ABSTRACT
Nurses have an increasingly central role in the healthcare system. Changing demographics, an aging population, cultural and racial diversity, increased health disparities, and the explosion of technology are all impacting health and healthcare. In the United States, passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) has increased focus on prevention. These forces synergize to underscore key roles of the nurse. Nurses constitute the largest component of the healthcare workforce, responsible for the healthcare of individuals, families, and communities around the globe. They interact with patients and families around health and healthcare, and help them to navigate often confusing healthcare systems. As scientists, nurses conduct research to improve health. At a time of increasingly complex societal, economic, and health issues, nurses and nurse scientists are well-positioned to identify pressing research questions, lead the way to discovery of innovative solutions, and translate scientific findings to improve health, healthcare, and quality of life.
