What Are Common Nursing Research Topics?

Nurses work daily to meet the needs of patients and provide quality medical care. Because this field is so multifaceted, there many research topics germane to the discipline. By continuing to explore these topics, those in the industry can promote the continued evolution of the practice and ensure that the care they give is the best it could possibly be.

Technology

• Nurses use to perform their duties with rudimentary "tech-lite" tools, but today's nurses can benefit from an assortment of technologically enhanced assistance. From monitors to patient diagnostic tools, these technology pieces help nurses complete their duties in a more efficient fashion. Many researchers dedicate time to researching the current technology available to nurses to ensure that these professionals put these options to use and to identify areas in which further technological innovation may prove advantageous.

Patient Care

• Researchers in the nursing industry explore the ways in which contemporary nurses are tending to patient needs and try to identify ways in which these patients could be better served by modifying industry practices. As researchers uncover ways to improve patient care, they can create higher quality experiences for all serviced by the nursing industry.

Delegation Practices

• In most cases, nurses do not work solo, but instead as a part of a team of health care providers. To run like a well-oiled machine, groups of nurses must effectively delegate and share responsibility. Because ineffective delegation can lead to under- or overmedication of patients, creating an effective delegation system in this industry is even more important than most. Researchers exploring this facet of nursing look not only at how tasks can be divided, but how information about these tasks can effectively be shared with all members of a nursing team.

Professional Development

• Because nurses hold patients' lives in their hands, it is vital that they remain on top of their game. Most states require that nurses undergo regular professional development, but the specific requirements for this professional development are constantly influx. Researchers who dedicate time to exploring this area of nursing look for ways to maiximize professional development opportunities for nurses. Researchers seek evidence of professional development effectiveness or ineffectiveness, so that they know what to include when developing professional development plans.

Safety

• While treating patients, nurses often put themselves in harm's way. Researchers, eager to keep well-meaning nurses out of harm's way, often explore ways in which the safety of nurses could be improved upon. These individuals explore current safety practices and seek ways in which these practices could be modified to enhance effectiveness. They also explore safety-promoting equipment and medicines and seek to improve these as well.