A novel administrative structure supporting academic nursing practice-based scholarship

BACKGROUND

Practice-based scholarship (PBS) is critical for advancing nursing science, and for changing and saving lives.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this paper is to share two major initiatives implemented at a Midwest College of Nursing (CON) to improve support for PBS.

METHODS

The CON's Office of Research and Scholarship and Office of Faculty Practice were strategically redesigned to integrate and support practice scholarship across the CON.

CONCLUSION

We share this example as a call to action and blueprint for other schools interested in elevating and advancing PBS.

Nursing research and responsible partnership in the global setting

PURPOSE

In light of the increased research priorities set forth by both national and global funding sources, the goal of this project is to take a step towards deeper understanding of the responsibility of high-resource nurses conducting research in low-resource environments. A secondary goal is to understand the role of local collaboration partners in the development and implementation of research in their setting.

DESIGN

A review of recent nursing research where the primary investigator was from a top-ranking U.S. university and the data collection took place in a low- or middle-income setting.

METHODS

The literature was examined for two areas of interest: 1) the presence of local partners as authors, and 2) the role of local partners in development of the research question and study design. This review is through the lens of a collaborative work between an American nurse who conducted her doctoral research in sub-Saharan Africa and an African nurse who is a faculty member at a U.S. university. Ten nursing schools were reviewed for faculty involved in global health research. Ninety-nine faculty were reviewed for global interests and thirty-two were found to conduct research in low-resource settings. Inclusion criteria for publications: Authorship of nurse researcher; Data collection in an LMIC; Published between 2013 and 2019; Full-text available.

EXCLUSION CRITERIA

Systematic or literature review.

RESULTS

Of the abstracts reviewed (N = 248), 141 publications were excluded due to duplicates and research design, for a total of 107 articles included in this review. Seventy-nine percent of publications (N = 85) included local authors, while 84% (N = 90) included local ethical approval. Of publications with local authors, 53% did not state the role played, 27% stated local authors were involved in study conception, 40% stated local authors were involved in data collection/analysis, and 35% stated local authors reviewed/approved the final manuscript.

CONCLUSIONS

More than half of published studies did not state the role of their local partners. Data collection/analysis are the major roles reported in the literature. To design more effective local studies and promote positive health outcomes, international partners should be involved in all stages of the research process, particularly study conception, and their roles acknowledged in all publications.

Implementing a faculty mentoring process to improve academic-clinical partnerships for nurse led evidence based practice and research projects

A unique nursing faculty mentoring process within a large academic medical center, and led by the College of Nursing (CON), Center for Clinical Research and Scholarship, provides faculty with the resources needed to collaborate with clinical nursing staff and multidisciplinary project teams who want to engage in clinical evidence based practice, quality improvement, and research projects. Guidelines for mentoring clinical staff allow CON faculty mentors work with clinical staff to enhance their own professional growth and leadership activities and improve clinical outcomes, as well as to increase faculty scholarship activities.