Page 8 - Encyclopedia of Nursing Research

Preface

This third edition of the Encyclopedia of content and references and a timely source
Nursing Research (ENR) is a comprehensive, of the most relevant and recent research. The
authoritative, yet concise guide to current alphabetical ordering of entries is provided
nursing research literature. The first edition to assist the reader in easily locating a topic.
of ENR grew out of the commitment of Dr. Every effort has been made to be inclusive of
Ursula Springer to nursing research and my all relevant terms in nursing research, which
commitment to nurse scholars globally. were selected on the basis of the review of
The first edition of ENR followed 15 previous editions and the extant nursing
volumes of the Annual Review of Nursing research literature.
Research (ARNR) journal. The second edition This work would not have been possible
was published incorporating terms from the without the dedication of a number of indi-
first 22 volumes of ARNR. This third edition viduals. First, we would like to acknowl-
of ENR not only incorporates topics from edge the nurse researchers whose scientific
the first two editions but also adds content work and resultant publications led to the
through the 30 volumes of ARNR that have inception of an encyclopedia. Second, we
been published to date. In preparing and in thank all of the contributors from the three
organizing the content we were cognizant editions for their careful review of the liter-
of the current depth of nursing research in ature and their synopses of the research. We
some areas, for example, geriatric nursing, also thank the staff of Springer Publishing
in which there has been a major investment Company, led by our publisher, Allan
of resources and thus substantive science Graubard, for their thoughtful review and
development. editing of this volume. Collectively, we have
Nurses at all levels of preparation and all contributed to another important work,
in all clinical specialties will find this an one that we should proudly exclaim as the
important introduction to the extent of nurs- culmination of more than four decades of
ing research. Previous editions have been nursing research.
most helpful to basic and graduate students.
The summary entries provide the reader Joyce J. Fitzpatrick
with an important starting point for future Editor