The study of health care history is one of the principal means by which the recent developments in the United States health care system, including the changing roles of advanced practice nurses within hospitals, can be understood and given some perspective. This Mentored Research Scientist Development Award requests funding (1) support the advanced preparation of the principal investigator, in order to expand her competency, experience and skills related to historical research methods, and (2) to support her research on the inception , growth and development of coronary care units (CCUs) in the United States during the period from 1945 to 1985, the roles of nurses within those units, and the characteristics of the patient care that was provided. The initial portion of this proposal describes the academic preparation of the principal investigator over a two year period in which formal course work in historical research methods, independent study in health care history of the 20th century, and supervised research efforts will be conducted at the Universities of Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Michigan. An overall goal of the project is for the researcher to gain perspective on the current clinical situation of advanced practice nursing by examining its historical antecedents. The academic preparation of the principal investigator will be the foundation for the research project outlined in the second section of the proposal. A descriptive historical study will investigate the history of coronary care unit nursing in the United States from 1945-1985. Data will be collected from primary and secondary sources and patient record reviews. Future studies on issues that energy in the K01 related to the intersection of the advanced practice role with patients and technology are proposed.
