Despite early pressure from the visitors Forest were awarded a penalty on the quarter-hour mark after Dannny Shittu bundled David Johnson over in the box.
Andy Reid's initial shot from the spot was saved by Chris Day, but Reid was quick to react to chip the rebound over the keeper to give the home side the lead.
After that incident Forest pilled on the pressure, only to be denied by Rangers' keeper on four separate occasions.
QPR came out for the second half like a steam engine and three minutes after the interval were back in contention for the points.
Gino Padula took a free-kick from the halfway line and after Paul Furlong nodded the ball down in the box, Georges Santos struck both posts from two yards before the ball found the net behind Paul Gerrard.
Seemingly the goal did not distract the home side and they were soon back in the lead when, in the 58th minute, Alan Rogers curled in an inch perfect cross for Jack Lester to power a header into the top right corner of the net.
Forest decided to rely on the counter attack in the remaining minutes of the game as the visitors pushed forward in search of the all-important equaliser.
Rangers came close to levelling from a long shot by Kevin Gallen, who flashed the ball inches wide of the far post, but left the City Ground with their fifth away defeat in a row.
Forest win was much needed and should be enough to keep Joe Kinnear at the helm until the East Midlands derby against arch rivals Derby County.