Biomaterial Database

Developing specialty knowledge: the case of Australian critical care nursing. 2000

W Chaboyer, and S V Dunn, and J Najman

Faculty of Nursing and Health, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. W.Chaboyer@mailbox.gu.edu.au

The generation of new knowledge is important to the evolution of the nursing profession and its specialties and is a fundamental requirement for the development of the discipline. This study documents the growth of empirical knowledge in Australian critical care nursing by examining the research published in one critical care specialty journal and a second generalized nursing research journal between 1994 and 1998. The proportion of research published in the specialty journal increased from 25 to 69%, with almost one-half focusing on patient therapies and treatments. The proportion of research in the general journal was consistently high, approximately 80 to 90%, with one to two critical care research articles per year. Nurses were first authors on the vast majority of these research articles. Approximately half of the critical care research focused on patient care. The results support the claim that Australian critical care nurses are conducting research to promote best practice in patient care and are thus contributing to the development of the discipline of nursing.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D010687	Philosophy, Nursing	The underlying rationale or theoretical basis for the principles of NURSING.	Nursing Philosophy,Nursing Philosophies,Philosophies, Nursing
D011643	Publishing	"The business or profession of the commercial production and issuance of literature" (Webster's 3d). It includes the publisher, publication processes, editing and editors. Production may be by conventional printing methods or by electronic publishing.	Electronic Publishing,Publishing, Electronic,Electronic Publishings,Publishings, Electronic
D003422	Critical Care	Health care provided to a critically ill patient during a medical emergency or crisis.	Intensive Care,Intensive Care, Surgical,Surgical Intensive Care,Care, Critical,Care, Intensive,Care, Surgical Intensive
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001315	Australia	The smallest continent and an independent country, comprising six states and two territories. Its capital is Canberra.	Canton and Enderbury Islands,Christmas Island,Christmas Island (Australia)
D013041	Specialties, Nursing	Various branches of nursing practice limited to specialized areas.	Nursing Specialties,Nursing Specialty,Specialty, Nursing
D015399	Nursing Research	Research carried out by nurses, generally in clinical settings, in the areas of clinical practice, evaluation, nursing education, nursing administration, and methodology.	Research, Nursing
D017009	Professional Autonomy	The quality or state of being independent and self-directing, especially in making decisions, enabling professionals to exercise judgment as they see fit during the performance of their jobs.	Self Regulation, Professional,Autonomy, Professional,Professional Self Regulation,Regulation, Professional Self
D018802	Patient-Centered Care	Design of patient care wherein institutional resources and personnel are organized around patients rather than around specialized departments. (From Hospitals 1993 Feb 5;67(3):14)	Nursing, Patient-Centered,Patient-Centered Nursing,Patient-Focused Care,Person-Centered Care,Medical Home,Care, Patient-Centered,Care, Patient-Focused,Care, Person-Centered,Cares, Person-Centered,Home, Medical,Homes, Medical,Medical Homes,Nursing, Patient Centered,Patient Centered Care,Patient Centered Nursing,Patient Focused Care,Person Centered Care,Person-Centered Cares
D019359	Knowledge	The body of truths or facts accumulated in the course of time, the cumulated sum of information, its volume and nature, in any civilization, period, or country.	Epistemology