Interventions to support and develop clinician-researcher leadership in one health district

Abstract

Purpose Clinical leadership, researcher capacity and a culture of clinical inquiry are needed in the clinical workforce. The purpose of this paper is to report on a program which was used to develop and support clinicians to explore practice, implement innovation, translate evidence and build researcher capacity. Design/methodology/approach This pragmatic paper presents a case study of a nursing and midwifery clinician-researcher development program. The multi-site, multi-modal program focused on education, mentoring and support, communication networks, and clinician-university partnerships strategies to build workforce capacity and leadership. Findings Over 2,000 staff have been involved in the program representing a range of health disciplines. The study day program has been delivered to 500 participants with master classes having over 1,500 attendees. The research mentor program has demonstrated that participants increased their confidence for research leadership roles and are pursuing research and quality assurance projects. Communication strategies improved the visibility of nursing and midwifery. Research limitations/implications This case study was conducted in one health district, which may not have relevance to other geographical areas. The small numbers involved in the research mentor program need to be considered when reviewing the findings. Practical implications The program has been a catalyst for developing a research culture, clinical leadership and research networks that strengthen workforce capacity. Building researcher skills in the workforce will better support quality healthcare and the examination of everyday practice. Social implications Building a culture of healthcare that is based on inquiry and evidence-based practice will lead to more appropriate and consistent healthcare delivery. Consumers have the right to expect health clinicians will challenge everyday practice and have the skills and capability to translate or generate best evidence to underpin professional and service delivery. Originality/value This paper provides strategies for building workforce researcher capacity and capability. The program provides opportunity for building research networks and role modeling the value and importance of research to practice and quality improvement.

Clinical leadership development in Australian healthcare: a systematic review

“…No authors indicated if the clinical leadership programmes were informed by theory, with some developed based on identified gaps in staff leadership capabilities. For example, Fry and Dombkins, 11 Williams et al 12 and Debono et al 10 co-designed their programmes informed by interviews and consultations with key stakeholders within the hospital setting, while Clarke et al 13 developed their leadership programme based on consultation with consumers.…”

“…Finally, Clarke et al 13 developed the 'Take the Lead' Programme (TTL), which supported NUM to be more competent leaders in their role through five leadership enhancement modules. In terms of duration, the four programmes ranged from 38 weeks 12 to 3 years, 11 offering leadership development in a long-term capacity.…”

“…For the majority of the programmes, 10,11,13 leadership development was a secondary focus, with other skills (e.g. networking and research training) embedded into these programmes.…”

The role of Allied Health Professions and Nursing Research Internships in developing a research culture: a mixed-methods exploration of stakeholder perspectives

“…While there are examples of such roles in the United States leading to financial reward during and post completion of internships and post-graduate study [36], the lack of financial support for internships was seen as a fundamental barrier internationally [17,18,33,36]. Additionally, the lack of time release (for both Interns and mentors) and impingement on the work-life balance was often cited as a major conflict [9,18,33,36,38]. With these potential opportunities and barriers in mind, the evaluation study aimed to explore stakeholder perceptions of the benefits and challenges of the HEE/NIHR Research Internship model, alongside reviewing intern research career progression within and beyond the Internship.…”

An academic perspective of participation in healthcare redesign

“…Building a base for translating redesign knowledge into clinical practice is stronger with input from academics, who generally have a better knowledge of tools such as ethics processes, publication avenues and external funding opportunities than clinical staff. Having academic involvement in these aspects assists in building a research culture and developing research networks within the clinical practice environment [32]. Furthermore, publication and other dissemination activities, such as conference presentations, reports and sharing positive results via social media, are also ways to celebrate achievement and develop the positive culture required for the longevity and sustainability of the redesign [33].…”