The National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) has identified four current priorities for nursing research under the umbrella of “Nursing Research Develops Knowledge to…”. These priorities are as follows:
1. Improving health and reducing disparities: This priority focuses on understanding and addressing healthcare disparities among different populations, with the aim of improving overall health outcomes. Research in this area aims to identify the factors contributing to disparities and develop interventions to promote health equity. This includes studying the impact of social determinants of health, cultural influences, and access to healthcare on health outcomes.
2. Creating and improving methods: This priority emphasizes the development and enhancement of research methods and technologies in nursing. Research in this area aims to improve the quality and validity of scientific investigations, enhance data collection and analysis techniques, and promote the integration of new technologies in nursing research. By advancing research methods, nurses can contribute to the evidence-based practice and improve patient outcomes.
3. Promoting patient-centered care: This priority focuses on understanding and incorporating patient perspectives and preferences in healthcare decision-making processes. Research in this area aims to enhance patient-provider communication, patient engagement, shared decision-making, and patient-centered interventions. By considering the unique needs and preferences of individual patients, healthcare can be tailored to promote better patient outcomes and satisfaction.
4. Supporting self-management: This priority highlights the importance of empowering patients to actively participate in managing their own health. Research in this area focuses on developing interventions and strategies to promote self-care behaviors, self-efficacy, and patient empowerment. By supporting patients in self-management, nurses can improve patient outcomes, reduce healthcare costs, and optimize limited healthcare resources.
In my opinion, these priorities are comprehensive and address key areas of nursing research that are essential for evidence-based practice. They adequately capture the need to address health disparities, enhance research methods, incorporate patient perspectives, and promote patient self-management. However, I would also recommend the inclusion of one additional priority related to interprofessional collaboration.
Interprofessional collaboration, also known as teamwork and collaboration, is crucial in healthcare and has been recognized as an essential element of quality care delivery. As nurses often work in interdisciplinary teams, this priority would focus on understanding the dynamics and effectiveness of interprofessional collaboration in improving patient outcomes. Research in this area would explore the factors influencing collaboration, the impact of collaboration on patient safety and care delivery, and strategies to enhance interprofessional teamwork.
By incorporating interprofessional collaboration as a priority, nursing research can contribute to enhancing teamwork, communication, and coordination among healthcare professionals. This would ultimately lead to improved patient outcomes, reduced medical errors, and increased satisfaction among healthcare providers.
The translation of these research initiatives into evidence-based practice in my work environment could be accomplished through several strategies. First, research findings related to health disparities could inform the development and implementation of culturally sensitive interventions to reduce disparities and promote health equity among diverse patient populations. This could include tailoring healthcare delivery approaches based on sociocultural factors, language preferences, and health literacy levels.
Regarding research methods, the dissemination of new techniques and technologies could be facilitated through workshops, training programs, and collaborations between researchers and healthcare providers. This would enable nurses to stay up-to-date with the latest research methods and incorporate them into their practice, thereby ensuring a strong evidence base for clinical decision-making.
In terms of patient-centered care, research findings regarding effective communication strategies and shared decision-making processes could be incorporated into nursing education programs. By promoting patient engagement and providing nurses with the necessary skills and knowledge to engage patients in decision-making, patient-centered care can be integrated into routine practice.
Finally, supporting self-management could be achieved through the development and implementation of patient education programs that promote self-care behaviors and patient empowerment. Nursing research can identify effective strategies to enhance patient self-efficacy and motivation, and these findings can be used to design educational materials and interventions that promote active patient involvement in healthcare decision-making and self-management.
