1. Chapter 1 Introduction to Nursing Research in an Evidence-Based Practice Environment

2. What Is Research?
Systematic inquiry using disciplined methods to solve problem
Nursing research
Systematic inquiry to develop knowledge about issues of importance to the nursing profession

3. Future Directions for Nursing Research
Promotion of evidence-based practice
Increased multidisciplinary collaboration
Greater focus on outcomes research
Use of multiple, confirmatory strategies
Expanded dissemination of research findings
Increased visibility of nursing research

4. Sources of Evidence for Nursing Practice
Tradition
Authority
Clinical experience; trial and error; intuition
Logical reasoning (inductive & deductive)
Assembled information (e.g., quality improvement data)
Disciplined research

5. How Is Knowledge Obtained?
Positivist Naturalistic
Fixed design Flexible design
Discrete, specific concepts Holistic
Deductive processes Inductive processes
Control over context Context-bound
Verification of hunches Emerging interpretations
Quantitative information Qualitative information
Seeks generalizations Seeks patterns

6. The Purposes of Nursing Research
Identification
 Description
 Exploration
 Explanation
 Prediction
Control