Nurse Researcher
Opinion
A coming of age for nursing research Leslie Gelling finds out what challenges and triumphs Professor Brendan McCormack has faced In addition to his position as head of the Division of Nursing, Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, Professor McCormack is a professor at Buskerud University College (Norway), an extraordinary professor in the Department of Nursing at the University of Pretoria (South Africa), an adjunct professor of nursing at the University of Technology, Sydney and a visiting professor in the School of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Aberdeen. He is also a fellow of the Royal College of Nursing and editor-inchief of the International Journal of Older People Nursing. When and why did you develop an interest in research? Like many nurses I had a ‘traditional training’ for my mental health and general nursing qualifications. Research was rarely talked about or referred to and, as we all know, the right thing to do was what we were told to do by more senior staff. Soon after qualifying as an RGN, I started a Diploma in Nursing and then a BSc(Hons) Nursing and it was then that the whole world of research opened up. But, to be honest, it seemed like a distant ‘star’ that was not in my grasp. I became aware quickly that I had not had a research training – meaning, how to think systematically and engage in inquiry. My tutors on those programmes helped me to do that. In addition, they taught me to write, something that enabled the opening up of a whole new world of possibilities. Once that opening happened, there was no turning back and I did not want to let it go. I have to say though, that I do not view research as a ‘thing in itself’, but instead it has always been something that helps me to make sense of my world and the people I connect with. © RCN PUBLISHING / NURSE RESEARCHER
Who has been most influential in your career as a nurse and as a researcher? This is such an easy question but yet so hard – as there have been many. The people who have influenced me most have been those people who have always exuded what I would now label as ‘respect for personhood’, in that they were less focused on qualifications and achievement but more on individual potential. I feel we are missing that these days. Our obsession with skills and objective knowledge overrides our ability to see the potential in people. Sue Pembrey took a major risk in recruiting me to a post that I was not properly qualified for and has been a mentor in all parts of my career. Alison Kitson mentored me and co-supervised my DPhil. Richard Pring, head of educational studies at Oxford University (now retired) accepted me as a DPhil student and taught me the importance of thinking philosophically in research. Angie Titchen has been a critical companion and friend for more than 20 years and has helped my creativity to flourish. Finally, the numerous colleagues and friends with whom I have worked and who each left a mark on my professional life. Of all the research you have published, which do you think has been the most influential and why? Well I recently was awarded the status of being one of the top 3,000 most influential
I do not view research as a ‘thing in itself’, but instead it has always been something that helps me to make sense of my world and the people I connect with
researchers in the world – scary thought – based on an analysis by Thomson Reuters of global publications with a focus on their impact. This award was afforded to me based on my publications with the PARIHS project team and so officially these publications have been the most influential. However, I am also proud of the work that I have undertaken on person-centredness with Tanya McCance, University of Ulster, which is having a global impact and this is very exciting. Which of your achievements has given you the most satisfaction? I struggle with this question as there is so much more that I want to achieve and so I am still dissatisfied. So far though, this year has been amazing. As well as the Thomson Reuters recognition, being awarded a fellowship from the Royal College of Nursing and the status of International Researcher Hall of Fame from Sigma Theta Tau have helped me to feel more satisfied with what I have done so far. As the editor-in-chief of the International Journal of Older People Nursing what do you look for in a good research paper? A good story that has been systematically developed and presented. To many researchers this may seem like a strange response, but for me, unless the research grabs my attention then I know it is not going to have any influence whatsoever on the readership. The journal’s readership is diverse and while the same issues of rigour apply as in any other international journal, ensuring that the data is presented in an engaging way is important. Much of your research has focused on nursing older people, what do you think are the particular challenges for nurses and researchers in this field? This is a huge question and impossible to answer adequately, but if I was to summarise my views, I would say that the main challenge is for registered nurses to be able to demonstrate the effectiveness of their interventions and to do so with confidence and assuredness. Nursing research with older people tends to overly focus on the negative aspects of practice and largely fails to focus on outcomes and the nursing interventions that lead to those September 2014 | Volume 22 | Number 1 47
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Nurse Researcher outcomes. It is no accident that older people in care settings have a better quality of life, are more socially connected, have more managed care experiences and basically live longer. A large part of this is down to expert nursing, yet this is poorly recognised, even within the nursing profession, and not valued. What research projects are you working on at the moment? I am fortunate to have an international research programme. My work focuses on two major areas: person-centredness/ person-centred practices, and older people. I have projects that focus on the development of person-centred cultures through participatory methods in Norway, South Africa and England. I have a number of new projects that focus on various aspects of older people and older people with dementia with colleagues in Norway, England, Wales and Northern Ireland. These address issues such as avoiding unnecessary hospital admissions from care homes, technology and dementia, the training of healthcare assistants, dignity in acute care settings and older people transitioning through care settings. What tips would you give someone new to research in nursing? Work hard, keep focused, hang on to the boot-straps of experienced and established researchers, be true to yourself and your own values, and make sure you have a good time. What do you think the future has in store for nursing research? It is time to stop viewing nursing research as ‘new’ in the world of research. I believe we have come of age and have a maturity that is demonstrable in the way that we compete on the multidisciplinary stage. Of course there is always more to be done, more battles to fight and more cynics to convince about our legitimacy, but that’s life. However, we need to be careful that we do not become another generic collection of health service researchers and I do have some concern that a lot of research that is labelled as ‘nursing research’ offers little to nursing or to advancing nursing knowledge – we have lost some of that and I feel we need to recoup it. 48 September 2014 | Volume 22 | Number 1
Opinion
Book reviews Handbook of Research-Based Practice in Early Education D Ray Reutzel Guilford Press 470pp | £50.99 ISBN: 9781462510184 THE CHALLENGES and opportunities of research translation and knowledge transfer are not confined to the health sciences and this book has much to offer those who work in education, policy, research and practice across many disciplines. Presented in an accessible format, this book enables the reader to reflect and draw on experience, underpinned by a solid, academic research base. Structured in four parts, the book first explores the role of policy, leadership and stakeholder influence in the early education field. The issues at stake are familiar to those of us in the related disciplines of health and social sciences. Safeguarding the vulnerable, defining and promoting professional development, standards for initial professional education, political influence and engagement. Part two goes on to explore the importance and basis of research-based design, the particulars of practitioner methods, the use of technology and social media, motivation and engagement with people and communities. This is not unfamiliar language, but reading through an educationalist perspective offers the opportunity to reflect with fresh eyes and gain new insights to old problems. So much of the language and discussion was familiar to me: the challenges of funding preventive programmes in times of fiscal constraint; defining and limiting eligibility for financial support; politicians and policy-makers grappling with the confusing and conflicting evidence presented to them in a fierce contest for scarce public resources; the need for accountability and robust evaluation in an increasingly marketplace public sector. The chapters have a structure that introduces ‘what the research says about’ the issue under discussion. The authors then take us through the translation and implementation
of evidence into practice, using vignettes to illustrate the issues. This is an accessible way to present the large breadth of practice-based research. The authors draw on theory and research from psychology, sociology, social anthropology and, yes, even healthcare practice, making this a relevant and engaging read. Simon Browes, advanced nurse practitioner, teaching & research associate, Trentside Medical Group, Nottingham
Understanding Research for Nursing Students Peter Ellis Sage/Learning Matters 168pp | £16.99 ISBN: 9871446267615
THIS BOOK builds on the first edition by incorporating new developments, reviews and readers’ feedback and describes recently published nursing research to illustrate how nursing research is continually developing and the need for nurses to keep updated. Each chapter is linked to the Nursing and Midwifery Council standards and the essential skills clusters for pre-registration nurse education.In addition, the activities are downloadable and can be accessed and added to at any time thus facilitating continuous professional development and promoting lifelong learning. The text is accompanied by access to a companion website with access to downloadable PowerPoint slides for the lecturer. These slides accompany each chapter and can serve as a handout for students. This is an action-orientated text, which seeks to raise awareness of uncertainty and encourages students to adopt a questioning approach to nursing practice thus normalising research as a core aspect of, and not an addition to, everyday practice. On the whole this is a highly readable basic text with international appeal. Paula Walls, nurse education consultant, Clinical Education Centre, Business Services Organisation, Antrim, Northern Ireland © RCN PUBLISHING / NURSE RESEARCHER
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Opinion
A coming of age for nursing research Leslie Gelling finds out what challenges and triumphs Professor Brendan McCormack has faced In addition to his position as head of the Division of Nursing, Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, Professor McCormack is a professor at Buskerud University College (Norway), an extraordinary professor in the Department of Nursing at the University of Pretoria (South Africa), an adjunct professor of nursing at the University of Technology, Sydney and a visiting professor in the School of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Aberdeen. He is also a fellow of the Royal College of Nursing and editor-inchief of the International Journal of Older People Nursing. When and why did you develop an interest in research? Like many nurses I had a ‘traditional training’ for my mental health and general nursing qualifications. Research was rarely talked about or referred to and, as we all know, the right thing to do was what we were told to do by more senior staff. Soon after qualifying as an RGN, I started a Diploma in Nursing and then a BSc(Hons) Nursing and it was then that the whole world of research opened up. But, to be honest, it seemed like a distant ‘star’ that was not in my grasp. I became aware quickly that I had not had a research training – meaning, how to think systematically and engage in inquiry. My tutors on those programmes helped me to do that. In addition, they taught me to write, something that enabled the opening up of a whole new world of possibilities. Once that opening happened, there was no turning back and I did not want to let it go. I have to say though, that I do not view research as a ‘thing in itself’, but instead it has always been something that helps me to make sense of my world and the people I connect with. © RCN PUBLISHING / NURSE RESEARCHER
Who has been most influential in your career as a nurse and as a researcher? This is such an easy question but yet so hard – as there have been many. The people who have influenced me most have been those people who have always exuded what I would now label as ‘respect for personhood’, in that they were less focused on qualifications and achievement but more on individual potential. I feel we are missing that these days. Our obsession with skills and objective knowledge overrides our ability to see the potential in people. Sue Pembrey took a major risk in recruiting me to a post that I was not properly qualified for and has been a mentor in all parts of my career. Alison Kitson mentored me and co-supervised my DPhil. Richard Pring, head of educational studies at Oxford University (now retired) accepted me as a DPhil student and taught me the importance of thinking philosophically in research. Angie Titchen has been a critical companion and friend for more than 20 years and has helped my creativity to flourish. Finally, the numerous colleagues and friends with whom I have worked and who each left a mark on my professional life. Of all the research you have published, which do you think has been the most influential and why? Well I recently was awarded the status of being one of the top 3,000 most influential
I do not view research as a ‘thing in itself’, but instead it has always been something that helps me to make sense of my world and the people I connect with
researchers in the world – scary thought – based on an analysis by Thomson Reuters of global publications with a focus on their impact. This award was afforded to me based on my publications with the PARIHS project team and so officially these publications have been the most influential. However, I am also proud of the work that I have undertaken on person-centredness with Tanya McCance, University of Ulster, which is having a global impact and this is very exciting. Which of your achievements has given you the most satisfaction? I struggle with this question as there is so much more that I want to achieve and so I am still dissatisfied. So far though, this year has been amazing. As well as the Thomson Reuters recognition, being awarded a fellowship from the Royal College of Nursing and the status of International Researcher Hall of Fame from Sigma Theta Tau have helped me to feel more satisfied with what I have done so far. As the editor-in-chief of the International Journal of Older People Nursing what do you look for in a good research paper? A good story that has been systematically developed and presented. To many researchers this may seem like a strange response, but for me, unless the research grabs my attention then I know it is not going to have any influence whatsoever on the readership. The journal’s readership is diverse and while the same issues of rigour apply as in any other international journal, ensuring that the data is presented in an engaging way is important. Much of your research has focused on nursing older people, what do you think are the particular challenges for nurses and researchers in this field? This is a huge question and impossible to answer adequately, but if I was to summarise my views, I would say that the main challenge is for registered nurses to be able to demonstrate the effectiveness of their interventions and to do so with confidence and assuredness. Nursing research with older people tends to overly focus on the negative aspects of practice and largely fails to focus on outcomes and the nursing interventions that lead to those September 2014 | Volume 22 | Number 1 47
Downloaded from RCNi.com by ${individualUser.displayName} on Dec 07, 2015. For personal use only. No other uses without permission. Copyright © 2015 RCNi Ltd. All rights reserved.
Nurse Researcher outcomes. It is no accident that older people in care settings have a better quality of life, are more socially connected, have more managed care experiences and basically live longer. A large part of this is down to expert nursing, yet this is poorly recognised, even within the nursing profession, and not valued. What research projects are you working on at the moment? I am fortunate to have an international research programme. My work focuses on two major areas: person-centredness/ person-centred practices, and older people. I have projects that focus on the development of person-centred cultures through participatory methods in Norway, South Africa and England. I have a number of new projects that focus on various aspects of older people and older people with dementia with colleagues in Norway, England, Wales and Northern Ireland. These address issues such as avoiding unnecessary hospital admissions from care homes, technology and dementia, the training of healthcare assistants, dignity in acute care settings and older people transitioning through care settings. What tips would you give someone new to research in nursing? Work hard, keep focused, hang on to the boot-straps of experienced and established researchers, be true to yourself and your own values, and make sure you have a good time. What do you think the future has in store for nursing research? It is time to stop viewing nursing research as ‘new’ in the world of research. I believe we have come of age and have a maturity that is demonstrable in the way that we compete on the multidisciplinary stage. Of course there is always more to be done, more battles to fight and more cynics to convince about our legitimacy, but that’s life. However, we need to be careful that we do not become another generic collection of health service researchers and I do have some concern that a lot of research that is labelled as ‘nursing research’ offers little to nursing or to advancing nursing knowledge – we have lost some of that and I feel we need to recoup it. 48 September 2014 | Volume 22 | Number 1
Opinion
Book reviews Handbook of Research-Based Practice in Early Education D Ray Reutzel Guilford Press 470pp | £50.99 ISBN: 9781462510184 THE CHALLENGES and opportunities of research translation and knowledge transfer are not confined to the health sciences and this book has much to offer those who work in education, policy, research and practice across many disciplines. Presented in an accessible format, this book enables the reader to reflect and draw on experience, underpinned by a solid, academic research base. Structured in four parts, the book first explores the role of policy, leadership and stakeholder influence in the early education field. The issues at stake are familiar to those of us in the related disciplines of health and social sciences. Safeguarding the vulnerable, defining and promoting professional development, standards for initial professional education, political influence and engagement. Part two goes on to explore the importance and basis of research-based design, the particulars of practitioner methods, the use of technology and social media, motivation and engagement with people and communities. This is not unfamiliar language, but reading through an educationalist perspective offers the opportunity to reflect with fresh eyes and gain new insights to old problems. So much of the language and discussion was familiar to me: the challenges of funding preventive programmes in times of fiscal constraint; defining and limiting eligibility for financial support; politicians and policy-makers grappling with the confusing and conflicting evidence presented to them in a fierce contest for scarce public resources; the need for accountability and robust evaluation in an increasingly marketplace public sector. The chapters have a structure that introduces ‘what the research says about’ the issue under discussion. The authors then take us through the translation and implementation
of evidence into practice, using vignettes to illustrate the issues. This is an accessible way to present the large breadth of practice-based research. The authors draw on theory and research from psychology, sociology, social anthropology and, yes, even healthcare practice, making this a relevant and engaging read. Simon Browes, advanced nurse practitioner, teaching & research associate, Trentside Medical Group, Nottingham
Understanding Research for Nursing Students Peter Ellis Sage/Learning Matters 168pp | £16.99 ISBN: 9871446267615
THIS BOOK builds on the first edition by incorporating new developments, reviews and readers’ feedback and describes recently published nursing research to illustrate how nursing research is continually developing and the need for nurses to keep updated. Each chapter is linked to the Nursing and Midwifery Council standards and the essential skills clusters for pre-registration nurse education.In addition, the activities are downloadable and can be accessed and added to at any time thus facilitating continuous professional development and promoting lifelong learning. The text is accompanied by access to a companion website with access to downloadable PowerPoint slides for the lecturer. These slides accompany each chapter and can serve as a handout for students. This is an action-orientated text, which seeks to raise awareness of uncertainty and encourages students to adopt a questioning approach to nursing practice thus normalising research as a core aspect of, and not an addition to, everyday practice. On the whole this is a highly readable basic text with international appeal. Paula Walls, nurse education consultant, Clinical Education Centre, Business Services Organisation, Antrim, Northern Ireland © RCN PUBLISHING / NURSE RESEARCHER
Downloaded from RCNi.com by ${individualUser.displayName} on Dec 07, 2015. For personal use only. No other uses without permission. Copyright © 2015 RCNi Ltd. All rights reserved.
