Introduction to Nursing and Midwifery Research

Research is one way to acquire knowledge in order to make sense of the world. Research offers a systematic method of confirming existing knowledge and building new knowledge in a profession or discipline. Nursing and midwifery research is a way to explore and discover new knowledge to refine and expand the body of knowledge that clinicians, managers and policy makers draw upon to advance practice. Nurses and midwives use research findings and their professional experience with patients, clients and clinical practice to provide quality care based on the best and most up-to date available evidence; this is known as evidence-based practice. Research in nursing and midwifery was relatively late to develop compared with other disciplines, largely because nursing and midwifery education moved into the tertiary sector relatively recently, but research is increasingly important to sustain in a complex and rapidly changing healthcare landscape. In this chapter, you will be introduced to the concept of nursing and midwifery research and learn about how this part of practice has developed over time. As well, the difference between research and evidence-based practice will be identified so you understand why these two terms are referred to in the context of healthcare. The relationship between ethics and research will also be explained so you can see how these two areas are integral to each other.