Embedded researchers in Australia: Survey of profile and experience across medical, nursing and midwifery and allied health disciplines

Abstract

To support the implementation of research evidence into practice, the embedded researcher model, where a researcher is embedded as a core member of the clinical team, offers promise. The aim of this study was to investigate and compare how the embedded researcher model has been adopted by different professional discipline groups in Australia. A purposive sample of current and former embedded researchers were invited to participate in an exploratory online survey. Responses were described using Excel and analysed using SPSS. Perspectives of 104 Australian embedded researchers were compared across three core professional disciplines; of nursing and midwifery (37), allied health (36), and medicine (27). Professional differences were reported in respondents' qualifications and experience, employment conditions and their research cultures and environments.Comparatively most medical, nursing and midwifery embedded researchers were older, more clinically experienced than allied health respondents, who were younger and more research qualified. As embedded researchers, most medical respondents prioritised conducting their own research while more nursing and midwifery and allied heath respondents reported complementing clinical research within their teams with a mix of research capacity building, management and clinical practice roles. Each professional discipline's experiences are likely influenced by their own profession's research histories and paradigms.

A benchmarking scoping review of research output from hospital pharmacy departments in Australia

“…Furthermore, pharmacy residency projects that had co‐investigators affiliated with a university and a high h‐index were also shown to increase the rates of publications 19 . Similar benefits on departmental research culture have also been observed in medical, nursing, and allied health professional departments 20,21 . On the other hand, only half of the articles identified had at least one author with a hospital pharmacy department affiliation only.…”

“…19 Similar benefits on departmental research culture have also been observed in medical, nursing, and allied health professional departments. 20,21 On the other hand, only half of the articles identified had at least one author with a hospital pharmacy department affiliation only. This means the authors with joint university and hospital affiliations may not be regularly involving pharmacists from their pharmacy department in their research.…”

Clinical research nursing pathways: The development and evaluation of a nursing research internship program using the RE-AIM framework

“…It is reported that this can occur through strategic investment in partnerships between academic institutions and health care providers, with financial investment in the creation of new research development initiatives ( Paterson and Strickland, 2023 ) which has been successful in other professions ( Borges et al., 2010 ). The benefits for health systems that incorporate nursing clinician researcher roles are being realised ( Wu et al., 2018 ; Krishmasamy and Chan, 2016 ; Australian Clinical Trials Alliance and Quantium Health Outcomes, 2017 ; Misso et al., 2016 ; Blevins and Millen, 2016 ), despite the historical professional and structural barriers ( Newington et al., 2020 ; Barton-Burke, 2016 ; Mickan et al., 2017 ; Mickan and Coates, 2022 ; Carthon et al., 2017 ; Middlebrooks et al., 2016 ; Black et al., 2019 ; Eckert et al., 2022 ; Duff et al., 2016 ).…”

Research education and training for nurses and allied health professionals: a systematic scoping review

“…Aligning with the purpose of this work, this review defines research education and training programs as organised initiatives or interventions that are either discrete (e.g., standalone workshops or research days) or longer in their duration (e.g., research courses or a series of workshops or lectures) wherein curriculum is developed and shared with multiple individuals or participants, with a view to develop and apply research skills [2,5]. Healthcare settings are considered those wherein the provision of healthcare is considered core business (e.g., hospitals, community-based health services, cancer care services, family medicine clinics) and is therefore the setting in which research evidence needs to be applied or translated to reduce the gap between research knowledge and practice [2,20].…”