Nursing Research in Iran: Bibliometric and Visualization Analysis

Background. A comprehensive understanding of Iran's nursing system, its future trajectory, and the identification and comparison of scientific outputs in nursing research at the national level are of great significance. Therefore, this study was conducted to bibliometrically analyze Iranian articles in nursing using the Web of Science database. Methods. This study employed bibliometric analysis techniques. The research population consists of scientific outputs by Iranian researchers in nursing, indexed in the Web of Science citation database. Data were collected on October 8, 2023, from the Web of Science Core Collection, and relevant publications were screened from 1972 (the beginning of recorded data) to October 8, 2023 (the date of data collection). In the following, Excel and Biblioshiny software were used for bibliometric analysis, and VOS Viewer software was used to draw scientific maps. Results. A total of 3,527 documents were retrieved. The results indicated an upward trend in publication growth, with the earliest record dating back to 1972. The highest number of publications was recorded in 2021, with 515 documents. Original research articles constituted the majority of publications, while single-author documents were limited. Overall, 20.44% of the articles involved international collaboration. Fazlollah Ahmadi and Isa Mohammadi were identified as the most prolific authors in nursing research, while Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, and Tabriz University of Medical Sciences were recognized as the top three institutions in nursing-related scientific output. In terms of international collaboration networks in nursing research, the highest level of cooperation was observed between Iran and the United States, followed by Iran and Australia. Keyword analysis revealed that "care," "health," and "nurses" were the most frequently used terms among researchers. Additionally, co-occurrence network analysis showed the highest co-occurrence between the keywords "Iran" and "nursing," with 147 occurrences. Conclusion. The continuous growth of nursing research in Iran highlights its significant role in regional and global healthcare knowledge. This bibliometric study identified key trends, including the rise in international collaborations, the impact of prolific contributors, and a diverse research focus. Strengthening institutional support and expanding global partnerships are essential to sustain and enhance this trajectory. Such efforts will reinforce evidence-based practices and improve the quality of nursing education and healthcare delivery in Iran.