Media Advisory

Friday, October 6, 2006

Science Symposium at NIH Marks End of Year-Long Recognition of Nursing Institute’s 20th Anniversary

What

“Nursing Research — Looking to the Future” is the theme of a day-long symposium, featuring noted nurse scientists who will discuss advances in four major areas of research supported by the National Institute of Nursing Research, part of the National Institutes of Health: Health Disparities, Aging, Support for Training of Nurse Scientists, and the Application of Telemedicine in caring for various vulnerable and hard-to-reach populations. In addition, the Honorable John E. Porter, former U.S. Congressman from the 10th district of Illinois, and Dr. Roger Bulger, Acting Deputy Director of the National Center for Minority Health and Health Disparities at NIH will discuss the future of America's health enterprise and its implications for nursing research.

Why

This symposium marks the conclusion of a series of events and meetings on the NIH campus and across the country to mark the NINR 20th Anniversary and its contributions to the nation's health.

When

October 11, 2006 from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Where

Natcher Auditorium on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) campus in Bethesda, Maryland

More Information

“NINR’s mission ‘to establish a scientific basis for the care of individuals across the life span’ has opened up entirely new areas of research and yielded advances that truly span our universe of health and disease,” said Michael Leavitt, Secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services. NINR’s accomplishments have proven the integral role nurse scientists play in advancing science and improving health.” he added. "All Americans should be thankful for the efforts that NINR and its dedicated scientists put forth every day to change lives for the better,” Secretary Leavitt concluded.

Dr. Patricia A. Grady, the Director of NINR, calls this anniversary year “an historic milestone in the science of nursing. We can look back and see the strides nursing research has made to improve patient care. It is gratifying to see how research funded by NINR has reduced the impact of illness, improved quality of life, reduced health care costs, and changed practice. We must continue to look forward, building upon this foundation and developing a forward-looking agenda that will position nursing research at the forefront of the health care sciences,” she concluded.

A formal home for nursing research at NIH became a reality on November 20, 1985, when Public Law 99-158, the Health Research Extension Act of 1985, authorized the creation of the National Center for Nursing Research (NCNR). However, it was not until April 16, 1986, that Dr. Otis R. Bowen, then Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), announced the establishment of NCNR. NINR’s initial budget was $16 million.

The first meeting of the National Advisory Council for Nursing Research (NACNR) was convened at NIH on February 17, 1987.

On June 10, 1993, President Clinton signed into law the NIH Revitalization Act of 1993, and on June 1, 1993, DHHS Secretary Donna Shalala signed a Federal Register notice, formally establishing the National Institute of Nursing Research.

NINR’s placement among the Institutes within the NIH added a new scientific and clinical perspective to enrich the mainstream of the nation’s biomedical and behavioral research endeavors. The mission of the National Institute of Nursing Research is to support clinical and basic research to establish a scientific basis for the care of individuals across the life span.

In April, 1995 Dr. Patricia A. Grady was appointed NINR Director, and continues to serve in that position. Under her leadership, the Institute has more than doubled its budget and has significantly increased the number of research and training grants awarded.

Who Should Attend

The symposium is open to the public.

Host

The symposium is sponsored by the National Institute of Nursing Research, part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the biomedical research arm of the federal government. NIH is an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NINR supports clinical and basic research to establish a scientific basis for the care of individuals across the life span-from management of patients during illness and recovery to the reduction of risks for disease and disability, the promotion of healthy lifestyles, promoting quality of life in those with chronic illness, and care for individuals at the end of life.

Editorial-specific information

The NINR website, http://ninr.nih.gov/ninr, features information about NINR’s 20th Anniversary, including the agenda for the concluding symposium.

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.

NIH…Turning Discovery Into Health^®

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