Doing clinical research: The challenges and benefits
Isabel Higgins
Older Person Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Newcastle; Center for Practice Opportunity and Development, John Hunter Hospital, Hunter New England Health, Newcastle NSW
Vicki Parker
Rural Nursing, University of New England, Nursing and Midwifery, Armidale, NSW; Centre for Practice Opportunity and Development (CPOD), Hunter New England Health, NSW
Diana Keatinge
Paediatric, Youth and Family Health Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Newcastle; Centre for Education and Nursing Research in Child Health (CENRiCH), Hunter New England Area Health Service, Newcastle NSW
Michelle Giles
CNC Research, PD and Knowledge Management Nursing and Midwifery; CPOD Hunter New England Area Health Service; School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Newcastle, Newcastle NSW
Rhonda Winskill
CNC Paediatric Rural Outreach and HNE Health, Southern Sector/Northern Child Health Network, Hunter New England Area Health Service; School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Newcastle, Newcastle NSW
Eileen Guest
Child and Family Health Nursing, Northern Child Health Network, Hunter New England Health Service; School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Newcastle, Newcastle NSW
Elizabeth Kepreotes
Clinical Improvement Kaleidoscope, GNS Hunter New England Area Health Service; School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Newcastle, Newcastle NSW
Caroline Phelan
CNC Hunter Integrated Pain Service, John Hunter Hospital/Hunter New England Area Health Service, Newcastle NSW
PP: 171 - 181
Abstract
The need for research in practice is well documented within nursing and other health care disciplines. This acceptance is predicated on the belief that clinically applied research will inform and improve practice and health service delivery resulting in better outcomes for consumers and their families. Nurses, however, find doing clinical research challenging.
This paper describes nurses' experiences of doing clinical research. The main challenges of doing clinical research arise from a culture that prioritises practice where nursing work is core business and there is the need to address immediate and short term goals.
There are also problems associated with the use of research language amongst clinical nurses and ambiguity in relation to research role expectations. Lack of support and resources for doing research along with keeping up the momentum for a research project also pose significant challenges. The benefits of doing clinical nursing research include experiential learning that has the potential to lead to practice change and improved patient outcomes that are evidence based.
Keywords
nursing; clinical research; challenges; benefits
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