News
December 2010
NINR Deputy Director Visits School of Nursing
Mary Kerr, PhD, RN, FAAN
The National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) recently began commemoration of its twenty-fifth anniversary. In celebration, the NINR chose the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Nursing as one of six institutions nationwide to take part in NINR's outreach activities.
On December 9, 2010, Mary Kerr, PhD, RN, FAAN, deputy director of NINR, visited the School of Nursing to present a brief history of the NINR, summarize its mission and strategic aims, and answer questions about the competitive nature of grant submissions. In conjunction with NINR's anniversary theme, "Bringing Science to Life," Kerr's discussion outlined how NINR's research mission—to support both clinical and basic science research in developing the knowledge base to advance health—is disseminated through four NINR research foci:
- Promoting Health and Preventing Disease
- Improving Quality of Life
- Eliminating Health Disparities
- Setting Directions for End-of-Life and Palliative Care Research
Kerr, who has held NINR's deputy directorship for five and one-half years, addressed the rigor of competitive grant submissions and what contributes to best overall score. Every application needs to establish scientific excellence through significance, approach, and innovation; it should target the mission of the institute.
The NINR's budget—$148 million within the National Institute of Health's (NIH's) overall budget of $31 billion—represents one half cent for every dollar for NIH, Kerr explained. The challenge is to develop an innovative research project that has the greatest potential to advance the health of the nation.
Get out of one's comfort zone and look for collaborative opportunities, advised Kerr. "The days of the individual investigator doing his or her own project are over. You're competing against other creative, multidisciplinary teams to get funding. Check out the competition to see if what you're doing is innovative and build your research team to leverage your strengths."
The good news, according to Kerr, is that nurse scientists have great ideas: "Their ideas are clinically applicable, representing obvious health problems that hit you in the face."
Kerr wrapped up her presentation with good advice for nurse scientists: Cross over disciplinary lines. "Go to lectures on basic science that, at first glance, may not appear to have direct significance to your research," she noted. "Begin a dialogue with scientific colleagues who use innovative methodologies, but who do not conduct research involving human subjects. Their expertise will enhance your research as yours will enhance theirs. They can't do it without us."
For more information on the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR), visit:
http://www.ninr.nih.gov