TABLE 1.

Nursing: Historical Developments in Nursing Theory and Research

Date Development
1850 Florence Nightingale: first nurse researcher; first nurse theorist
‘Dark Ages’
Late 1800s–
Nursing viewed as an apprenticeship
1900
Little focus on research-based practice
American Journal of Nursing (AJN) published
Research focus: nursing education and administration
1900–1949
Questions: What is nursing? What do nurses do? How is nursing unique?
Debates: nursing vs. medicine as separate disciplines
Growing emphasis on need to identify a body of nursing knowledge

Nursing Research journal established (1952)

1950s
American Nurses Foundation
Federal support for funding
Number of nurse researchers miniscule
Early funding for nursing doctorate education — “hyphenated nurse”
1960s Emphasis on nursing’s rightful place in the university setting
Nursing theory to guide practice: person, environment, health, and nursing
Beginning of “Grand” Theory development
Nursing educators aware of need to develop new knowledge
American Nurses’ Association (ANA) Commission on Nursing Research

1970s Journals published: Research in Nursing and Health, Advances in Nursing Science, and
Western Journal of Nursing Research
Increase in doctoral programs in nursing education
Conduct and Utilization of Research in Nursing (CURN) project published
National Center for Nursing for Nursing Research (NCNR) established within the
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Journals published: Annual Review of Nursing Research and Applied Nursing Research
:
 Journals published: Annual Review of Nursing Research and Applied Nursing Research
1980s Research focus: patients and patient behavior
Empirical modes of inquiry (logical positivitist)
Beginnings of qualitative research (phenomenology and ethnography
Better preparation for nurse researchers
Federal funding $16.2 million at NCNR
Healthy People 2000 published
Clinical Practice Guidelines (AHCPR)
: