Integrity and Scientific Rigor in Nursing: An Analysis of Scientific Retractions from 2000 to 2024

In recent years, there has been a significant increase in scientific publications, and the field of nursing 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 collection was carried out using the RetractionWatch database, from which a total of 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 Results: Over the last 25 years (2000-2024), a total of 408 documents in the nursing field have been retracted, with the majority concentrated in the 2020-2024 period, accounting for 84.8%.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 on patient health and care.