Characteristics of nephrology nurse researchers and their research

To identify the characteristics of nurses who are conducting research related to renal disease and the care of nephrology patients and to describe the investigations these researchers have conducted.

Mailed survey using an investigator-adapted questionnaire, "ANNA Survey of Nephrology Nurse Researchers."

Survey mailed to all 1991 members of ANNA's Research Special Interest Group and distributed via mail or at a nursing research conference to other nurses who were known to have conducted nephrology research. Ninety-six of the approximately 400 questionnaires that were distributed were returned; respondents described 147 research projects/programs of study.

Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square analysis.

Most respondents were master's prepared nurses who had completed one research study. Adults were the subjects in the majority of studies, and psychosocial phenomena and quality of life were the most frequently identified study foci. Descriptive and comparative studies were more common than experimental investigations.

The findings indicate beginning exploration of a variety of patient care and administrative problems by nephrology nurses. Notably absent, however, was research on topics that present challenges to practicing nephrology nurses, including symptom management, care of diabetic and elderly renal patients, ethical issues, and cardiovascular complications of renal disease. Additional experimental research is needed, particularly to test nursing interventions aimed at alleviating common problems experienced by renal patients.