Nursing student needs help!!!!

Hi I am a nursing student from Austria. I am in my last year and I have to write a paper on the difference between nursing research in Austria and the USA.
Now, my question is how do you become a researcher in the US? What education is needed.

It would also be really great if somebody could give me information on where the funding comes from and who starts research projects. Do companies or hospitals pay for it?
Maybe there are good websites that somebody knows about.

Ive got to say I dont know too much about the American nursing system so easy to understand information would be awesome.
My paper will be much better if I have some data from the actual source.

Thanks so much!!