NAPNAPs Research Agenda

In December 2005 NAPNAP Executive Board approved the development of a NAPNAP Research Agenda.  A Task Force was appointed and charged with creating a mechanism to determine the priorities for a research agenda and the process to create one. NAPNAp’s goal in developing this Research Agenda is to identify gaps in evidence for practice thus providing direction for research activities to NAPNAP, as well as other organizations, and to facilitate the work of individual scientists who address these gaps. To read more about the history of the Research Agenda, click here.

Tne mission of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP) is promoting optimal health for children^* through leadership, practice, advocacy, education, and research. Central to this mission is delineating the evidence for practice. NAPNAP’s goal in developing this Research Agenda is to identify gaps in evidence for practice, thus providing direction for research activities to NAPNAP, as well as other organizations, and to facilitate the work of interdisciplinary groups and individual scientists who address these gaps. These gaps may include missing, inconclusive or contradictory evidence. Areas of clinical focus for this Research Agenda reflect the work of NAPNAP’s members—primarily pediatric nurse practitioners, family nurse practitioners, school nurse practitioners, neonatal nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, educators, and researchers providing primary, acute, and specialty care for pediatric populations. This agenda informs the membership and nurse scientists regarding NAPNAP’s child health research priorities. The agenda can also give direction to multiple NAPNAP organizational constituents such as the NAPNAP Executive Board, regional chapters, and affiliated groups (e.g., NAPNAP Foundation and the Association of Faculties of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners [AFPNP]) for prioritizing research-related activities. This agenda was developed through a process that included the nomination of research priorities by NAPNAP special interest groups and AFPNP members, data collection from three focus groups held at the 2007 NAPNAP national conference, and the implementation of an online survey for members to rate the nominated research priorities. The NAPNAP Research Agenda Work Group synthesized the potential priorities from the first two activities into an IRB-approved online survey for member feedback, analyzed members’ rating of priorities, and generated the research agenda with six clinical and three professional components. This document delineates the clinical and professional components of the Research Agenda and provides exemplar priorities in each area. Exemplars listed under each of the nine components in the research agenda reflect the top-ranked priorities in the survey of NAPNAP members.

Clinical Priorities

1. Health Promotion and Disease Prevention 
2. Self-Management of Acute and Chronic Conditions
3. Mental Health for Children and Families
4. Safety: Protecting Children from Disease, Infection and Harm
5. Children and Families Dealing with Acute or Critical Health Issues
6. Obesity

Professional and Systems Priorities

1. Role and Practice Issues 
2. Organizational, Systems, and Environmental Issues
3. Quality of Care

*Children in this document refers to infants, children, adolescents, young adults, and their families.
^†APN = Advanced Practice Nurse, overall term used for all advanced practice nurses, to include nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, certified nurse anesthetist, and certified nurse midwife.
PNP = Pediatric Nurse Practitioner CNS = Clinical Nurse Specialist
APN, PNP, and CNS roles are addressed in exemplars as appropriate for the practice role alluded to in the research exemplar.

NAPNAP Research Agenda – PDF Version

NAPNAP's Research Agenda is also available in limited quantities in a printed booklet format.

Please contact Suzette Harper at sharper@napnap.org to order a complimentary copy.

RAWG Committee Members and Reviewers