New Brunswick nurses' views on nursing research, and factors influencing their research activities in clinical practice

Abstract

New Brunswick became the first province in Canada to require a baccalaureate degree in nursing as the entry to practice, yet nursing research in hospital settings remains quite low. This study examined clinical nurses' views on nursing research, and identified some contributing factors to the research-practice gap. This descriptive, cross-sectional multicenter study involved 1081 nurses working in the Francophone Regional Health Authority in New Brunswick, Canada. Nurses were eager to identify nursing-care problems to improve patient care (92.9%), and to be involved in collecting data for nursing research studies (95.2%). However, without research supervision, few had engaged in basic research activities, such as formulating or refining research questions (24.5%), presenting at research conferences (6.9%), or changing their practice based on research findings (27.2%). Younger, more educated nurses, nurse managers, and educators participated more readily in research. Sharing research and clinical expertise, as well as infrastructures between academic and clinical institutions is the key to enduring successful patient-centered nursing research in clinical settings. Concrete actions are proposed to build clinical nursing research.

Nursing research capacity and its management in China: A systematic review

“…Young nurses tended to partner with senior and research‐capable nurses to improve their own research skills. The collaboration between academic and clinical institutions was found to be an efficient way to promote nursing research capacity through sharing research infrastructure, clinical expertise and patient care responsibilities (Robichaud‐Ekstrand, ). It is believed collaborative efforts may help to promote a research culture in the hospital setting, facilitate the implementation of research projects (particularly data collection) and help nurses to engage in research activity (Scala, Price, & Day, ).…”

“…Nurses with a master's degree and above tended to value research more and had a favourable perception of their role in research when compared with nurses who had only obtained a diploma. They also had more research experience and involvement in research activity (Robichaud‐Ekstrand, ). Nurses who had worked more than ten years had richer research experience, when compared with those who had only worked for 1–5 years or less than one year (Robichaud‐Ekstrand, ).…”

“…They also had more research experience and involvement in research activity (Robichaud‐Ekstrand, ). Nurses who had worked more than ten years had richer research experience, when compared with those who had only worked for 1–5 years or less than one year (Robichaud‐Ekstrand, ).…”

Research‐active clinical nurses: against all odds

“…This is consistent with other studies that found a lack of mentors and other organisational resources were barriers to research activity (Roxburgh , Akerjordet et al . , Robichaud‐Ekstrand ). However, organisational resources alone are insufficient for the development of research activity.…”

“…, Evans et al . , Berthelsen & Holge‐Hazelton , Robichaud‐Ekstrand ) were the primary barriers to the conduct of research by nurses.…”