護理研究開始蓬勃發展的今日，臺灣護理研究者正面臨研究方法多元化選擇的情況。單以量性研究法或質性研究法已不足以解答人與環境互動產生的複雜問題，更遑論將護理研究成果應用於實務上,達到健康促進的目標。行動研完提供了一縮短研究、理論及實務離的有效途徑。本文之目的在介紹行動研究的概念及運用，希望提供護理界在研究方法的選擇上，多了另一種有效抉擇，不僅是對現象的描述、解釋，更在於臨床應用及解決健康問題。行動研究的重要基礎在「賦權」;包括研究者對實務者及研究者對研究對象，例如病人(個案)。彼此雙方處於平等的地位，彼此作意見交換以減少其間的距離與落差，固此達到互相教育、學習的過程。傳統的研究過程往往是研究者將自己的理念或想法投射於他人行為表現的過程,因此希望藉由行動研究達到彼此的再澄清，慢慢將欲解決的問題浮現,進而以研究對象能夠接受且願意力行的方式來解決問題，以確保問題獲解決的有效性及持續性。

　　　　　The nursing researchers in Taiwan today are facing various choices of reseach methods in the situation of prosperous development in nursing research. It is not enough to describe and explain the complex and dynamic relationships between persons and their environments by using only quantitative or qualitative research, but the utilization of research results in nursing practices to promote people's health is also needed. Action research has been proved to be effective in narrowing the gap between theory research, and practice in nursing. This paper will introduce the concepts and appliations of action research in order to provide nursing researchers a useful option while they are considering choosing methods which not only describe and explain health phenomena but also utilize results of nursing research to solve health problems. Action research is based on the concept of empowerment. This includes researchers empowering practitioners and practitioners empowering subjects, usually their partients. Researchers and subjects are in an equal position to share and exchange opinions from the establishment of research questions and finding ways to answer them, to solving problems by using research results. In this mutual sharing process, researchers and subjects can educate and learn from each other. Traditionally,