importance of nursing research essay

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Why Nursing Research Matters

Affiliation.

1 Author Affiliation: Director, Magnet Recognition Program®, American Nurses Credentialing Center, Silver Spring, Maryland.
PMID: 33882548
DOI: 10.1097/NNA.0000000000001005

Increasingly, nursing research is considered essential to the achievement of high-quality patient care and outcomes. In this month's Magnet® Perspectives column, we examine the origins of nursing research, its role in creating the Magnet Recognition Program®, and why a culture of clinical inquiry matters for nurses. This column explores how Magnet hospitals have built upon the foundation of seminal research to advance contemporary standards that address some of the challenges faced by healthcare organizations around the world. We offer strategies for nursing leaders to develop robust research-oriented programs in their organizations.

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Nursing Research

Nursing research worldwide is committed to rigorous scientific inquiry that provides a significant body of knowledge to advance nursing practice, shape health policy, and impact the health of people in all countries. The vision for nursing research is driven by the profession's mandate to society to optimize the health and well-being of populations (American Nurses Association, 2003; International Council of Nurses, 1999). Nurse researchers bring a holistic perspective to studying individuals, families, and communities involving a biobehavioral, interdisciplinary, and translational approach to science. The priorities for nursing research reflect nursing's commitment to the promotion of health and healthy lifestyles, the advancement of quality and excellence in health care, and the critical importance of basing professional nursing practice on research.

As one of the world leaders in nursing research, it is important to delineate the position of the academic leaders in the U.S. on research advancement and facilitation, as signified by the membership of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). In order to enhance the science of the discipline and facilitate nursing research, several factors need to be understood separately and in interaction: the vision and importance of nursing research as a scientific basis for the health of the public; the scope of nursing research; the cultural environment and workforce required for cutting edge and high-impact nursing research; the importance of a research intensive environment for faculty and students; and the challenges and opportunities impacting the research mission of the discipline and profession.

Approved by AACN Membership: October 26, 1998 Revisions Approved by the Membership: March 15, 1999 and March 13, 2006

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Importance of Research in Nursing Practice and Theories

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Calvin Moorley 1 ,
Xabi Cathala 2
1 Nursing Research and Diversity in Care, School of Health and Social Care , London South Bank University , London , UK
2 Institute of Vocational Learning , School of Health and Social Care, London South Bank University , London , UK
Correspondence to Dr Calvin Moorley, Nursing Research and Diversity in Care, School of Health and Social Care, London South Bank University, London SE1 0AA, UK; Moorleyc{at}lsbu.ac.uk

https://doi.org/10.1136/ebnurs-2018-103044

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Introduction

In order to make a decision about implementing evidence into practice, nurses need to be able to critically appraise research. Nurses also have a professional responsibility to maintain up-to-date practice. 1 This paper provides a guide on how to critically appraise a qualitative research paper.

What is qualitative research?

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Useful terms

Some of the qualitative approaches used in nursing research include grounded theory, phenomenology, ethnography, case study (can lend itself to mixed methods) and narrative analysis. The data collection methods used in qualitative research include in depth interviews, focus groups, observations and stories in the form of diaries or other documents. 3

Authenticity

Title, keywords, authors and abstract.

In a previous paper, we discussed how the title, keywords, authors’ positions and affiliations and abstract can influence the authenticity and readability of quantitative research papers, 4 the same applies to qualitative research. However, other areas such as the purpose of the study and the research question, theoretical and conceptual frameworks, sampling and methodology also need consideration when appraising a qualitative paper.

Purpose and question

The topic under investigation in the study should be guided by a clear research question or a statement of the problem or purpose. An example of a statement can be seen in table 2 . Unlike most quantitative studies, qualitative research does not seek to test a hypothesis. The research statement should be specific to the problem and should be reflected in the design. This will inform the reader of what will be studied and justify the purpose of the study. 5

Example of research question and problem statement

An appropriate literature review should have been conducted and summarised in the paper. It should be linked to the subject, using peer-reviewed primary research which is up to date. We suggest papers with a age limit of 5–8 years excluding original work. The literature review should give the reader a balanced view on what has been written on the subject. It is worth noting that for some qualitative approaches some literature reviews are conducted after the data collection to minimise bias, for example, in grounded theory studies. In phenomenological studies, the review sometimes occurs after the data analysis. If this is the case, the author(s) should make this clear.

Theoretical and conceptual frameworks

Most authors use the terms theoretical and conceptual frameworks interchangeably. Usually, a theoretical framework is used when research is underpinned by one theory that aims to help predict, explain and understand the topic investigated. A theoretical framework is the blueprint that can hold or scaffold a study’s theory. Conceptual frameworks are based on concepts from various theories and findings which help to guide the research. 6 It is the researcher’s understanding of how different variables are connected in the study, for example, the literature review and research question. Theoretical and conceptual frameworks connect the researcher to existing knowledge and these are used in a study to help to explain and understand what is being investigated. A framework is the design or map for a study. When you are appraising a qualitative paper, you should be able to see how the framework helped with (1) providing a rationale and (2) the development of research questions or statements. 7 You should be able to identify how the framework, research question, purpose and literature review all complement each other.

There remains an ongoing debate in relation to what an appropriate sample size should be for a qualitative study. We hold the view that qualitative research does not seek to power and a sample size can be as small as one (eg, a single case study) or any number above one (a grounded theory study) providing that it is appropriate and answers the research problem. Shorten and Moorley 8 explain that three main types of sampling exist in qualitative research: (1) convenience (2) judgement or (3) theoretical. In the paper , the sample size should be stated and a rationale for how it was decided should be clear.

Methodology

Qualitative research encompasses a variety of methods and designs. Based on the chosen method or design, the findings may be reported in a variety of different formats. Table 3 provides the main qualitative approaches used in nursing with a short description.

Different qualitative approaches

The authors should make it clear why they are using a qualitative methodology and the chosen theoretical approach or framework. The paper should provide details of participant inclusion and exclusion criteria as well as recruitment sites where the sample was drawn from, for example, urban, rural, hospital inpatient or community. Methods of data collection should be identified and be appropriate for the research statement/question.

Data collection

Overall there should be a clear trail of data collection. The paper should explain when and how the study was advertised, participants were recruited and consented. it should also state when and where the data collection took place. Data collection methods include interviews, this can be structured or unstructured and in depth one to one or group. 9 Group interviews are often referred to as focus group interviews these are often voice recorded and transcribed verbatim. It should be clear if these were conducted face to face, telephone or any other type of media used. Table 3 includes some data collection methods. Other collection methods not included in table 3 examples are observation, diaries, video recording, photographs, documents or objects (artefacts). The schedule of questions for interview or the protocol for non-interview data collection should be provided, available or discussed in the paper. Some authors may use the term ‘recruitment ended once data saturation was reached’. This simply mean that the researchers were not gaining any new information at subsequent interviews, so they stopped data collection.

The data collection section should include details of the ethical approval gained to carry out the study. For example, the strategies used to gain participants’ consent to take part in the study. The authors should make clear if any ethical issues arose and how these were resolved or managed.

The approach to data analysis (see ref 10 ) needs to be clearly articulated, for example, was there more than one person responsible for analysing the data? How were any discrepancies in findings resolved? An audit trail of how the data were analysed including its management should be documented. If member checking was used this should also be reported. This level of transparency contributes to the trustworthiness and credibility of qualitative research. Some researchers provide a diagram of how they approached data analysis to demonstrate the rigour applied ( figure 1 ).

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Example of data analysis diagram.

Validity and rigour

The study’s validity is reliant on the statement of the question/problem, theoretical/conceptual framework, design, method, sample and data analysis. When critiquing qualitative research, these elements will help you to determine the study’s reliability. Noble and Smith 11 explain that validity is the integrity of data methods applied and that findings should accurately reflect the data. Rigour should acknowledge the researcher’s role and involvement as well as any biases. Essentially it should focus on truth value, consistency and neutrality and applicability. 11 The authors should discuss if they used triangulation (see table 2 ) to develop the best possible understanding of the phenomena.

Themes and interpretations and implications for practice

In qualitative research no hypothesis is tested, therefore, there is no specific result. Instead, qualitative findings are often reported in themes based on the data analysed. The findings should be clearly linked to, and reflect, the data. This contributes to the soundness of the research. 11 The researchers should make it clear how they arrived at the interpretations of the findings. The theoretical or conceptual framework used should be discussed aiding the rigour of the study. The implications of the findings need to be made clear and where appropriate their applicability or transferability should be identified. 12

Discussions, recommendations and conclusions

The discussion should relate to the research findings as the authors seek to make connections with the literature reviewed earlier in the paper to contextualise their work. A strong discussion will connect the research aims and objectives to the findings and will be supported with literature if possible. A paper that seeks to influence nursing practice will have a recommendations section for clinical practice and research. A good conclusion will focus on the findings and discussion of the phenomena investigated.

Qualitative research has much to offer nursing and healthcare, in terms of understanding patients’ experience of illness, treatment and recovery, it can also help to understand better areas of healthcare practice. However, it must be done with rigour and this paper provides some guidance for appraising such research. To help you critique a qualitative research paper some guidance is provided in table 4 .

Some guidance for critiquing qualitative research

↵ Nursing and Midwifery Council . The code: Standard of conduct, performance and ethics for nurses and midwives . 2015 https://www.nmc.org.uk/globalassets/sitedocuments/nmc-publications/nmc-code.pdf ( accessed 21 Aug 18 ).
Barrett D ,
Cathala X ,
Shorten A ,

Patient consent for publication Not required.

Competing interests None declared.

Provenance and peer review Commissioned; internally peer reviewed.

Read the full text or download the PDF:

Nursing Research and Its Fundamentals Words: 587
Quantitative Research in Nursing Practice Words: 1125
How Research Impacts Nursing Practice Words: 882
Research Designs and Sampling in Nursing Practice Words: 861
Nursing Research for Patients’ Safety and Health Words: 1158
Nursing Research Designs and Sampling Strategy Words: 675
Nursing Research and Its Impact on Practice Words: 830
Nursing Research: Types and Practical Relevance Words: 620
Nursing Research Designs and Purposes Words: 678
Nursing Research Designs and Applications Words: 826
Nursing Research and Its Components Words: 575
Evidence-Based Practice and Nursing Research Difference Words: 366
Qualitative and Quantitative Research in Nursing Words: 615

The Nursing Research and Its Advantages

Significance of research, quantitative research, qualitative research, research sampling, credible nursing profession, utilization.

Nursing research helps nurses to develop and advance their skills in the field, stay updated on the current technological trends in nursing, and equally offer excellent care services to patients. Research shows the nurses the best practices which they can adopt to ensure high-quality service provision which can enhance patient satisfaction. For instance, research elucidates to the nurses the importance of embracing evidence-based practice (EBP) (Sin & Bliquez, 2017). It is through EBP that nurses become aware of the patient’s needs, hence addressing them fully. Therefore, research in nursing is prudent in the nursing profession because it increases their skills in the field regarding technology and incorporating EBP in their daily practices.

All professional nurses (BSN) need to comprehend the basic principles of research because it helps them to make decisions with informed consent. According to Padulo et al. (2018), the principles of research make nurses embrace anonymity and confidentiality. The nurses comprehend that they should only disclose participants’ details only at their discrete. In other words, nurses understand that they are not supposed to refill the names of the subjects without their consent. Moreover, by understanding research principles, it becomes professional nurses have to obtain informed consent from the participants before continuing with the research.

It is crucial to complete the nursing course because it helps students to become professionals, hence helping in solving the different social problems. For instance, individuals finishing the nursing course helps graduates to become nurses, hence aiding in solving the societal needs, such as effective diagnosis and treatment of patients. Notably, completing the nursing course aids individuals to reduce disease and illnesses incidents in society. Therefore, it is prudent to note that completing the nursing studies helps nurses to gain comprehensive knowledge about their profession and subsequently become competent nurses.

Quantitative research is the actual formula of effective collecting and analyzing diverse sets of numerical data. According to Apuke (2017), quantitative research helps scholars to find averages, patterns, test relationships, general population results, and subsequently make critical predictions. One of the facts that I learned about this kind of research is that it aids in generating knowledge, hence creating a holistic comprehension of the social world. Moreover, I became aware that quantitative research is often associated with studying people.

One of the quantitative research designs is quasi-experiment. This design is considered to be an empirical interventional study, used to predict the causal effect of a specific intervention on a particular target population. One primary feature which helped me comprehend the quasi-experiment design is that researchers cannot manipulate the variables that are understood to be independent.

Quasi-experiment research is essential since they are less expensive and critically need lesser resources. Moreover, this research design is significant and useful to nurses as it helps to evaluate interventions. Therefore, the nurses can use the quasi-experiment option to develop preventive measures for different patient conditions.

Notably, qualitative research involves the aspect of collecting and subsequently analyzing data that does not involve statistics. In other words, a qualitative study aids in analyzing studies that are non-numerical (McGannon et al., 2019). I learned that this research incorporates the analysis of videos, texts, and audio, among many other sets of non-numerical data. Moreover, qualitative research is inverse of the quantitative study discussed above.

A case study is one of the qualitative research designs that I learned. This design involves the analysis of a scenario and developing an understanding of the information provided. One distinct feature of a case study is that the actual number of units to be studied is relatively small.

Arguably, a case study is an exploratory form of research that aids in generating authentic ideas, exemplifying the actual relationship between people’s lives. As a result, case studies are essential among nurses as they help to develop a holistic understanding of the patient’s health status and history, hence formulating a practical treatment approach.

Research sampling is a critical method that researchers embrace when selecting subjects that can aid in the useful collection of the required information. Nielsen et al. (2017) opine that research sampling is a statistical examination whereby individuals are chosen to represent the understanding of a larger group. Notably, sampling is essential because it determines the quality of results or findings, hence projecting the establishment of significant recommendations.

Probability sampling is one of the strategies which can be used in a quantitative research approach. I learned that in probability, all members within a population have equal chances of being selected.

Another sampling strategy that I learned about is the systematic sampling method. In this, subjects are selected as per the total number of the existing population. A criterion is used to select the required number of participants.

As mentioned above, research aids in making the nursing profession and practice safe, considering that it teaches the professionals the importance of embracing evidence-based practice (EBP). Through EBP, nurses develop a critical understanding of the patient’s needs, hence applying the most appropriate technique to enhance the desired outcome. Therefore, through EBP, incidents of overdose are reduced.

Research has impacted the nursing profession in that it has developed excellent techniques which ensure the best patient treatment practice. For instance, research has made nurses understand the importance of integrating technology.

Research is paramount for creating an evidence-based nursing profession because it urges nurses to prioritize understanding the needs of patients, hence enhancing patient satisfaction.

I plan to use the obtained knowledge as a starter to enhance sufficient patient experience. Through my learning, I will handle all patients in the wards with dignity, respect, and humanity, making them comfortable in my hands.

As a BSN, this course will help me understand the professional standards in healthcare apart from becoming a proficient nurse. I will conduct different patient-related researches appropriately, hence comprehending the societal healthcare needs.

I have learned that before a nurse engages in the treatment process, there is a need to incorporate other resources. Understanding patient preferences is vital to enhancing effective patient outcomes. Moreover, nurses should research the health issues of the surrounding community, hence formulating effective prevention strategies.

Apuke, O. D. (2017). Quantitative research methods: A synopsis approach. Kuwait Chapter of Arabian Journal of Business and Management Review , 33 (5471), 1-8.

McGannon, K. R., Smith, B., Kendellen, K., & Gonsalves, C. A. (2019). Qualitative research in six sport and exercise psychology journals between 2010 and 2017: An updated and expanded review of trends and interpretations. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology , 1-21.

Nielsen, M., Haun, D., Kärtner, J., & Legare, C. H. (2017). The persistent sampling bias in developmental psychology: A call to action. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology , 162 , 31-38.

Padulo, J., Oliva, F., Frizziero, A., & Maffulli, N. (2018). Basic principles and recommendations in clinical and field science research: 2018 update. Muscle Ligaments Tendons J , 8 (3), 305-7.

Sin, M. K., & Bliquez, R. (2017). Teaching evidence-based practice to undergraduate nursing students. Journal of Professional Nursing , 33 (6), 447-451.

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Chapter 3: Literacies across the disciplines

3.5.3 Nursing literacy (research essay)

Aubrey Richardson

English 102, April 2021

Introduction.

Nursing is a huge role in the world we live in today and will continue to grow as our world grows. Doctors and nurses share the same skills when it comes to literacy practices. So, it is important to know the important skills and tricks that come along with nursing today. Nurses and doctors are here to save people’s lives, and these are some of the most important people in this world. It is important for these skilled professionals to know how to treat their patients differently depending on the situation. So, with more insight on why I have chosen this topic and continued it through the last three essays is very simple. I am majoring in nursing in hopes to gain my masters and work with children. So being a future healthcare professional, I think it is important to me to see all the possibilities and struggles and hard and easy parts to perfecting the basic skills. There are so many different topics in nursing and so many different careers and roads to take with nursing, that is why I think it is so interesting. And not to mention, even with all of these career choices and majors in nursing, all of them have to know the basics first which is what my essay is going to be about. The basic skills of literacy that nurse’s practice on the daily basis that most people probably did not even know about.

There are so many levels of education that not everyone in the medical field have been taught the same, but these key components are something that must be same across the board. And by key components and skills, I mean communication, reading and writing, but I will mostly talk about communication in this essay. The good, the bad, and the stress, and easy parts of communication. With also a little bit of reading and writing incorporated in this essay as well and how these 2 literacies are practiced. Communication is 100% the value piece that connects nurses and doctors to their patients. With communication and writing in mind, there are multiple disciplines and academic fields interested in the specifics of communication in nursing. These could include: Health care fields in general (doctors, PT, OT, LPN, Oncology, ETC…), Health sciences, Social science, Speech pathology, International studies, Psychology, Education, Psychiatry, Medicine, Other countries including Korea and Nursing and health journals in general. There are so many more, but I picked these because I felt like they best represent my topic of literacy in nursing. These all show the variance and spread and variety of people really like researching on specific aspects of nursing. These fields help show that there are problems with communication, and good assets to communication. Especially the international journals and speech fields, because they can show the positives and negatives to communication with things like language barriers, speech impediments, and being deaf.

Communication in Nursing (positives & negatives)

The first two research questions I will be discussing are “What are good factor in communication and how are they used in nursing?” and “What are factors that hinder communication between patients, co-workers, and nurses?”. Using this scholarly article “Effective communication in nursing practice: A literature review” by Opeyemi Bello, “Communication skills 2: overcoming the barriers to effective communication” by Nursing Times Journal, and “The importance of effective communication” By the University of St Augustine health science journal. Communication is the key to success in the healthcare field for many reasons but there are also reasons why communication can be affected.

Good factors of nursing can be a whole range of things from just the way to speak all the way to how you say something and who you say it to. Bello explains in his article many think about communication like “that communication is natural and involuntary” (1). This is so true because when you think about it, from the time you were very young, you have been taught to communicate to someone via talking, writing, or signals. Nurses can construe the feelings of their patients through nonverbal and verbal communications (8). Nurses have a huge impact on the way that their patient’s day goes, how they are feeling, their mood and so much more. It also contributes to the satisfaction of the parent of the patients as well as the patients and other coworkers. In Bello’s article he explains that communication “if used well helps with the provision of clear and accurate information and an easy nursing service providing happiness to both sides” (8). There are 2 parties in communication, the receiving and the giving end. The nurse will be the giver and the patient will be the receiver, most of the time not all the time. This is why nurses have such a major role to play in communication to others. It helps create a strong bond, that way the nurse gets to know the patient well enough after a while, the patient will not need to even communicate verbally to the nurse, the nurse can tell by their nonverbal communication. The nurse and patient communication are so important, the most important thing a patient and nurse can endure. As for the University of St. Augustine article, it has shown that “nurses who take the time to listen and concentrate in what the patient is showing and telling them, it can help address the situation later on” (St Augustine. para. 3). This is so important because when nurses listen instead of trying to block the patient out, they can specify their answer to the patient, instead of generalizing the answer that could apply to anyone. Also, there are multiple effective communication guides which may include “trust, compassion, personal connection, patience, active listening” (para 6). With these traits and keys for effective communication, the most beneficial would-be active listening and personal connections because when you listen, you can actively help them by maybe sharing a similar experience to help build the bond. Bonds are so helpful in communication; this is why ninety-nine percent of the time patients and nurses have like a mother child bond because they get so close.

As for barriers to communication, this can include multiple things like attitude, being deaf, speaking another language as your first, how something was said, and when. So many minute things can become a huge affecter of communication if not executed correctly. In the St Augustine journal, it is talked about how there can be many classes of communication like “physical barriers, social barriers, and psychological barriers” (para 20-21). Which are all equally as important and came across in the healthcare field. It all comes down to how you want to deal with that situation whether you want to get help or try to figure it out on your own. There are plenty of people who come to the hospital who have a mental health disorder, speak another language, or cannot physically speak, etc. but that is your job as a nurse to deal with that situation to be best of your abilities. In the Nursing Times Journal, it stressed that time is of the essence and that can be a major communication barrier that sometimes cannot be overcome. But with there being some negatives that happen, it is not always good to focus on the negatives that happen in the medical field but sometimes mistakes do happen. Also there are many situations that might hit close to your heart but it is a nurses hob to remain professional and communicate like normal. Often you are put in a sticky situation while being a nurse but that is why you must know when to say something, how to say something, and who to say it to.

Reading and Writing in Nursing

For these research questions, I will be discussing “How is reading used in nursing and why is it important?” and “How is writing used in nursing and why is it important?”. I am going to be discussing these and answering them using the scholarly article “ Academic Reading and Writing Needs of Undergraduate Nursing Students in Research” by Reynold Padagas and Bonjovi Hajan. And the other scholarly article “The improving competence of nursing student’s ability on writing nursing report” by Ahmad Syafiq. Reading and writing takes some parts of nursing with notes and charts that are created per each patient. Syafiq in his journal explained that in order to perform reading and writing skills to your patient and other staff members, “reading and writing helps improve your English skills to help support their ability to communicate back to patients” (1). You must have a basic understanding of basic skills that you learn in kindergarten like reading and writing because you are constantly writing charts with abbreviations about patients and reading and relaying that information to the patient if need be but mostly relaying that information to other nurses and doctors. Reports and charts are the number one thing that nurses are responsible for creating and catching every fine detail from the patient and writing in into the chart. There were many studies performed trying to show the differences in lower education and higher education and the way that each nurse now uses their communication skills that they were taught (2).

Now with the Padagas and Hajan article, this is focused on the building blocks for important reading and writing skills by measuring the behavior and effectiveness of the nurses’ actions and the patients’ actions as well (6). Nursing reading and writing calls for much focus and accurate info because these charts are records that stay for as long as that patient is still alive. So, all the information needs to be correct for those future encounters and visits to the hospitals. You wouldn’t want your life to be taken away because the nurse accidentally had sloppy handwriting and nobody could read it, so they just guessed. Or you don’t want one number to be written incorrectly because then that could result in a life-or-death situation. So, another key component is handwriting which goes along with writing but nowadays they have changed a lot of things to technology. So, computers which sometimes makes it harder to keep things correct and easier to make mistakes because your finger can accidentally mis type a word, or you save the wrong file or add the wrong name to the chart. And most times they automatically save and cannot be changed. So, what do you do then? That is why reading, and writing are also important in nursing because it all has to do with numbers, doses, names of patients, names of medications and so much more. With reading and writing being the second major asset of nursing, they are skills that require a lot of practice and a lot of focus and dedication. Because they are very tedious skills that require minimal effort but maximum focus and effort from the nurses to be able to carry out the correct skill when necessary.

Differences in Medical field dialect and “Normal English Dialect”

For this topic, I decided to discuss the research questions “How does medical and nursing dialect differ from normal English dialect?” and I will answer these with the articles, “Medical Terminology vs Plain Language” by Stephanie Buga and “Standard Terminology for Nursing” by Claudia Bartz, Tae Kim, and Dorota Kilanska and Gee’s “What is literacy?”. Medical dialect can be way more difficult to understand and interpret compared to the normal English dialect spoken by everyday people. The words are different, the abbreviations are different, the context is different as well as the mannerisms being different too. In the healthcare field all you are doing are talking in this nurse lingo, this nurse slang that people who are not in the medical field will have a hard time conversating with someone who is using this nursing syntax. This kind of related to Gee’s discourses because everyone has their home language as their primary and for nurses this nurse language would be learned from their secondary discourse. Primary discourse is what is learned when you are at home and secondary is what you learn when not at home (Gee 18-22). Not lots of people get the opportunity to learn this nursing language as a secondary discourse, so this may cause issues when trying to speak to a patient or family using non-medical terms. For example, of how discourses relate to communication in Nursing is with different knowledge and age levels of words and speech. You wouldn’t use highly skilled health care words when talking to a patient or their family because most likely they won’t know what you’re talking about. Those medical terms are learned in your secondary discourse not your primary. Just being aware of who you are speaking to plays a huge role in medical and English dialects.

Stephanie Buga uses her article to explain the many reasons that the medical terminology is helpful in the fact of speaking to other healthcare professionals (para 1). But she also speaks on when to “use simple language for the comprehension of the receiving end (para 5). That is so important when to know how to switch between your work environment and home environment like use of code switching. Because you are not going to want to talk to a little kid using military time or abbreviations on their restricted meal plan diet when they sometimes have a hard time comprehending normal English sentences. Also, when trying to break the habit of being able to switch between the 2 language patterns, you could practice and put yourself in real world situations that you might come across at home or in the hospital (para 9). Practice makes perfect they always say, so practice these important habits to be the best nurse you possibly can be.

And as for Bartz, Kim, and Kilanska article, it more focused on how standard terminology is standardized across the board (109). Nurses have to be cautious of the words they are using to describe things. So, they wouldn’t want to use words that dramatize something or make it sound really bad when the patient is already stressed but you also don’t want to say to little so that the patient is sitting here wondering what is going on with them. “ICNP, international classification for nursing practices has been implicated (110). This is a fairly successful way that nurses are used to help see the differences of behavior and word choice in different situations that can occur in the hospital. So, yes people still have troubles when in the medical field for years, with the terminology of the medical field.

Everyone speaks differently and uses different words, but this nursing language is something that can hinder your performance as a nurse. You wouldn’t want a nurse coming in your room and saying all of these crazy abbreviations and times that you know nothing about because that is going to stress you out even more. So, it is in everyone’s best interest that the nurse knows how to approach and speak to each individual patient. Because all patients are different. Some might understand you if they are older and some might not understand. So yes, these dialects are very different, but they are also very similar at the same time.

Methods and strategies of communication taught to nursing students

For this topic, I will be discussing the research question “Are nursing schools using specific methodology and technology for students to help them bring these literacy practices to real life?”. And I will be using the articles “The reading room: Exploring the use of literature as a strategy for integrating threshold concepts into nursing curriculum” by Margaret McAllister, Kathie Lasater, Teresa Stone, and Tracy Levett-Jones and “Strategies for teaching evidence-based practice in nursing education: a thematic literature review” by May Horntvedt, Anita Nordsteien, Torbjorg Fermann, and Elisabeth Severinsson. There have been so many strategies for communication and skills to be a nurse that have been taught over many years but recently they have been getting into more real-world practices in the classroom to help with better communication skills when it comes time to start their jobs. Lots of people who are new to the medical field life are blindsided by how different school practice is and the real hospital. In May Horntvedt, Anita Nordsteien, Torbjorg Fermann, and Elisabeth Severinsson article it talks about “EVP which is evidence-based practice that uses specific applications and sources to help with a smooth transition into the hospital (1)”. This practice uses many in person hands on material that really helps you get the feel for what to expect in the hospital. It is very interactive and allows students to work together ad figure out the problems and situations provided using models and mannequins (3). It has helped a lot because it can really make or break you, if you want to stay in this career or not. EVP would be classes, internships, residency, field trips, labs, and jobs. Because all of those are real practices that involve you to think outside the box.

As for Margaret McAllister, Kathie Lasater, Teresa Stone, and Tracy Levett-Jones article, it is more based around self-examination and the skills you can uphold in the position (549). Which is so true because as a medical professional, you have to be accountable for all of the actions you make, whether that be a positive or negative action. So, when being a nurse you need to be able to reflect on your own actions and see what you did right or wrong in specific situations. It has also been researched that Transformative learning has helped create new roads for education. TL involves “puzzles that can be solved and unsolved and is made to create critical thinkers (550)”. Critical thinking and a base knowledge will help you so much over the course of trying to learn everything about nursing. That is why they are using these new teaching forms because other forms for teaching communication strategies have failed in the past. So, research has had to be mad to reupholster these teaching style to have more successful rates

Tied all together – why are literacy practices important?

These topics are important because they help a nurse be who a nurse is and these skills help with work life as well as home life too because some of these skills can be passed between home and work. Your patients will always be a part of your life no matter what. And all of these things can show your responsibility and courage of being a healthcare worker. You communicate with your patients that way they can understand you and start to trust you. They are trusting you with their life, so you can pay them back by giving them the best care and service possible. These literacy practices also help you so that you know your patient is always being thought of and incorporated in the decisions being made. You should always be making sure you have your notes and listening, and communication skills turned all the way up when entering a patient’s room. Reading and writing skills can always use some work just when in the medical field you are expected to perform very highly, that is why there are so many years of schooling and working and practice. Because once you enter that field, you are kind of all alone. So that is why it is important to research and know all of this base knowledge so nurses know what to prep for before entering the workforce. And also, all of this pre research prep can help because it shows the interest and want to gain knowledge on all of this information. You are gaining so much knowledge when in school and out of school, so to have the basics of nursing down in the back of your head, it will be smooth sailing from then on.

Conclusion

In conclusion, communication in nursing is vital for all aspects not just in the nursing field. Communication for nurses, doctors, or anyone in the medical field is important as well as well as reading and writing. It helps you connect to the patients so they can feel a sense of compassion while trying to get better and feel a burst of happiness again. It also helps you gain insight on how the patient and family feel as well as learning new day to day skills. It can show you how you may have to speak to people in different settings and the ways you can speak to people in a correct or incorrect manor. Communication in nursing can also teach you about thinking before you speak, and communication can be helpful in your learning process as well as your patients. As far as reading and writing in nursing, these are key components as well because they are specifics to ways of communication. Reading is a way for nurses to communicate to doctors and other staff and writing is a way for nurses to communicate via notes and messages to nurses and doctors and other medical professionals that work in the hospital. Overall, literacy is used all throughout the medical field and not a lot of people know that. These aspects are 50/50 because there is reading, writing, and communication is one half and then actually taking care of the patients and using precautions is another half. There is so many positive and negatives to communication but with the medical field, there isn’t a lot of room for error in communication. Having information and tips and tricks under your belt will help form into the nurse you want to be with communication skills 10/10, reading and writing a 10/10 too.

SCHOLARLY

Bello, O. (2017). Effective communication in nursing practice: A literature review. 

Padagas, R. C., & Hajan, B. H. (2020). Academic Reading and Writing Needs of Undergraduate Nursing Students in Research.  Online Submission ,  19 (5), 318-335. 

Syafiq, A. N. THE IMPROVING COMPETENCE OF NURSING STUDENTS’ABILITY ON WRITING NURSING REPORT: Case Study on the Fifth Semester of S1 Nursing Students of STIKES Muhammadiyah Kudus. 

Bartz, C. C., Kim, T. Y., & Kilańska, D. M. (2017). Standard terminology for nursing.  Problemy Pielęgniarstwa ,  25 (2), 108-111. 

Horntvedt, M. E. T., Nordsteien, A., Fermann, T., & Severinsson, E. (2018). Strategies for teaching evidence-based practice in nursing education: a thematic literature review.  BMC medical education ,  18 (1), 1-11. 

Gee, James Paul. “What is Literacy?” In Negotiating Academic Literacies: Teaching and Learning Across Languages and Cultures. Ed. Vivian Zamel and Ruth Spack. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum, 1998. 51-59

McAllister, M., Lasater, K., Stone, T. E., & Levett-Jones, T. (2015). The reading room: Exploring the use of literature as a strategy for integrating threshold concepts into nursing curricula.  Nurse education in practice ,  15 (6), 549-555. 

NON-SCHOLARLY-

Contributor, N. (2019, August 05). Communication skills 2: Overcoming the barriers to effective communication. Retrieved March 16, 2021, from https://www.nursingtimes.net/clinical-archive/assessment-skills/communication-skills-2-overcoming-the-barriers-to-effective-communication-18-12-2017/#:~:text=Abstract,%2C%20pain%20and%2For%20anxiety. 

The importance of effective communication in nursing. (2020, November 12). Retrieved March 16, 2021, from https://www.usa.edu/blog/communication-in-nursing/ 

Fareeda DaL 03/29/2020 at 4:13 AM – Reply. (2020, July 31). Medical terminology vs. plain language. Retrieved March 16, 2021, from https://blog.amopportunities.org/2020/03/23/medical-terminology-vs-plain-language/

Understanding Literacy in Our Lives by Aubrey Richardson is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Bowling A Research methods in health, 4th edn. Maidenhead: Open University Press/McGraw-Hill Education; 2014

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Lindsay-Smith G, O'Sullivan G, Eime R, Harvey J, van Ufflen JGZ A mixed methods case study exploring the impact of membership of a multi-activity, multi-centre community group on the social wellbeing of older adults. BMC Geriatrics. 2018; 18 https://bmcgeriatr.biomedcentral.com/track/pdf/10.1186/s12877-018-0913-1.pdf

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Critiquing a published healthcare research paper

Angela Grainger

Nurse Lecturer/Scholarship Lead, BPP University, and editorial board member

View articles · Email Angela

Research is defined as a ‘systematic inquiry using orderly disciplined methods to answer questions or to solve problems' ( Polit and Beck, 2017 :743). Research requires academic discipline coupled with specific research competencies so that an appropriate study is designed and conducted, leading to the drawing of relevant conclusions relating to the explicit aim/s of the study.

Relevance of research to nursing and health care

For those embarking on a higher degree such as a master's, taught doctorate, or a doctor of philosophy, the relationship between research, knowledge production and knowledge utilisation becomes clear during their research tuition and guidance from their research supervisor. But why should other busy practitioners juggling a work/home life balance find time to be interested in healthcare research? The answer lies in the relationship between the outcomes of research and its relationship to the determination of evidence-based practice (EBP).

The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) require registered practitioners to keep their knowledge and skills up to date. This requirement incorporates being aware of the current EBP relevant to the registrant's field of practice, and to consider its application in relation to the decisions made in the delivery of patient care.

Advanced clinical practitioners (ACPs) are required to be involved in aspects of research activities ( Health Education England, 2017 ). It is for this reason that practitioners need to know how EBP is influenced by research findings and, moreover, need to be able to read and interpret a research study that relates to a particular evidence base. Reading professional peer-reviewed journals that have an impact factor (the yearly average number of citations of papers published in a previous 2-year period in a given journal is calculated by a scientometric index giving an impact factor) is evidence of continuing professional development (CPD).

CPD fulfils part of the HCPC's and the NMC's required professional revalidation process ( HCPC, 2021 ; NMC, 2019 ). For CPD in relation to revalidation, practitioners can give the publication details of a research paper, along with a critique of that paper, highlighting the relevance of the paper's findings to the registrant's field of practice.

Defining evidence-based practice

According to Barker et al (2016:4.1) EBP is the integration of research evidence and knowledge to current clinical practice and is to be used at a local level to ensure that patients receive the best quality care available. Because patients are at the receiving end of EBP it is important that the research evidence is credible. This is why a research study has to be designed and undertaken rigorously in accordance with academic and scientific discipline.

The elements of EBP

EBP comprises three elements ( Figure 1 ). The key element is research evidence, followed by the expert knowledge and professional opinion of the practitioner, which is important especially when there is no research evidence—for example, the most appropriate way to assist a patient out of bed, or perform a bed bath. Last, but in no way of least importance, is the patient's preference for a particular procedure. An example of this is the continued use of thermal screening dots for measuring a child's temperature on the forehead, or in the armpit because children find these options more acceptable than other temperature measuring devices, which, it is argued, might give a more accurate reading ( Grainger, 2013 ).

Understanding key research principles

To interpret a published research study requires an understanding of key research principles. Research authors use specific research terms in their publications to describe and to explain what they have done and why. So without an awareness of the research principles underpinning the study, how can readers know if what they are reading is credible?

Validity and reliability have long been the two pillars on which the quality of a research study has been judged ( Gliner and Morgan, 2000 ). Validity refers to how accurately a method measures what it is intended to measure. If a research study has a high validity, it means that it produces results that correspond to real properties, characteristics, and variations in the part of the physical or social world that is being studied ( Jupp, 2006 ).

Reliability is the extent to which a measuring instrument, for example, a survey using closed questions, gives the same consistent results when that survey is repeated. The measurement is considered reliable if the same result can be consistently achieved by using the same methods under the same circumstances ( Parahoo, 2014 ).

The research topic is known as the phenomenon in a singular sense, or phenomena if what is to be researched is plural. It is a key principle of research that it is the nature of the phenomenon, in association with the study's explicit research aim/s, that determines the research design. The research design refers to the overall structure or plan of the research ( Bowling, 2014 :166).

Methodology means the philosophy underpinning how the research will be conducted. It is essential for the study's research design that an appropriate methodology for the conduct and execution of the study is selected, otherwise the research will not meet the requirements of being valid and reliable. The research methods will include the design for data sampling, how recruitment into the study will be undertaken, the method/s used for the actual data collection, and the subsequent data analysis from which conclusions will be drawn (see Figure 2 ).

Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods studies

A quantitative methodology is where the phenomenon lends itself to an investigation of data that can be numerically analysed using an appropriate statistical test/s. Quantitative research rests on the philosophical view that science has to be neutral and value-free, which is why precise measurement instruments are required ( Box 1 ). Quantitative research is influenced by the physical sciences such as mathematics, physics, and chemistry. The purpose of quantitative studies is to identify whether there are any causal relationships between variables present in the phenomenon. In short, a variable is an attribute that can vary and take on different values, such as the body temperature or the heart rate ( Polit and Beck, 2017 :748).

Quantitative studies can sometimes have a hypothesis. A hypothesis is a prediction of the study's outcome, and the aim of the study is to show either that the hypothesis is demonstrated as proven, or that it is not proven. Often a hypothesis is about a predicted relationship between variables. There are two types of variables, independent and dependent. An independent variable causes a change in the specific phenomenon being studied, while a dependent variable is the change in that phenomenon. The first example in Box 1 might help to clarify the difference.

An example of a hypothesis would be that older people who have a history of falls have a reduction in the incidence of falls due to exercise therapy. The causal relationship is between the independent variable— the exercise therapy—and the dependent variable—a falls reduction.

A qualitative methodology aims to explore a phenomenon with the aim of understanding the experience of the phenomenon from the perspective of those affected by it. Qualitative research is influenced by the social and not the physical sciences. Concepts and themes arise from the researcher/s interpretation of the data gained from observations and interviews. The collected data are non-numerical and this is the distinction from a quantitative study. The data collected are coded in accordance with the type of method being used in the research study, for example, discourse analysis; phenomenology; grounded theory. The researcher identifies themes from the data descriptions, and from the data analysis a theoretical understanding is seen to emerge.

A qualitative methodology rests on the philosophical view that science cannot be neutral and value-free because the researcher and the participants are part of the world that the research study aims to explore.

Unlike quantitative studies, the results of which can often be generalised due to the preciseness of the measuring instruments, qualitative studies are not usually generalisable. However, knowledge comparisons can be made between studies that have some similarity of focus. For example, the uncovering of causative or aggravating factors leading to the experiences of pain management for oncology patients, and for patients who have rheumatoid arthritis, or another long-term health problem for which pain is a characteristic feature. The validity of a qualitative study relates to the accurate representation of the data collected and analysed, and which shows that data has been saturated, meaning no new data or analysed findings are forthcoming. This is demonstrated in a clear data audit trail, and the study's findings are therefore seen as credible (see the second example in Box 1 ).

Box 1.Research study examples

An example of a quantitative research study Kennedy and Burnett (2011) conducted a survey to determine whether there were any discernible differences in knowledge and attitudes between second- and third-year pre-registration nursing students toward hand-hygiene practices. The collected data and its subsequent analysis is presented in numerical tables and graphs, but these are supported by text explaining the research findings and how these were ascertained. For full details, see 10.1177/1757177411411124
2. An example of a qualitative research study Morse et al (2014) undertook an exploratory study to see what coping strategies were used by women awaiting a possible diagnosis of breast cancer. Direct quotes from the study participants appeared in the writing up of the research because it is a requirement of qualitative research that there be a transparent data audit trail. The research showed two things, both essential requirements of qualitative research. First, how the collected data were saturated to ensure that no data had been left inadequately explored, or that the data coding had been prematurely closed and, second, having captured the breadth and depth of the data findings, the researchers showed how the direct quotes were thematically coded to reveal the women's coping strategies. For full details, see 10.1188/14.ONF.350-359
3. An example of a mixed-methods study Lindsay-Smith et al (2018) investigated and explored the impact on elderly people's social wellbeing when they were members of a community that provided multi-activities. The study combined a quantitative survey that recorded participants' sociodemographic characteristics and measured participation in activities with a focus group study to gauge participants' perceptions of the benefits of taking part in the activities. For full details, see https://bmcgeriatr.biomedcentral.com/track/pdf/10.1186/s12877-018-0913-1.pdf

Sometimes a study cannot meet its stated research aims by using solely a quantitative or a qualitative methodology, so a mixed-methods approach combining both quantitative and qualitative methods for the collection and analysis of data are used. Cresswell (2013) explains that, depending on the aim and purpose of the study, it is possible to collect either the quantitative data first and analyse these, followed by the qualitative data and their analysis. This is an explanatory/exploratory sequence. Or the qualitative data may be collected first and analysed, followed by the quantitative; an exploratory/explanatory process. Whichever approach is used, the cumulative data analyses have to be synthesised to give a clear picture of the overall findings ( Box 1 ).

The issue of bias

Bias is a negative feature of research because it relates to either an error in the conceptualisation of the study due to the researcher/s adopting a skewed or idiosyncratic perspective, or to errors in the data analysis. Bias will affect the validity and reliability of a study, so it is important that any bias is eliminated in quantitative studies, or minimised and accounted for in qualitative studies.

Scientific and ethical approval

It should be noted that, before any research study proceeds, the research proposal for that study must have been reviewed and agreed to by a scientific and ethics committee. The purpose of a scientific and ethics committee is to see that those recruited into a study are not harmed or damaged, and that the study will contribute to the advancement of knowledge. The committee pays particular attention to whether any bias might have been introduced to a study. The researchers will have detailed the reason why the study is required, the explicit aim/s and purpose of the study, the methodology of the study, and its subsequent design, including the chosen research methods for the collection of the data (sampling and study recruitment), and what method/s will be used for data analysis.

A literature review is undertaken and the established (published) international literature on the research topic is summarised to highlight what is already known on the topic and/or to show any topic gaps that have not yet been researched. The British Educational Research Association (BERA) (2018) also gives guidance for research proposals that are deemed to be educational evaluation studies, including ‘close-practice’ research studies. Any ethical issues such as how people will be recruited into the study, the gaining of informed voluntary consent, any conflict of interest between the researcher/s and the proposed research topic, and whether the research is being funded or financially supported by a particular source will also have been considered.

Critiquing a published research paper

It is important to remember that a published paper is not the research report. It is a sample of the research report. The research author/s are presenting their research findings as a succinct summary. Only a passing mention might be made that ethical approval and voluntary informed consent were obtained. However, readers can be assured that all publications in leading journals with a good reputation are subject to an external peer review process. Any concerns about a paper's content will have been ironed out prior to publication.

It will be apparent that there are several particular research designs. The Critical Skills Appraisal Programme (CASP) provides online information to help the interpretation of each type of study, and does this by providing questions to help the reader consider and critique the paper ( CASP, 2021 ).

General points for critiquing a paper include the following:

The paper should be readable and have explicit statements on the purpose of the research, its chosen methodology and design
Read the paper thoroughly to get a feel for what the paper is saying
Consider what the researcher/s says about any ethical issues and how these have been handled
Look at how the data were collected and analysed. Are the explanations for these aspects clear? In a quantitative study, are any graphs or charts easy to understand and is there supporting text to aid the interpretation of the data? In a qualitative study, are direct quotes from the research participants included, and do the researcher/s show how data collected from interviews and observations were coded into data categories and themes?
In a mixed-method study, how are the quantitative and qualitative analyses synthesised?
Do the conclusions seem to fit the handling of the data's analysis?
An important test of validity is whether the study's title relates well to the content of the paper and, conversely, whether the content reflect a corresponding match to the study's title.

Finally, remember that the research study could have been conducted using a different methodological design provided the research aims would still have been met, but a critique of the paper relates to what has been published and not what otherwise might have been done.

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A practice‐based model to guide nursing science and improve the health and well‐being of patients and caregivers

Sherry s. chesak.

1 Nursing Research Division, Mayo Clinic, Rochester MN, USA

Lori M. Rhudy

Cindy tofthagen.

2 Nursing Research Division, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville FL, USA

Linda L. Chlan

Associated data.

Data sharing not applicable to this article as no datasets were generated or analyzed during the current study.

Aims and Objectives

The purpose of this paper is to describe a model to guide nursing science in a clinical practice‐based setting. Exemplars are provided to highlight the application of this nursing research model, which can be applied to other clinical settings that aim to fill evidence gaps in the literature.

Nurse scientists are well positioned to develop new knowledge aimed at identifying global health solutions to multiple disparities. The generation and application of this knowledge are essential to inform and guide professional nursing practice. While a number of evidence‐based practice models exist to guide the integration of literature findings and other sources of evidence into practice, there is a need for additional models that serve as a guide and focus for the conduct of research in distinct scientific areas in practice‐based settings.

Model development and description.

Mayo Clinic is a large, comprehensive healthcare system with a mission to address unmet patient needs through practice, research and education. PhD‐prepared nurse scientists engage in practice‐based research as an integral component of Mayo Clinic's mission. A practice‐based nursing research model was developed with the intent to advance nursing research in a clinical setting.

The components of the Mayo Clinic Nursing Research model include symptom science, self‐management science and caregiving science. The generation of nursing science is focused on addressing needs of patients with complex health conditions, inclusive of caregivers.

Conclusions

While clinical settings provide rich opportunities for the conduct of research, priorities need to be established in which to focus scientific endeavours. The Mayo Clinic Nursing Research model may be applicable to nurses around the globe who are engaged in the generation of knowledge to guide practice.

Relevance to Clinical Practice

The Mayo Clinic Nursing Research model can be used by nurse scientists embedded in healthcare settings to address clinically relevant questions, advance the generation of new nursing knowledge and ultimately improve the health and well‐being of patients and caregivers.

What does this paper contribute to the wider global clinical community?

There is a need for additional models to guide the conduct of nursing research in clinical settings.
The Mayo Clinic Nursing Research Model was developed as a model to guide the generation of new nursing knowledge in a clinical, practice‐based setting.
The model can be used in a variety of clinical settings for researchers who aim to fill evidence gaps in the literature.

1. INTRODUCTION

Nursing is the largest profession in health care, with continued growth expected over the next several years (Grady & Hinshaw, 2017 ). Nursing science plays a critical role in addressing health challenges, generating new knowledge and translating evidence to practice to improve patient outcomes (Grady, 2017 ; Powell, 2015 ). Furthermore, nursing science integrates biobehavioural approaches to better understand patients' needs and preferences, develop individualised symptom management interventions (Trego, 2017 ), advance interventions to promote self‐management of chronic conditions and thus promote well‐being and quality of life (Grady, 2017 ; Powell, 2015 ). Patients' healthcare needs are becoming increasingly more complex, giving rise to the need for practice‐based research. The clinical practice setting provides an opportunity to conduct research, by which patients' and caregivers needs and outcomes may be addressed and improved.

The purpose of this paper is to present the Mayo Clinic Nursing Research (MCNR) model (Figure (Figure1)—a 1 )—a model developed to guide and focus nursing science generation in a practice‐based setting with an emphasis on promoting the health and well‐being of patients and caregivers with complex needs. The components of the model are described, and exemplars of the generation of practice‐based nursing knowledge are presented.

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Mayo clinic nursing research model [Color figure can be viewed at wileyonlinelibrary.com ]

2. BACKGROUND

Over a century ago, Florence Nightingale recognised not only the need for formal training for nurses but also the power of the nurse to improve patient outcomes (Nightingale, 1992 ). This is still true in today's healthcare environment. Nurses can help fill a critical need not only for the education and training of healthcare workers, but also for the design and testing of solutions to common health problems (National Institutes of Health, 2015 ). As noted by Dr. Patricia Grady, director emeritus of the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR), ‘…nurse scientists can use their expertise in clinical research and their understanding of the relationship between behaviour and biology to further expand the reach and impact of nursing science in the larger community’ (National Institute of Nursing Research, 2016 , p. 6). However, recommended models for the structure and organisation of nursing research in clinical settings are scarce.

PhD‐prepared nurse scientists (sometimes referred to as nurse researchers) design and implement research studies to improve health‐related outcomes. Although most nurse scientists are employed in academic settings such as schools/colleges of nursing, there is an emerging trend for nurse scientists to have full‐time appointments in practice settings (Robichaud‐Ekstrand, 2016 ). The nurse scientist role has wide variability in how it is operationalised but can be described in three ways. First, in academic settings, Boyer's model of scholarship includes discovery, integration, application and teaching to frame the discussion of discovery and practice in nursing (Boyer, 1990 ; Hickey et al., 2019 ). Academic service partnerships have emerged as strategies to close the academic‐practice gap by connecting clinical practice with academia in order to meet mutually beneficial goals (Sadeghnezhad et al., 2018 ). Examples of programmes in academic‐service partnerships include preparation of new graduate nurses, patient safety initiatives, transitions‐in‐care programmes, advancement of evidence‐based nursing and opportunities for clinical research (Sadeghnezhad et al., 2018 ). While such programmes inform the advancement of nursing research as a component of evidence‐based practice in clinical settings, they are less informative in guiding the generation of knowledge among nurse scientists embedded in clinical settings.

In a second approach, a nurse scientist supports evidence‐based practice, quality improvement, the conduct of research by clinical nurses and, if applicable, ANCC Magnet Recognition Program® activities (Kowalski, 2020 ). A third approach similarly involves embedding nurse scientists in clinical practice settings but the role is focused on the conduct and facilitation of nursing‑oriented research, rather than simply providing support for research conducted by others (Chan et al., 2010 ). This third approach is used in the setting in which this model was developed.

Evidence‐based practice models such as the Iowa Model and the Johns Hopkins Nursing Evidence‐Based Practice Model have been adopted to guide translation of evidence to practice but they have limited utility in describing the infrastructure, focus and outcomes of nursing research in a clinical setting. The Iowa Model Revised: Evidence‐Based Practice to Promote Excellence in Health Care uses an algorithm to guide evidence‐based practice processes from identification of a trigger to integrating and sustaining a practice change (Buckwalter et al., 2017 ). The conduct of research is included in the Iowa Model as a strategy to be used when insufficient evidence exists to recommend a practice change. The Johns Hopkins Nursing Evidence‐Based Practice Model (Dang & Dearholt, 2018 ) includes a patient‐centred approach and incorporates a continuum of Inquiry–Practice/Learning–Practice Improvement as a method to ensure that best practices are applied to patient care. However, the model is centred on an evidence‐based practice approach, which differs from research in that research involves systematic investigation of phenomena to discover new information or reach new understandings and conclusions to generate new knowledge (Cohen et al., 2015 ; Hickey et al., 2019 ). The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) (Joanna Briggs Institute, 2016 ), based in the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences at the University of Adelaide, South Australia, aims to promote evidence‐based decision‐making by promoting the use of the best available evidence. JBI, through its JBI Collaboration, works with universities and hospitals around the world to synthesise, transfer and implement evidence that is culturally relevant and applicable across diverse healthcare settings internationally.

The NINR sets strategic funding and training priorities that advance nursing science to enhance the health and well‐being of individuals across diverse populations (National Institute of Nursing Research, 2016 ). Current research priorities established by the NINR include four scientific foci: symptom science, wellness, self‐management of chronic conditions, and end‐of‐life and palliative care (National Institute of Nursing Research, 2016 ). In addition, all areas of NINR's research programmes place an emphasis on promoting innovation and developing the nurse scientists of the 21st century (National Institute of Nursing Research, 2016 ). Recognising that symptoms are the primary reason patients seek care, the NINR developed the symptom science model to advance research. The symptom science model describes an analytical sequence beginning with a sequelae or cluster of symptoms, which are then characterised into a phenotype with biological correlates, followed by the application of research methods that can be used to identify targets for therapeutic and clinical interventions (Cashion & Grady, 2015 ).

Nurse scientists are well positioned to develop new knowledge aimed at identifying global health solutions to social, economic, psychological and biological disparities. The generation and application of this knowledge are essential to provide the best available evidence to inform and guide professional nursing practice. While a number of evidence‐based practice models exist to guide the integration of literature findings and other sources of evidence into practice, there is a need for additional models that serve as a guide and focus for the conduct of research in distinct scientific areas in practice‐based settings. Therefore, the project team identified a need for the development of a model articulating the goals and strategies to advance nursing research within their institution, and which would have broad applicability to other institutions and nurse scientists embedded in the clinical practice.

Mayo Clinic is a large academic medical centre that incorporates practice, education and research into its mission, which has been emulated in the Department of Nursing and the Division of Nursing Research for over three decades. Today, the Mayo Clinic Nursing Research Division is an enterprise‐wide unit providing infrastructure and support for nursing research at its sites in Mayo Clinic. A cadre of PhD‐prepared nurse scientists lead independent programmes of research and provide consultation to all staff in research‐related matters, including scientific review of research protocols. In addition, small cadres of registered nurses providing direct patient care conduct research studies under the mentorship of a nurse scientist. These clinical nurse scholars identify clinically relevant questions that are investigated by an independent research study (Chlan et al., 2019 ). Details of this programme are described elsewhere (Chlan et al., 2019 ; National Institute of Nursing Research, 2016 ).

The project team developed a model of nursing research to guide the foci for nurse scientists' research at the institution and to generate new nursing knowledge based on needs that arise from the practice setting. The model was also intended to encompass strategic priorities established both by the institution and the field of nursing science. No ethics approval was required for this project.

The team started the process of model development by conducting a literature review regarding (1) existing models of nursing research and evidence‐based practice, (2) nursing science, (3) the nurse scientist role, (4) national and international nursing research strategic priorities and (5) research strategies to transform health care. In addition, the team sought input from multidisciplinary stakeholders at the institution regarding their perception of the current and potential future contributions of nursing science to the practice. Finally, organisational resources describing the research environment were used to inform the model. Thus, it is a model rooted in practice, rather than a theory‐based model.

4.1. The Mayo Clinic nursing research model

The MCNR model is focused on three primary areas across multiple diseases, illnesses, and healthcare settings: symptom science, self‐management science and caregiving science. With a focus in these areas, nurse scientists leverage team science, big data, innovation and technology to move knowledge generation quicker along the discovery, translation and application continuum to meet the needs of patients and caregivers.

The following assumptions informed the development of the model. First, nursing research is vital for the generation of new knowledge to improve the health and well‐being of patients and their caregivers. Second, the health and well‐being of individuals with complex conditions are enhanced by developing and testing patient‐centred interventions through research that focuses on the science of symptom assessment and management, self‐management and caregiving. The MCNR model was developed to guide how this vision will be implemented in a clinical setting with programmes of nursing research aligned to inform and transform health care.

4.2. Patients and caregivers as the focal point of the model

At the centre of the model (Figure (Figure1) 1 ) are the patient and caregiver with complex needs—medical, physical or psychosocial—around which all other elements in the model centre. The nurse scientist focuses on a better understanding of those needs and the testing of interventions used to address them, with the definitive goal of improving patients' and caregivers' health and well‐being. For the purposes of this model, health is defined from a holistic, phenomenological perspective of optimal overall physical, mental, spiritual, social and role functioning (Saylor, 2004 ; Watson, 2008 ); and well‐being is designated as individuals' perceptions, judgements and expectations regarding their health (Saylor, 2004 ; Sullivan, 2003 ). These foci are consistent with the patient‐centred model of care in which patients are viewed as a whole and their individual viewpoints and characteristics are taken into consideration when making decisions regarding care (Zhao et al., 2016 ). It is also congruent with the mission and values of Mayo Clinic (Mayo Clinic, 2021 ), as well as the profession of nursing (Spurlock, 2019 ).

4.3. MCNR model scientific foci

The generation of symptom science, self‐management science and caregiving science are the scientific foci that promote the health and well‐being of patients and caregivers in a practice‐based, patient‐centred clinical setting. It is through the conduct of scientific investigation in these three main areas, described below, that nursing research seeks solutions to unmet, complex health needs of patients and caregivers.

Symptom science seeks to transform the practice using biological, clinical and/or behavioural approaches to investigate symptoms aiming to individualise care and assess patient‐reported outcomes such as quality of life and well‐being (Grady, 2017 ). Self‐management science is based on a complex set of cognitive and behavioural self‐regulation responses that individuals engage in to manage chronic illnesses or factors that increase the risk for illness (Araújo‐Soares et al., 2019 ). Research to support self‐management includes developing and evaluating a broad range of interventions often focused on providing education and guidance for managing specific illnesses, partnering with healthcare providers and coping with challenges of living with chronic illness (Allegrante et al., 2019 ).

Caregiving science is research that explores effective approaches to reduce burden on and promote the health and well‐being of professional and lay caregivers (Grady, 2017 ). Research that examines methods to include caregivers in the care process and to design and test interventions that include them has the potential to significantly contribute to improved patient outcomes and patient‐centred care (Littleton‐Kearney & Grady, 2018 ).

4.4. Leveraging team science, big data, innovation, and technology

In addition to cutting‐edge research methods, nurse scientists leverage team science, big data, innovation and technology as tools, resources and methods to seek solutions to unmet health needs of patients and caregivers (Brennan & Bakken, 2015 ; Conn, 2019 ; Grady & Gough, 2018 ). Within the MCNR model, these four resources and methodologies contribute to the advancement of nursing science in the areas of symptom, self‐management, and caregiving. Team science leverages the strengths and expertise of professionals trained in different disciplines or nursing specialties through a collaborative effort to address a scientific challenge (Bennett & Gadlin, 2012 ). Team‐based research initiatives can be uni‐ or multidisciplinary groups, and teams can be large or small (Conn, 2019 ). In team science, multiple stakeholders contribute unique perspectives on the topic at hand and are deeply engaged in the project (Bennett et al., 2018 ). The World Health Organisation has acknowledged the importance of team‐based research through implementation of nursing collaborating centres, which focus on collaborative research of global or regional importance (National Institutes of Health, 2015 ).

Big data science allows researchers to analyse large and complex volumes of information that are newly available at unprecedented rates from sources such as electronic health records, large databases, sensor‐enabled equipment, imaging techniques, smart devices and high‐throughput genetic sequencing methods (Fernandes et al., 2012 ). Through the application of big data research methods, including artificial intelligence, researchers can discover new ways of understanding and addressing the needs of the patient (Fernandes et al., 2012 ). For example, big data methodologies can be implemented to maximise the utility of patient‐reported outcome data in order to capture the patients' perspectives on how their disease, and the treatment of their disease, is impacting their lives. These data can be used to inform clinical decision‐making, predict long‐term outcomes and identify future innovations in health technologies and other interventions (Calvert et al., 2015 ). This patient‐centric approach ultimately allows healthcare providers to have a better understanding of how individuals are living with and managing their illness, and to make more informed decisions regarding personalised interventions that will have a measurable impact on the patient experience (Brennan & Bakken, 2015 ).

Innovation is defined as a creative, fast‐moving endeavour that involves scientific methods and improvisation to design unique solutions that change the world (Mayo Clinic Center for Innovation, 2020 ). Innovative research uses novel theoretical concepts, methodologies and interventions to challenge current clinical practice paradigms. Innovations in health care can be seen in product innovation for the introduction of new types of goods and services, and in process innovation, which is centred on enhancing internal processes for the production of high‐quality care (Arshad et al., 2018 ; Govindasamy & Wattal, 2018 ; Thune & Mina, 2016 ).

Technology in medical research involves innovations that impact health or healthcare delivery (Healthcare News & Insights, 2020 ; Martins & Del Sasso, 2008 ). Biotechnology, machine learning, pharmaceuticals, information technology, remote monitoring and medical devices are examples of technology. Other technologies include software and applications for self‐management and symptom tracking. Technologies can maximise efficiency and access to health care, such as digital solutions to connect patients to the appropriate provider (National Institute of Mental Health, 2020 ).

4.5. Discovery‐translation‐application continuum

Research conducted at Mayo Clinic occurs along a continuum to address unmet patient needs. The process by which new information makes its way into practice along this continuum is through discovery, translation and application, depicted in the outermost ring of the model in Figure Figure1. 1 . Discovery uses scientific methods to seek solutions to improve the health and well‐being of patients with complex conditions; translation is the development and testing of possible solutions; and application is the dissemination, integration, and evaluation of solutions into practice (Ammerman et al., 2014 ).

Nursing research contributes to innovation at all points along the discovery‐translation‐application continuum, continually advancing science, transforming patient care and improving outcomes (Grady, 2017 ). Guided by the MCNR model, nurse scientists discover answers to puzzling clinical questions that can be translated and applied directly to clinical practice to improve patient care as rapidly and as safely as possible. There are at least seven implementation science models or frameworks available to guide translation of findings to practice. Systematic reviews show variability in their scope and application so selection of an implementation framework according to the context of change is key (Dintrans et al., 2019 ; Moullin et al., 2015 ). In our setting, translation is achieved through clinical partnerships where the department's evidence‐based practice model is used to guide implementation. As depicted in the model in circular form (Figure (Figure1), 1 ), this process is iterative rather than linear. Discoveries are made through observation, discussion or other forms of data. These discoveries, seen through the nursing lens, may have broader applications to be considered. Further, empirical evidence is needed prior to implementing new discoveries into practice. During implementation, new discoveries and applications may come to light.

5. EXEMPLARS OF THE MAYO CLINIC NURSING RESEARCH MODEL

The overall purpose of the MCNR model is to provide a coordinated focus and consistent approach that guides and prioritises practice‐based nursing research. Nurse scientists use the model in their own focused areas of research as well as to guide nurses in the conduct of research that arises from their practice. Outlined below are exemplars of how the MCNR model guides the conduct of practice‐based research among nurse scientists at Mayo Clinic. Examples of how the model has informed research are presented. Not all aspects of the model are evident in each exemplar.

The first nursing research exemplar, within the domain of symptom science (second ring of the MCNR model), aims to address unmet needs of critically ill patients (centre of model) related to comfort‐promoting interventions. Under the mentorship of a PhD‐prepared nurse scientist, this descriptive, cross‐sectional study is being conducted by two practising ICU nurses who first identified in their own clinical setting the problems of: (1) numerous sources of discomfort among ICU patients; (2) the absence of objective assessment of these discomforts as distinct from objective assessment of pain; and (3) the inability to intervene appropriately with effective comfort‐promoting interventions. Next, they identified the distinction between discomfort and pain. They are currently assessing, describing and quantifying the contributing sources of discomfort experienced by nonmechanically ventilated ICU patients using the Discomforts Perceived by ICU Patients instrument, a modified version of the French instrument Inconforts des Patients de REAnimation (IPREA) questionnaire (Baumstarck et al., 2019 ). The end‐product of this study will be the discovery of new knowledge (outer ring of model) to inform ICU nursing practice regarding discomfort‐producing stimuli. Future areas of investigation would include developing and testing interventions (translation of possible solutions through clinical trials), of which those that are found to be effective would then be directly applied in the setting of ICU clinical nursing practice contributing to symptom science for critically ill patients.

An exemplar within the domain of caregiving science (second ring of MCNR model) is a multidisciplinary trial co‐led by a nurse scientist and physician (team science—third ring of model). The investigators noted that patients with advanced cancer or those nearing the end‐of‐life experience significant, unique distress related to their disease, treatment and impending mortality. In addition, they noted a lack of evidence on best methods to manage psychosocial distress in patients and caregivers with complex needs (centre of model). Thus, they designed a study to determine the feasibility of a modified version of the Resilient Living Program (The Resilient Option, 2020 ) that is tailored to the needs of patients with advanced cancer and their adult caregivers. Outcomes of the study include feasibility of participant recruitment, acceptability of the intervention and self‐reports of resilience, quality of life, stress, anxiety, sleep, fatigue and caregiver role overload. Findings from this study will lead to the discovery (outer ring of model) of best practices for integrating a resilience training programme within the care of patients with complex needs (centre of model), and their caregivers. Future studies will examine the outcomes of revised training programmes that are more effectively tailored to the unique needs of these populations.

Recognising the emotional distress their patients endure, a group of nurses working on the bone marrow transplant (BMT) unit expressed interest in specific nursing interventions to support their patients' emotional well‐being. Although they knew from their clinical experience that hospitalisation for BMT is quite stressful, they wanted to have a better understanding of when the most distressing times were for the patients, and what aspects of undergoing BMT were the most stressful. A review of the literature did not identify the specific information they were seeking. In collaboration with a nurse scientist and social workers on the unit, they implemented a descriptive study aimed at answering their questions. The study is in progress, and when finished, the results will inform both nursing and social work practice. This is an example of how clinical nurses identified a need centred around the health and well‐being of complex patients (centre of the MCNR model), focused on symptom science (second ring of the model), and used team science (third ring of the model) to discover new information (outer ring of the model) from which nursing interventions can be developed and tested.

The final nursing research exemplar is within the domains of symptom science and self‐management science (second ring of the MCNR model) to address the unmet needs of complex critically ill patients (centre of model). As of this writing, a randomised controlled clinical trial is testing the efficacy of self‐administered versus intensive care unit (ICU) nurse‐administered sedative therapy for anxiety in critically ill patients receiving mechanical ventilatory support (1R01 {"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"HL130881","term_id":"1051909465","term_text":"HL130881"}} HL130881 ). Primary outcomes of the study include anxiety, duration of mechanical ventilation, delirium, level of arousal, alertness and sedative exposure. Post‐ICU outcomes are also being examined and include functional status, depression and health‐related quality of life. Findings from this clinical trial will be applied to the practice setting (outer ring of the model) to implement patient‐centred interventions that improve not only ICU outcomes but also quality of life during the trajectory of recovery from critical illness and injury.

6. DISCUSSION

The MCNR model guides nursing research across settings and prioritises inquiry on symptom science, self‐management science and caregiving science. The model is unique in that it specifically focuses on generation of nursing knowledge through the focus and conduct of research in a practice‐based clinical setting. Few such models have been found in the literature; those that are available focus on advancing bedside nurses' involvement in research (Brewer et al., 2009 ; Stutzman et al., 2016 ). Robust programmes of nursing research remain relatively uncommon in clinical settings (Robichaud‐Ekstrand, 2016 ). Availability of time and resources needed to facilitate clinical research are often constrained. Even in large academic medical centres with institutional commitment, the contributions of nursing research often go unrecognised, even from within the nursing profession. The MCNR model can be used to communicate the scope and focus of nursing research, from which studies can be developed to address significant problems impacted by nursing practice.

In creating the MCNR model, we sought to demonstrate the unique contributions of nursing research at our institution and develop a framework to guide the overall direction of nursing research. This model may have limited application in nonclinical settings; however, other institutions may glean information to develop similar models tailored to their settings. Adaptation of the model to fit a specific organisational context and available resources may be necessary. Although the model is implemented in a setting rich in human and other resources to guide nursing science, it could easily be used in settings with more limited resources to help frame the scope and function of nursing science. However, this model was primarily developed for use in clinical settings in which some resources for the conduct of research exist. Unfortunately, there are still many settings where the resources needed to facilitate nursing research are sparse or non‐existent.

The MCNR model can also be integrated with existing models of nursing research. The National Institutes of Health Symptom Science Model is one example of a complementary model that can be used in tandem with the MCNR. The Symptom Science Model provides a guide for researchers to study complex symptoms experienced by individuals and incorporates the components of phenotypic characterisation, biomarker discovery and clinical application, with an overall goal of symptom reduction and improvement (Cashion et al., 2016 ). These methodologic components can be used to advance the care of patients with complex needs in the context of the institutional priorities and infrastructure described in the model. The MCNR model can be applied in several ways to advance scientific knowledge in the areas of symptoms, self‐management and caregiving. The model incorporates advancements in biological sciences, technology and big data methods to meet the needs of patients in a holistic way using nursing's unique body of knowledge (Henly et al., 2015 ). While nurse scientists may not have extensive expertise in all areas, collaborating with other scientists and clinicians who have complementary expertise ensures that investigations incorporate the best science and technology from other fields to inform nursing knowledge and practice.

As nurse scientists are increasingly employed in clinical settings, it will become more important to evaluate and publish outcomes of models, including this one. Nursing research within our institution is evolving to best meet the needs of patients. The MCNR model is a step in the process to define our direction and differentiate our areas of expertise from those of other disciplines.

The model is not without limitations. The MCNR Model was developed by nurse scientists within the Division of Nursing Research to serve as a guide and focus for our conduct of research, and to communicate our work with others. It is a reflection of the current foci of nursing research at a single institution and, as noted earlier, may need to be adapted to meet the needs of other institutions. It is intended to serve as a starting point for the infrastructure needed to generate research ideas and to serve as a guide to focus the conduct of research in distinct scientific areas in practice‐based settings. It is not intended to constrain research foci that are outside of this model. The model may be of lower utility in settings where nurse scientists are not available. It will be revisited periodically by the research team and stakeholders to ensure that it reflects the current focus of nursing research throughout the institution.

7. CONCLUSION

Nurse scientists embedded in healthcare settings are uniquely positioned to inform translation of research findings to practice. As health care evolves and the needs of patients and caregivers become more complex, the importance of studying symptoms, self‐management and caregiving is becoming increasingly critical. Nurse scientists leverage team science, big data, innovation and technology to move knowledge generation along the continuum of discovery, translation and application. The MCNR model can be used to advance generation of new nursing knowledge to improve the health and well‐being of patients and caregivers.

8. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

The MCNR model can be used by nurse scientists embedded in healthcare settings to address clinically relevant questions and ultimately improve the overall physical, mental, spiritual, social and role functioning of patients and caregivers, as well as to enhance individuals' perceptions, judgements and expectations regarding their health. The model provides a structure for addressing nursing science priorities through the discovery, translation and application continuum, and advancing the generation of new nursing knowledge.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

The authors report no conflicts of interest with this manuscript.

AUTHOR CONTRIBUTIONS

Conception and design of the work, drafting of the article, critical revisions of the article and final approval of the version to be published: All authors.

DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT

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Research Has a Role for Every Oncology Nurse

illustration of the many aspects of a research role in oncology nursing

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If you’re interested in identifying best practices and finding new and better ways to support patient care, scientific study and clinical research need nurses to serve in a variety of roles, including PhDs, DNPs, nurse researchers, and direct-care clinical nurses. In fact, all nursing roles contribute to the research cycle, speakers said during a 2024 ONS Congress ® session about the integration of and collaboration between nursing researcher roles.

“All types of scholarly work are interdependent and interconnected,” Kristen Fessele, PhD, RN, AOCN ® , a nurse scientist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) in New York, NY, said. The process of taking research studies and analyzing data to the point of actual implementation in clinical care is complex and can take years. “It’s too much for one person to do alone, so we need different kinds of training that emphasize our skill sets so we can get all of this to our patients,” Fessele said.

Nursing Roles in Research

Research has a variety of roles for nurses for a reason: Each has a specific purpose. Nurse researchers, usually PhD prepared, focus on the generation and dissemination of knowledge, DNP-prepared nurses emphasize the application of research to clinical practice, and clinical nurses implement the new practices in direct patient care, observe side effects, identify challenges or obstacles, and provide insights and data back to nurse researchers to inform future studies.

Uniting those roles around a clinical topic is essential to solving clinical problems together, Fessele said. “It’s not until we implement the evidence in our different clinical practice, policies, procedures, workflows, clinical settings, and patient groups that we start to improve outcomes.”

That third factor is critical: Nurses are key to helping researchers understand how an innovative approach or technique works for different populations. “Especially as we start to look at scholarly work through a health equity lens, this becomes even more important,” Fessele said. “We need to ask, is it working for everyone? Is every clinician following the practice that we think is the best, and are they evolving as new evidence comes along? We need evidence and we need implementation, or we’re not going to improve the clinical problem.”

Although most research is “very regimented,” Fessele said, it will not change practice or contribute to new standards of care until the findings are implemented in direct care. And that’s where the DNP role comes into play.

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) approved the first DNP program in October 2004. DNP education prepares “nurse leaders at the highest level of nursing practice to improve patient outcomes and translate research into practice,” AACN said.

Cheryl Le Huquet, DNP, MSN, RN, NE-BC, project manager of hospital operations at UCLA Health in Los Angeles, CA, and James Simmons, DNP, AG/ACNP, acute care nurse practitioner and founder of Ask the NP and Simmons Medical, were in the first DNP cohort at UCLA. Le Huquet said that she and Simmons have been working on socializing DNPs and PhDs since 2020.

“This is not a one-and-done situation,” she explained. “Personal relationships are required to build trust and are foundational to the working relationships.”

Why DNPs Should Consider Research

Le Huquet described herself as very process-oriented, so when she was initially finding her place in research, she knew it would be in application. “I don't need to generate more research. I need to apply what’s already out there,” she said.

Simmons’ pathway was similar: He recognized that his area of interest already had established evidence and models, but he wanted to find a new way to apply them.

“I knew I wanted to implement the science, see with my own eyes if it worked in a community that I care about, and then give that information back to the researchers because that information was missing. So once I figured this out, the check for DNP was pretty easy,” Simmons said.

The distinction between PhD and DNP roles in research can be vague, and collaboration can be challenging across roles and settings. However, working together can improve the research process, facilitate faster implementation and improvement, and identify additional projects to improve patient care.

PhDs and DNPs Team Up to Conduct Better Clinical Cancer Research

As DNPs, Le Huquet and Simmons needed to collaborate with PhD researchers to accomplish their goals. In 2020, they convened a meeting of nurses interested in research at UCLA. Simmons said they had a vision that “building a collaborative scholarly PhD–DNP community will advance nursing science and improve patient outcomes.”

Based on the concept of speed dating, the UCLA program participants come to each meeting prepared to pitch their areas of clinical interest to someone else. Simmons described the meetings as a “DNP–PhD immersive experience” and “where nurse scientists meet practice change.”

Simmons said the original goal was to start small and use experiential learning to grow the program. However, the community was so excited about the program that it expanded organically. Word spread and the concept grew, and now participants meet virtually once a month, with in-person meetings once per quarter. The program has also evolved to allow participants to share their elevator pitch by video to distribute within or beyond the group for ideas, resources, or other support.

One topic that the group has addressed is the difference between what PhDs and DNPs do. “It was a really lovely opportunity to have some folks understand these career paths—not in a formal but in a really casual environment,” Simmons said. “The value of that has been the different perspectives that people can bring.” He said that many participant connections have led to exciting collaborations, and he is currently creating a website to expand the program and connect PhDs and DNPs around the world to talk about their interests and projects.

Fessele implemented a similar meeting concept at MSKCC, which is called a “monthly mingle.” She said the meetings bring together the “doctorally prepared and the doctorally curious,” with about 160 people invited to the Interprofessional and Doctorally Educated Allied Scholars (IDEAS) meeting. IDEAS features speakers, networking, and ideas sharing, and Fessele said that the meetings have led nurses to create more formal collaborations around common interests.

Another benefit of research partnerships is potentially shrinking the timeline from analysis to implementation, and Fessele said that she is now prioritizing implementation science through DNP collaborations on the research team. She said that DNPs and other implementation specialists help to test interventions, plan how to launch the results, speed up timelines, and identify direct care obstacles or barriers before launch.

Initial Findings From ONS’s PhD–DNP Think Tank

ONS is leading national work to expand collaboration among nursing research roles. In April 2024, the Society convened a PhD–DNP think tank at ONS Congress that brought together 30 PhD and DNP nurses to discuss collaboration opportunities and obstacles and develop an action plan to leverage both roles. The group is currently analyzing insights from the conversations and plans to publish the findings.

According to the participants, barriers to collaboration between PhDs and DNPs include funding, role confusion, lack of organizational support and infrastructure, time limitations, and competition for positions. The benefits, participants said, include improved patient outcomes, efficiencies, more pragmatic and clinically relevant studies, promotion of the profession, faster translation of research to practice, and more diverse skill sets.

Do You Want to Get Involved in Nursing Research?

ONS develops research priorities designed to advance patient care, scientific inquiry, clinical applications, and the field of oncology nursing (see sidebar). They can serve as a starting point for nurses interested in developing research projects.

However, some aspects of nursing research apply to all roles. In fact, getting involved in nursing research doesn’t necessarily mean obtaining an advanced degree. “All nurses participate in evidence-based practice (EBP),” Le Huquet said. “By documenting their care in the electronic health record, each nurse is contributing to the data collection required as a baseline for EBP projects or as data for a nursing study.”

For those interested in becoming more involved in nursing research, Le Huquet provided these tips:

Learn how to collect and present data.
Read the literature and understand the methods and analysis, not just the results.
Understand your organization’s goals so you can move your system forward.
Work with a leader (often a DNP) to build the business case to support the change in your institution.
Build relationships with PhD- and DNP-prepared nurses. “This is an underrecognized skill in nursing but essential in the business world,” she said. “Health care is a business.”

Simmons added, “Find your passion! Nurses can leave a lasting legacy on the healthcare issues they care most about through a focus on generating new knowledge or on using the principles of implementation science to apply best practices from the literature.

“Imagine doing what you love every single day—while changing the world? It’s entirely possible in nursing science!”

Oncology Nursing Roles

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