Improvements in the infrastructure for nursing research in universities in Kazakhstan

Abstract

Aim This study aimed to describe the status and analyze the improvements made by universities in Kazakhstan to nursing research infrastructure in the following services: library, internationalization, finance, information and communication technology (ICT), and research, development, and innovation (RDI). Background In higher education institutions (HEIs), a strong research infrastructure is a necessity for academic education and research. In Central Asian countries, nursing is regarded as an assistive field to medicine, affecting nursing research infrastructures. Methods In this descriptive study, following benchmarking and a recommendations report, an interview of nursing faculty members was used to obtain data regarding nursing research infrastructure in ten universities in Kazakhstan. The SQUIRE‐EDU was used to ensure the quality of reporting. Results The Kazakhstani universities providing nursing education are still in the process of developing their nursing research infrastructure. They have not acquired access to nursing databases, and only one textbook concerning nursing research can be found from their libraries. None of the universities have joined international nursing networks. The participation of the university staff and students in conferences with nursing themes has increased. The universities are investing in staff capacity building, but not yet in nursing research projects. Discussion and conclusion Kazakhstani universities have the autonomy to develop nursing research and its infrastructure. Active measures by the university management, such as financing access to nursing databases, international cooperation, and international projects, are necessary. Implications for nursing and health policy Research infrastructures’ quality strongly impacts the development of nursing science and practice in any country. It is crucial to increase the volume of research that demonstrates the effectiveness of clinical nursing and its contribution to health outcomes. To enable the faster development of nursing science in Central Asian countries, this development should be supported through international collaboration.

Building health systems resilience in Central Asia through nursing and midwifery: Evidence to inform policy action

“…humanities and science subjects); (b) limited proportion of clinical practice in relation to theoretical hours and opportunities to apply theoretical knowledge to clinical and real life situations is limited and where it is, it is not aligned strategically or designed to promote re ective practice and learning in priority health areas; (c) limited access to pedagogic materials and approaches that are based on nursing and midwifery fundamentals and science; (d) faculty in CACs is predominantly medical doctors, and few are nurses and midwives, partially attributed to the current level of nursing education to be eligible as faculty; (e) lack of nursing and midwifery research aligned to country health priorities; (f) accreditation of educational institutions, and internal and external quality assurance is to be strengthened; and (g) lack of mentorship training and systems for educators. (14,(16)(17)(18)(19)(20) Several countries in Central Asia have launched important educational reforms to improve both professional and vocational education and training. (16,21) The common feature of the reforms is to bring the education system more in line with the population's needs, and to optimize the utilization of available resources.…”