The inclusion in the European area and the implementation of Bologna process has undergone a number of changes in higher education in Portugal, during the last fifteen years. The paradigm change in higher education and the emergence of new competencies for nurse teachers carry out a transition on the development of the professionals combined with lifelong learning, contributes to the change of your activity, namely, where they establish relationships with the world of work (hospitals, health centres and communities).

Nursing education concerns the training of individuals who are seeking to become active participants in society, and take care of their entry into the labour market, although the increase of economic austerity in the Europe.

In Portuguese law, the duties of nursing teachers that form part of the regulatory framework are outlined in the professional statutes for higher education and teaching staff. In addition, the changes in the university structure within the field of nursing education has undergone a number of changes: incorporation in the national education system; structural and organisational changes; curriculum change; reforms in teachers training; new scientific, pedagogical and management bodies, new teaching models and the requirement of educational research.

The concept of change as an unpredictable and complex process occurs on two levels: change in personal beliefs or theories, and professional change. The individuals involved in changes interact with the contexts in which they occurs, becoming part of them, together with their personal histories and experiences resulting in a new way of thinking, teaching and learning (Day, 2004).

The effectiveness of reforms depends on the commitment of the teachers, on the professional responsibility of the teaching body reflected in the functioning of the organisation and on the performance of new roles through of pedagogical practices in conjunction with the established power relationships, leadership and management policies (Altet, M; 2000; Flores, 2004; Caetano, A, 2004; Almeida, 2005).

Nowadays, the work of nurse teachers and pedagogical practices comprise the way in which teachers, in general, teach learn and carry out your professional development. It includes the professionality, which the practices are imbued with professional values and ideals that inform competencies and roles, which guide teaching performance, self-development processes, and resolution of work situations (Gewirtz et al, 2009). It’s conditioned by the requirements of administrative responsibilities in scientific-pedagogical activities and by various needs of the nursing and teaching profession, reflecting a new professionalism, which has changed a lot in this professional field demonstrated by the emergency of masters and doctoral degrees. The interest in research through training programmes in workplaces and another research studies (individual or in a team) is reflecting at postgraduate training in nursing and at the development of nursing research in the PhD Program in nursing. In this time, occur a transition in educational research and a change in theoretical and methodological development in nursing education.

The main research issues are: Which view of nurse teachers about the changes in nursing education? Which influence that such changes have on development of research in nursing education?

In this regard, the main objective is to identify the changes perceived by nurse teachers in terms of their views on their roles and teaching practices at the field of research.

Almeida, P. P. (2005). A sociologia do trabalho no dealbar do século XXI: das empresas industriais às organizações de serviço(s), in Sociologia, problemas e práticas (47) [Sociology of work, problems and practices in the beginning of XXI century: from the industrial enterprises to service organizations. In: Sociology, problems and practices], pp. 47-67. Altet, M. (2000). Análise das Práticas dos Professores e das Situações Pedagógicas [Analysis of Teachers' Practices and Pedagogical Situations]. Porto. Porto Editora. Caetano, A. (2004). A complexidade dos processos de formação e a mudança dos professores - Um estudo comparativo entre situações de formação pela investigação-ação [The complexity of the processes of change and training teachers - A comparative study between training situations for action research]. Porto: Porto Editora. Day, C. (2004) A passion for teaching. London: Routledge Falmer. Flores, M. A. (2004). Os professores em início de carreira e o seu processo de mudança:influências e percursos [The teachers at the beginning of his career and the process of change: pathways and influences]. Revista Educação [Revue of Education], 12 (2), pp. 107-117. Gewirtz, S.; Mahony, P.; Hextall, I; Cribb, A. (2009). Changing teacher professionalism International trends, challenges and ways forward. New York: Routledge. Guba, E.; Lincoln, Y. (1994). Competing paradigms in qualitative research. In: Denzin, N. ; Lincoln, Y. (Orgs). Handbook of qualitative research. Thousand Oaks: CA Sage, pp. 105-117. Huberman, M; Miles, M. (1991). Analyse des données qualitatives. Bruxelles: De Boeck Université. Merrian, S. B. (1990). Case study research in education: a qualitative approach. Oxford: Jossey Bass Publishers. Mestrinho, M. G. (2011). Professionnalisme et Compétences des Professeurs de l’Enseignement Supérieur en Soins Infirmiers, in AFIRSE, UNESCO La recherche en éducation dans le monde, où en sommes-nous? Thèmes, méthodologies et politiques de recherche. Paris: AFIRSE, UNESCO. Mestrinho, M. G. (2012). Nurse Teaching: Ways of change in teacher education. Loures: Lusociência. Morse, J. (2005). Fostering Qualitative Research. Qualitative Health Research, 15 (3), pp. 287-298. Stake, R. (2007). A arte da investigação com estudos de caso [The art of research with case studies]. Lisboa: Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian. Yin, R. (2001). Estudo de caso: planeamento e métodos [Case study: planning and methods]. Porto Alegre: Bookman Ed.