Research designs for advanced practice nursing outcomes research

Since 1992 there has been a growing demand for health care providers to justify their interventions and for health care systems to evaluate "quality" of care in terms of improving patients' lives and the cost of care provided. It often seems overwhelming when one looks at the wide range or variables and instruments that have been used in the name of outcomes research. This article describes various aspects of the research design for advanced practice nursing research. Explored are the topics of identifying researchable problems, developing research questions, selecting research designs, measuring concepts of interest, analyzing results, and designs for future outcomes research.