Increasing nursing postdoctoral opportunities: National Institute of Nursing Research Spring Science Work Group.

On May 1-2, 2000, the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) hosted a Spring Science Work Group on Increasing Nursing Postdoctoral Opportunities. The work group met at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda and was chaired by Dr Patricia A. Grady, director, and Dr Hilary D. Sigmon, program director, NINR. The purpose of the meeting was to identify ways to increase postdoctoral opportunities for nurse researchers. The work group considered the gaps and strengths currently present in postdoctoral education and suggested strategies and collaborative approaches for future initiatives. As biomedicine and behavioral science enter the 21st century, nurse scientists have critical roles to play in basic laboratory studies, translational research, clinical investigations, care delivery, and outcome evaluations. To fulfill these roles and to meet the growing need for well-trained nurse scientists in complex, multidisciplinary research, the "pipeline" of postdoctoral nurse researchers must be strengthened.