A strong evidence base

Despite limited funding, the quality of nursing and midwifery research remains high.

The quality of research undertaken by Australian nursing and midwifery researchers is ‘on par’ if not better than many of their international counterparts, shows the recent ERA assessment.
Congratulating the nation’s nursing and midwifery academia, the Council of Deans of Nursing and Midwifery said the Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) 2010 National report demonstrates that nursing schools are engaged in a wide range of research activities.

And, impressively, the research has been undertaken where there is little funding available to the discipline, said Professor Patrick Crookes, chair of the council.

“It is a tribute to the importance that the profession attaches to ensuring nursing and midwifery practice is supported by a strong evidence base. It is also testimony to the capability and resolve of our nursing and midwifery researchers,’ he said.

Crookes stressed the need for further funding to be allocated to nursing and midwifery research particularly in light of the growing body of evidence which demonstrates the positive impact of nursing and midwifery care on patient outcomes – work which needs to be built upon.

“While we applaud the ARC for presenting the Report findings, it is disappointing that the study does not report more broadly than bibliometrics on the impact of nursing and midwifery research, as the council believes that had this factor been explored the performance of nursing and midwifery research would have most likely been even greater,” he said.

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