program and if you have a bachelor’s degree in another subject, you can enroll in an accelerated BSN program . You will get more exposure to nurse researchers and careers if you attend a good nurse researcher school, such as one affiliated with a respected research hospital.

To receive your nursing license, you will need to pass the NCLEX-RN exam , a multi-hour multiple choice examination. The examination covers nursing practice, hygiene and infection prevention, communication, legal and ethical aspects of nursing , and other related topics.

Most MSN programs require or prefer at least two years experience in nursing. If you are interested in becoming a nurse researcher, you can use this time to explore possible specialties or different academic medical centers or other settings. This will help you pick a specialization in your MSN program. The MSN is the minimum nurse researcher degree for most jobs, though you may want to earn a DNP if you want to lead research studies, An MSN typically takes two years and a DNP two or more.

While certification is not a legal requirement, many employers prefer or require certification. You have different certification options as part of becoming a nurse researcher, but most research nurses have either a clinical research coordinator (CRC) or a certified clinical research associate (CCRA) credential. Both of these require at least 3,000 hours of experience in clinical research or a combination of academic study and experience.

Once you have earned certification, you have even more employment options. You may work for a hospital or health system, a medical device or pharmaceutical company, or in any setting where medical or healthcare research is performed.

Nurse Researcher Schooling

Because the minimum nurse researcher degree is an MSN, it will take most nurses at least eight years to become a nurse researcher (four years for a BSN, two years nursing experience, two years for an MSN). However, if you have an ADN or a bachelor’s degree in another field, you can earn a BSN or MSN more quickly.

To become a licensed nurse, you must have an ADN or BSN degree and pass the NCLEX-RN exam. Once you have your license, you can gain experience in nursing and in research hospitals or other research settings. If you have an ADN, AP credits, or other college credits, you may finish faster.

• Admission Requirements: Most BSN programs require at least a 3.0 GPA, at least two references, the ability to pass a background check (each state has different regulations on what kind of criminal convictions might disqualify you), and a completed application, including an essay.
• Program Curriculum: Your program will include classes on practical nursing, basic nursing research and evidence-based practices, the healthcare system, communication, legal and ethical aspects of nursing, public health, and disease and injury prevention. You will also complete clinical hours working in a healthcare setting.
• Time to Complete: Most BSN degrees take at least four years, but if you have applicable credits, you may be able to finish sooner. Most accelerated or bridge programs take at least one year.
• Skills Learned: You will be able to administer tests, including blood drawing for blood tests; take patient vital signs; record symptoms; read and update health records; help lift and move patients; and communicate effectively with patients and colleagues.

Becoming a nurse researcher requires at least an MSN, though many nurse researchers earn a DNP after earning an MSN. During your MSN program, you will learn more advanced research skills and how to conduct research, as well as more advanced nursing skills.

• Admission Requirements: Most MSN programs require at least a 3.0 GPA, with some requiring a 3.25 GPA, and at least two years of experience as a licensed nurse. You will also need references and an essay or personal statement as part of your application.
• Program Curriculum: An MSN includes more advanced courses in research and research methods, as well as more advanced courses in practical nursing, nursing leadership, and analyzing and applying evidence-based studies. Like a BSN, an MSN includes clinical hours.
• Time to Complete: Most MSN programs take at least two years of full-time study, though most programs will allow part-time students up to four years. If you know you want a DNP, you can enroll in an MSN-DNP program, which will take less time than both programs separately.
• Skills Learned: In addition to basic nursing practice, you will learn about diagnosis and prescribing treatments (though you will not be able to perform these unless you become an APRN), advanced research and research analysis, nurse leadership, healthcare management, and public health.

Doctor of Nursing Practice

A DNP is the terminal degree in nursing practice (that is, there is no higher degree). Unlike a Ph.D. which takes several years, a DNP usually takes two years of study. Many nurse researchers have a Ph.D., as a Ph.D. in nursing focuses more on research than a DNP program. However, many employers also hire DNPs for nurse researcher positions.

• Admission Requirements: An MSN (or enrollment in an MSN-DP program), at least a 3.0 GPA, references, and often some academic publications or other existing contribution to nursing literature or research.
• Program Curriculum: DNP programs have different tracks and the curriculum varies by track. Most nurse researcher degree programs will focus on research methods, evaluation and evidence-based practice, analytics and informatics, financial and cost-effectiveness analysis, as well as clinical hours and an original research thesis.
• Time to Complete: A DNP typically takes at least two years of full-time study. Most programs allow part-time students up to four years. A joint MSN-DNP usually takes three years.
• Skills Learned: You will be able to conduct original research, act as lead author on academic publications, analyze existing research at an expert level, and understand how to apply research to lead systems change.

Getting Licensed

Nurse researcher credentials.

Earning a nursing license is required for becoming a nurse researcher. Each state establishes its own licensing requirements, but all states require a nursing degree and passing the NCLEX-RN examination. Certification cannot be legally mandated the way that licensing can, but most employers require or prefer certification. Independent boards set the standards for certification, which include experience and/or education and passing an examination.

Certifications

• Certification demonstrates that you have a combination of experience and knowledge in a particular topic. Certification requirements are designed by independent professional organizations.
• Unlike a license, certification cannot be legally required, but employers may require certification.
• The Association of Clinical Research Professionals is the main certification organization for nurse researchers.
• Maintaining certification typically requires continued experience and continuing education from approved providers. These include academic courses, conferences, webinars, and approved professional reading (which often requires passing a test).
• You must have a nursing license to practice nursing, so becoming a nurse researcher requires earning a nursing license.
• Requirements vary by state. To earn a nursing license, you must have an ADN or BSN, pass the NCLEX-RN examination, and meet other state requirements, typically including a background check.
• You must maintain your license the same way you maintain certification, though continuing education and experience. You must also maintain a record without certain kinds of disciplinary action or criminal convictions.

Working as a Nurse Researcher

You can find a job as a nurse researcher through school career services, networking, recruiters, or finding jobs on job boards. The median annual salary for a nurse researcher is $82,000, according to Payscale . Nurse researchers work in a variety of settings, including:

Act as liaison between researchers and participating patients; monitor patient wellbeing during research studies; track patient data and results.

Medical Clinics

Educate participants on the study and what to expect; track patient progress and update records; act as patient advocate; report any side effects patients experience.

Research Laboratories

Educate participants; conduct tests and track results; monitor patient physical and emotional wellbeing; act as patient advocate.

Other settings

Nurse researchers may also work in pharmaceutical or medical device companies and academic medical centers.

Becoming a Nurse Researcher: FAQs

How many years does it take to become a nurse researcher.

Becoming a nurse researcher takes at least six years of school and two years of experience (four years for a BSN, two years of experience to apply for an MSN, two years for an MSN). You will need at least 3,000 hours of experience (or a combination of experience and education) to earn clinical research certification.

What is the quickest way to become a Nurse Researcher?

The quickest way to become a nurse researcher depends on your education and experience. If you do not have any college credits, it will take you about eight years (four years for a BSN, then two years of experience to apply to most MSN programs, then two years to earn an MSN). If you have an ADN or other college credits, you can finish faster. Additionally, some nurse researcher positions only require a BSN.

How hard is it to become a Nurse Researcher?

Becoming a nurse researcher takes excellent skills in data collection and analytics, statistics, analyzing and interpreting research, as well as good nursing skills. Nurse researchers must be especially observant, as part of their job is detecting possible side effects, and good communicators with patients and academics.

Do Nurse Researchers get paid well?

Nurse researchers earn a median annual $82,000, according to Payscale . This is approximately twice the national median salary in the United States. However, the minimum nurse researcher school requirement is an MSN, so early-career nurse researchers may have loan debt.

Learn More About Nurse Researchers

Nurse Researcher Career Overview

This guide provides information on nurse researcher responsibilities, career pathways, and salaries. Learn how to advance nursing through nursing research.

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How to Become a Nurse Researcher

Duties, responsibilities, requirements, certifications, job outlook, and salary.

There are a variety of nursing specialties that Registered Nurses (RNs) can pursue upon earning their license. Every nursing career has its own distinctive job responsibilities, work environments, and perks. There are also varying educational requirements depending on the position. In this article, we’ll take a look at the RNs that are finding new ways to save lives,  Nurse Researchers .

Nurse Researchers are highly trained nurses that conduct scientific research into various aspects of healthcare. Nurse Researchers create and implement scientific studies to improve healthcare services and patient outcomes.

(Click here to see our full list of  highest paying nursing careers )

For anyone looking to play a part in changing healthcare for the better, here’s a guide on  how to become a Nurse Researcher . With this guide, you will understand the role of a Nurse Researcher, their job responsibilities, educational requirements, job outlook, and salary.

Nurse Researcher Definition

What is a nurse researcher.

A Nurse Researcher is an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) that studies various aspects of healthcare and illness. It is their responsibility to apply the rigor of scientific research to discover new methods for improving healthcare services and outcomes.

Nurse Researchers have advanced training in scientific research and data collection in addition to their nursing training and certification.

Nurse Researcher: Job Description

What does a nurse researcher do.

As previously mentioned, Nurse Researchers design and implement scientific studies to improve healthcare services and patient outcomes. Their area of study within healthcare depends on their specialization and where they work. Some Nurse Researchers study diseases and illnesses, while others may study clinical trials to oversee a new treatment method or medication.

Nurse Researchers are also responsible for finding subjects that are best suited to participate in their studies. Upon completion of their study, it’s their responsibility to compile the data into a report to share with their immediate supervisors. Eventually, their research findings may also circulate to the larger healthcare community and public.

Nurse Researcher Jobs

Where do nurse researchers work.

Due to their high level of training and expertise, Nurse Researchers can work in a variety of healthcare settings. These include hospitals, research organizations, universities, and government agencies.

Some of the day-to-day responsibilities of Nurse Researchers include:

• Creating and implementing scientific research studies
• Supervising and observing patient care, treatments, or procedures
• Collecting and analyzing data and information throughout their study
• Compiling research findings into a report
• Presenting research outcomes to superiors
• Presenting results at conferences, meetings, and other speaking engagements
• Recruiting participants for studies

Nurse Researcher Schooling & Certification

How long does it take to become a nurse researcher, what degree do you need to be a nurse researcher.

Like many of the highest-paid nursing jobs, Nurse Researchers must be prepared to dedicate around 6 to 8 years towards higher education. Employers also favor candidates with sufficient experience in conducting clinical research. For that reason, many Nurse Researchers begin their careers as Research Assistants to gain enough experience for this highly specialized role.

Here are the steps required to become a Nurse Researcher:

1. Earn your Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree

The first step to becoming a Nurse Researcher is earning your BSN or Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree . A BSN program will take about three to four years to complete unless you’ve already earned your associate’s degree in nursing (ADN). Students who’ve already earned their ADN can enroll in an  RN-BSN program  which can be completed in as little as 20 months.

If you are a Licensed Vocational Nurse with an associate’s degree in vocational nursing (ASVN), you can also earn your BSN degree through an advanced placement option ( LVN to BSN ). This accelerated nursing program allows you to skip the first year (three semesters) of the BSN program.

2. Pass the NCLEX-RN exam

Once you’ve earned your BSN, you’ll have to pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) to earn your nursing license. With the NCLEX, you’ll be certified to enter the workforce as a Registered Nurse (RN).

(Click here to learn more about the NCLEX-RN examination )

3. Earn a Master’s or Doctoral degree

Earning a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or doctorate degree from an accredited institution is required to become a Nurse Researcher. An MSN degree is the most common graduate degree earned by Nurse Researchers. You may also obtain your Ph.D. from an accredited institution. Depending on the type of research, some Nurse Researcher positions may require a Ph.D.. MSN degrees usually take about 18–24 months to complete, while doctorate degrees typically require 2–3 years of full-time education.

4. Gain experience working in clinical research

In order to be eligible for a Nurse Researcher certification exam, you’ll have to gain experience working as an RN in clinical research. The Society for Clinical Research Associates (SOCRA) requires two years of practice as a full-time Registered Nurse conducting clinical research to be eligible for their exam.

The Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) also requires a requisite number of hours of professional experience working as a Nurse Researcher prior to sitting for many of their exams.   

5. Pass the Nurse Researcher Certification exam

Upon receiving your Master’s or Doctorate degree and completing your eligibility requirements, you may be required to earn a research certification for the position you wish to obtain. The Society for Clinical Research Associates (SOCRA) offers the Certified Clinical Research certification (CCRP).

The Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) offers several certifications in clinical research as well.

The eligibility requirements for each certification vary by exam. It’s crucial that you determine which certification is best for the position you are applying for and the career path you’d like to take.

Nurse Researcher Salary

How much do nurse researchers make.

Unfortunately, the Bureau of Labor Statistics does not report any specific data on income for Nurse Researchers. However, it does indicate the salary* range for Nurse Practitioners, which include Nurse Researchers. As of May 2021, Nurse Practitioners earned an average annual salary* of about $118,000 . The lowest 10 percent earned less than $80,000 and the highest 10 percent earned more than $163,000.

Highest Paying Industries for Nurse Researchers

According to the BLS , these are the industries where you’re most likely to find the top-paying jobs for Nurse Practitioners:

Highest Paying States for Nurse Researchers

According to the BLS , these are the states where you’re most likely to find the top-paying jobs for Nurse Practitioners:

Highest Paying Cities for Nurse Researchers

According to the BLS , these are the cities where you’re most likely to find the top-paying jobs for Nurse Practitioners:

What is the Job Outlook for Nurse Researchers?

According to the BLS , the overall employment of Nurse Practitioners (including Nurse Researchers) is projected to grow 45% from 2020 to 2030, which is much faster than the average for all occupations (8%).

APRNs, such as Nurse Researchers, will be increasingly utilized in team-based models of care. They will also be needed to care for and research the large, aging baby-boom population.

Nurse Researcher Career

Are you ready to start your career as a nurse researcher.

Although the educational requirements may be extensive, the boost in salary* and job outlook make up for the lost time.

Nurse Researchers have the unique opportunity to improve our healthcare system and patient outcomes. The job is perfect for anyone who feels passionate about using scientific research to change the world. The work they do has the potential to affect millions of lives.

If you feel ready to begin your journey as a Nurse Researcher, you can start by earning your BSN degree at Provo College. Click here to learn more about our  BSN program .

While this blog may occasionally contain information that relates to Provo College's programs or courses, the majority of information provided within this blog is for general informational purposes only and is not intended to represent the specific details of any educational offerings or opinions of Provo College.

*Please note that wage data provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) or other third-party sources may not be an accurate reflection of all areas of the country, may not account for the employees’ years of experience, and may not reflect the wages or outlook of entry-level employees, such as graduates of our program. (accessed on 4/5/2024)

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Research Nurse

By EveryNurse Staff on January 12, 2023

A Research Nurse is a professional member of a research team who provides direct patient care for participants in clinical trials. In these studies, volunteers take part in activities related to medical testing and experiments that will help researchers understand more about human health and disease. The Research Nurse ensures that the patients’ rights, safety, and well-being are protected at all times.

The work of a Research Nurse is both challenging and rewarding. It requires specialized training in the medical field, as well as understanding research methods and state regulations pertaining to health studies. Nursing research also allows nurses to use their skills and knowledge at their fullest potential while improving people’s lives by advancing medicine.

What Is a Research Nurse? 

A Research Nurse provides care and treatment for human participants involved in medical or scientific experiments or studies. They are responsible for monitoring the health and safety of patients under strict conditions of regulatory oversight, and for collecting and interpreting data for research purposes.

In this role, a Research Nurse must have excellent knowledge, technical skills, and understanding of the principles and practices of research that will ensure high standards of patient care. In addition to caring for patients, a Research Nurse will also be responsible for ensuring that compliance with ethical standards is maintained throughout the study.

What Does a Research Nurse Do? 

The tasks and responsibilities of a Research Nurse will vary depending on the research objectives, nature of the study, and study protocols. A medical study may involve the testing and evaluation of new drugs and biological products, and a Research Nurse will be responsible for ensuring that these drugs are delivered safely to the participants. The Nurse will also monitor side effects or complications throughout the study, and document all relevant information related to medication administration.

A Research Nurse may also be involved in clinical trials that test health care procedures. For example, a new surgery may be evaluated to determine its effectiveness and safety. In this case, the Nurse will monitor patients following the surgery and collect data (such as vital signs) that can be used to evaluate outcomes of interest.

Research Nurse Job Description

• Conduct health screenings and tests to ensure that patients are clear of any disease or infection that might affect the study
• Prepare and monitor drug dosage levels and other treatments for participants in clinical trials
• Perform diagnostic tests and monitor participants’ health through regular assessments
• Observe participants for signs of improvement or decline, document any changes in health status, and provide clinical care where necessary
• Keep detailed records of all data obtained from patients including immediate patient reactions, side effects, and medical histories
• Ensure that all necessary safety protocols are followed during clinical trials
• Respond to emergencies and provide medical care as necessary
• Collaborate with the research team to ensure that trials and studies run smoothly and safely
• Supervise the work of other nursing staff, assistants, and volunteers

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Where do research nurses work .

Research nurses are primarily employed in a clinical research setting, such as dedicated clinical research units located in academic medical centers, research laboratories, pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, and medical research organizations. A clinical research nurse may also be part of a multidisciplinary team that forms the permanent healthcare infrastructure of a research unit that is made available to any researcher who is accessing a facility.

Other settings where clinical research nurses can find work include:

• Academic Research Centers
• Hospital Inpatient units
• Primary Care Facilities
• Long-Term Care Facilities
• Research and Development Settings
• Insurance Providers
• Home Healthcare Agencies
• Biotechnology Laboratories

Research Nurse Jobs

The research field is a growing area of healthcare that offers a diverse range of career opportunities. Many research nurses begin their careers as bedside nurses and then work toward gaining the knowledge and experience required to specialize in clinical research nursing. Depending on their specialty and career goals, skilled nurses fill a variety of different roles:

Clinical Research Nurse

Clinical research coordinator, research nurse supervisor, research nurse practitioner, principal investigator.

A clinical research coordinator ensures that a clinical trial runs smoothly. They are responsible for assigning tasks to nursing teams, organizing data collection, and following up on safety protocols. They will also help to educate and prepare participants for their roles in the trial, as well as develop systems to monitor and report trial progress and outcomes.

A research nurse supervisor is responsible for the day-to-day running of a clinical trial. They work closely with other members of the team to ensure that all aspects of the trial are progressing as planned. They are often responsible for determining which participants are eligible to participate in a study, evaluating participant progress, and ensuring compliance with safety protocols.

A research nurse practitioner is a registered nurse who has earned a master’s degree and additional certification in order to take on licensure as an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN). Research nurse practitioners will typically perform the duties of other nurses on the team, such as administering medications and collecting data. In addition, they may also serve as educators for participants and may provide expertise in the design of clinical trials, data analysis, and regulatory affairs.

The Principal Investigator (PI) is responsible for the overall management of the clinical trial. They are responsible for the preparation, conduct, and administration of the trial as well as for ensuring compliance with federal and institutional guidelines. A PI will typically serve as a member of the executive board that manages a clinical trial from beginning to end and will oversee the work of all research nurses involved.

A PI is ultimately responsible for ensuring that research objectives are achieved, as well as managing budgets and timelines. They may also be responsible for training, evaluating participant safety data, and determining which treatments to test in follow-up trials.

How to Become a Research Nurse

Clinical trials play a crucial role in the development of new drugs and other medical technologies that can improve health outcomes for patients and influence healthcare on a larger scale. The professionals who conduct these trials must have specialized knowledge in the field of medicine and in the intricacies of clinical research. In addition to being a registered nurse, nurses who work in this area usually have a master’s degree or a Ph.D. in nursing, medicine, biomedical science, or a related field.

Here, we explore the steps you can take to become a research nurse:

• Earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
• Pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN)
• Obtain a Registered Nurse License
• Gain at Least One Year of Experience in a Clinical Research Setting
• Earn a Master of Science in Nursing or Ph.D. in Nursing (Recommended))
• Obtain Certification as a Clinical Research Professional

1. Earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)

Clinical research professionals come from a wide variety of backgrounds. They may have backgrounds in fields such as nursing, medicine, pharmacy, informatics, or biomedical science. However, a common foundation for all professionals in the field is a bachelor’s degree.

Research nurses will find that a Bachelor of Science in Nursing is best-suited to their long-term career goals. A BSN degree gives students a solid foundation in anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, medical ethics, and other areas of patient care that are essential for research nurses. Students in BSN programs also learn how to facilitate communication between healthcare providers and develop critical thinking skills that are highly transferrable to the clinical research setting.

2. Pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN)

Once you have earned your bachelor’s degree, the next step to becoming a research nurse is passing the NCLEX-RN. This test assesses the candidate’s knowledge of nursing procedures and practices, as well as their ability to provide patient care within the requirements of each state. The exam is administered by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) , which sets the exam’s content and establishes its standards.

3. Obtain a Registered Nurse License

After graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and passing the NCLEX-RN, your next step will be to apply for a license in the state where you want to work. The Board of Nursing in your state establishes the specific requirements for licensure and administers the process of licensure application and renewal.

In addition to the basic education and testing requirements that are uniform across all states, the state board will also require that you meet its additional criteria for licensure. These criteria are likely to include a criminal background check, drug test, and personal disclosures about any type of disciplinary action taken against the applicant for violations of federal or state laws.

4. Gain at Least One Year of Experience in a Clinical Research Setting

After receiving your bachelor’s degree and obtaining your RN license, it’s important to gain work experience in a clinical research setting to progress in your career. Obtaining professional experience at this stage of your career is crucial because it allows you to become familiar with the research environment and establish a foundation of clinical expertise that you can build on as your career progresses.

Obtaining clinical research experience will also help you meet the admissions requirements for graduate programs in nursing research. Many such programs require applicants to have at least one year of experience in a clinical setting before they will consider them for enrollment. Additionally, this work experience will help you meet the eligibility requirements for ACRP certification, which currently stands at 3,000 hours of professional experience in a clinical research setting.

5. Earn a Master of Science in Nursing or Ph.D. in Nursing (Recommended)

Earning a graduate-level nursing degree is not necessary in order to work in a clinical research setting. There are many RNs in the field who have made a successful career out of their bachelor’s degree alone. However, there are many benefits to pursuing post-graduate education in the form of a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or Ph.D. in Nursing (Ph.D.) .

The primary benefit of pursuing either of these degrees is that it can help you qualify for advanced positions in the clinical research industry that require a master’s or doctorate degree as a minimum qualification. Roles such as Clinical Research Coordinator, Project Manager, or Principal Investigator all typically require a master’s degree or higher.

6. Obtain Certification as a Clinical Research Professional

Certification as a clinical research professional demonstrates that you have the professional expertise, educational preparation, skill, and abilities to ethically and safely perform clinical research. The two major certifying bodies for clinical research professionals are the Association for Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) and the Society of Clinical Research Associates (SCRA) .

Certification represents the industry’s most respected acknowledgment of clinical research competence and recognizes your commitment to the professional and ethical standards necessary for success in this highly regulated industry.

Research Nurse Salary

Research nurses are in high demand across the country, and average salaries reflect this. According to Salary.com , the average salary for a clinical research nurse is $88,305 per year and typically falls between $79,098 and $97,798. This average annual salary is approximately 10% higher than other registered nurses with similar educational backgrounds and experience.

Additional Resources for Research Nurses 

• Association of Clinical Research Professionals
• Council for the Advancement of Nursing Science
• Eastern Nursing Research Society (ENRS)
• Global Research Nurses
• International Association of Clinical Research Nurses (IACRN)
• Midwest Nursing Research Society (MNRS)
• National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)
• Society of Clinical Research Associates (SOCRA)
• Southern Nursing Research Society (SNRS)

Clinical Research Nurse FAQ

According to Payscale.com, a clinical research nurse makes $72,272 per year. Like many nursing careers, years of experience is a factor that impacts pay. Location is another factor and one should consider factors like living costs. The salaries are generally lower than a clinical nursing role but find themselves working more predictable schedules.

Yes, this is one of the most exciting career paths for nurses. Clinical research nurses report greater job satisfaction per the research by Fawcett and McCulloch in 2014. This specialized career offers more predictable schedules and an opportunity to be part of an important step in the development of new treatments and cures to improve healthcare outcomes.

Clinical research nurses conduct research in clinical research units which include laboratories. This is a highly specific nursing career that requires work experience, an advanced degree focused on clinical research and trials, and board certification.

You must have an RN license and have a BSN degree. Typically, clinical research nurses have at least a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN). Many have a doctorate degree from an accredited institution. 

Some research nurses work for a few years before enrolling in school to get their advanced degrees, while others become an RN and quickly enroll. The path to a research track is different. There are so many variables that make it difficult to follow a universal approach.

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How Does Research Start?

Capili, Bernadette PhD, NP-C

Bernadette Capili is director of the Heilbrunn Family Center for Research Nursing, Rockefeller University, New York City. This manuscript was supported in part by grant No. UL1TR001866 from the National Institutes of Health's National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences Clinical and Translational Science Awards Program. Contact author: [email protected] . The author has disclosed no potential conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise. A podcast with the author is available at www.ajnonline.com .

Editor's note: This is the first article in a new series on clinical research by nurses. The series is designed to give nurses the knowledge and skills they need to participate in research, step by step. Each column will present the concepts that underpin evidence-based practice—from research design to data interpretation. The articles will also be accompanied by a podcast offering more insight and context from the author.

This article—the first in a new series on clinical research by nurses—focuses on how to start the research process by identifying a topic of interest and developing a well-defined research question.

Clinical research aims to deliver health care advancements that are “safe, beneficial, and cost-effective.” 1 It applies a methodical approach to developing studies that generate high-quality evidence to support changes in clinical practice. This is a stepwise process that attempts to limit the chances of errors, random or systematic, that can compromise conclusions and invalidate findings. 2 Nurses need to be well versed in the research in their field in order to find the best evidence to guide their clinical practice and to develop their own research. To effectively use the literature for these purposes, it is imperative to understand the principles of critical appraisal and basic study design.

There are many roles for nurses in research. Nurses can be consumers who stay abreast of current issues and trends in their specialty area, nurse champions who initiate quality improvement projects guided by the best clinical evidence, members of an interprofessional research team helping to address a complex health problem, or independent nurse scientists developing a line of scientific inquiry. Regardless of the nurse's role, a common goal of clinical research is to understand health and illness and to discover novel methods to detect, diagnose, treat, and prevent disease.

This column is the first in a series on the concepts of clinical research using a step-by-step approach. Each column will build on earlier columns to provide an overview of the essential components of clinical research. The focus of this inaugural column is how to start the research process, which involves the identification of the topic of interest and the development of a well-defined research question. This article also discusses how to formulate quantitative and qualitative research questions.

IDENTIFYING A TOPIC OF INTEREST

The motivation to explore an area of inquiry often starts with an observation that leads to questioning why something occurs or what would happen if we tried a different approach. Speaking to patients and hearing their concerns about how to manage specific conditions or symptoms is another way to be inspired. Exploring new technologies, examining successful techniques, and adapting the procedures of other fields or disciplines can be other sources for new insights and discoveries. 2 Nurses working in a cardiac setting, for example, may take an interest in using fitness watches to monitor adherence to a walking program to reduce blood pressure and body weight. Their ease of use, cost, and availability may be what draws nurses to exploring the potential uses of this technology. Since the goal of research is to improve patients' lives, it's vital that anyone engaging in clinical research be curious and willing to understand clinical issues and explore the problems that need solving.

Reviewing the literature . Developing a research project requires in-depth knowledge of the chosen area of inquiry (for example, the etiology and treatment of hypertension, which is the hypothetical area of inquiry in this article). Ways to become immersed in the topic include speaking to experts in the field and conducting a comprehensive literature review. Two main types of review found in the literature are narrative and systematic.

Narrative reviews present an overview of current issues and trends in the area of interest and can address clinical, background, or theoretical questions. They can summarize current findings, identify gaps in research, and provide suggestions for next steps. 3 On the downside, narrative reviews can be biased because they are based on the author's experience and interpretation of findings and lack systematic and objective selection criteria. 4

Systematic reviews differ from narrative reviews in that they use a systematic approach to select, appraise, and evaluate the literature. Systematic reviews start with a clinical question to be answered by the review. They use clearly defined criteria to determine which articles to include and which to exclude. Systematic reviews can help nurses understand what works and what doesn't in terms of intervention-based research, and they are excellent resources if an area of inquiry is an intervention-based project. (For the categories of interventional studies, see Table 1 .)

Reviewing citations from published papers is another way to find relevant publications. A frequently cited publication in a particular area may indicate a landmark paper in which the authors present an important discovery or identify a critical issue. An essential goal of the literature review is to ensure that previous studies in the area of interest are located and understood. Previous studies provide insight into recent discoveries in the field, as well as into the dilemmas and challenges others encountered in conducting the research.

DEVELOPING THE RESEARCH QUESTION

The two main branches of research methods are experimental and observational. Randomized controlled trials and non–randomized controlled trials belong in the experimental category, while analytical studies with control groups and descriptive studies without control groups belong in the observational category. Types of analytical studies include cohort and case–control studies; types of descriptive studies include ecological and cross-sectional studies, and case reports.

Despite their differences, the common thread among these research methods is the research question. This question helps guide the study design and is the foundation for developing the study. In the health sciences, the question needs to pass the “So what?” test. That is, is the issue relevant, is studying it feasible, and will it advance the field?

Cummings and colleagues use the mnemonic FINER ( F easible, I nteresting, N ovel, E thical, R elevant) to define the characteristics of a good research question. 2

Feasible . Feasibility is a critical element of research. Research questions must be answerable and focus on clear approaches to measuring or quantifying change or outcome. For example, assessing blood pressure for a study on the benefits of reducing hypertension is feasible because methods to measure blood pressure, the stages of hypertension, and the positive results associated with achieving normal blood pressure are established. For research requiring human participants, approaches to recruiting and enrolling them in the study require careful planning. Strategies must consider where and how to recruit the best participants to fit the study population under investigation. In addition, an adequate number of study participants is necessary in order to conduct the study. The allotted time frame to complete the study, the workforce to perform the study, and the budget to conduct the study must also be realistic. Research studies funded by private or public sponsors usually have defined time frames to completion, such as two or three years. Funders may also request a timeline showing when various aspects of the research will be achieved (institutional review board [IRB] approval, recruitment of participants, data analysis, and so on).

Interesting . Several factors may drive a researcher's interest in an area of inquiry. Cummings and colleagues use the term interesting to describe an area the investigator believes is important to examine. 2 For some investigators, an experience or an observation is the motivation for evaluating the underpinnings of a situation or condition. For some, the possibility of obtaining financial support, either through private or public funding, is an important consideration in choosing a research question or study subject. For others, pursuing a particular research question is the logical next step in their program of research.

Novel . Novel research implies that the study provides new information that contributes to or advances a field of inquiry. This may include research that confirms or refutes earlier study results or that replicates past research to validate scientific findings. When replicating studies, improving previously used research methods (for example, increasing sample size, outcome measures, or the follow-up period) can strengthen the project. A study replicating an earlier hypertension study may add a way to assess dietary sodium intake physiologically instead of only by collecting food records.

Ethical . It is mandatory that research proceed in an ethical manner, from the protection of human and animal subjects to data collection, data storage, and the reporting of research results. Research studies must obtain IRB approval before they can proceed. The IRB is an ethics committee that reviews the proposed research plan to ensure it has adequate safeguards for the well-being of the study participants. It also evaluates the potential risk versus benefit of the proposed study. If the level of risk posed by the study outweighs the benefits of the potential outcome, the IRB may require changes to the research plan to improve the safety profile, or it may reject the study. For example, an IRB may not approve a study proposing to use a placebo for comparison when well-established and effective treatments are available. The National Institutes of Health offers an excellent educational resource, Clinical Research Training ( https://ocr.od.nih.gov/clinical_research_training.html ), a free online tutorial on ethics, patient safety, protocol implementation, and regulatory research. Registration is required and each module takes 15 to 90 minutes to complete.

Relevant . Relevant research questions address critical issues. A relevant question will add to the current knowledge in the field. It may also change clinical practice or influence policy. The question must be timely and appropriate for the study population under investigation. For instance, to continue our hypothetical hypertension study example, for individuals diagnosed with hypertension, it is recognized that reducing the dietary intake of sodium and increasing potassium can lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. Therefore, in conducting a dietary study to reduce blood pressure, an investigator might target the intakes of both sodium and potassium. Focusing solely on one and not the other ignores the best available evidence in the field.

GUIDELINES FOR QUESTION DEVELOPMENT: PICO, PEO

Guidelines are available to help frame the research question, and PICO and PEO are among the most common. PICO is best suited for quantitative studies, while PEO is appropriate for qualitative studies. Quantitative and qualitative methodologies approach research using different lenses. In quantitative research, numerical data is produced, necessitating statistical analysis. Qualitative research generates themes, and the outcome of interest is the understanding of phenomena and experiences. It's important to note that some topics may not fit the PICO or PEO frameworks. In those cases, novice researchers may want to consult with a mentor or academic research adviser for help in formulating the research question.

PICO questions incorporate the following components: P opulation, I ntervention, C omparison, and O utcome.

• Population is the people or community affected by a specific health condition or problem (for instance, middle-age adults ages 45 to 65 with stage 1 hypertension, or older adults ages 65 and older with stage 1 hypertension living in nursing homes).
• Intervention is the process or action under investigation. Interventions can be pharmaceutical agents, devices, or procedures; changes in a process; or patient education on diet and exercise. They can be either investigational or already available to consumers or health care professionals.
• Comparison means the group or intervention being compared with the intervention under investigation (for instance, those eating a vegan diet compared with those eating a Mediterranean-style diet).
• Outcome is the planned measure to determine the effect of an intervention on the population under study. For example, in the study comparing a vegan diet with a Mediterranean-style diet, the outcomes of interest could be the percent reductions in body weight and blood pressure.
• PEO questions incorporate the following components: P opulation, E xposure, and O utcome.
• Population centers on those affected and their problems (for example, middle-age adults who have hypertension and smoke).
• Exposure focuses on the area of interest (for example, experience with smoking cessation programs or triggers of smoking). Since qualitative studies can denote a broad area of research or specific subcategories of topics, the exposure viewpoint depends on the framing or wording of the research question and the goals of the project. 5
• Outcome might encompass a person's experience with smoking cessation and the themes associated with quitting and relapsing. Since the PEO model is best suited for qualitative studies, the outcome tends to include the definition of a person's experiences in certain areas or discover processes that happen in specific locations or contexts. 6

How to formulate a research question using the PICO and PEO frameworks is reviewed in Table 2 .

GOING FORWARD

This has been a brief review of how to find an area of interest for your research and how to form an effective research question. For some, the inspiration for research will come from observations and experiences in the work setting, colleagues, investigations in other fields, and past research. As has been noted, before delving into developing a research protocol it's important to master the subject of interest by speaking with experts and gaining a firm understanding of the literature in the field. Then, consider using the FINER mnemonic as a guide to determine if your research question can pass the “So what?” test and the PICO or PEO model to structure the question. Formulating the appropriate research question is vital to conducting your research because the question is the starting point to selecting the study design, population of interest, interventions or exposure, and outcomes. The next column will discuss the process for selecting the study participants.

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Institute of Medicine (US) Division of Health Care Services. Nursing and Nursing Education: Public Policies and Private Actions. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 1983.

Nursing and Nursing Education: Public Policies and Private Actions.

• Hardcopy Version at National Academies Press

Appendix 8 Nursing Research: Definitions and Directions

In order to provide further insight into the need for, philosophy, and scope of nursing research this appendix presents a position statement issued by the Commission on Nursing Research of the American Nurses' Association. It is quoted here in its entirety: 1

Recent years have seen a growing awareness among the public that valuable resources are finite and their use must be carefully considered. In this context, increasing attention is being given to the relative cost of various strategies for utilizing health care resources to meet the present and emerging needs of the nation. Concurrently, nurses are assuming increased decision-making responsibility for the delivery of health care, and they can be expected to continue to assume greater responsibility in the future. Therefore, the timeliness and desirability of identifying directions for nursing research that should receive priority in funding and effort in the 1980s is apparent.

The priorities identified below were developed by the Commission on Nursing Research of the American Nurses' Association, a nine-member group of nurses actively engaged in research whose backgrounds represent considerable diversity in preparation and experience. The priorities represent the consensus of the commissioners, developed through a process of thoughtful discussion and careful deliberation with colleagues.

Accountability to the public for the humane use of knowledge in providing effective and high quality services is the hallmark of a profession. Thus, the preeminent goal of scientific inquiry by nurses is the ongoing development of knowledge for use in the practice of nursing; priorities are stated in that context. Other guiding considerations were the present and anticipated health problems of the population; a historic appreciation of the circumstances in which nursing action has been most beneficial; nursing's philosophical orientation, in which emphasis is on a synthesis of psychosocial and biomedical phenomena to the end of promoting health and effective functioning; and projections regarding the types of decisions nurses will be making in the last decades of the twentieth century. New, unanticipated problems will undoubtedly confront the health care resources of the country; yet it is clear that many of the problems of the future are already manifest today. New knowledge is essential to bring about effective solutions. Nursing research directed to clinical needs can contribute in a significant way to development of those solutions.

• Definition of Nursing Research

Nursing research develops knowledge about health and the promotion of health over the full lifespan, care of persons with health problems and disabilities, and nursing actions to enhance the ability of individuals to respond effectively to actual or potential health problems.

These foci of nursing research complement those of biomedical research, which is primarily concerned with causes and treatments of disease. Advancements in biomedical research have resulted in increased life expectancies, including life expectancies of those with serious injury and those with chronic or terminal disease. These biomedical advances have thus led to growth in the numbers of those who require nursing care to live with health problems, such as the frail elderly, the chronically ill, and the terminally ill.

Research conducted by nurses includes various types of studies in order to derive clinical interventions to assist those who require nursing care. The complexity of nursing research and its broad scope often require scientific underpinning from several disciplines. Hence, nursing research cuts across traditional research lines, and draws its methods from several fields.

• Directions for Research

Priority should be given to nursing research that would generate knowledge to guide practice in:

Promoting health, well-being, and competency for personal care among all age groups;

Preventing health problems throughout the life span that have the potential to reduce productivity and satisfaction;

Decreasing the negative impact of health problems on coping abilities, productivity, and life satisfaction of individuals and families;

Ensuring that the care needs of particularly vulnerable groups are met through appropriate strategies;

Designing and developing health care systems that are cost-effective in meeting the nursing needs of the population.

Examples of research consistent with these priorities include the following:

• Identification of determinants (personal and environmental, including social support networks) of wellness and health functioning in individuals and families, e.g. avoidance of abusive behaviors such as alcoholism and drug use, successful adaptation to chronic illness, and coping with the last days of life.
• Identification of phenomena that negatively influence the course of recovery and that may be alleviated by nursing practice, such as, for example, anorexia, diarrhea, sleep deprivation, deficiencies in nutrients, electrolyte imbalances, and infections.
• Development and testing of care strategies to do the following: Facilitate individuals' ability to adopt and maintain health enhancing behaviors (e.g. alterations in diet and exercise). Enhance patients' ability to manage acute and chronic illness in such a way as to minimize or eliminate the necessity of institutionalization and to maximize well-being. Reduce stressful responses associated with the medical management of patients (e.g. surgical procedures, intrusive examination procedures, or use of extensive monitoring devices). Provide more effective care to high-risk populations (e.g. maternal and child care service to vulnerable mothers and infants, family planning services to young teenagers, services designed to enhance self-care in the chronically ill and the very old). Enhance the care of clients culturally different from the majority (e.g. Black Americans, Mexican-Americans, Native Americans) and clients with special problems (e.g. teenagers, prisoners, and the mentally ill), and the underserved (the elderly, the poor, and the rural).
• Design and assessment, in terms of effectiveness and cost, of models for delivering nursing care strategies found to be effective in clinical studies.

All of the foregoing are directly related to the priority of developing the knowledge and information needed for improvement of the practice of nursing.

While priority should be given to this form of clinical research, there is no intent to discourage other forms of nursing research. These would include such investigations as those utilizing historical and philosophical modes of inquiry, and studies of manpower for nursing education, practice, and research, as well as studies of quality assurance for nursing and those for establishment of criterion measures for practice and education.

American Nurses' Association. Research priorities for the 1980s: Generating a scientific basis for nursing practice (Publication No. D-68). Kansas City, Mo.: American Nurses' Association, 1981.

• Cite this Page Institute of Medicine (US) Division of Health Care Services. Nursing and Nursing Education: Public Policies and Private Actions. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 1983. Appendix 8, Nursing Research: Definitions and Directions.
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Why Nursing Research Matters

Affiliation.

• 1 Author Affiliation: Director, Magnet Recognition Program®, American Nurses Credentialing Center, Silver Spring, Maryland.
• PMID: 33882548
• DOI: 10.1097/NNA.0000000000001005

Increasingly, nursing research is considered essential to the achievement of high-quality patient care and outcomes. In this month's Magnet® Perspectives column, we examine the origins of nursing research, its role in creating the Magnet Recognition Program®, and why a culture of clinical inquiry matters for nurses. This column explores how Magnet hospitals have built upon the foundation of seminal research to advance contemporary standards that address some of the challenges faced by healthcare organizations around the world. We offer strategies for nursing leaders to develop robust research-oriented programs in their organizations.

Copyright © 2021 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Conflict of interest statement

The author declares no conflicts of interest.

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• The 2019 Magnet® Application Manual: Nursing Excellence Standards Evolving With Practice. Graystone R. Graystone R. J Nurs Adm. 2017 Nov;47(11):527-528. doi: 10.1097/NNA.0000000000000547. J Nurs Adm. 2017. PMID: 29065067
• The Value of Magnet® Recognition for Specialty Hospitals. Graystone R. Graystone R. J Nurs Adm. 2019 Jun;49(6):289-290. doi: 10.1097/NNA.0000000000000753. J Nurs Adm. 2019. PMID: 31135634
• Magnet recognition for nursing excellence--is your organization there yet? Weeks SK, Smith BC, Hubbartt E. Weeks SK, et al. Rehabil Nurs. 2006 Mar-Apr;31(2):48-51. doi: 10.1002/j.2048-7940.2006.tb00123.x. Rehabil Nurs. 2006. PMID: 16526520 Review. No abstract available.
• Achieving Magnet recognition: the process. Munroe DJ, Lash AA. Munroe DJ, et al. Medsurg Nurs. 2005 Apr;Suppl:15-19; quiz 20. Medsurg Nurs. 2005. PMID: 15916275 Review.
• Polit D, Beck C. Nursing Research: Generating and Assessing Evidence for Nursing Practice . 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2012.
• Magnet ® Application Manual . Silver Spring, MD: American Nurses Credentialing Center; 2019.
• McDonald L. Florence Nightingale: a research-based approach to health, healthcare and hospital safety. In: Collyer F, ed. The Palgrave Handbook of Social Theory in Health, Illness and Medicine . London, England: Palgrave Macmillan; 2015: https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137355621_42019 . Accessed January 15, 2021.
• Poulin M. A remarkable journey: why the Magnet Recognition Program ® continues to resonate today. J Nurs Adm . 2017;47(2):72–73.
• McClure M, Poulin M, Sovie M, Wandelt M. Magnet ® hospitals. Attraction and retention of professional nurses. Task force on nursing practice in hospitals. American Academy of Nursing. ANA Publ . 1983;(G-160):i–xiv, 1–135.
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The ABCs of nursing research

Alleviate barriers with collaboration. .

• An organizational infrastructure promoting a culture of inquiry is essential to advance nursing science with research and dissemination of findings.
• Minimizing barriers increases the comfort level of staff for the successful conduct of the nursing research process.

In the fourth component for Magnet® designation, the American Nurses Credentialing Center outlines the ethical and professional responsibility of organizations to positively impact patient care via current knowledge, innovations, and improvements. This component includes generating new evidence and contributing to the advancement of nursing science with research and outcome dissemination. Organizations that promote a culture of inquiry with an infrastructure that supports nursing research at the bedside and chairside help meet this responsibility.

A culture of inquiry encourages nurses to question practice, review existing literature, and integrate evidence-based outcomes that improve patient care. If not enough evidence exists to support change, nurses must conduct research. However, common barriers—lack of time, resources, knowledge, and support—may deter bedside nurses from taking on this work. The department of nursing research at Moffit Cancer Center helps alleviate these barriers for bedside nurses.

Two clinical nurse specialists (CNS)—one a nurse researcher and the other a blood and marrow transplant and cellular immunotherapy (BMT-CI) CNS—collaborate to alleviate barriers and lay the groundwork for successful implementation of research by bedside nurses.

Roles and responsibilities

The nurse researcher is an oncology CNS who transferred from the traditional CNS role. Within the department of nursing research, which was created in 2007, she assists with Magnet initiatives related to promoting a culture of inquiry by developing new evidence and advancing nursing science. Her main responsibilities center around establishing protocols and obtaining regulatory approval from the center’s internal scientific review committee and external institutional review board (IRB). She works closely with the biostatisticians for each study’s data analysis plan and disseminates updates to hospital leadership and nursing councils.

The CNS who supports BMT-CI works with staff nurses reviewing the literature for evidence-based practice related to their queries. If evidence is lacking, which frequently is the case within specialty populations, she encourages conducting or replicating a research study. Based on nurse interest, she discusses feasibility of the idea with the nurse researcher. The BMT-CI CNS focuses on staff education for the study, data collection, and data entry. Throughout the study, she mentors the principal investigator staff nurse and the research team.

Overcoming the time barrier

Staff nurses at the center receive protected time for reviewing the literature when searching for evidence related to patient care or generating an idea for a research study. The nurse researcher and BMT-CI CNS work collaboratively with the po­tential study team to develop a research proposal, which the Nursing Research & Evidence-Based Practice Council (formerly the Nurs­ing Research & Innovation Council) then vets. The pro­posal, a one- to two-page summary, includes background, a purpose statement, research questions, study design, recruiting the strategies, and impact. (See Make a proposal .)

Before presenting the proposal to the council, the principal investigator’s supervisor signs off on the study. This ensures the principal investigator has up to 4 hours of protected time each pay period to work on study-related projects (Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative [CITI] training, informed consent, data collection), which helps alleviate time barriers to research. Other research team members may receive protected time, especially during the literature review and data collection, at the discretion of their supervisors.

Overcoming the resource barrier

The department of nursing research collaborates with biomedical librarians, biostatisticians, the organization’s scientific review committee, and the IRB. The nurse researcher and BMT-CI CNS can use these resources when working with staff nurses to write the research protocol before submitting it to the nursing research and innovation council. After approval and implementation of final changes, the nurse researcher submits the proposal to the scientific review committee and IRB. The nurse researcher and BMT-CI CNS also coordinate meetings with the research team to answer questions, discuss study protocols, and reinforce timelines and deadlines.

Biomedical librarians offer classes on database searching and provide one-on-one support. The biostatistician, who serves as a member of the study team, meets with team members after data analysis is completed to ensure they understand the results and to assist with manuscript preparation, particularly the data analysis and results sections.

Overcoming the knowledge and support barrier

Before data collection, the principal investigator completes the CITI-approved training as outlined in the center’s research policy. This provides a broad overview of how to conduct research and protect human subjects. The nurse researcher and CNS answer questions and offer support throughout the research process. For example, they help with writing protocols, creating spreadsheets, and entering data.

After completing the study, the nurse researcher and CNS assist staff nurses with internal and external dissemination. Within the organization, the study team presents their findings to the clinical unit, nurse executive council, coordinating practice council, and other shared governance councils and committees as appropriate. Externally, the team disseminates their research to professional nursing organizations and conferences.

Dissemination education and support include abstract writing and submission, poster or podium presentation preparation, and manuscript development and submission. Nurses also receive support with time off and funding to present their findings at external conferences.

From 2014 to 2021, 12 BMT-CI nurses participated in four research studies as team members or principal investigators. Other unit nurses received education about study processes and assisted with study interventions. Three completed studies (the fourth is in progress) have resulted in abstract submissions and presentations at six conferences. All three studies have been published. With the support of both nursing and the organization’s executive leadership, study outcomes have resulted in practice changes and house-wide implementation. (See BMT-CI nursing research studies. )

Nurse-friendly research

By collaborating within their respective roles and using the resources provided by the department of nursing research, the Moffitt Cancer Center nurse researcher and BMT-CI CNS have minimized the barriers to research and increased staff comfort with the research process. Since the success of the initial study, the CNSs have built momentum by enriching a spirit of inquiry that continues, making research bedside-nurse friendly.

The authors work at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida. Tina M. Mason is a nurse scientist. Amy E. Patterson is a clinical nurse specialist. 

References:

American Nurses Credentialling Center. Magnet model—Creating a Magnet culture.

Birkhoff SD, Nair JM, Monturo C, et al. Increasing nursing research capacity: The roles and contributions of nurse scientists within healthcare systems in the Greater Philadelphia region. Appl Nurs Res . 2020;55:151288. doi: 10.1016/j.apnr.2020.151288

DeGrazia M, Defazio RL, Conner JA, Hickey PA. Building and sustaining a culture of clinical inquiry in a pediatric quaternary hospital. J Nurs Adm. 2019;49(1):28-34. doi:10.1097/NNA.0000000000000704

Scala E, Price C, Day J. An integrative review of engaging clinical nurses in nursing research. J Nurs Scholarsh. 2016;48(4):423-30. doi: 10.1111/jnu.12223

Sy V. Igniting the fire of inquiry: Strategies to advance hospital nursing research. Nurs Manage . 2020;51(6):50-3. doi: 10.1097/01.NUMA.0000662708.03559.19

Wentland BA, Hinderer KA. A nursing research and evidence-based practice fellowship program in a Magnet®-designated pediatric medical center. Appl Nurs Res. 2020;55:151287. doi: 10.1016/j.apnr.2020.151287

2 Comments . Leave new

Thank you for sharing your propsal template! I think it’s brilliant.

Thank you! It definitely helps the staff with the vetting process.

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Information and resources on using and developing research to enhance practice

High quality nursing research and support to innovate and use evidence in practice, enables nurses and those who work with them to develop new knowledge and nursing practice, and to ultimately transform patient care.

We are determined to maximize the opportunity for research and innovation to positively impact on the care experienced by patients and their families, and ensure our members gain fully from the support we offer to their decision making as professionals.

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The sections below demonstrate how the RCN will realise its goal of transforming care through using, building, assuring and sharing knowledge. 

Use knowledge in practice and policy.

We promote the use of knowledge to inform policy and to inform decisions and nursing actions. We provide tools and help people develop the skills and confidence to ask questions, make evidence-informed decisions, innovate and adapt in response to changing needs.

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We contribute to and maintain a knowledge base for nursing, ensuring that our input to national and international multi-professional health research agendas is explicit. This contribution includes identifying and helping to fill gaps in standards, guidance and knowledge resources of relevance to nursing, and continuing to build the authoritative collection on nursing in the UK.

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Nursing Education Network

Nursing Research Process: A Quick Guide

I am currently learning how to use SPSS for statistical analysis to enable some basic statistical analysis to be conducted in nursing research projects. The aim is to be able to run initial data analysis on small clinical focused projects and try to support other nursing colleagues in their project ideas (#community of practice). Understanding more about the data process and how to choose the correct statistical method is a complex process and an ongoing learning objective.

Below are some introductory resources that may help you plan your project and provide helpful tips on how to save your data set, analyse the data, create demographic and result tables. Access to a statistician remains key, as they provide so much expertise and understanding around data analysis, and they provide a robustness to the results process. If you have useful research resources please post them in the comment section below and we can develop this post as an ongoing research resource for nurses. As I use SPSS on further projects, more resources will be added into this page.

The Research Question

Consider something that inspires, interests or annoys you- motivation is key, especially if the project is done in own time. Or a quality measure that will help change and enhance practice.

Conduct a literature review to explore the background scientific findings on your topic and then provide a rationale for your study. Why is it important to conduct? Set out your aims and objectives, also any hypothesis if required. When analysing the evidence base, use expert resources such as Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tools .

Study Design

Before your collect any data, check in with your hospital or university ethics committee to see what level of ethics your project sits under. Be prepared for some form filling and some unique wordology. If you delve further into the history of ethical standards, be prepared for some moving and challenging cases.

Data Collection 

Prepare a data file, this will depend on the software you have access to. So far the easiest and cheapest way I have found is to use Xcel that can then normally be uploaded into a stats software package (accessed on a University computer) and you can use formula’s from this program to obtain most of the basic stats you will need for a first draft data analysis. Remember, have the variable along the x axis (across the top) and participant number along the y (down the side). Determine and define your variables, also create a code book to label any values. Borrow a book that can guide you through the research steps and the software program. This is the one I used: Pallant, J. (2013).   SPSS survival manual . McGraw-Hill Education (UK). If you are a student, check with your university IT team to see what software you can access or download onto your personal computer.

Get inspired by Florence Nightingale, who was much more than just the lady and the lamp. You will need to describe the setting, participants and statistical methods. Again a book with statistical advice on how to choose, run and review your result findings will be required, such as Tabachnick & Fidell (2007)  Using multivariate statistics . Ideally have a statistician to mentor you through the process

Return to your literature review and see what types of figures and tables were published in the results sections and replicate this format so you can then compare your results to previous literature. Do the same with the demographic tables, helps determining if mean or median should be used (median more robust I hear you say).

Add these key results and link in with context of background discussion.  What are the implications from your findings, and also any limitations of the study.

Publication Time

Thinking around the bigger picture of healthcare research and publications. Positive or negative data results, we only see a biased picture in that often only positive trials are published so they are what influence healthcare practice.

Pick a journal that fits in with your topic or methodology. Check in with the publisher author guides if you aim to publish, and they will provide clear outlines for structure, content and referencing style.

Not sure which journal to submit your article? Try Journal Author Name Estimator (JANE)

Additional Resources

Joanna Briggs Institute. (2017).  Critical appraisal tools .

Pallant, J. (2013).  SPSS survival manual . McGraw-Hill Education (UK).

Tabachnick, B. G., & Fidell, L. S. (2007).  Using multivariate statistics . Allyn & Bacon/Pearson Education.

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How to do Research on Nursing

Selected Subject Headings

Listed below is a sample of a few broad Library of Congress subject headings—made up of one word or more representing concepts under which all library holdings are divided and subdivided by subject—which you can search under and use as subject terms when searching online library catalogs for preliminary and/or additional research, such as books, audio and video recordings, and other references, related to your research paper topic. When researching materials on your topic, subject heading searching may be more productive than searching using simple keywords. However, keyword searching when using the right search method (Boolean, etc.) and combination of words can be equally effective in finding materials more closely relevant to the topic of your research paper.

Academic Writing, Editing, Proofreading, And Problem Solving Services

Get 10% off with 24start discount code, suggested research topics in nursing.

• Children—Surgery—Nursing
• Disaster Nursing
• Geriatric Nursing
• Nurses—Attitudes
• Nursing Care Plans
• School Nursing
• Visiting Nurses

Selected Keyword Search Strategies and Guides

Most online library indexes and abstracts and full-text article databases offer basic and advanced “keyword” searching of virtually every subject. In this case, combine keyword terms that best define your thesis question or topic using the Boolean search method (employing “and” or “or”) to find resources most suitable for your research paper.

If your research paper topic is “the critical shortage of registered nurses in the United States,” for example, enter “shortage” and “nurses” with “and” on the same line to locate sources directly compatible with the primary focus of your paper. To find research on more specific aspects of your topic, from your list of keywords that you developed alternate with one new keyword at a time (for example, “shortage and nurses and challenges,” “shortage and nurses and demand,” “shortage and nurses and recruitment,” “shortage and nurses and remedies,” “shortage and nurses and retention,” etc.).

For additional help with keyword searching, navigation or user guides for online indexes and databases by many leading providers—including Cambridge Scientific Abstracts, EBSCO, H.W. Wilson, OCLC, Ovid Technologies, ProQuest, and Thomson Gale—are posted with direct links on library Web sites to guides providing specific instruction to using whichever database you want to search. They provide additional guidance on how to customize and maximize your searching, including advanced searching techniques and grouping of words and phrases using the Boolean search method—of your topic, of bibliographic records, and of full-text articles, and other documents related to your research paper.

Selected Source and Subject Guides

Guide to Libraries and Information Sources in Medicine and Health Care , 3rd ed., edited by Peter Dale, 209 pages (London: British Library, 2002)

Information Sources for Nursing: A Guide , edited by Judith S. Shockley, 148 pages (New York: National League for Nursing, 1988)

Introduction to Reference Sources in the Health Sciences , 5th ed., edited by Jeffrey T. Huber, Jo Anne Boorkman, and Jean Blackwell (New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, 2008)

In addition to these sources of research, most college and university libraries offer online subject guides arranged by subject on the library’s Web page; others also list searchable course-related “LibGuides” by subject. Each guide lists more recommended published and Web sources—including books and references, journal, newspaper and magazines indexes, full-text article databases, Web sites, and even research tutorials—you can access to expand your research on more specific issues and relevant to the subject of your research paper.

Selected Books and References

Mosby’s Medical, Nursing and Allied Health Dictionary , 8th ed., 2,137 pages (St. Louis, Mo.: Mosby, 2009)

This fully revised, eighth-edition nursing dictionary provides detailed definitions with more than 2,300 color illustrations on more than 6,000 key medical terms. Alphabetically arranged entries offer practical reference information on such things as the human anatomy, major diseases, disorders, procedures, and drug therapies.

Encyclopedias

The A to Z of Infectious Diseases: A Concise Encyclopedia , 3rd ed., by Carol Turkington and Bonnie Lee Ashby, M.D., 412 pages (New York: Checkmark Books, 2007)

This easy-to-understand encyclopedia is written in plain language for laypeople and nonhealth care professionals. It covers a wide range of infectious diseases and their causes. More than 600 entries discuss common diseases in detail, including their symptoms, prevention, drug therapies, and medical treatment. Written by medical writer Carol Turkington and physician Bonnie Lee Ashby, this fully revised and updated third edition covers childhood diseases, food-borne diseases, and many others. Six appendixes offer more information regarding drug treatments and known side effects, guidelines for home remedies for disinfection, a directory of health organizations complete with names and addresses, medical hot lines, health publications, and infectious disease Web sites. An extensive bibliography rounds out this title.

Encyclopedia of Bioethics , 3rd ed., edited by Stephen G. Post, 5 vols., 3,000 pages (New York: Macmillan Reference USA, 2003)

This five-volume revised edition provides informative articles about all aspects of health care ethics of modern medicine, science, and technology. Some 460 in-depth articles cover a wide range of complex issues facing health care professionals today, including abortion, animal research, death and dying, fertility and reproduction, genetics, organ donation and transplant, public health, mental health, and much more.

Encyclopedia of Nursing Research , Second Edition, edited by Joyce J. Fitzpatrick and Meredith Wallace, 832 pages (New York: Springer Publishing Co., 2005)

Written by 200 contributing experts, this revised encyclopedia describes and explains key terms and concepts in nursing research. Entries cover a wide range of topics, from nursing care, nursing education, and nursing services to cultural, historical, and philosophical issues, key nursing organizations, and publications extensively cross-referenced to help readers find information.

The Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine , 3rd ed., edited by Jacqueline L. Longe, 5 vols., 3,956 pages (Detroit, Mich.: Gale Group, 2006)

An encyclopedia suitable for doctors, nurses, health care workers, and nonprofessionals, offering in-depth coverage and easy-to-read articles on 1,750 medical topics such as diseases, disorders, tests, and treatments on major and minor medical issues. This revised third edition features more than 200 new entries and 300 fully updated articles. Articles range from one to 10 pages in length. Besides a short glossary of terms, each article includes a list of additional references, including articles, books, tapes, Web sites, and associations with contact information.

Guides and Manuals

Magill’s Medical Guide , 4th ed., edited by Anne Chang, M.D., et al., 5 vols., 3,206 pages (Pasadena, Calif.: Salem Press, 2004)

This five-volume, revised fourth edition provides 1,017 articles on a wide range of medical topics, including 58 new topics and 37 newly commissioned and updated essays. Essays ranging from 500 to 3,000 words address a myriad of important and emerging health subjects, including AIDS, anthrax, botox, cloning, fetal surgery, and gene therapy.

The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy , 18th ed., edited by Mark H. Beers and Robert S. Porter, 2,992 pages (N.J.: Merck Publishing Group, 2007)

Classic print reference for physicians, residents, and nurses, also available in electronic form, offering information about the diagnosis and treatment of common human diseases, disorders, and injuries, including symptoms and recommended treatments, arranged by etiology, organ system, or specialty.

Selected Full-Text Article Databases

General, multidisciplinary database and good source of information with full-text articles from scholarly journals—more than 3,000 publications in all academic disciplines—from 1990 to the present.

Clinical Pharmacology  (Tampa, Fla.: Gold Standard Inc./EBSCO Publishing EBSCOHost)

Offers current and concise clinical drug monographs for all U.S. prescription drugs, hard-to-find herbal and nutritional supplements, new and investigational drugs, and over-the-counter products.

Expanded Academic ASAP  (Farmington Hills, Mich.: Thomson Gale InfoTrac, 1980– )

Indexes more than 8.5 million articles, with access to some full-text articles, in many academic disciplines, including nursing. Indexes up to 3,000 scholarly journals, as well as magazines, and newspapers.

Health and Wellness Resource Center  (Farmington Hills, Mich.: Thomson Gale InfoTrac, 1980– )

Offers indexing and full-text articles on health and medicine, including encyclopedias, directories, medical dictionaries, periodicals, newspapers, pamphlets, and Web links. Similar in scope to Health Reference Center—Academic.

Health Periodicals Database  (Farmington Hills, Mich.: Thomson Gale Group, 1976– )

Containing a wealth of information on health, fitness, nutrition, and specialized medical topics, this electronic database, delivered on the Web via Thomson DIALOG, features citations and abstracts and full-text articles from 130 consumer health periodicals and 110 core health publications, as well as professional medical journals and pamphlets from medical associations. Covers the gamut of health science topics, including AIDS, biotechnology, cardiovascular disease, dieting, drug abuse, environment and public health, gerontology, health care costs, medical ethics, mental health, occupational health and safety, sports medicine, and toxicology.

Health Reference Center—Academic  (Farmington Hills, Mich.: Thomson Gale InfoTrac, 1980– )

Provides timely and reliable indexing of medical, nursing, and current health issues published in more than 200 medical journals and consumer health magazines. Contains full-text articles from 150 periodicals and six medical reference books, including the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons Complete Home Medical Guide and the Consumer Health Information Source Book. Also indexes 1,500 general interest titles and more than 500 pamphlets. Coverage of magazines and newspapers is nearly identical to that of Health and Wellness Resource Center.

Health Source: Consumer Edition  (Ipswich, Mass.: EBSCO Publishing, EBSCOHost, indexing/abstracting: 1984– , full text: 1990– )

Good source of information on general health topics and health sciences that indexes and abstracts some 180 professional health care publications, with full-text for 300 journals and more than 1,000 health pamphlets.

Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition  (Ipswich, Mass.: EBSCO Publishing, EBSCOHost, indexing: 1960s– , full text: 1975– )

Abstracts and indexes 822 journals and 542 full-text articles in nursing and allied health fields, including 441 peer-reviewed journals on many medical disciplines.

LexisNexis Academic Universe  (Dayton, Ohio: LexisNexis, 1970– )

Up-to-date electronic database that indexes more than 5,600 sources on a myriad of subjects, including news and current events, and provides access to full-text articles on many medical topics and related fields.

Nursing & Allied Health Collection  (Ipswich, Mass.: EBSCO Publishing, EBSCOHost, 1985– )

Updated monthly, this online database provides access to full-text articles from almost 100 nursing, biomedicine, consumer health, health sciences, and allied health journals covering all disciplines with cover-to-cover PDF files available for most journals.

ProQuest Nursing Journals  (Ann Arbor, Mich.: ProQuest, 1986– )

This searchable database indexes 287 nursing and allied health periodicals, offering full text and images from such journals as Nursing, Nursing Management, Nursing Economics, Nursing Forum, RN, Journal of Nursing Education, Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Researcher, and Nursing Diagnosis. Other publications covered include Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, American Journal of Sports Medicine, Occupational Therapy International, Physical Therapy, and Patient Care Management. Some journals are similar to those indexed in CINAHL.

ProQuest Research Library  (Ann Arbor, Mich.: ProQuest/UMI, indexing: 1971– , full text: 1986– )

Complete access to citations and abstracts with full text to more than 2,500 academic journals and popular magazines, many in medicine and health sciences.

PubMed  (Bethesda, Md.: U.S. National Library of Medicine, 1960s– )

A service of the National Library of Medicine, PubMed provides access to more than 11 million MEDLINE citations and additional life science journals. PubMed includes links to many sites providing full text articles and other related resources.

ScienceDirect  (Burlington, Mass.: Elsevier, Inc., backfiles: 1823– , full text: 1995– )

Multidisciplinary collection, emphasizing medicine, science, and technology, that provides access to more than 2,500 peer-reviewed journals, 735 of them in full-text format, from 1995 to the present, plus more than 10,000 books and references. Subjects include biochemistry, biological sciences, chemistry, clinical medicine, microbiology and immunology, neurosciences, pharmacology and toxicology, physics, and social sciences.

SPORTDiscus  (Ottawa, Canada: Sport Information Resource Centre, 1949– ) Leading sport, fitness, and sports medicine bibliographic CD-ROM and online database offering more than 700,000 citations and abstracts to serial and monographic literature, with links to full-text articles, covering all aspects, including recreation, exercise physiology, sports medicine, coaching, physical fitness, the psychology, history, and sociology of sport, training, and conditioning.

Springerlink  (New York: Springer, 1996– )

Provides online access to the complete contents of more than 1,200 peer-reviewed journals, covering a wide array of subjects, including medicine, science, and technology; also available as a book series by Springer.

Wiley Interscience Journals  (Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley & Sons, 1997– )

Contains abstracts, tables of contents, and more than 3 million full-text articles from more than 1,450 journals published by Wiley Interscience and Blackwell Publishing, including 360 current titles on such subjects as chemistry, life sciences, medicine, and social sciences.

Selected Periodicals

AJN: American Journal of Nursing  (Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott Co., 1900– , monthly)

The oldest nursing journal in the world, this peer-reviewed monthly journal provides in-depth coverage of the nursing profession and issues related to the education and practice of nursing. Each issues contains clinical and evidence-based news, analysis, and commentary and research reports discussing practical applications in acute care, critical care, long-term care, primary care, and rehabilitation.

Critical Care Nursing Quarterly  (Philadelphia: Lippincott, 1973– , quarterly)

This topical quarterly journal focuses on current clinical procedures in critical care. Coverage includes the latest developments, strategies, and techniques in intensive and critical care, patient management, and pharmacological and technological advances. Also available in electronic form, full-text articles of past issues of Critical Care Nursing Quarterly are available through InfoTrac’s Health and Wellness Reference Center (1996– ) and EBSCOHost’s Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition (1999– ), among others.

Journal of Advanced Nursing  (Oxford and Boston: Blackwell Scientific Publications, 1994– , monthly)

Published monthly, this scholarly journal is dedicated to exploring the critical global challenges and nature of nursing in all fields of health care, including all aspects of nursing care, nursing education, management, and research. Articles in each issue mostly reflect “the diversity, quality and internationalism of nursing” including new advancements and developments, and scientific and philosophical theories. Past editions and articles are indexed and abstracted in such leading references as Applied Social Science Index and Abstracts, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Current Contents, MEDLINE, and Social Sciences Citation Index.

Selected Web Sites

ANA: The American Nurses Association  ( https://www.nursingworld.org/ )

Representing more than 2.9 million registered nurses nationwide, the American Nurses Association’s Web site offers useful information and resources of interest to professional nurses and nursing students, including news, information, and position papers on nursing, nursing ethics, and nursing careers.

Free Medical Journals List  ( http://www.freemedicaljournals.com/ )

Offers free access to a wide assortment of medical journals on the Web, sorted alphabetically by name or by specialty.

Medscape  (WebMD, 1994– ) ( http://www.medscape.com/ )

An online journal of health news for health care professionals featuring full-text articles covering such areas as cardiology, family medicine, pulmonary medicine, and radiology, access to the online information database MEDLINE, and a medical dictionary.

Nursing Center—Journal Articles  ( http://www.nursingcenter.com/lnc/journalindex )

Contains articles from nearly 40 trusted nursing journals, including AJN and Nursing 2004, available in both HTML and .PDF formats.

Nursing Journals  ( http://libguides.asu.edu/cat.php?cid=1492 )

Lists a variety of journals with direct links, related to the profession of nursing.

Virtual Nursing Center  (Martindale’s Health Science Guide) ( http://www.martindalecenter.com/Nursing.html )

Virtual reference center featuring case studies, continuing education materials, medical dictionaries and glossaries, online nursing journals, and more.

Careers in Nursing

Health Science Career Cluster  ( http://career.iresearchnet.com/career-clusters/health-science-career-cluster/ )

The health science field has become one of the largest of the career clusters. Approximately 14 million people were employed in some aspect of the U.S. health care system in 2006, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Health care workers are employed as physicians, nurses, nursing aides, technicians, technologists, therapists, and in a host of other occupations.

Human Services  Career Cluster  ( http://career.iresearchnet.com/career-clusters/human-services-career-cluster/ )

The human services career cluster contains jobs that deal with families and human needs. Human services workers help people manage the many mental, emotional, and practical demands of everyday life, such as finding a home, securing child care, deciding on a career, or arranging funeral services for loved ones. They also help people deal with the unexpected, such as terminal illness, natural disasters, or addiction and recovery. Work in this area can also involve physical improvements and needs, such as helping someone achieve weight loss or providing massage therapy for health and relaxation. Regardless of the specific area in which they work, all human services share a genuine interest in helping people.

Health Care Career Field  ( http://career.iresearchnet.com/career-fields/health-care-career-field/ )

The origins of medicine began with prehistoric people who believed that diseases were derived from supernatural powers. To destroy the evil spirits, they performed trephining, which involved cutting a hole in the victim’s skull to release the spirit. Skulls have been found in which the trephine hole has healed, demonstrating that people did survive the ritual, although it may be assumed that trephining did little to help the afflicted person. The first doctors, known as medicine men, also used herbal concoctions, ritual dances, and incantations to heal their patients.

ORDER HIGH QUALITY CUSTOM PAPER

Conducting Nursing Research 

Submitted by Cynthia Gallagher, BSN, RN

Tags: medical technology nursing research

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Introduction

During a regular day on a nursing unit, the critical care nurse may ask the question, “Why do we have to change central line dressings everyday and not every 72 hours? or “why do we have to keep the head of the bed up 30 degrees when the patient is intubated?” These types of questions are asked everyday and are at the heart of conducting evidence-based nursing research. Nursing concerns transpire everyday. It is the responsibility of the nurse to answer these profound questions in order to be able to provide the highest quality of care to their patients. It is because of evidence-based research that nursing has played a major role in the advances of medical technology in the past few decades, strengthening the quality of the profession.

Why do Research?

Bedside, practicing nurses is vital to nursing research. We are the ones that know the patients the best; we know what has been working for them and what does not. The findings that we obtain from doing research will provide us with a h3 foundation to what we do everyday for our patients. We will have evidence-based data to utilize new ways to assess, evaluate, and deliver nursing care. Research will allow professional growth by supplying us with the most accurate tools and opportunities to advance the specialty where we work. On a personal level, it will create a leadership characteristic for yourself. You are the nurse that co-workers will go to mentor them and find concrete answers. It is not acceptable anymore to just say, “Well, this is the way it has always been done!”

Preparation

Initiation of a nursing research project can be challenging, but rewarding, to not only the investigator, but nursing staff in a critical care unit. Building a foundation to launch the project must be emphasized to all members involved with specific roles clarified. The role of a primary investigator requires a working knowledge of the nursing research process. She or he has taken the responsibility of being a resource person to other fellow nurses. A commitment has been made to answer any questions, challenges or obstacles encountered throughout research development. They are the front runners in answering questions. Intense education must be done and can be difficult at times due to the high amount of nursing staff that must be educated about the nursing research process. The nurses must complete the study training process which usually includes completion of an institutional research review board 101 and attendance at an educational session on the use of the research methods and data collection tools. Teaching strategies may include videotaping the process for collecting the data from a “real subject.” Reviewing step-by-step instructions will give a visual representation for the adult learner and can increase the accuracy and continuity of assessing the patient. A bulletin board using a presentation format and examples of data collection tools can to enhance the accuracy of obtaining and recording the information correctly.

Selection of Team Members

Developing a subgroup of selective team members to be key personnel will aid in the reliability of gathering research data. If this is the first time a research project is being conducted in a specific nursing unit, it may be easier to seek out particular individuals to help in the process. These members may understand and electively want to participate in the process. Their positive attitudes will be contagious for the next research project! The other nurses will notice what it is like to be part of the team and want to develop their own nursing profession characteristics.

Retaining an advanced practice nurse (APN) as a co-investigator and mentor is a vital part in the nursing process for the project to take shape. This APN should be a mentor that the nursing staff appreciates and respects. Their time may be limited due to their other responsibilities, but will always be accessible for assistance. The expertise and knowledge they possess will promote the value of evidence-based research. Lastly, the APN can also assist in putting the research findings into clinical practice.

Obtaining support from the unit’s management team is essential in a successful nursing research project. Assistance through resources, time, training, energy, and discipline must be advocated to create an environment in which nursing research is accepted and necessary.

Challenges to Nursing Research

One of the major obstacles in conducting nursing research in any nursing unit includes the wide array of educational backgrounds in a particular nursing unit. Each person may possess a different understanding of the nursing process due to the requirements of diverse nursing education. Nurses’ educational backgrounds include graduating from diploma-based programs, or obtaining an associate’s degree or bachelor’s degree, while some are advancing their professional development on the master’s level. The bachelor’s and master’s prepared nurses may have an increased basis of nursing research and may help the other staff members alleviate possible frustrations in the learning process.

Depending on the time frame of a research project, the unit’s interest and participation may be like a roller coaster. Keeping nursing projects in a short time-frame will help maintain interest and attention. Results will be seen faster and self-satisfaction obtained from completing a task and seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. At times, staff may perceive they are doing someone else’s work, instead of having the attitude that they are part of the nursing process. Encouragement for a job well-done must be expressed to keep everyone on the road to success and achievement. Repetitive education must be done over and over again so accurate, detailed information can be obtained. Some key personnel may not have cared for a potential research participant for an extended period of time, and may need to be updated and reeducated on the process. This is why it is always good to have a permanent fixture, through bulletin boards and videos, accessible to the key members if needed. Finding time and energy to review the nursing process becomes an obstacle at times for the investigators. Staffing concerns and providing a safe environment for the patients are top priority. To spend time analyzing data may become second priority in situations where patient care becomes affected.

Recommendations to improve Interest and Participation for Nursing Research

To promote nursing research, a continuous positive attitude must be displayed by all research team participants. Promoting the need to read, critique, and apply research to improve each nurses’ clinical practice. Some activities that can be promoted with fellow nurses include:

• Participate in a research journal committee that involves meeting, reading and critiquing research articles. This may be part of a specific unit and can discuss future research possibilities that the nursing staff has been questioning.
• Institutions of nursing education must emphasize the importance of evidenced-based nursing practice. Nursing academies must teach the new era of nurses the importance of research and has it has an impact on the profession.
• Attend research presentations. Poster presentations are an excellent approach to spread word of the hard work that has been accomplished and the need to apply the evidence-based findings into clinical practice.
• Assist in the collection of research information. Becoming a co-investigator to a research project will not only increase one’s own knowledge base of the research process, but will increase one’s professional growth and development.
• Advocate for continuing educational offerings on the nursing research process. It is always helpful to review the process of conducting research to feel more comfortable in implementing the process.
• Incorporating Research Findings Incorporating research findings into nursing practice is the primary reason why research is done - to obtain evidence and validate the nursing care you do! Retaining the nursing findings without integrating them will not only deny the advancement and the quality of nursing care, but will provide an injustice to the nursing profession. You put the time and energy into collecting and analyzing the data, now take the time to integrate them!

At the end of the research project, celebrate, party, and enjoy! Remember to observe the effort the nursing members have taken to advance the nursing profession through all the hard work that has been completed. Lastly, publicize, market, and present the findings; it is of no use to conduct the project if you are not going to spread the word on what was researched! Cynthia Gallagher, BSN, RN Geisinger Medical Center Danville, PA

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank Terri Bickert, MSN, RN, Magnet Coordinator for Geisinger Health System for her mentorship in conducting nursing research. Your hard work and dedication to promote the nursing profession does not get overlooked. To Deb Mensch, MSN, Operations Manager CICU at GHS, for the time provided to conduct and analyze nursing research is appreciated. You have given another nurse professional and personal growth.

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