Combining nursing quality assurance and research programs.

This article discusses the advantages and disadvantages of combining nursing quality assurance and research programs in clinical settings. The intended audiences and scopes of quality assurance and research differ, causing potential conflicts in combined programs. Such conflicts include the methods of disseminating findings, action taken on data obtained, analytic methods used, and issues of territoriality. However, advantages of combining these programs are great. Nursing research can be introduced into the clinical setting via quality assurance; resultant studies are more likely to be of direct clinical relevance; and results are more likely to be integrated into practice when programs are combined rather than separate. Combined programs are also cost efficient.