The research and development activities at the Institute of Health and Nursing Science (IGPW) contribute to addressing pressing societal and health problems.

The focus of the research and development activities at the IGPW are primarily driven by changes and resulting reform needs in the sectors of health and patient care including the requirement to reform inter-professional clinical practice as well as health education, vocational training and continuing education in the health professions. In the area of Health Service Research, the IGPW focuses on selected aspects of the requirement of change in health care and nursing, for example, improvements in the home-based care of the severely sick or disabled. In the area of Health Education Research, the IGPW is engaged in research with a variety of target groups and in multiple settings (e.g. health education in schools). In the area of Health Professions Education, the focus is on educative tasks of the health professions (patient informed consent, self-management, health competencies, etc.).