Nurse researchers design and conduct studies on a variety of healthcare topics and ensure those studies are conducted in an ethical manner. They may identify an existing gap in knowledge, study the effectiveness of current interventions or explore new interventions. Within the HIV field, nurse researchers study prevention, treatment, symptom management and related areas such as substance use disorders, mental health or the impact of SDOH. Nurse researchers analyze data to help drive the application of evidence-based knowledge and skills. They may work in a variety of settings including hospitals, universities, government agencies and industries. As findings from their research can help shape clinical practice, standards of care and healthcare policy, an important part of their role is the effective dissemination of their research findings through publications, presentations and other means of sharing the information with healthcare colleagues and the public. As researchers, nurses help to determine effective best practices, improve patient and public health and advance the science of nursing.
How does ANAC support nurse researchers?
The cornerstone of ANAC’s research activities is our
research committee. It serves as a place for nurse researchers to network and collaborate, mentor and encourage novice and emerging researchers and promote the integration of research into activities of ANAC. Members play a critical role in the research abstract day and poster sessions at the annual conference and throughout the year in sharing research information and opportunities with members of ANAC. Research funding and career development are provided each year through the
Sigma Theta Tau/ANAC Research Grant. It supports clinically oriented HIV/AIDS research, with a goal of increasing the number of HIV studies being done by nurses.
We are a national partner in the
All of Us Research Program, an NIH sponsored research program enrolling one million Americans to build a diverse database for studies on a variety of health conditions. Part of our role is to inform and support established and emerging nurse scientists and clinicians in using the All of Us data sets for nurse-led research.
The
International Nursing Network for HIV/AIDS Research is an affiliate of ANAC. This global network of ANAC members and other nurse researchers has conducted a series of international multi-site collaborative research studies that have contributed to best practices in HIV symptom management, stigma identification and mitigation and patient engagement in care.
