Participatory action research is an innovative qualitative research method, focusing on collaboration, education and action. The goal of participatory action research is to initiate social change. Participatory action research is an appropriate method to resolve practical problems. In the 1980s, the method was adopted in nursing profession due to the failure of translating evidence based knowledge and its application from theory to practice. This article describes the characteristics and the category of participatory action research, the epistemology and the power effect of the research and the guideline for doing the research. Moreover, comment of the research methods applied in Taiwan nursing profession was also provided. By well recognizing and applying participatory action research, nursing professionals can develop powerful local knowledge to deal with practice problems.