Reality of a project in nursing research in France

Abstract

Currently, the nursing profession is undergoing a major transformation in France. The revision of the basic education courses is one of the most concrete signs. The Diploma of Registered Nurse is now considered equivalent to a Bachelors degree. Although the academic discipline of nursing science does not exist in France, the ambition of nurses is to master or even to pursue a professional knowledge allowing them to meet the needs of patients with an optimal level of efficiency and performance. The first Hospital Program of Nursing Research, conducted in 2009, was one of the significant recent developments of nursing profession. As nurses shall have to meet new societal expectations, new financial resources have been released to allow them to investigate everyday issues with scientific methods. This article aims to present the current context of nursing research in France based on the progress of a research project in a critical care unit. This project emerged after a simple clinical questioning: does the use of an unheated humidifier provide benefit in terms of patients comfort for those receiving oxygen therapy? Besides the new knowledge, we hope to develop a managerial dynamic to arouse curiosity and reflexivity for an optimal adaptation of critical care.