Nursing Research

INQUIRY. DISCOVERY. ADVANCEMENT.

We believe cultivating research is essential to enhancing the science of nursing. Our faculty experts are leaders in their field proposing new ways of understanding patient care. Our faculty are part of a vital community that encourages the pursuit of new knowledge. With support from the Office of Nursing Research, our researchers benefit from a unique intellectual environment that allows them to make a meaningful difference through their research endeavors.

Collaboration
Our proximity to many of the country’s top medical institutions lends itself to a rich environment of research collaboration. We regularly team up with our partners at Washington University, including the Siteman Cancer Center, The McDonnell Genome Institute, The Institute of Clinical and Translational Sciences, and even the School of Engineering and Applied Science. These relationships enable our all-encompassing approach to working across disciplines and allow us to find multifaceted solutions to address some of the most pressing issues in the nursing field today.

OUR RESEARCH PRIORITIES

Our core research areas align with those identified by the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Symptom science and precision health
The state of symptom science deals with assessment, management and treatment of symptoms associated with disease conditions. By developing better methods of assessing and managing patient symptoms, we can make more informed decisions and ultimately produce better outcomes for our patients. This research typically involves the study of patients who have chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, cancer, HIV, obesity, or neurological disorders.

Better use of clinical simulation in teaching students
Simulation is a fundamental aspect of most nursing programs. Yet little research exists when it comes to training faculty to use high-fidelity simulation in their instruction. We are looking to change that. Our researchers are studying simulation with a focus on how faculty can effectively train nursing students to make a difference from the very outset of their nursing careers.

Improving the health of vulnerable and high-risk populations in the community
We know there’s a lot more to promoting optimal health outcomes than focusing solely on the professional medical care a patient receives. Our researchers are studying the implications of home life and how to optimize health outcomes and quality of life for high-risk populations (such as people with HIV or young mothers struggling with substance abuse). By collaborating with our community partners and focusing on the variety of factors that shape health outcomes, we believe we can provide more thoughtful care and ultimately produce better results in treating our patients.

Research Opportunities for Students
We strive to increase opportunities for successful faculty and student collaboration. Our Research Assistant Program provides students with valuable, hands-on experience in research methodology. Assistants work closely with faculty on major aspects of current research, including recruitment of subjects and data collection. The Research Assistant Program also fosters professional development with possible presentation experience. Research Assistants complete training to receive certification to work with human subjects.