A nurse’s primary role is that of caregiver and advocate for his or her patients, but nursing roles have expanded, and that has given them the opportunity to contribute to patient health and wellbeing in other critical ways.
Nursing research, for example, is credited with making significant contributions to healthcare. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), nursing research has helped advance nursing practice, shape health policy and improve health on a global scale.
Nursing Research Adds a Unique Perspective to Healthcare
Nursing research does not replace traditional research; it instead enhances it. According to ExploreHealthCareers.org, nurse researchers conduct studies, analyze and share data with the health care community. They also contribute articles to academic journals and write grant proposals to gain funding. In this respect, their work resembles that of a traditional scientific researcher.
The primary difference is that nurse research”“part of the curriculum of the online MSN program at Lamar University““is more practical in nature and provides immediate benefits to patients. ExploreHealthCareers.org says nurse researchers use their findings to deliver more efficient and effective nursing care, improve quality of life for patients with chronic illnesses, and promote healthy lifestyles.
Nurses perhaps have the most intimate understanding of patients’ various physical, emotional and socioeconomic needs. This knowledge gives them a unique perspective as researchers; it allows them to ask pertinent research questions and analyze data that will specifically improve patient health and wellbeing.
What Are the Benefits of Nursing Research?
Nurse researchers conduct studies that make significant contributions to the nation’s healthcare model. Some of these studies are identified in “10 Landmark Nursing Research Studies,” a report from The National Institute of Nursing Research.
For example, one study looks at the correlation between childhood obesity and cardiovascular disease. Dr. Joanne Harrell, a nurse researcher, led a team that studied 1,200 of the state’s school children. They gave one control group eight weeks of classes in which they taught the children about a heart-healthy lifestyle”“topics included diet, exercise and the consequences of smoking.
After the eight weeks, the children in this control group significantly improved their knowledge of a healthy lifestyle. They experienced physical improvements, including lower cholesterol and body fat, increased aerobic power, and a smaller rise in diastolic blood pressure.
Other studies mentioned in the report focus on health issues that affect a variety of populations. Some of these include helping to reduce high blood pressure in inner-city African-American men, improving outcomes for elderly patients after a hospital stay, and learning how to assist low-income women and their children via home visits.
The Path to Nursing Research
According to the article “Your Guide to Graduate Nursing Programs” prepared by the AACN, principle researchers must have a doctoral degree. Most nurse researchers, however, begin their careers as assistants, which requires a master’s degree.
An online MSN program can help you prepare for a career as a nurse researcher. One of the courses offered by Lamar University’s online MSN program, MSNC 5311 Nursing Research, teaches students to analyze research methods, design research, collect data and apply their findings to benefit the nursing practice.
Nurses with advanced research skills can continue to advocate and care for patients by designing and assisting with scientific studies. The findings from these studies have positive and immediate effects on different populations, including minorities, school-aged children and the elderly. Nursing research provides an opportunity for nurses to use their scientific skills while continuing to serve the immediate needs of their patients.
Learn more about the Lamar University online MSN in Nursing Administration program.
Sources:
American Association of Colleges of Nursing
National Institute of Nursing Research
