I remember an earlier era in nursing in which most faculty focused their research on questions related to nursing education. Over the years, as studies shifted to research on clinical phenomena and best practices for care of patients and families, along with the funding, interest in nursing education research waned. We are in a new era of nursing education research: there is recognition of the need for educational studies to provide evidence for how best to teach students and for making educational decisions in nursing programs. Although significant barriers remain (eg, limited funding), there is widespread interest in nursing education research, and there are committed nurse educators to do these studies.

The impact of nursing education research, though, depends on (1) the quality of the studies that are done, (2) the quality of the research report that disseminates the study and findings, and (3) an understanding of how nurse educators translate and use research findings in their teaching and how they adopt new educational approaches. Quality in nursing education research means the study answers important questions, and the findings have an actual or a potential impact on how we teach students. Studies have to be rigorous. They need to be designed and implemented based on sound research methods. Although students' satisfaction and the perceptions of participants are important to learn about, studies should measure or evaluate more than satisfaction. What are changes in performance and other outcomes? Most importantly, are students transferring their learning to practice settings? Studies need to use validated tools and measures, or if investigator developed, evaluate your tools before using them. In most education studies, we cannot control all of the variables that can influence outcomes, but we can take those into account when we interpret and report findings. In clinical practice, we build evidence by extending and replicating studies on different units and with varied patient populations, allowing us to better understand interventions. We need more replications of studies in nursing education that explore findings across types of courses, student populations, and nursing programs; use consistent tools and measures (so we can integrate findings across these studies); and report the context in which the study was done (so we can better interpret the findings considering our own students and setting).

The impact of research in nursing education also depends on how well the study is reported in the literature. Studies have to be reported accurately and completely. Readers need to understand the type of program and student population where the study took place (its context), research design, measures, procedures for data collection, and statistical analysis. This description is important not only to replicate the study but for nurse educators to evaluate the findings and determine if they are applicable to their own students and setting.

We have not examined the processes used by nurse educators to translate and implement educational evidence in their teaching. For areas of nursing education where we have evidence ready for use, are faculty adopting it? What processes do they use in translating evidence to their own courses and teaching practices, and in implementing educational innovations and new approaches? We rarely study if a new approach leads to better learning outcomes. Students and faculty may be more satisfied and like the new teaching method or approach better, but does it improve learning or lead to other positive outcomes such as saving faculty time or reducing cost? Studies using implementation science as a framework would answer some of these questions and suggest strategies to better prepare faculty for implementing evidence and new approaches in their programs.

Think carefully about your next educational study and how you design it. Most nurse educators will not be conducting randomized controlled trials or multisite studies. However, we can build evidence using your study in your course with your students if the study is rigorous and answers significant questions, and if you report it accurately and completely. Let us join together and build the evidence for evidence-based nursing education.