Running Head: NURSING RESEARCH

Nursing Research

Caylin M. Corns

Youngstown State University

NURS 2610: Contemporary Nursing

Dr. Louise Aurilio

Fall 2015
NURSING RESEARCH 2

Abstract

Nursing research has a lot of coverage in the profession. Three of the main areas of focus

are clinical practice, prevention of disease and disability, and manage and eliminate

symptoms caused by illness. What does research and evidence have to do with

developing ones nursing abilities? What is clinical practice? What does the prevention

of disease and disability mean? How do we manage and eliminate symptoms caused by

illnesses? Clinical nurse researchers and clinical nurse specialists, The National Institutes

of Health, the private industry and Clinical Research Organizations are some of the

sources that play a big role in the nursing research of clinical practice. The U.S

Preventive Services Task Force and primary care clinicians are the major foundations of

research involving preventing disease and disability. With looking in depth of the

nursing research today, one can see the involved role that it plays.

Keywords: Florence Nightingale, nursing research, clinical nurse researcher,

clinical nurse specialist, clinical research, The National Institutes of Health, U.S

Preventive Services Task Force, low-dose computed tomography

A common question that comes to mind with the idea of nursing research is, What

does research and evidence have to do with developing ones nursing abilities? One who

knows the importance of nursing research would know that this research is crucial to

developing an experimental body of knowledge for the nursing profession. Nursing research

provides evidence used to support nursing practices. Nursings evidence-based area of

practice has been emerging since the time of Florence Nightingale, whom is most

remembered as a pioneer of nursing and a reformer of hospital sanitation methods (Audain,

2014). Nursing research develops knowledge to build the scientific foundation for clinical

practice, prevent disease and disability, and manage and eliminate symptoms caused by

illness.

Within the clinical research environment, there are many individuals and

organizations involved whom one needs to become familiar with to understand this type of

research. For example, a clinical nurse researcher (CNR) is an advanced practice nurse who

is doctorally prepared and directs and participates in clinical. A CNR is an ideal position to

link research to practice by assessing an agencys readiness for the use of the research,

consulting with staff identify clinical problems, and helping staff to discover and implement

findings that improve health care delivery (Cherry & Jacob, 2011). Another example is a

clinical nurse specialist (CNS) who is an advanced practice nurse who provides direct care to

clients and participates in health education and research (What is a clinical nurse

specialist?, 2011). Clinical researchs essential goal is to provide meaningful and significant

long-term improvements in the health care of Americans. Clinical research also provides

findings that become the foundation for many evidence-based healthcare practices. With the

importance of clinical research, there is a lot of funding that is needed to carry out all of the

research, and also for the time and necessities needed for the study (Offenhartz, McClary, &

Hastings, 2008). The primary Federal agency for conducting and supporting research is The
NURSING RESEARCH 4

National Institutes of Health (NIH). Other supporters include the private industry, and

Clinical Research Organizations. The support and conductivity that these organizations

provide is the building block for all nursing research.

Relating specific principles to preventing disease and disability is essential to nursing

practice. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) is a critical source for all

nursing practices, contributing evidence-based references for preventive services that will

inform their primary care practice. The USPSTF Guide to Clinical Preventive Services is

used around the nation to educate appropriate and effective preventive care. The USPSTF

has made and maintained recommendations on dozens of clinical preventive services that are

intended to prevent or reduce the risk for heart disease, cancer, infectious diseases, and other

conditions and events that impact the health of children, adolescents, adults and pregnant

women. The primary audience for the USPSTFs work remains primary care clinicians, and

the recommendations are now considered by many to provide definite standards for

preventive services. Knowing some background on the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force,

one can now learn about some of the prevention measures that this force has accomplished

(The Guide to Clinical Preventive Services 2014, 2014).

If the prevention of a disease is possible, one assumes that this prevention would

occur. With the USPSTF, the clinical studies, measures, and trials take place to ensure a

beneficial, accurate and appropriate prevention is in place. An example of one of the trials

that took place by the USPSTF involved lung cancer screening. In 2004, the USPSTF judged

the evidence about the effectiveness of lung cancer screening with chest radiography or low-

dose computed tomography (LDCT) as insufficient. In 2013, a systematic review took place

that updated evidence on the effectiveness and harms of LDCT screening for lung cancer for

the USPSTF. Not only does the USPSTF work on trials for prevention of diseases, but the
NURSING RESEARCH 5

force also ensures the findings are always up to date and accurate (The Guide to Clinical

Preventive Services 2014, 2014).

The symptoms that come along with illnesses can be worse than the actually illness.

Nursing has devoted research to just manage and eliminate symptoms. Developing new and

better ways to manage adverse symptoms is vital to improving quality of life for those with

illness. Millions of Americans suffer form adverse symptoms such as fatigue, pain, insomnia,

or chronic wounds that can inhibit their ability to lead normal lives. Often, these symptoms

are associated with chronic condition, such as insomnia experienced by those living with

chronic heart failure, or they may be treatment-related, as in the case of cancer patients

experiencing pain associated with chemotherapy (Spotlight on Symptom Management

Research). Using actual participants and patients whom are experiencing symptoms help do

a majority of the research. The research can then find alleviating and aggravating causes to

these symptoms, as well as, see if there is a common cause between patients. Nursing

research has taken many beneficial steps in helping those with symptoms.

Increasingly research findings are being used to the basis for clinical decisions. The

focal outcome of research activity for a nurse is to put the knowledge gained to work in

health care delivery. Clinical practices, prevention of disease and disability, and managing

and eliminating symptoms caused by illness are all important factors in the nursing research

world today. Research will continually be a large focus for all health professions.
NURSING RESEARCH 6

References

Audain, C. (2014). Biographies of Women Mathematicians. Florence Nightingale.

Cherry, B., & Jacob, S. (2011). Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice. In
Contemporary Nursing: Issues, Trends, & Management (6th ed., pp. 87-104). St.
Louis, Missouri: Mosby/Elsevier. Accessed October 26, 2015

National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists: What is a clinical nurse specialist?

National Institute of Nursing Research: NINR. Spotlight on Symptom Management

Offenhartz, M., & McClary, K., & Hastings, C. (2008). Nursing and realities of clinical
research. Nursing Management. (Volume 39, pp. 34-39). Accessed October 26,
2015.

U.S Department of Health and Human Services Agency for Healthcare Research and
Quality. The Guide to Clinical Preventive Services 2014. (website).
www.ahrq.gov. Accessed October 26, 2015