Purpose: This study was to analyze the trends and content of all the research (171 research papers) published in the Journal of Fundamentals of Nursing from 1994, when it began to 2000 using an objective tool developed by the researches, and to identify the direction for the future research in Fundamentals of Nursing.
Method: Research published in the Journal of Fundamentals of Nursing from 1994 were reviewed.
Result: Most of research (94.2%) was non-degree based and funded research was very limited. The average number of researchers per research study was 2.2 and collaborative research has been gradually increasing. The total number of key words was 331 and the average was 2.6 per research. The major key words were not different from other nursing departments and included home care nursing (10 times), health promotion (8 times), self-care (7 times), self-efficacy (7 times), and hemodialysis (6 times). Eighty seven percent of the research a as quantitative research, and there were very few qualitative studies. Considering theory level, it was found that 4.0% were factor related research. For study design, non-experimental studies were most frequent (66%), and the rate, especially of surveys, has remarkably decreased. Selection of subjects by convenience sampling, was most frequent and there were very few studies that provided the rationale for the calculation of sample size. The major subjects of study were
patients (44.8%) with various diagnoses. The subjects usually gave oral consent to take part in that study. Giving information (46.9%) and exercise (26.5%) were common nursing interventions, and physiological indices (16.5%), vital signs (10.3%). Physical functioning (8.2%), level of knowledge/skill (7.2%) and level of activity (6.2%) were frequently measured as outcome. Variables questionnaires were the major approach used to collect data, and 57.8% of the research provided the Cronbach alpha to guarantee internal consistency of study instruments. Data were analyzed with computerized statistical packages using, ANOVA (42.0%), T test(39.5%), and chi-square test. For the last seven years. Nursing research in Fundamentals of Nursing has gradually improved in both quantity and quality.
Conclusion: It was difficult to find any uniqueness or difference compared to other departments of nursing. In fact, because the history of the Journal of Fundamentals of Nursing is rather short, we can expect that there will be further improvement in quality and content in the future.
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