What is Nursing Research?
Research is a process that assesses or tests
ideas, evidence or questions to determine if outcomes are important or better than current evidence-based practices.
Knowledge gained through quality nursing research is used to promote evidence-based nursing practices.
The three global types of research are:
Basic Research
Uses data from a laboratory, simulated setting, or other non-clinical area to generate novel knowledge. Generally, the goal is to determine if new knowledge is effective and/or safe.
Applied Research
Implementing the right design and methods to assess, evaluate or compare immediate problems, issues or novel ideas. Participants provide data to determine if new knowledge is effective.
Translational Research
Also known as “implementation science,” nurses apply evidence learned in basic or applied research. The goal is to implement change and assess outcomes to verify that the change is effective.
Does the new treatment, bio-marker, process, system or structure do what was intended?
Does a new or replicated treatment, process, system or structure answer questions or lead to important outcomes when tested?
Can you bring new evidence to life in a real-world setting? And is the newly applied evidence valuable?
Research is a rigorous process. Results lead to new, generalizable knowledge that supports best practices and nursing education, administration, quality and informatics.
Benefits of Nursing Research
Brings improvements to nursing practice.
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Provides best practices for nurses and patients.
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Enhances patient advocacy.
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Advances the foundation of nursing science so it can be used by other nurses.
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For more information visit
or call the Office of Nursing Research and Innovation at 216.445.0905.
clevelandclinic.org/research
consultqd.clevelandclinic.org/nursing
The Stanley Shalom Zielony Institute for Nursing Excellence
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