The perceptions and experiences of nurses undertaking research in the clinical setting

Nursing research activity by clinicians has increased in volume in the last few years, due to an increased awareness of the importance of evidence-based practice, the shift of nurse education into higher education establishments and the emergence of new nursing roles which demand research activity as a central domain of the role. This paper will report on the results of a study examining nursing research activity in the UK National Health Service and will present data examining the perceptions and experiences of nurses undertaking research. Forty-eight research-active nurses in five NHS organisations were interviewed. Data were analysed using the Framework approach. Four main themes emerged: perceptions of nursing research, NHS influences, support systems and individual influences. Many factors were identified by nurses that influenced their experiences and perceptions, and nurses frequently reported difficulties in being able to conduct research in the clinical area. Dissemination via publication was rare. Personal sacrifices were common and nurses felt that these were not recognised by managers. Nurses undertaking research need more structured support systems and recognition of the value of nursing research. Individualised help from more experienced researchers for support and to disseminate findings is recommended.

Research-active nurses' perceptions of the barriers to undertaking research in practice

The aim of the study was to identify how a small group of research-active clinical nurses perceived and overcame the reputed 'barriers' to carrying out research in practice. The nursing literature on research implementation tends to focus on barriers that prevent nurses engaging in research. This study takes a different approach and focuses instead on how some nurses manage to succeed despite the difficulties.

A purposive sample of 12 research-active nurses from one trust was recruited to the study. The small sample was a reflection of the comparatively small number of clinical practitioners involved in research activity. Interviews and rating scales were used to explore the practitioners' attitudes to research in general as well as barriers to research identified through earlier studies. The nurses studied did not consider the commonly perceived barriers to undertaking research to be 'barriers' - some nurses saw them as 'excuses'. The only barriers the nurses acknowledged were staffing, cost and lack of support, but they surmounted these by their determination to carry out their research studies and publish. The study suggests that the main kind of support needed by nurses who want to carry out research is that offered by facilitators, who give them confidence to carry out research and publish their findings.

The Study of Nursing Care project: back to the future for contemporary nursing research?

AIMS

  To discuss the Study of Nursing Care project, an initiative from the late 1970s in the UK. The article explores the impact of the Study of Nursing Care on nursing research, and considers to what extent it presents a useful model for contemporary nursing research.

BACKGROUND

  It is acknowledged internationally that the nursing academic workforce is ageing and dwindling. Many possible solutions are being debated with all agreeing that the next generation of evidence based nurse leaders is urgently required.

DATA SOURCES

  In this article, the authors survey existing workforce schemes, describe the Study of Nursing Care series, published in the 1970s, and draw on interviews and correspondence conducted in 2009 with four of the original Study of Nursing Care research assistants.

DISCUSSION

  The Study of Nursing Care project poses a potential response to academic workforce issues. This article discusses the evolution of the project, its methods and operation and considers its possible implications for contemporary practice. Implications for nursing.  The Study of Nursing Care model demonstrates the clear benefits of fully committed funding, a programmatic approach towards research development, and the importance of selecting the right kind of people for the work, in a national scheme.

CONCLUSION

  The authors argue that although the clinical outcomes it set out to achieve remain elusive, the project produced a cohort of nurse researchers who went on to give important leadership in nursing, including in nursing academia/research. A contemporary version of the Study of Nursing Care has important potential to generate the next generation of nurse researchers, and leaders, into the twenty-first century.

Challenges and strategies in developing nursing research capacity: A review of the literature

OBJECTIVES

This paper reports the findings of a critical overview of the development of nursing research capacity in academic departments. It examines the major barriers to developing research capacity, the capacity building strategies adopted (or proposed) within the literature, and considers the wider context within which such endeavours take place.

DESIGN

The literature review forms part of a longitudinal project utilising case study methodology. A key word search was used to locate relevant journal articles for the period 1999-2004, derived from the project's research question and an earlier literature review. A number of manual 'shelf searches' were conducted.

DATA SOURCES

Bibliographic data were retrieved from The Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health literature, The Social Science Citation Index, and Medline.

REVIEW METHODS

Approximately 150 articles were retrieved, of which 47 were included in the study. Given the paucity of work in this area papers were not excluded on the grounds of methodological weakness. Major themes were identified in each paper and an analytical framework was developed.

RESULTS

Two main challenges affecting research capacity development were identified-material constraints and organisational contexts, and the changing roles and expectations of nurse educators. The importance of developing an overall strategic approach, clearly communicated, and accompanied by effective leadership was a point of common agreement. Debate existed on how research support should be managed, particularly the merits of inclusivity and the reconcilement of individual and organisational needs. Specific capacity strategies identified in the literature were the creation of infrastructures, the fostering of research cultures and environments, and the facilitation of training and collaboration.

CONCLUSIONS

The literature offers many examples of capacity building strategies. However, more empirical studies are needed to understand the situated process of implementing and evaluating capacity building in individual academic departments, and how this process differs between geographical settings.