Nurse scientists overcoming challenges to lead transdisciplinary research teams

Abstract

Increasingly, scientific funding agencies are requiring that researchers move toward an integrated, transdisciplinary team science paradigm. While the barriers to and rewards of conducting this type of research have been discussed in the literature, examples of how nurse investigators have led these teams to reconcile the differences in theoretical, methodological, and/or analytic perspectives that inevitably exist are lacking. In this article, we describe these developmental trajectory challenges through a case study of one transdisciplinary team, focusing on team member characteristics and the leadership tasks associated with successful transdisciplinary science teams in the literature. Specifically, we describe how overcoming these challenges has been essential to examining the complex, and potentially cumulative effects that key intersections between legal, social welfare, and labor market systems may have on the health of disadvantaged women. Finally, we discuss this difficult, but rewarding work within the context of lessons learned and transdisciplinary team research in relation to the future of nursing science.

Sustaining excellence and relevance in PhD nursing education

“…These model collaborations leverage shared resources, scientific expertise, and infrastructure across disciplines to maximize research productivity and impact (Dorsey et al, 2014). Despite challenges that may surface when investigators from different disciplines work together as a team, including variation in theoretical and methodological approaches, the benefits of ensuring nursing's unique perspective is considered when pursuing complex questions arguably outweigh the challenges (Kneipp et al, 2014).…”

Synthesizing Marketing, Community Engagement, and Systems Science Approaches for Advancing Translational Research

“…Second, many nurse scientists routinely engage members of their target populations in the formative research phase when designing interventions – either through community-based participatory research (CBPR) or other participatory processes. 61 In essence, EBI-focused dissemination research is intervention research by another name – whereby dissemination is an intervention (i.e., containing both content and processes for delivery), as it is intended to alter an outcome. What does differ between what nurse researchers have tended to focus on in terms of intervention research relative to dissemination research is the outcomes of interest (i.e., outcomes focused on health-related phenomenon versus EBI adoption-related phenomenon).…”

“…For nurse scientists who have developed interventions using CBPR, it is likely that some of the marketing principles that facilitate D&I are already “built in” – such as already having made the intervention relevant to multiple end-user groups (i.e., target populations, potential adopters, and other key stakeholders), and practical or feasible in terms of implementation. Burgio 62 has argued one extreme of this benefit, stating “interventions found to be effective through CBPR render the term translation meaningless … One does not need to translate an intervention for community use when all aspects of the intervention’s design were developed in the community.” (p 61…”

Top 10 List for Building Team Science

“…This type of teamwork is most common in the life and physical science arenas, where major research initiatives, such as the Human Genome Project, have been accomplished by scientists working together across disciplines and institutions (Baker, 2015). Nursing and health sciences researchers are also beginning to shift focus to a more team science approach (Kneipp et al, 2014).…”