Research in Progress

SURVEY ON UMHS NURSES’ INVOLVEMENT IN QUALITY IMPROVEMENT, COST-EFFECTIVENESS, ADMINISTRATIVE/SYSTEMS, OR CLINICAL RESEARCH

A total of 619 nurses responded to this electronic survey on the internal nursing website, although the number completing all questions dropped to 358 by the end of the survey. 

For survey results showing UMHS nursing participation in research click here.
(Note: this is a pdf file. If you need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader, click here.)

Who has been involved?

A total of 295 of our nurses said they had been involved in some type of research-related projects as part of their job.  The majority, 54%, of the projects listed were identified as nursing projects; 23% were multidisciplinary; 24% were medical or medical-multidisciplinary; and the remaining 9% were other or not stated.  Roles ranged from Principal Investigator to study participant, with collecting data or some type of co-leadership role as the most typical.  Nurses in all positions said they had participated in some type of research project, including N1’s, N2’s, N3’s, N4’s, Nurse Managers, APN’s, and administrators.  Almost one-third of those completing the survey were AD or Diploma prepared, half had a BS in Nursing, and 16% had a graduate degree.

Who supported the research?

Most of the projects underway during the last year were supported internally by UMHS.  Of the approximately 100 separate projects, federal or state agencies, 7 by foundations, and 18 by industry or corporations supported 18. 

What was our nurses’ involvement?

Reading one or more journal articles to find answers to a clinical problem was the single most frequent research related activity: 44% said they did this very often or often.  But only 4% said they had helped evaluate research for applicability to nursing practice often or very often; only 8% said they had helped implement research findings often or very often; and only 23% said they had helped create a climate to support evidence-based practice often or very often. 

What about research nurses wanted to do but had not?

Sixty-one nurses commented on research they had wanted to conduct but did not.  The desired topics for research ranged widely, from topics such as acuity, assessing risk for complicated bereavement, infection rates in the OR; pediatric critical pathways, readmission rates for liver failure patients with and without home care services; Dobhoff tube insertion: cost-effectiveness (minimize x-ray).  The three main categories of reasons given for not having pursued the projects were (1) support from a mentor, a knowledgeable researcher, physicians, or nursing leadership, (2) time, and (3) money.  Other common reasons were need for ready access to internet resources, and lack of knowledge or confidence.

Nurses’ suggestions for the future of nursing research at UMHS

A total of 128 UMHS nurses gave suggestions for developing a collaborative nursing research infrastructure. Bedside nurses, frontline nurses, CNI’s, CNII’s, acute care nurses, OR nurses, APN, evening and night shift nurses, and older nurses all express the need to be heard, recognized, and involved in research efforts, planning, and education. Research mentoring was requested, and a recurring theme was the need for a dedicated research nurse or identified nursing research leadership with staff available to assist nurses in their research efforts.  Nurses also want time, resources and support for research activities.  The respondents also value evidence-based practice, but run into many barriers with which they need managerial support.  A total of 87 nurses gave their names for further contact in helping to build the nursing research enterprise at UMHS.

Conclusions

All ranks of UMHS nurses are already involved in multiple levels of research, with an emphasis on nursing and multidisciplinary projects.  This cadre of nurses with experience in research is substantial, so the time is ripe to provide resources emphasizing evidence-based practice and knowledge development through research.  With resources, it will be productive to build research-related activities into nursing job descriptions and to integrate research into supervision and management roles.  UMHS nurses are ready.

Submitted by Deborah Oakley (doakley@umich.edu) and Mary Lou Greenfield (maryloug@med.umich.edu)

11/14/03

Survey conducted July 10-August 10, 2003.

Acknowledgements:  Kimberly Hickey and the Nursing Research Council for item development; Cathy Muha for e-survey format and results;  Bud Quick for data manipulation;  Carrie Disney for Table format.