Utilisation of academic nursing competence in Europe - A survey among members of the European Academy of Nursing Science

What helps or hinders nurses to lead funded research projects? A survey of UK nurse lead-investigators

BACKGROUND

There have been recurring UK initiatives to increase nurse research capability but little robust evaluation of long-term effectiveness. More nurses undertake doctorates, yet few lead major funded projects. Previous research suggests potential explanations but the perspectives of nurse lead-investigators themselves have not been examined.

AIM

To explore the perceptions of nurse lead-investigators about what has helped or hindered them to lead funded research projects.

METHODS

Lead investigators of research projects from major UK funders (1 Apr 2017-Sept 2022) were identified from publicly available data. University profiles were screened to identify registered nurses. Entire population was approached (no sample size calculation required). Consenting participants completed an online survey (five open questions).

RESULTS

A total of 65 nurse-lead investigators were identified, 36 (55%) completed the survey (20 December 2022 to 17 February 2023). Participants identified Building (multi-disciplinary) collaborations and mentorship as having been most important to their success. High-quality mentoring was also identified as most important in helping novice nurse researchers become leaders. Participants highlighted the critical importance of being supported by individuals with a track record of funding success and benefits of being situated in research-supportive environments. Lack of career pathway/infrastructure and being unable to pursue research due to competing clinical/teaching priorities were identified as most unhelpful to this group AND the most common reasons for peers not going on to lead research.

CONCLUSIONS

Ensuring access to mentors with an established track record is an important component of schemes to increase research capability in nurses. Funded, protected time for research and career structures that reward the significant skill development required to succeed in a competitive, multi-disciplinary funding arena is important.

IMPACT

Interdisciplinary collaboration and mentorship by experienced researchers are critical to success and should be incorporated into future interventions to increase research capability in nurses. No patient or public contribution (as exploring a professional issue).

The role of doctoral-educated nurses in the clinical setting: Findings from a scoping review

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

To map and summarise published studies on the career opportunities and roles of doctoral-educated (PhD and DNP) nurses in the clinical setting; to collate actions as proposed in the literature to promote career opportunities and roles for PhD and DNP nurses in the clinical setting.

BACKGROUND

To improve healthcare outcomes and strengthen leadership in nursing practice, there is the need to place nurses with a doctorate in clinical settings. However, available evidence has never been summarised to map the state of the science in this field.

DESIGN

A scoping review, in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis extension for scoping reviews statement (PRISMA-ScR).

METHODS

An electronic database of literature was searched by accessing CINAHL Complete and Medline (on EBSCO Host) and SCOPUS to identify studies published between January 2009-December 2019. A thematic analysis was performed by identifying emerging patterns in the research questions.

RESULTS

Ten studies were found with three types of clinical engagement: (a) a practice influencer/developer; (b) a clinical leader; and (c) a clinical teacher for students. Working in clinical areas, doctoral-educated nurses might influence several outcomes at the patient, research, staff and organisational levels.

CONCLUSIONS

Clinical roles for doctoral-educated nurses are still uncommon. However, in the last ten years, a debate has started to identify the possible careers in clinical settings, the needs and the challenges encountered while developing clinical academic roles, as well as the outcomes and actions that should be undertaken.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

Academic nursing bodies, working with professional bodies and healthcare institutions at different levels, are called on to develop career frameworks, allowing the opportunity for doctoral-educated nurses to be involved in clinical practice and to influence its quality and performance; this might in turn lead to an increase in the quality of research.

The impact of The Florence Network in advancing nursing and midwifery in Europe

Diversity of the nursing workforce and multiculturalism of European cities have mandated the need for culturally sensitive nurses and midwives able to provide effective, engaging, high quality and socially just healthcare. The Florence Network is a professional network that aims to bring together like-minded professionals and to cultivate relationships amongst nurses and midwives from different European Union (EU) countries to create synergies on matters of common interest by transcending national and cultural barriers. A qualitative study based upon a focus group interview was conducted with six former Presidents and one present President of the Florence Network, each with a tenure of two years. The study explored the impact of the Florence Network in advancing cultural awareness and promoting educational, research and professional synergies. The outcome of the study identified that from the Presidents perspectives networks create awareness of cultural diversity, enable the delivery of multicultural nursing care and develop future leaders regarding global health-related issues. Furthermore, professional networks contribute to the refining of educational curricula, in developing applicable research evidence, and in sharing formal and informal professional knowledge.

The Second Triennial Systematic Literature Review of European Nursing Research: Impact on Patient Outcomes and Implications for Evidence-Based Practice

BACKGROUND

European research in nursing has been criticized as overwhelmingly descriptive, wasteful and with little relevance to clinical practice. This second triennial review follows our previous review of articles published in 2010, to determine whether the situation has changed.

OBJECTIVE

To identify, appraise, and synthesize reports of European nursing research published during 2013 in the top 20 nursing research journals.

METHODS

Systematic review with descriptive results synthesis.

RESULTS

We identified 2,220 reports, of which 254, from 19 European countries, were eligible for analysis; 215 (84.7%) were primary research, 36 (14.2%) secondary research, and three (1.2%) mixed primary and secondary. Forty-eight (18.9%) of studies were experimental: 24 (9.4%) randomized controlled trials, 11 (4.3%) experiments without randomization, and 13 (5.1%) experiments without control group. A total of 106 (41.7%) articles were observational: 85 (33.5%) qualitative research. The majority (158; 62.2%) were from outpatient and secondary care hospital settings. One hundred and sixty-five (65.0%) articles reported nursing intervention studies: 77 (30.3%) independent interventions, 77 (30.3%) interdependent, and 11 (4.3%) dependent. This represents a slight increase in experimental studies compared with our previous review (18.9% vs. 11.7%). The quality of reporting remained very poor.

LINKING EVIDENCE TO ACTION

European research in nursing remains overwhelmingly descriptive. We call on nursing researchers globally to raise the level of evidence and, therefore, the quality of care and patient outcomes. We urge them to replicate our study in their regions, diagnose reasons for the lack of appropriate research, identify solutions, and implement a deliberate, targeted, and systematic global effort to increase the number of experimental, high quality, and relevant studies into nursing interventions. We also call on journal editors to mandate an improvement in the standards of research reporting in nursing journals.