Analysis of Retractions in Nursing from Publications Between 2000 and 2024: A Bibliometric Analysis Using Retraction Watch

There has been a significant increase in scientific publications in recent years, and the nursing field has been no exception. Consequently, the number of publications containing errors that lead to document retractions has also increased. It is essential to understand and delve into this phenomenon within nursing research. Objective: This study aims to identify and analyze the retractions of scientific publications in nursing research worldwide between 2000 and 2024. Methodology: This is a descriptive and cross-sectional study with a bibliometric approach. Data were collected using the Retraction Watch database, from which 408 retracted documents related to nursing research were extracted. Results: Over the last 25 years (2000–2024), a total of 408 documents in the nursing field have been retracted, with the majority concentrated in the 2020–2024 period, accounting for 84.8%. Ethical misconduct was the cause of retraction in 87.3% of the cases. Of the 408 retracted documents, 42.6% involved human participants in research or control groups, totaling 21,369 patients who were part of flawed studies. Conclusions: It is crucial that nursing research remains rigorous and adheres to bioethical standards, as these guide evidence-based nursing practice. Flawed literature can have significant consequences for patient health and care.

Kimelfe