The document discusses the history and development of nursing research from its origins in the 1850s led by Florence Nightingale to current priorities and trends. Some key events include the establishment of the first nursing research organization Sigma Theta Tau in 1936, increased government funding of nursing research beginning in the 1940s-1950s, and the establishment of the National Institute of Nursing Research in 1993 which significantly advanced the field. The document outlines priority areas for nursing research according to different specialties such as clinical nursing, nursing administration, and nursing education.