This report describes the scope of nursing research in the area of quality of life. The strategy used to identify research reports relied heavily on nursing publications included in the Cumulative Index for Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) from 1983 (when the database first included the subject, quality of life) to December, 1991. During this period, over 1,000 references concerning quality of life can be identified through a key-word search of the data set. Nursing investigators defined quality of life in terms of psychological, physical, social/interpersonal, and financial/material well-being. Nursing instruments have been developed to measure one or more of these dimensions of the concept. Nursing journals like Advances in Nursing Science (1985), Seminars in Oncology Nursing (1990), and Progress in Cardiovascular Nursing (1992) dedicated whole issues to the topic. Major nursing associations have supported conferences/talks (American Heart Association Council on Cardiovascular Nursing, Santa Fe, NM, 1991; Oncology Nursing Society, Fall Institute, Annual Quality of Life Lectureship) and provided awards on the subject (Oncology Nursing Society Annual Quality of Life Research Award). The National Center for Nursing Research is launching an intramural programme to address quality of life questions.