A National Institutes of Health-funded structured mentoring program for health sciences researchers has the qualities of traditional mentoring relationships, but it is shaped by the aims, activities, and length of each grant. Effective participation requires organization, focus, and self-direction on the part of proteges and expertise, altruism,…

Despite the critical need for nurse researchers, only a limited number of institutions are equipped to prepare them. Schools that do have the necessary programs have the opportunity and responsibility to create accelerated research-intensive tracks that link baccalaureate through doctoral programs and move the graduates to postdoctoral training.…

A national survey of deans and directors of schools of nursing (n=434) was conducted to determine their opinions about the differing research foci that graduates of nursing doctoral programs should possess. They recommended diverse research foci for current and future researchers and indicated optimism about future funding. (Author/JOW)

Peer-mentored collaborative-research groups promote collegial partnerships, maximize members' expertise, and enhance skill development. Such a work group needs a common philosophy and group goals; it should evolve as a group entity and monitor group processes. (SK)

Presents a strategy for advancing research in clinical nursing: create a research practitioner position, develop and plan an ongoing research program, improve nurses' research expertise, obtain funding, and foster collaboration between academic and clinical staff. (SK)

Examines peer review in the National Institutes of Health and in scholarly journals and discusses limitations--time, paperwork, subjectivity, limited resources, and increased instances of misconduct and unethical behavior. Suggests reforms: eliminate anonymity, use review specialists, have institutions monitor their own faculty, and conduct…

Increasing numbers of hospitals and medical centers employ clinical nurse researchers. Nursing doctoral programs can prepare graduates for this role with courses in philosophy and ethics; research methods, statistics, and measurement; grantsmanship; and information dissemination. (SK)

A survey of 341 doctor of philosophy, 47 doctorate of nursing science, and 13 doctor of education nursing students found that Ph.D. candidates perceived a stronger research preparation, which they would not receive in the other two doctoral programs. They did not perceive the Ph.D. as preparing them to be educators, practitioners, or…

Strategies intended to develop research culture and promote research among nursing faculty included needs analysis, management plan, research skills workshops, performance indicators, seed grants, mentoring, colloquia, and teaching load reduction. Follow-up 2 years later showed substantial change in skills, confidence, and time spent on research.…

Practitioner-researchers are emerging in many fields in response to rapid change and a view of research as systematic and rigorously controlled learning. The gap between theory and practice widens because of variations in practice settings, making practitioner knowledge important. Commentaries by Paul Yerrell, David R. Thompson, Philip Burnard,…