NURSING

Research for nursing

Papers a nurse can act on, across critical and emergency care, medical-surgical, mental health, paediatrics and neonatal, maternity, older adults, community and primary care, and oncology and palliative care. Each is read in full rather than from its abstract.

1,865 PAPERS · PAGE 7 OF 38 · NEWEST FIRST

• RNSystematic Review2025How Woman-Centred Care Is Experienced and Understood in Maternity Services by Women and Professionals: A Rapid Review.Scandinavian journal of caring sciencesWomen and maternity professionals understood woman-centred care very differently. Some women valued choice and continuity, while others prioritised warmth, safety, and medical expertise. Clarify each woman's expectations rather than assuming one model fits all.
• RNCohort2025A Multi-Outcome Prognostic Model for Community-Dwelling Older Adults Admitted to Skilled Nursing Facilities for Post-Acute Care.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationA model using age, diagnoses, hospital stay and comorbidities estimated death within 6 months and successful return to the community after skilled nursing. It can guide goals-of-care and discharge planning, but was not tested outside Medicare data.
• RNSurvey2025The role of aesthetics in promoting health-related quality of life for older adults transitioning to long-term services and support.Geriatric nursing (New York, N.Y.)Among 376 older adults newly entering long-term care, greater enjoyment of sensory experiences was linked to more positive social interaction and stronger religious or spiritual disposition. Nursing home residents reported lower aesthetic enjoyment than those in home and community services.
• RNNarrative Review2025Overview of the Epidemiology, Diagnosis, and Clinical Care Considerations for People Living with and at Risk for Tuberculosis in the United States.The Nursing clinics of North AmericaTB care guidance for nurses includes skin or blood tests for infection, shorter latent-TB treatment, and isolation decisions that weigh patient burden.
• RNCohort2025Disparities in breast cancer detection modalities and outcomes among geriatric female cancer patients.Geriatric nursing (New York, N.Y.)Breast cancers not found by mammography had much higher 5-year mortality (51.1%) than those found by screening (21.4%) or diagnostic mammography (27.8%). However, racial and geographic gaps in detection and stage disappeared after adjusting for age, income, and other health conditions.
• PTRNCohort2025Family Caregiver Availability and Capacity Associated With Home Health Service Types for Patients With Dementia.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationFor home health patients with dementia, clinician-reported lack of caregiver capacity for functional tasks was linked to receiving physical therapy; lack of caregiver availability for medical tasks was linked to receiving skilled nursing.
• RNOther2026Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Informal Carer Experiences of Older Adult Care Transitions From Hospital to Home: A Scoping Review.Journal of advanced nursingCulturally and linguistically diverse family carers often faced language barriers, were left out of discharge planning, and were unprepared for wound care, medication and symptom monitoring. Some interventions helped carers, but support was often not tailored to culture.
• RNQualitative2026A Nurse-Led Family Support Intervention for Families Living With Cancer: An Experience-Based Co-Design Study.Journal of advanced nursingFamilies living with cancer wanted nurses to treat the family as one unit, give timely information, and build trust through conversations after diagnosis, at treatment start and during treatment. This co-design produced a planned nurse-led family support programme, not a tested one.
• RNSystematic Review2026Implementing Transitional Care Interventions for Surgical Patients: A Scoping Review.Journal of advanced nursingAcross 27 studies, hospitals implementing transitional care for surgical patients relied on staff training, role changes, electronic systems, and change management. Few reported who led these steps or how well they were followed, limiting what other teams can copy.
• RNRCT2026Early Postpartum Symptoms Differ Between Older and Younger First-Time Mothers.Journal of advanced nursingFirst-time mothers aged 35 or older reported more symptoms, greater global distress, and more physical symptoms in the first 2 months. Lack of energy was the most common symptom, and symptom counts fell by 3 months.
• RNSystematic Review2026Is the Active Involvement of Family Caregivers in Adult Hospital Care Effective to Improve Patient Outcomes? A Systematic Review.Journal of clinical nursingActive family caregiver involvement in adult hospital care shows mixed results. It may reduce readmissions and length of stay in some studies, but showed no significant benefit on mortality, complications, or most quality of life measures across the reviewed trials.
• RNSystematic Review2025A systematic review of psychosocial screening tools for identification of postpartum mental health status beyond depressive symptoms.MidwiferyPostpartum screening beyond depression, especially anxiety and PTSD tools, can find cases missed by depression screening alone. But most studies did not show that screening led to more treatment or better symptoms, so referral pathways must be ready.
• RNSystematic Review2025Effectiveness of Group Interventions With Socially-Assistive Robots for Older Adults: A Systematic Review.Journal of nursing scholarship : an official publication of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of NursingRobot-assisted group sessions often engaged older adults and increased conversation, but cognition, agitation, and depression showed no clear difference from control groups.
• RNRCT2025Efficacy of Family Health Conversations on Mental Health, Family Wellbeing, and Family Functioning for Parents of Infants Requiring Mechanical Respiratory Support During Neonatal Intensive Care.Journal of family nursingFamily Health Conversations did not improve parents’ family functioning more than usual NICU care. Anxiety, depression, and PTSD symptoms fell over time in both groups, and family wellbeing and functioning stayed stable.
• RNOther2025Creating a Community of Safety in Black Maternal Health Research.Nursing researchBlack community members guiding a maternal health study said being listened to, shaping consent language, and helping create plain-language reports for participants made research feel safer. This describes a partnership process, not tested patient care.
• RNCohort2025Impact of Maternal Nutrition on Human Milk Macronutrients Among Thai Mothers of Premature Infants.The Journal of perinatal & neonatal nursingFor Thai mothers of preterm infants, higher carbohydrate and fat intake predicted richer milk fat and energy. More frequent meat eating predicted higher milk carbohydrate. Milk protein dropped significantly from the first two weeks to weeks three and four.
• RNSystematic Review2025The Impact of Coercive Measures on the Therapeutic Relationship Between Patients and Nurses in the Acute Psychiatric Care. An Integrative Review.Journal of psychiatric and mental health nursingCoercive measures in acute psychiatric care were described by patients and nurses as damaging trust, creating power imbalance and reducing engagement. Nurses also reported moral conflict. Reports of strengthened relationships came only from nurses.
• PTRNCohort2025Changes in Physical Activity Among Spanish Kidney Transplant Recipients: A 12-Month Longitudinal Study.Journal of renal careKidney transplant recipients reported lower activity at 3 months after surgery. Activity partly rebounded at 6 months, then fell again, and was lower at 12 months than before transplant.
• PTOTRNRCT2025A Cross-Lagged Panel Model Testing the Impact of Physical Activity During Hospitalization on 1- and 6-Month Discharge Physical Activity and Adverse Events Among Older Adults With Dementia.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationOlder adults with dementia who were more physically active at hospital discharge had lower odds of falling and being rehospitalized within one month. Activity levels did not drop after these adverse events occurred, suggesting discharge mobility is a key protective factor.
• RNOther2026Quality of Dying Among Institutionalised Nursing Home Residents From the Caregivers' Perspective: A Mixed-Methods Study.Journal of advanced nursingFamily caregivers rated nursing home end-of-life care as generally acceptable, with good symptom control and personal care, but closure and final practical matters were weaker, especially when residents had cognitive impairment.
• RNCase Report2026Prone positioning for spinal surgery in achondroplasia: A case study report.Journal of perioperative practiceA patient with achondroplasia had prone spinal surgery for 5 h 20 min without recorded complications after tailored positioning and difficult airway planning. This is a single case, not proof the approach works.
• RNSystematic Review2026What services are currently provided to people with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction in the UK and what are their components? A systematic scoping review.European journal of cardiovascular nursingUK heart failure services for HFpEF often show some NICE alignment, but education, rehab referral and specialist nurse input are inconsistently described, and patients may be prioritized behind HFrEF.
• RNSurvey2026Examining the Association Between Perceived Quality of Care and Experienced Coercion Among Patients in Acute Mental Health Units in Spain: A National Cross-Sectional Study.Journal of clinical nursingPatients who rated care quality lower, especially regarding privacy and safety, reported higher feelings of coercion and humiliation. Improving environmental dignity and clear discharge planning is associated with reduced perceived coercion in acute mental health units.
• RNOther2026Unlocking the Adoption of a Smartphone Application for High-Risk Pregnant Women in the Lao People's Democratic Republic: A Mixed-Methods Study.Journal of advanced nursingHigh-risk pregnant women in Laos reported moderate to high acceptance of a maternity smartphone app, especially if they had a pre-pregnancy condition or better digital health literacy. Anxiety lowered acceptance. It shows readiness, not proof the app improves pregnancy outcomes.
• PTOTRNOther2026Contextual Factors Affecting Evidence-Based Practice in Orthopaedic Nursing and Rehabilitation: A Mixed Methods Study.Journal of advanced nursingOrthopaedic hip surgery teams described teamwork and supportive leadership, but fast-track care, heavy workload and weekend staffing shortages limited patient communication. Bladder care was frequent yet poorly explained.
• RNQualitative2025An Advanced Practice Nurse's Contributions to the Care of Opioid-Dependent Patients in an Acute Somatic Hospital: A Qualitative Study.Scandinavian journal of caring sciencesPatients and staff described an advanced practice nurse as checking withdrawal and craving, adjusting medications, building trust, coordinating care, and reducing conflict. Their reports suggest this role can make hospital care more reliable for opioid-dependent patients.
• PTRNSurvey2025Cognitive Frailty and Its Risk Factors Among Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease Receiving Hemodialysis: A Cross-Sectional Study.Nursing & health sciences9% of hemodialysis patients had cognitive frailty, meaning physical frailty, cognitive functional decline and depressive symptoms together. Malnutrition risk and physical inactivity were associated with it.
• RNQualitative2025Perceptions on the Reasons Influencing the Choice and Abandonment of Exclusive Breastfeeding in Muslim and Christian Women: A Phenomenological Study.Nursing & health sciencesMuslim and Christian postpartum women said returning to work, cesarean birth, and family attitudes shaped breastfeeding. Maternity care should ask about work, birth type, and support, not assume religion alone explains choices.
• RNNarrative Review2025Nursing and Midwifery's Impact on Health Policy Development: A Literature Review.International nursing reviewEducation alone does not increase nurses' and midwives' actual participation in health policy. Barriers like power imbalances, gender dynamics, and lack of organizational support persist. Strategies must include professional association membership and systemic changes to address these structural issues.
• RNQualitative2025The Wall of Stigma-A Qualitative Study on the Health Perceptions of Socially Marginalised Patients.Scandinavian journal of caring sciencesSocially marginalised patients described health as managing everyday life, and many said alcohol or drugs helped them cope and socialise. They felt unwelcome, lower priority, and labelled, which damaged their self-image and made care harder.
• RNCohort2025Interpersonal Processes of Care Disparities, Symptom Distress, and Chemotherapy Dosing in Women With Early-Stage Breast Cancer.Nursing researchBlack women receiving early-stage breast cancer chemotherapy reported less clear communication, more discrimination and staff disrespect than White women. Perceived discrimination was associated with lower chemotherapy dose receipt and higher symptom distress, but the full analysis did not confirm these links.
• RNQualitative2025Qualitative study of Black and Latino (a/e) caregiver participation on family-centered rounds.Patient education and counselingBlack and Latino/a/e caregivers said they felt more comfortable participating in family-centered rounds when clinicians answered questions unhurriedly, used plain language, allowed interpretation, and respected their input. Some said large teams, rushed communication, and racial distrust made them less likely to participate.
• RNSurvey2025The perceived ethical appropriateness of messaging on breast cancer screening cessation among older women.Patient education and counseling75.9% of older women said it was ethically appropriate for doctors to share a message about stopping mammograms. Softer wording was accepted more than stronger advice; many said the decision should remain the patient's.
• RNRCT2025Pilot Test of Aprendiendo Juntos/Learning Together Demonstrates Improved Self-Efficacy for Providing Care Among Latino Family Caregivers of Persons Living With Dementia.Western journal of nursing researchLatino caregivers of people with dementia who took a six-week online course in Spanish or English reported feeling more confident in providing complex care. The course improved self-efficacy but did not change caregivers' mental health or their view of the patient's behaviors.
• RNSurvey2026Filial Piety and Tiwala: Diabetes Knowledge and Family Support Among Chinese and Filipino Americans.Journal of transcultural nursing : official journal of the Transcultural Nursing SocietyFilipino parents had 2.05 points higher diabetes knowledge than Chinese parents, but the practical gap was small. Adult children's knowledge differed little, and family support related to knowledge differently by ethnicity.
• PTOTRNOther2026A Realist Evaluation of the Implementation and Use of Patient-Reported Outcomes in Four Value-Based Healthcare Programmes.Journal of advanced nursingHeart Failure nurses used PROMs to triage and plan resources, but patients did not self-manage or share decisions. In Epilepsy, mood scores identified problems without services to act on them.
• RNMeta-Analysis2026Adverse Outcomes and Associated Factors Among Children and Youths With Diabetes Mellitus in East Africa: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Journal of advanced nursingChildren and youths with type 1 diabetes in East Africa often had poor glucose control, ketoacidosis at diagnosis, complications, and deaths. No type 2 diabetes studies were found.
• RNCohort2026Prevalence of Antenatally Identified Lactation Risk Factors and Risk of Not Fully Breastfeeding at 6 to 8 Weeks Postpartum.Journal of midwifery & women's healthAntenatal screening found gestational diabetes and high prepregnancy BMI carried the highest risk of not fully breastfeeding at 6 to 8 weeks postpartum. Other anatomical factors showed no significant association. Screening identifies women needing early, targeted lactation support.
• PTOTRNOther2026Safe Mobility in Hospitalised Older Adults: A Concept Analysis.Journal of clinical nursingPromote hospitalised older adults' active movement while reducing severe fall and immobility harms, rather than preventing every fall. This concept analysis defines safe mobility; it does not test patient outcomes.
• RNQualitative2026Weathering the Double Storm-Resilience in Chinese Older Cancer Patients With Long COVID: A Qualitative Study.Journal of advanced nursingOlder Chinese cancer patients with long COVID described fatigue, brain fog, cough and urinary symptoms being dismissed, and said infection precautions led to social isolation and loneliness. They also reported nurses providing fatigue pacing, emotional validation and support connections.
• RNSystematic Review2026Virtual Nursing in Residential Aged Care: What Is Known? A Rapid Review.Journal of advanced nursingVirtual nursing in residential aged care showed mixed effects on emergency presentations and hospital admissions. Nurses and staff reported better confidence and communication, but technology, records, training and missing resident feedback limit certainty.
• RNSurvey2026Experience and Perceptions of Retention Strategies in District Nursing Services: A Web-Based Mixed Methods Cross-Sectional Survey.Journal of advanced nursingDistrict nurses in England reported experiencing only some recommended retention strategies. Financial support, flexible schedules and tailored induction for new staff were viewed as most effective. Nurses on lower pay bands and in deprived areas reported significantly fewer strategies than their colleagues.
• RNQualitative2026Engagement in Medication Communication During Transitions of Care for Rural Aged Care Residents and Family Caregivers: A Qualitative Study.Journal of clinical nursingRural aged care residents and family caregivers often learned about medication changes only after the fact, and many felt excluded from decisions. They wanted written lists, simple explanations, and staff who knew them.
• RNQualitative2025Enhancing Cardiovascular Health in Southeastern United States for Underrepresented Racial and Ethnic Minorities With HIV: A Qualitative Inquiry Using the Health Belief Model.The Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care : JANACPeople living with HIV and heart disease or risk factors linked family history, high blood pressure, diabetes, and HIV to higher perceived cardiac risk. They said cost, transportation, time, work, and clinic access made healthier eating, exercise, and specialty care harder.
• RNOther2025Association Between Angina Symptom Characteristics and Obstructive Coronary Artery Disease: A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study.The journal of nursing research : JNRIn 723 patients having coronary angiography, typical angina was linked to nearly twice the chance of obstructive coronary disease. Severity and overall frequency were not; infrequent angina in older patients may still matter.
• RNRCT2025Mental Health Stressors of the COVID-19 Pandemic Negatively Affect Self-Management of Comorbid Cardiovascular Disease Among Persons Living With HIV in the United States: A Qualitative Study.The Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care : JANACIn 24 adults living with HIV, hypertension and high cholesterol, worry and isolation were common, 14 reported worse mood, and distress was tied to poorer diet, activity and weight, but nearly all kept taking HIV and cardiovascular medicines.
• RNSystematic Review2025Measures to evaluate clinician communication in the intensive care unit: A systematic review of measurement properties.Patient education and counselingNo patient- or family-reported ICU communication survey was recommended for clinical use. Family satisfaction scores do not necessarily mean communication was good; the Quick FICS is most promising but still needs ICU validation.
• RNCohort2025An Observational Study of Nursing Delivery of Mobility Assistance in Acute Care.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationNurses documented mobility help for most patients, but observed care often exceeded the chart: 46% received more assistance than recorded. Repositioning was the most common observed mobility task, and walking took the longest staff time.
• RNSystematic Review2026The Effectiveness of Family Health Conversations Delivered by Nurses: A Systematic Review.Journal of clinical nursingNurse-led family conversations gave mixed results for family functioning: five studies showed benefit, one showed decline, and seven showed no clear difference. Eight of 14 perceived-support studies showed improvement.
• RNQualitative2026Co-Designing a Model of Brilliant Care for Older People.Journal of clinical nursingOlder people, carers and staff prioritised protecting time, showing everyone matters, role flexibility, curiosity, small improvements and recognising brilliant care. The model was co-designed, not tested, so it offers principles rather than proof.