With a structure and mission similar to an NIH institute, the center has conducted research programs and has supported research and training throughout the country with grants. In addition to ameliorating illness, nurse scientists also study health promotion and disease prevention, including how to motivate people to adopt healthy lifestyles. Innovative approaches are developed and tested to improve the delivery of health care through high quality nursing services. Nursing research is strongly collaborative and works closely with many health disciplines to find answers to health problems. With the new institute's special focus on prevention and the health and well-being of the entire patient, nursing research will have a growing importance to the NIH and to the public.
Medical research focuses on finding better ways to diagnose and treat illness.
Nursing research focuses on how people react to an illness and its treatment. For example, a medical researcher might study how to diagnose the HIV virus sooner, or which drugs and what doses are best to combat HIV infection. A nurse researcher, on the other hand, might study the symptoms patients are experiencing, such as eating problems or muscle wasting, whether they are caused by the disease or the treatment, and how they can be reduced to improve quality of life. The new institute within the NIH is part of the Public Health Service, Department of Health and Human Services.