Clinical Nurse Specialist Participation on a Collaborative Research Project

Abstract

Clinical nurse specialists are expected to contribute to the development of new nursing knowledge through research activities. Competing demands require constant juggling of time and priorities, and activities, such as research, often do not receive the attention they deserve. Research requires specific skills and knowledge and significant time expenditure. Collaborative research is an appropriate way for the clinical nurse specialist to both contribute to research and improve his or her research skills. This article discusses two pediatric critical care clinical nurse specialists' participation in a collaborative research team led by university faculty. The study was designed to reduce family uncertainty and stress and to increase staff nurse competency in providing family care. The ability of the clinical nurse specialists to contribute to the research team was enhanced by knowledge of the research process, good communication skills, and clinical expertise in the specific population of interest. Challenges for the clinical nurse specialists included limited experience in conducting clinical research and balancing clinical and research priorities. Both clinical nurse specialists and the university faculty benefited from this collaboration. The clinical nurse specialist, with expertise in a clinical specialty, is able to bridge the gap between the academic and clinical sites, making clinical research more likely. At the same time, working with expert researchers allows the clinical nurse specialist to increase his or her research skills.

Perceived Outcomes of Research and Audit Activities of Clinical Specialists in Ireland

“…Despite this, some authors have written of how collaborative research can be successful and of how CSs can be valuable members of a research team. 59 Recent calls for reform of AP education in the United States did not emphasize a research role for these practitioners at all, 60 which would appear short-sighted. Hanson and Hamric's 61 call for cohesion within the profession on the definition and development of advanced practice nursing also did not include research as a key role for these posts, rather emphasizing the importance of their clinical expertise.…”

Factors Influencing Nurses' Participation in Clinical Research

“…Another recommendation for promoting participation is informing staff about what participation entails and the progress of the study (American Association of Critical-Care Nurses Thunder Project Task Force, 1995;Burns, 2002;Fitzgerald et al, 2003;Miller, Johnson, Mackay, & Budz, 1997;Wade, 1995). Another recommendation for promoting participation is informing staff about what participation entails and the progress of the study (American Association of Critical-Care Nurses Thunder Project Task Force, 1995;Burns, 2002;Fitzgerald et al, 2003;Miller, Johnson, Mackay, & Budz, 1997;Wade, 1995).…”

Health Services Researcher Pathway For Registered Nurses: An Integrative Literature Review

“…Despite using various definitions of research competencies, all of these models focus on developing nurses' skills to conduct research and to appraise, synthesize, and implement research findings [31][32][33].Building research capacity for nurses [13] increases nurses' confidence [34] and quality in providing care [35].…”