VIEWPOINT
By Morgan Yates, BScN, RN
Research in Nursing Practice Bridging the gap between clinicians and the studies they depend on.
R
esearch provides the foundation for highSuch observations suggest a need for a much stronger quality, evidence-based nursing care. Howlink between nurse clinicians and the development of ever, there isn’t a direct flow of knowledge research into best practices. Though this has been disfrom research into practice. When I ask nurses cussed for years, I do not yet see research as having where the “evidence” to guide the development infiltrated fundamental views of what constitutes of “evidence-based care” comes from, I get an in“nursing work.” teresting array of answers, from “researchers” to My discussions with frontline nurses and nurses inblank stares, as if there’s no connection between volved in research have led me to ask three key questhe worlds of researchers and bedside nurses. tions that need addressing before we can fully integrate If research evidence informs our nursing practice, research into our professional identity. These are: why doesn’t it come from all • How can nurses strive for of us? Nurses are inquisitive, high-quality research withWe need to think critically about their paout focusing on randomtients’ care, and want to know ized controlled trials? stop seeing the best treatments for their • What are the barriers to patients—all of which makes and challenges of being inresearch as them perfectly suited for revolved in research and how someone search. Though the majority can we address these? of nurses don’t have the train• How can nurses at varying else’s job. ing to conduct research projeducation levels be involved ects without assistance, they in research? know how to ask questions and they know which Nurses could turn many quality improvement questions need answering. (QI) projects into research. Research may be viewed Yet research is often perceived as something under- as a continuum, with formal projects at one end and taken by others far removed from the front lines of QI projects somewhere along the continuum. Though nursing practice. I believe that many nurses’ notions nurses may not think that QI projects would be of about who does or doesn’t do research are rooted in interest to others, with increased understanding of our identity as nurses, which often manifests in a bethe research process and greater institutional suplief that “good” nurses are not researchers but instead port, some QI projects could easily become research have excellent clinical skills and can manage any crisis projects. on a unit. A 2007 study by Woodward and colleagues More bedside nurses are likely to engage in in the Journal of Research in Nursing found that nurse research if clinicians engaged in research often perceive a lack of • nursing education is strengthened. support from nurse managers and resentment from • time away from direct care is allocated for concolleagues who see the research as taking them away ducting research activities. from clinical practice. • consultant resources such as methodologists and The distinction often drawn between nursing rebiostatisticians are available to staff. search and clinical practice is mirrored in the incon• institutional and organizational support of resistent translation of research evidence into practice. search are strengthened. Despite widespread promotion of evidence-based Many nurses are intimidated by research, but change practice in nursing, creation of new translational reis possible if we stop seeing research as someone else’s search roles for nurses in major medical centers, and job and start making it a part of who we are and what Medicare reimbursement policies in the United States we do. This will pave the way to evidence-based practied to implementation of specific evidence-supported tice truly becoming the norm. ▼ practices, studies continue to suggest much room for improvement. In a September 2014 article in this journal, Yoder and colleagues noted that researchers have Morgan Yates works as an RN in the ED of Surrey Memorial Hospital, Surrey, British Columbia, Canada. Contact author: consistently found that “nurses who valued research [email protected]. The author has disclosed no potential were more likely to use research findings in practice.” conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise. [email protected]
AJN ▼ May 2015
▼
Vol. 115, No. 5
11
By Morgan Yates, BScN, RN
Research in Nursing Practice Bridging the gap between clinicians and the studies they depend on.
R
esearch provides the foundation for highSuch observations suggest a need for a much stronger quality, evidence-based nursing care. Howlink between nurse clinicians and the development of ever, there isn’t a direct flow of knowledge research into best practices. Though this has been disfrom research into practice. When I ask nurses cussed for years, I do not yet see research as having where the “evidence” to guide the development infiltrated fundamental views of what constitutes of “evidence-based care” comes from, I get an in“nursing work.” teresting array of answers, from “researchers” to My discussions with frontline nurses and nurses inblank stares, as if there’s no connection between volved in research have led me to ask three key questhe worlds of researchers and bedside nurses. tions that need addressing before we can fully integrate If research evidence informs our nursing practice, research into our professional identity. These are: why doesn’t it come from all • How can nurses strive for of us? Nurses are inquisitive, high-quality research withWe need to think critically about their paout focusing on randomtients’ care, and want to know ized controlled trials? stop seeing the best treatments for their • What are the barriers to patients—all of which makes and challenges of being inresearch as them perfectly suited for revolved in research and how someone search. Though the majority can we address these? of nurses don’t have the train• How can nurses at varying else’s job. ing to conduct research projeducation levels be involved ects without assistance, they in research? know how to ask questions and they know which Nurses could turn many quality improvement questions need answering. (QI) projects into research. Research may be viewed Yet research is often perceived as something under- as a continuum, with formal projects at one end and taken by others far removed from the front lines of QI projects somewhere along the continuum. Though nursing practice. I believe that many nurses’ notions nurses may not think that QI projects would be of about who does or doesn’t do research are rooted in interest to others, with increased understanding of our identity as nurses, which often manifests in a bethe research process and greater institutional suplief that “good” nurses are not researchers but instead port, some QI projects could easily become research have excellent clinical skills and can manage any crisis projects. on a unit. A 2007 study by Woodward and colleagues More bedside nurses are likely to engage in in the Journal of Research in Nursing found that nurse research if clinicians engaged in research often perceive a lack of • nursing education is strengthened. support from nurse managers and resentment from • time away from direct care is allocated for concolleagues who see the research as taking them away ducting research activities. from clinical practice. • consultant resources such as methodologists and The distinction often drawn between nursing rebiostatisticians are available to staff. search and clinical practice is mirrored in the incon• institutional and organizational support of resistent translation of research evidence into practice. search are strengthened. Despite widespread promotion of evidence-based Many nurses are intimidated by research, but change practice in nursing, creation of new translational reis possible if we stop seeing research as someone else’s search roles for nurses in major medical centers, and job and start making it a part of who we are and what Medicare reimbursement policies in the United States we do. This will pave the way to evidence-based practied to implementation of specific evidence-supported tice truly becoming the norm. ▼ practices, studies continue to suggest much room for improvement. In a September 2014 article in this journal, Yoder and colleagues noted that researchers have Morgan Yates works as an RN in the ED of Surrey Memorial Hospital, Surrey, British Columbia, Canada. Contact author: consistently found that “nurses who valued research [email protected]. The author has disclosed no potential were more likely to use research findings in practice.” conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise. [email protected]
AJN ▼ May 2015
▼
Vol. 115, No. 5
11
