When school nurses embrace evidence-based practice (EBP), higher-quality care is provided to students, their families, and the larger community. Despite this, school nursing has been slow to embrace EBP. Practice-Based Research Networks (PBRNs), which capitalize on the combined strengths of clinicians and researchers to study clinical questions,…

Clinical scholarship begins with reflective observation of patients but differs from clinical research. It results in knowing based on informed, intelligent, and clinically grounded analysis. It is a more appropriate approach for some kinds of problems. (SK)

Problems with nursing theory include a gap between theory and practice, theory as ideology, theory's inability to reflect reality, and theory as a limiting force. Models of diversity may make theory a more useful tool. (SK)

Graduate programs at the Vanderbilt University School of Nursing are designed to enlarge students' knowledge of research and its relevance to their particular types of practice and to enhance students' precision in using the scientific approach to identify phenomena of concern and to solve nursing and health care problems. (Author)

Compared to 2 earlier studies in which fewer than 5% of subjects had nursing master's degrees, a study in which 49% of 157 were master's-prepared nurses found the overall extent of dissemination and use of research findings was similar. However, master's-prepared nurses made more use of research findings than bachelor's-degree nurses. (SK)

In Israel, nursing research, nursing practice, and academic education collaborate in nursing education. The close relationship helps prepare nursing graduates for the integration of the humanistic and technical aspects of practice. (SK)

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,…

Deconstruction of three British nursing research projects found that, due to a "Utopian" perspective, they reintroduce theory-practice gaps they sought to close. Future nursing research should avoid idealistic prescriptions and promote more skeptical and realistic approaches. (SK)

Most nursing research is based on empiricism or logical positivism; the social behaviorist approach of the Health Belief Model does little to promote awareness or examine power issues. A critical feminist perspective aids understanding of health practices based on contextual knowledge and a holistic approach. (JOW)

Lehman College's graduate nursing program uses theory-based courses to prepare advanced nurse practitioners. Students increase scholarly inquiry skills and clinical decision making; use of nursing conceptual models helped them plan and evaluate their practice. (SK)

An informatics infrastructure was developed for research and data collection in nursing faculty's clinical practice sites. The strategy links practice, research, and teaching, integrating knowledge used in practice and research-focused inquiry about practice. (Contains 27 references.) (SK)

Masters-level students in nursing education in Finland were assigned to study groups, each of which planned and implemented a course. Group work was videotaped and analyzed, revealing issues for teacher education related to the integration of research, education, and nursing practice and to conflicts over planning approaches. (SK)

Professional practice is built on sound knowledge specific to each discipline. This knowledge is developed and validated through a process of scientific investigation or research. However, lack of knowledge about the research process acts as a barrier to applying evidence-based practice within the school setting. Understanding the components that…

This textbook, intended for registered nurses (RN's) returning to school, is designed to provide practicing RN's with professional concepts to advance their careers. The book contains 22 chapters organized in five sections. Each chapter includes chapter objectives, key terms, key points, chapter exercises, references, and a bibliography. Section I…