Nursing Science

Nurses provide care in case of health problems or necessary treatment. They also aim to prevent complications or new health problems. It goes without saying that nurses need to have a sound knowledge (evidence) of the outcomes of their activities. What are in fact the outcomes of their activities? Is care actually effective and efficient? Moreover, what are the patient's thoughts on that matter?

Thankfully, to a certain extent knowledge has already been gained on which care best meets the patients' wishes and whether this type of care is in fact effective and efficient. In these cases it is important to implement this knowledge, although this is not always successful.

Nursing science's general objective is to develop evidence for nursing care and to promote evidence-based practice among nurses. Nursing science research within IQ healthcare is mainly focused on effective and safe patient care and on efficient support in self-management for patients, particularly the part where nurses can contribute in this.  

Interventions aimed at improving safety or self-management of patients are often complex interventions consisting of various parts. The systematic development of such interventions therefore forms a special part in nursing science research. Cooperation with patients and health care professionals as well as attention to a sound theoretical basis are central points in this research.

Prof.dr. Hester Vermeulen is head of research on nursing science within IQ healthcare.