Happenings / L_Événement: Nurses and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research

Abstract

When the Canadian Institutes of Health Research was initiated in June 2000, nurse researchers wanted and expected greater access to research funding than had been awarded through the Medical Research Council but were not convinced that increased funding for health research in Canada would translate into greater access to funding to support nursing research. The CIHR is now in its second year. Within the first year of its existence, a Governing Council, 13 Institutes, and 13 Institute Advisory Boards were established. Governing Council members, Scientific Directors, and members of Institute Advisory Boards are chosen not on the basis of their specific disciplines but rather on the basis of their expertise and their track record. Therefore, nurses should be proud that at least 17 registered nurses contribute to the decisional and advisory infrastructure of the CIHR. Nurses also serve as CIHR university delegates and on peer-review committees. It is important that nurses maintain a high profile on the CIHR. Nominations for participation on review committees are invited through the research vice-president (or equivalent) of educational or health-research institutions, or through the CIHR university delegate.