GADERN CITY UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, KUMASI

CENTER FOR OPEN DISTANCE AND E-LEARNING

COURSE: RESEARCH METHODS

COURSE CODE: NURS 379

ASSIGNMENT TOPIC: NURSING RESAERCH

GROUP MEMBERS INDEX NUMBER

WHAT IS NURSING RESEARCH?

Nursing research has a long history and it would be hard to specify when it began. The person to
whom the origins of modern nursing are commonly attributed, Florence Nightingale, conducted
research of a kind when she used statistical methods – in which she was trained – to impress her
point about the link between social deprivation and disease on British politicians of the 1800s. In the
process, she made the first recorded use of the pie chart. Research is a formal systematic and
intensive process of carrying on a specific analysis for the purpose of discovery and development of
an organized body of knowledge. (Best -1968). Nursing research has a tremendous influence on
current and future professional nursing practice, thus rendering it an essential component of the
educational process. Nursing research is critical to the nursing profession and is necessary for
continuing advancements that promote optimal nursing care.

Throughout the 21st century, the role of nurse has evolved significantly. Nurses work in a variety of
settings, including the hospital, the classroom, the community health department, the business
sector, home health care, and the laboratory. Although each role carries different responsibilities,
the primary goal of a professional nurse remains the same: to be the client's advocate and provide
optimal care on the basis of evidence obtained through research. According to Polit and Beck (2006),
nursing research is the systematic inquiry designed to develop knowledge about issues of
importance to nurses, including nursing practice, nursing education, and nursing administration. (p.
4). Burns and Grove (2005) - defined nursing research as a “scientific process that validates and
refines existing knowledge and generates new knowledge that directly and indirectly influences
clinical nursing practice.

Vreeland (1973), stated that “Nursing research is concerned with the systematic study and
assessment of nursing problems or phenomena; finding ways to improve nursing practice and
patient care through creative studies; initiating and evaluating change; and taking action to make
new knowledge useful in nursing.”
PURPOSE OF NURSING RESEARCH

Nursing research seeks to Identify, Describe, Explore Explain, Predict and Control professional
practice in the profession.

 IDENTIFICATION: Nursing research is conducted to identify new phenomena. It also can be

conducted on concepts of which little is known. It then seeks to delve well in to phenomena and
concepts to reveal certain truths and keys aspects of nursing practice.

 DESCRIPTION: This is where interesting and controversial topics and practices are best
described and defined using the process of research. Such topics include relationship between stress
and hypertension, pain management and health beliefs.

 EXPLORATION: In this, investigations based on scientist process are carried out on

interesting phenomena and concepts to the core in other to bring out hidden aspects of the issue. It
also seeks to offer understanding to the cause, effects and full course of a phenomena.

 EXPLANATION: Nursing research seeks to communicate the primary cause or full nature a
phenomena.it also answers why and how a phenomena exist.

 PREDICTION AND CONTROL: Many phenomena defy explanation. Yet it is frequently possible
to make predictions and to control phenomena based on research findings, even in the absence of
complete understanding. For example, research has shown that the incidence of Down syndrome in
infants increases with the age of the mother. We can predict that a woman aged 40 years is at
higher risk of bearing a child with Down syndrome than is a woman aged 25 years. In many examples
of nursing and health-related studies—typically, quantitative ones prediction and control are key
objectives. Studies designed to test the efficacy of a nursing intervention are ultimately concerned
with controlling patient outcomes or the costs of care

IMPORTANCE OF NURSING RESEARCH

1. Basic research to extend the base of knowledge in nursing.

2. To formulate or refine a nursing theory.

3. Applied research to find solutions to existing problems.

4. To enhance the immediate utility of Evidence-Base Practice.

5. To study the effectiveness of a nursing interventions.

REFERENCES

1. Burns, N., Groove, S.K (2005) The Practice of nursing Research. 7th ed. Lippincott William &
Wilkins;Philadelphia;

2. Polit, D.F, Beck, C.T.(2006) Essentials of nursing research: Methods, appraisal, and utilization.
6th ed. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; Philadelphia: (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/ magazine-
11798317; accessed 1 June 2012).