Revised Abstract: Certain critical nursing and health care issues may be most appropriately addressed through the use of health services research (HSR). HSR provides a way to examine the impacts of interventions, innovations, and new technologies in health care delivery, provides evidence to inform decision making in clinical practice, health care systems, and public policy, and improves the overall health and well-being of society. The Conference proposed here will address substantive and methodological issues in nursing and HSR, and bring together researchers in nursing and HSR, and other key stakeholders to: 1) develop a research agenda focusing on critical issues at the intersection of nursing and HSR; 2) identify and recommend training needs-both substantive and methodological-to strengthen HSR capacity in nursing; and 3) disseminate the research agenda and Conference proceedings to encourage the conduct of HSR by nurses and bridge the gap between nursing and other health services researchers through publications in the professional and lay press. Building an HSR agenda with emphasis in five critical areas-access to and utilization of care; health and health behaviors; quality of care; cost and cost-effectiveness of care; and organization and delivery of care-will help to examine areas of HSR where nursing has made and continues to make significant contributions, identify gaps in HSR where nursing contributions are needed, foster the development of HSR in nursing, and enhance nursing contributions to HSR. The proposed Conference is consistent with the mission of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), and will address AHRQ priorities by identifying needs in nursing that could be addressed through HSR to improve health outcomes, strengthen quality measurement and improvement, and improve health care access, foster appropriate use, and reduce unnecessary health care expenditures. Additionally, the Conference represents a collaborative effort between the Council for the Advancement of Nursing Science (CANS), the American Academy of Nursing (AAN), and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Nursing (SON), and will involve interactive and interdisciplinary efforts. Proposed dates for the Conference are December 8 and 9 of 2003.
