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NINR FAQ

Below are answers to some Frequently Asked Questions about the National Institute of Nursing Research.  For more specific inquiries, please contact the NINR Office of Science Policy and Public Liaison at (301) 496-0207.

A. GENERAL INFORMATION
Q: What is NINR?
Q: Who is the Director of NINR?
Q: Where is NINR located?
Q: How Do I Contact NINR?
Q: What is the Mission of NINR?
Q: I am a member of the press and am interested in more information about NINR and/or a possible interview with NINR Director Patricia A. Grady, PhD, RN, FAAN.  Whom do I contact?

B. RESEARCH INFORMATION
Q: What is Nursing Research?
Q: What types of research does NINR support?
Q: What are NINR's areas of research emphasis?
Q: What areas of science create the focus of research sponsored by NINR?
Q: How do I apply for a Grant?
Q: Where can I find a list of the projects and/or initiatives that NINR supports or has supported?
Q: Does NINR have any available video or audio files with information about topics important to the Institute?

A. GENERAL INFORMATION

Q: What is NINR?
A:
NINR is the National Institute of Nursing Research, one of 27 Institutes that comprise the National Institutes of Health (NIH).  It was originally established in 1986 as the National Center for Nursing Research (NCNR).  NCNR was elevated to an NIH Institute as part of Public Law 103-43 (The NIH Revitalization Act of 1993), which became law on June 10, 1993.

Q: Who is the Director of NINR?
A:
The Director of NINR is Patricia A. Grady, PhD, RN, FAAN.  Dr. Grady was appointed Director of NINR on April 3, 1995.  An internationally recognized researcher, Dr. Grady had previously served as Deputy Director and Acting Director of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) before coming to NINR.  The NINR Deputy Director is Mary E. Kerr, PhD, RN, FAAN.

Q: Where is NINR located?
A:
The Office of the Director, along with several other offices and staff, are located on the main NIH Campus at 9000 Rockville Pike, in Bethesda, MD.  These offices are located in Building 31, the Claude D. Pepper Building.  Other NINR offices are located on Democracy Boulevard in Bethesda.

Q: How do I Contact NINR?
A:
NINR can be reached by phone at 301-496-0207, or toll-free at 1-866-910-3804.  The NINR fax number is 301-480-8845.  The TTY is 301-594-5605.  These numbers and the US Mail address for the Institute can be found at the "Contact Us" link below.  That page also features fields for leaving an online message with the Institute.

Q: What is the mission of NINR?
A:
The mission of NINR is to promote and improve the health of individuals, families, communities, and populations.  NINR supports and conducts clinical and basic research and research training on health and illness across the lifespan.  The Institute's research focus encompasses health promotion and disease prevention, quality of life, health disparities, and end-of-life.  NINR seeks to extend nursing science by integrating the biological and behavioral sciences, employing new technologies to research questions, improving research methods, and developing the scientists of the future.

Q: I am a member of the press and am interested in more information about NINR and/or a possible interview with NINR Director Dr. Grady.  Whom do I contact?
A:
Press inquiries and requests for information should be directed to the NINR Office of Science Policy and Public Liaison (OSPPL) by calling 301-496-0207.

B. RESEARCH INFORMATION

Q: What is Nursing Research?
A:
Nursing research develops knowledge to:

  • Build the scientific foundation for clinical practice,
  • Prevent discease and disability,
  • Manage and eliminate symptoms caused by illness,
  • Enhance end-of-life and palliative care.

Q: What types of research does NINR support?
A:
NINR supports clinical and basic research and research training on health and illness across the lifespan.  The Institute's research focus encompasses health promotion and disease prevention, quality of life, health disparities, and end-of-life.  NINR sponsors research by outside investigators at colleges, universities, and other research sites (Extramural Research) and conducts its own research at NIH (Intramural Research).

  • The Extramural program, managed through the Division of Extramural Activities, accepts unsolicited, investigator-initiated applications, as well as those submitted in response to a published Request for Applications (RFA) or Program Announcement (PA).  More information about the Extramural program is available here.
  • The Intramural program, managed through the Division of Intramural Research, is comprised of the Symptom Management Laboratory, the Pain Research Unit, and the Research Training Section.  More information about the Intramural program is available here.

Q: What are NINR's areas of research emphasis?
A:
According to the NINR Strategic Plan released in 2006, there are four current areas of research emphasis at NINR.  These include Promoting Health and Preventing Disease; Improving Quality of Life; Eliminating Health Disparities; and Setting Directions for End-of-Life Research.  The Strategic Plan is available here.

Q: What areas of science comprise the focus of research sponsored by NINR?
A:
For extramural research that is sponsored by NINR, there are seven core areas of science.  These include:

1.       Cardiopulmonary & Critical Care Science (Contact:  Dr. Karen Huss)

2.       Chronic Conditions & Infectious Diseases (Contact:  Dr. Yvonne Bryan)

3.       End of Life and Long-Term Care (Contact:  Dr. Josephine E. A. Boyington)

4.       Health Behavior & Minority Health (Contact:  Dr. Paul Cotton)

5.       HIV/AIDS and Oncology (Contact:  Dr. Kathleen Jett)

6.       Neuroscience (Contact:  Dr. Dr. Yvonne Bryan)

7.       Reproductive, Child & Family Health (Contact:  Dr. Yvonne Bryan)


Q: How do I apply for a Grant?

A: On the NINR web site, information is also available on how to apply for a grant through NINR, as well as information on the entire grant application process, which can be found here.  NINR offers an online training course for developing nurse scientists, available here.  This course is free.

 

Q: Where can I find a list of the projects and/or initiatives that NINR supports or has supported?

A: In the Research and Funding section of this web site, there are spreadsheets that list NINR-supported grants for Fiscal Years 2002-2006.  Also available are lists of Program Project Grants (P01s), Institutional Training Programs (T32s), and other types of available funding.  More in-depth information, such as abstracts for particular projects, is available via the CRISP (Computer Retrieval of Information on Scientific Projects) database.

 

Q: Does NINR have any available video or audio files with information about topics important to the Institute?

A: Yes, archived mp3 files, podcasts, and videos are available here.

 

 

Page last updated Nov 03, 2008
 
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