Nursing research and theory are very important to the profession for the simple fact that they help improve the quality of patient care and eliminate unsafe practices. It was believed that putting water into a patient's tracheostomy tube would actually break up the mucus, however, after evidence-based practice, it was found to be unsafe as it would cause infection, aspiration and lead to breathing difficulties. It is important to incorporate theory into care that would link practice and knowledge together and, consequently, help provide optimal care to individuals. Significant trends in nursing practice, research and theory are the result of a growing concern about the need to connect practice and knowledge (George,