Ethical issues in qualitative nursing research include the following: what to study, which participants, what methods, how to achieve informed consent, when to terminate interviews and when to probe, when treatment should supersede research, and what and how to document in case studies. (SK)

Some beliefs expressed by clinical nurses in an observational study were (1) the best research design is experimental; (2) the best measurement is physiological; (3) anyone can do research; (4) funding and hiring someone for data collection are essential; and (5) it is not necessary to inform anyone or discuss ownership issues. (SK)

Presents a framework for multisite clinical studies based on research in 17 hospitals. Five areas of key research tasks are addressed: general systems design, public relations, human resource issues, data quality, and data management. (SK)

Discusses ways in which practice-based research differs from traditional in terms of research questions, context, methods, dissemination, and assessment of merit. Suggests that a scholarship of practice requires a different lens, is consistent with a constructivist approach, and is immediately useful to practitioners. (Contains 32 references.) (SK)

Provides an historical overview of nursing research in the past century and offers projections on where the science is headed in the 21st century. Contains 66 references. (JOW)

Clinical scholarship begins with reflective observation of patients but differs from clinical research. It results in knowing based on informed, intelligent, and clinically grounded analysis. It is a more appropriate approach for some kinds of problems. (SK)

Nurse-led research ethics committees are generally more tolerant of diversity in research proposals than are medical committees steeped in empirical traditions. However, national trends in nursing in Britain may influence a preference for multidisciplinary over nurse-led committees. (SK)

Increasing numbers of hospitals and medical centers employ clinical nurse researchers. Nursing doctoral programs can prepare graduates for this role with courses in philosophy and ethics; research methods, statistics, and measurement; grantsmanship; and information dissemination. (SK)

More school nurses are engaging in the generation of research, and their studies increasingly are using qualitative methods to describe various areas of practice. This article provides an overview of 4 major qualitative methods: ethnography, phenomenology, grounded theory, and historical research. Examples of school nursing research studies that…

The nature of inquiry and its relative novelty in the nursing profession pose unique considerations related to teaching qualitative research. These considerations and teaching methods are explored as they relate to theoretical underpinnings of qualitative research, phases of the research process, evaluation of proposals and dissertations, academic…

Addresses the recognition of differences between clinical and research data in using computerized clinical nursing databases and the issues of privacy and confidentiality for patients whose records are involved. Describes procedures for assessing the quality and usability of these data for nursing research. (SK)

Survey responses from 67 of 100 accredited nursing baccalaureate programs indicated that fewer than 11% require research methods for freshmen/sophomores; all required a separate research course and 63.5% a statistics course; only one-third required research articles as references for papers and care plans; and 93.7% assigned critiques. (JOW)

School nurses need to demonstrate that their practice is based on the best evidence available, which is usually data obtained from research. Evidence-based practice involves combining the best evidence available with nursing expertise and patient and family preferences to determine optimum care. Evidence-based practice guidelines are developed by…

Describes the model of funding and socializing doctoral students that has been used by the School of Nursing at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Explains the goal of the program--to educate persons who can conduct research that will contribute to the scientific knowledge base of nursing. (Author/JOW)

Guidelines for the design, conduct, and critique of nursing research with African-American and Hispanic populations examine the following: framework, sample composition, race/ethnicity of investigators, measurement instruments, method of analysis and aggregation, and discussion of implications for racial/ethnic groups. (SK)