Combining clinical practice and academic work in nursing: A qualitative study about perceived importance, facilitators and barriers regarding clinical academic careers for nurses in university hospitals

Many innovations in the health sector are complex, requiring coordinated use by multiple organizational members to achieve benefits. Often, complex innovations are adopted with great anticipation only to fail during implementation. The health services literature provides limited conceptual guidance to researchers and practitioners about implementation of complex innovations. In the present study, we adapt an organizational framework of innovation implementation developed and validated in a manufacturing setting and explore the extent to which it aptly characterizes implementation in health sector organizations. Through comparative case studies of four cancer clinical research networks, we illustrate how this conceptual framework captures key determinants of the implementation of new programs in cancer prevention and control (CP/C) research and helps explain observed differences in implementation effectiveness. Key determinants include management support and innovation-values fit, which contribute to an organizational "climate" for implementation. We explore the implications for researchers and managers. Show more

This paper reports the findings of a critical overview of the development of nursing research capacity in academic departments. It examines the major barriers to developing research capacity, the capacity building strategies adopted (or proposed) within the literature, and considers the wider context within which such endeavours take place. The literature review forms part of a longitudinal project utilising case study methodology. A key word search was used to locate relevant journal articles for the period 1999-2004, derived from the project's research question and an earlier literature review. A number of manual 'shelf searches' were conducted. Bibliographic data were retrieved from The Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health literature, The Social Science Citation Index, and Medline. Approximately 150 articles were retrieved, of which 47 were included in the study. Given the paucity of work in this area papers were not excluded on the grounds of methodological weakness. Major themes were identified in each paper and an analytical framework was developed. Two main challenges affecting research capacity development were identified-material constraints and organisational contexts, and the changing roles and expectations of nurse educators. The importance of developing an overall strategic approach, clearly communicated, and accompanied by effective leadership was a point of common agreement. Debate existed on how research support should be managed, particularly the merits of inclusivity and the reconcilement of individual and organisational needs. Specific capacity strategies identified in the literature were the creation of infrastructures, the fostering of research cultures and environments, and the facilitation of training and collaboration. The literature offers many examples of capacity building strategies. However, more empirical studies are needed to understand the situated process of implementing and evaluating capacity building in individual academic departments, and how this process differs between geographical settings. Show more

The aim of this study was to explore practising nurses' views on factors which they perceived constrained them from research participation. Many studies reviewed in the literature have taken a quantitative approach and have concentrated on why nurses do not use research findings in their practice. Of these studies a few included constraints to research use. However, with the development of national research strategies for nursing and the drive for the profession to develop its own research base, there is a need to understand what constrains clinically practising nurses from taking up opportunities to either develop their own research or participate in research studies. Data were collected during June and July 2004 by means of two focus groups (n=7) followed by single interviews (n=7). Analysis was undertaken using a thematic approach aided by N-Vivo 2.0. In this study, findings revealed six key themes perceived by nurses to constrain from research participation: 'Level of support nurses require to be research active', 'Nurses' attitudes to undertaking/participating in research', 'The extent of nurses knowledge about research', 'Skills to undertake research' and 'Level of educational preparation relating to undertaking/participating in research'. In this study, nurses were generally receptive to participating in research. However, they felt constrained because of lack of time, lack of peer support and limited knowledge and skills of the research process. What is already known on this topic: studies into nurses and research have predominantly taken a quantitative approach; many studies have aimed to elicit the extent of nurses' use of research findings. this study adds a qualitative perspective; although findings are not generalizable, they support quantitative study findings into this subject; identifies constraints that require to be overcome for practising nurses to actively get involved in research studies. Show more