Continued..............Nightingale performed data collection and statistical analyses during the Crimean War, which greatly decreased morbidity and mortality rates of the soldiers. The Association of Collegiate Schools of Nursing was organized in 1932 to promote research in nursing education and practice. Following the Nightingale era little research was conducted. In the late 1970s nursing theorist and their works provided a foundation for the future of research. An expansion of research during the 1970s and 1980s facilitated growth and improvements in nursing practice. Patient outcomes research emerged in the 1980s and 1990s with great emphases on improving quality of patient care (Burns & Groves, 2001).

Research methodologies are utilized to conduct nursing research and play an essential role in generating knowledge for nursing practice. It incorporates quantitative, qualitative, outcomes and intervention research. Quantitative research is objective. It is utilized to describe relationships and determine cause and effect interactions. Qualitative research is systematic, subjective approach used to describe life experiences. Outcomes research is the end results of patient care. This has great influence on patient status, delivery of services, utilization of resources, development of policies, and purchaser demands. In the 21st century, intervention research will generate scientific knowledge for nursing care that can be utilized to provide evidence-based nursing care (Burns & Grove, 2001).

The future of the nursing profession is dependent on continued growth of research. Clinical research serves as the groundwork for decision making and ultimately shapes nursing practice. It enhances patient outcomes and contributes to the body of nursing knowledge (Appleton, 1998). It is critical to the advancement of nursing that expansion of funds for nursing research is allocated.

Nursing informatics is a wave of the future and is utilized in nursing administration, education, practice, and research. As consumers of research we have access to a vast array of information via the Internet. It enables nurses to keep abreast of current activities in research and practice development. It makes research feasible for nurses in many settings and helps to facilitate the research process (Hebda & Czar, 1998). As consumers of research we strive to enhance nursing practice and improve patient outcomes.

Research is imperative to the nursing profession. It involves through examination, refining existing knowledge and development of new knowledge. Research is an integral component of nursing education and practice. It serves as a change agent in practice, education, and health policy. As nurses are becoming research savvy, we continue to promote and develop advancements in nursing care delivery (Burns & Grove, 2001). Research will enable the nurse to broaden, expand, and grow as a practitioner. It is a crucial component to the development and refinement of knowledge utilized in nursing practice.



References
Appleton, C. (1998, June). Nursing research: Moving into the clinical setting. Nursing Management, 29, 43-45.

Burns, N. & Grove, S. (2001). The practice of nursing research: Conduct, critique, and utilization. (4th ed.) Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders Company.

Hebda, T. & Czar, P. (1998). Handbook of informatics for nurses and health care professionals. California: Addison Wesley.