Research is done to improve patient care by finding answers to questions or solutions to problems.
Some research will improve patient care by adding new knowledge to the nursing profession as a whole. Other research will add to your own knowledge, thereby improving the care you give to your patients. The purpose of the literature review is to provide background knowledge. In most nursing research projects, the literature review precedes and lays the groundwork for any study. Historical or documentary nursing research may study the lives and theories of key figures in nursing, philosophical or ethical concerns.