Delphi Survey of Clinical Nursing Research Priorities.

摘要

A nationwide survey was conducted in the spring of 1974 to identify priorities for clinical nursing research. The Delphi technique was employed to solicit and combine the opinions of a group of experts. It involves the use of a series of questionnaires intended to produce group consensus and eliminate confrontation that is often experienced by panels and committees. Basic features of the Delphi technique are anonymity of survey panel members, anonymity of responses, multiple interactions, statistical analysis of panel responses, and controlled feedback of responses to panel members. Participating in the survey were 433 panel members, of which 419 were nurses and 14 were nonnurses. Completing all four rounds of the survey were 341 of the original 433 panel members. Most research areas identified in the survey were viewed as ones in which nursing should assume the leadership role. Differing priorities were established for professional relevance and for social or patient welfare relevance. Research programs related to patient welfare that were ranked in the top 10 percent included nursing interventions dealing with stress, care of the aged, pain, and patient education. Forms used in the survey are included. Research relating to health problems of ethnic minorities and to suicide received low priorities. There was disagreement on which research was relevant to the nursing profession, but little disagreement on the importance of patient welfare. Supporting data are tabulated in an appendix.