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 in order 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 to provide quality care that is based on the best and most up-to-date available evidence (this is known as evidence-based practice). Although research in nursing and midwifery was relatively slow to develop by comparison to other disciplines, it is increasingly important to sustain in a complex and rapidly changing healthcare landscape.