Introduction to Nursing

Research
1.1. History, Paradigms and
purposes
Learning Objectives
Know the history of nursing research
Understand the paradigms of nursing
research
Explain the purposes of nursing research
Nursing Research -
Introduction
Research is systematic inquiry
that uses disciplined methods to
answer questions or solve problems.
The ultimate goal of research is to
develop, refine, and expand a body
of knowledge.
Nursing research is systematic
inquiry designed to develop
knowledge about issues of
importance to the nursing profession,
including nursing practice, education,
Nursing Research - History
Nursing research has experienced remarkable
growth in the past three decades, providing
nurses with an increasingly sound base of
knowledge from which to practice.
It is important to know the history of nursing
research. The history will be dealt under various
timelines.
Florence Nightingale is often seen as the very
first nurse researcher. Her research in the 1850s
focussed on soldiers’ morbidity and mortality
during the Crimean War.
History of nursing research started from her
period and started to grow from then on.
 Evolution of Nursing Research
Florence Nightingale initiated nursing
research more than 150 years ago
(Nightingale,1859).
Following Nightingale’s work (1850-1910),
research received minimal attention until the
mid-1900s.
In the 1960s, nurses gradually recognized the
value of research, but few had the educational
background to conduct studies until the
1970s.
However, in the 1980s and 1990s, research
became a major force in developing a scientific
knowledge base for nursing practice.
Evolution of Nursing
Research
Many nurses obtained masters and
doctoral degrees during the 1980s and
1990s, and postdoctoral education was
encouraged for nurse researches.
 The ANA Cabinet on Nursing Research
identified the research participation for
various levels of educational preparation
in the year 1989 which laid foundation for
modern research in nursing and
preparation for the 21st century.
The Vision for nursing in the twenty-first
century is the development of a scientific
knowledge base that enables nurses to
implement an evidence-based practice
(EBP)
Historical Events Influencing
Nursing Research
1850 - Florence Nightingale is the first
nurses researcher with studies conducted
to improve soldiers health.

1859 - Nightingale’s Notes on Nursing is

published.

1900 - American Journal of Nursing is first

published.

1923 - Teacher’s College at Columbia

University offers the first educational
doctoral program for nurses.
1932 - The Association of Collegiate
Schools of Nursing is organized.
1950 - American Nurses Association
(ANA) Publishes study of nursing
functions and activities.
1952 - Nursing Research is first
published.
1953 - Institute of Research and Services
in Nursing Education is established.
1955 - American Nurses Foundation is
established to fund nursing research.
1963 - International Journal of Nursing
Studies is first published.
1965 - ANA Sponsors first nursing
research conferences.
1967 - Image (Sigma Theta Tau Publication)
is first published.
1970 - ANA Commission on Nursing
Research is established.
1972 - ANA Council of Nurse Researches is
established.
1973 - First Nursing Diagnosis Conference is
held.
1978 - Research in Nursing & Health is first
published. Advances in Nursing Science is
first Published.
1979 - Western journal of Nursing Research
is first published.
1982-83 - Conduct and Utilization of
1987 - Scholarly Inquiry for Nursing Practice
is first published
1988 - Applied Nursing Research is first
published. Nursing Science Quarterly is first
published.
1989 - Agency for Health Care Policy and
Research (AHCPR) is established Clinical
Practice guidelines are first published by the
AHCPR
1992 - Health People 2000 Published by the
U.S Department of Health and Human
Services Clinical Nursing Research is first
published.
1993 NCNR is renamed the National
Institute of Nursing Research (NNR)
1994 Qualitative Nursing Research is
first published
1999 AHCPR is renamed Agency for
Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
2000 Health People 2010 is published by
the U.S Department of Health and
Human Services.
2003 NINR identifies mission and
funding themes for the future
2003 AHRO identifies mission and goals
for the future
 Paradigms of Nursing
Research
A paradigm is a world view, a
general perspective on the
complexities of the real world.
Paradigms for human inquiry are often
characterized in terms of the ways in
which they respond to basic
philosophical questions:
Ontologic: What is the nature of
reality?
Epistemologic: What is the relationship
between the inquirer and that being
The Positivist Paradigm
Positivism is rooted in 19th century thought,
guided by such philosophers as Comte, Mill,
Newton, and Locke.
The fundamental ontologic assumption of
positivists is that there is a reality out there
that can be studied and known (an
assumption refers to a basic principle
that is believed to be true without proof or
verification).
Because of their fundamental belief in an
objective reality, positivists seek to be as
objective as possible in their pursuit of
knowledge.
 The Naturalistic Paradigm
The naturalistic paradigm began as a
countermovement to positivism with writers such as
Weber and Kant.
Naturalism is an outgrowth of the pervasive cultural
transformation that is usually referred to as
postmodernism.
Postmodern thinking emphasizes the value of
deconstruction—that is, of taking apart old ideas
and structures—and reconstruction—that is, putting
ideas and structures together in new ways.
For the naturalistic inquirer, reality is not a fixed entity
but rather a construction of the individuals participating
in the research
The findings from a naturalistic inquiry are the product of
the interaction between the inquirer and the participants.
Major Assumptions of the Positivist and
Naturalistic Paradigms
ASSUMPTION POSITIVIST NATURALISTIC
PARADIGM PARADIGM
Ontologic (What Reality exists; Reality is multiple
is the nature of there is a real and subjective,
reality?) world driven by mentally
real natural constructed by
causes. individuals.
Epistemologic The inquirer is The inquirer
(How is the independent from interacts with
inquirer related those being those being
to those being researched; researched;
researched?) findings are not findings are the
influenced by the creation of the
researcher interactive
process.
Major Assumptions of the Positivist and
Naturalistic Paradigms
ASSUMPTIO POSITIVIST PARADIGM NATURALISTIC
N PARADIGM

Methodolog Deductive Inductive

ic (How is processes processes
knowledge Emphasis on Emphasis on
obtained?) discrete, specific entirety of some
concepts phenomenon,
Verification of holistic
researchers hunches Emerging
Fixed design interpretations
Tight controls over grounded in
context participants’
Emphasis on experiences
measured, Flexible design
quantitative Context-bound
information; Emphasis on
Purposes of Nursing
Research
The general purpose of nursing
research is to answer questions or solve
problems of relevance to the nursing
profession.
The specific purposes of nursing
research include identification,
description, exploration, explanation,
prediction, and control.
 Identification – One of the primary
purpose is to identify new things which
will help to improve the nursing.
Purposes of Nursing
Research
Description – research helps to describe an event
or phenomenon which needs understanding.
Exploration – research helps to explore the
unknown and makes them available for learning and
application.
Explanation – research explains the existing
concepts and phenomenon and clarifies the queries
Prediction – research helps to predict the specific
outcome and also helps to test the assumptions.
Control – research helps to control the challenges
by prediction of the problems and outcomes from
the study.
 Purposes of Nursing
Research
Provide a scientific basis for the nursing profession.
Develop and evaluate new techniques for delivering
patient care that is vital to patient’s health needs.
Develop tools for assessing the effectiveness of nursing
interventions.
Provide solutions to problems concerning health
maintenance, health delivery and health care.
Help determine the areas of need relative to nursing
practices such as patient-teaching and nurse-patient
relationships.
Develop and evaluate alternative approaches to nursing
education that would enable that student to gain broad
knowledge and specialized skills for safe practice.
To prepare oneself to be a diligent practitioner of
research.
References
Carol Leslie Macnee, (2008), Understanding
Nursing Research: Using Research in
Evidence-based Practice, Lippincott Williams &
Wilkins, ISBN 0781775582, 9780781775588
Densise.Polit, et.al, (2013). ‘Nursing research-
principles and methods’, revised edition,
Philadelphia, Lippincott
http://nursingfile.com/nursing-research/
characteristics-and-purpose-of-nursing-
research.html
http://www.scribd.com/doc/14185464/
Importance-of-Research-in-Nursing#scribd
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/