Editorial: Nursing research in the 21st century - who sets the agenda?

Once upon a time life was uncomplicated - clinicians cared for patients, government-sponsored laboratories investigated the cure for diseases, and universities prepared the next generations of clinicians and scientists to continue the work. It was a simpler time and everyone knew his or her role. However the 21st century has seen a blurring of those boundaries and this has resulted in a significant change in the research arena. One of the drivers of this change was the evolution of nursing into an evidence-based profession, which led to clinicians and practitioners becoming more aware of the role of research in underpinning their activities.