Title: Advances and challenges in research and development
Abstract:
Every nurse should keep in mind that nursing research is critical to the nursing profession and is necessary for continuing advancements that promote optimal nursing care. Indian nurses also move in par with this idea. Historical review of nursing research showed that in1982 witnessed a nationwide Conference at CON Bangalore, Nursing Research in India: Prospect and Retrospect. In 1984, University Grants Commission (UGC) sponsored a conference "Teaching Nursing Research to Nursing College Teachers" at Bangalore. The first M Phil programme for nurses started at RAK College of Nursing in the year 1986 followed by MAHE, Manipal in 1992. Another landmark achievement in nursing research in India is the formulation of Nursing Research Society of India (NRSI) in the year 1986. Indian Nursing Council in collaboration with Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Karnataka and WHO had initiated a doctoral programme in Nursing under the Faculty of Nursing to promote doctoral education in various fields of Nursing in the year 1998. The basic and graduate curriculum prescribed by Indian Nursing Council emphasizes nursing research.
Still, there are many real challenges faced by nurse researchers in India such as funding, publication, methodological and ethical issues. The service pressures make it very difficult to balance their service and research role which substantially reduces motivation to do research. Failure to agree upon intellectual property rights, excessive secrecy and disagreements over research aims also seems to be a great challenge for collaborative research among nurse researchers. Even then, the nurses in India were able to do research. Research findings come out of research costs much in terms of: Man, Money, Material and Minutes. The effort that put in for research should not go in vain. The proposal of formulation of a Nursing Research Council (NRC) same like that of Indian Council of Medical Research(ICMR) to facilitate contributions by nurses in the nursing research arena and to facilitate the distribution of new nursing knowledge throughout the organization. Promotion of clinical nursing research with involvement of practicing nurses through nurse’s research week celebration is emphasized. State and the central government might issue bonds to support innovation in nursing research and health services, with preference given to high-risk research and diseases important to public health. India has now Department of Health Research along with ICMR to fund research and have identified core areas for research according to the health issues the country faces. Through training in ethics, the students and researchers will understand the necessary policies and procedures for maintaining security and confidentiality of human subjects, the legal and ethical issues regarding the research process, and the essential procedures for research conduct. Institutions where researches are promoted nurses find time to do research and disseminate the findings in reputed journals.
