National Institute of Nursing Research: History and Mission

Introduction

The National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) is a body mandated with the principal responsibility of carrying out research related to the nursing and medical field. The institution dedicates its efforts to improving the health and health care of Americans through the funding of nursing research and research training.

History of the Organization

The involvement of the federal government led to the formation of the research institute as early as 1946, when the federal government established a Division of Nursing within the Office of the Surgeon General, Public Health Service. NINR commenced its activities in 1955 when the institute established a Nursing Research Study Section within the Division of Research Grants. The purpose of this Study Section was to conduct scientific reviews of the growing volume of applications in the nursing sector.

In 1960, a consolidation of the Public Health Service led to the formation of a new Division of Nursing, which later changed its name to the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). From its earliest years, the institute's goals and objectives were to build and support a firm foundation for nursing research. The majority of institutions founded during these years established predoctoral and postdoctoral fellowship programs to train independent nurse researchers. According to Macnee and MacCabe (2008), from the 1960s onward, nursing began to recognize the importance and need for theoretical foundations for nursing practice and research. Research focus also shifted from the study of nurses toward the study of clinical care that nurses provided. Macnee and MacCabe (2008) further explain that nursing faculty began teaching the research process in baccalaureate nursing programs. The institute also supports the training of new investigators who are responsible for generating new ideas and endorsing further study programs.

The federal government provided the funds necessary for research and the dissemination of nursing information across the country. Legislation to formally integrate and establish the research institution was passed in 1986. Studies conducted in 1983 and 1984 concerning the need to integrate nursing research into the mainstream of biomedical and behavioral sciences prompted that legislation. The 1984 NIH Research Task Force study emphasized the necessity of nursing research within the NIH mission. These two studies encouraged the legislative action that established the National Center for Nursing Research (NCNR) at NIH in 1986. A revitalization act of 1993, and a federal notice issued on June 24 of the same year, changed the NCNR to what is today known as the National Institute of Nursing Research.

The main purpose and mission of NINR is to promote and improve the health of American individuals, families, communities, and the general population. This purpose encompasses support for research and research training in health and illness across an individual's lifetime in relation to the environment. A study by Nyamathi and Koniak (2007) shows that the National Nursing Institute has designated minority health and related health disparities research as an institutional priority. The institution incorporates these policies and plans within its mission statement, strategic plan, and allocation of resources. To achieve its mission and objectives, NINR research programs incorporate a broad range of interdisciplinary approaches that promote scientific exploration leading to better health outcomes and health services. Clinical intervention studies, translation, and implementation research methods are among the approaches utilized by the institution. The mission statement specifies modes of funding research that promotes health equity and focuses on eliminating health disparities in underserved and resource-limited communities. As one of the main agendas addressed by the mission statement, the institute seeks to improve knowledge of underlying biological systems, including the contributions of genetic and genomic factors to health conditions of individuals and society.

Mission and Strategic Plan

The national institute's mission places considerable emphasis on research training to cultivate knowledge and practice among younger generations of nurses. Training and learning opportunities are available for both students beginning their research careers and those seeking to advance their expertise. Through collaboration across various disciplines, especially in areas of mutual interest, the institute is able to fulfill its mission more effectively. According to Daly et al. (2005), the mission of the national institute is to foster clinical research and innovation that provides a scientific basis for care delivered across the life span of an individual. The NINR strategic plan seeks to utilize the strength of nursing sciences to drive ambitious research that will meet the health care demands and needs of citizens.

The institute uses its strategic plan as a guide for research and training programs that positively impact the health care sector and health services for the population. The strategic plan also provides a vision for the future health care needs of society. Operating under the motto "Bringing Science to Life," the institute paves the way for future discoveries in scientific areas with great potential and impact in the health sector. Macnee and MacCabe (2008) explain that sound nursing and clinical research, facilitated by a well-designed strategic plan, is necessary for providing answers and evidence to the many questions that arise in the field. The institute's strategic plan provides direction and guidance on how to address various research problems and how to fund them.

To achieve its mission and objectives, the strategic plan focuses on research that supports the science of health determinants, entailing investigation into multiple factors that influence well-being. The strategy focuses on empowering people to maintain their own health through the prevention of disease and self-management of illness. Daly et al. (2005) states that the purpose of the plan is to use research findings to facilitate the advancement and development of client coping mechanisms during alterations in an individual's health status.