Evidence‐based policy: nursing now and the importance of research synthesis

Abstract

Aim This study explores how scholarship relating to meta‐analytical studies and systematic and integrative reviews can inform nursing’s contribution to universal health coverage. Introduction As nursing globally embraces the 200th anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale, the Nursing Now social movement has called for the profession to improve universal health coverage through increasing nursing’s policy voice. Methods In determining how the Nursing Now social movement could pursue the aim of this study, researchers undertook a comparative bibliometric analysis of scholarship relating to the systematic curation of evidence. This study uses a mixed‐method analysis of the bibliometric data available through extracting and synthesizing information from one of the commercially produced indexing and citation databases. Results Generally, medicine has contributed far more synthesized contributions than nursing, except in the case of integrative reviews. Co‐occurrence analysis of nursing literature through examination of key terms yielded a complex visualization of 11 specific clusters of scholarship (Care of the Older Person, Nurse Education, Emergency and Critical Care, Occupational Health and Safety, Rural Services, Anxiety and Depression, Measurement, Newborn and Post‐natal Health, Cardiovascular Disease, Preventative Health and Cancer Care). Discussion and conclusions Bibliometric analysis of curated evidence demonstrates that there is ample nursing‐relevant material to inform evidence‐based policy change directed towards the attainment of universal health coverage and several of the Sustainable Development Goals. Implications for policy Nursing literature is available to support policy change directed towards the pursuit of universal health coverage and sustainable development goals. Leveraging existing networks of research collaboration to increase research capacity through communities of scholarship or by twinning experienced and neophyte contributors is possible. Further work is needed to equip nurses with the competencies to navigate the policy environment and develop and deliver impactful policy messaging.

Alignment and contribution of nursing doctoral programs to achieve the sustainable development goals

“…In this sense, the category “Labor and health: nursing implications for the healthy development of labor and workers” shows that nurses can promote dignified and fair labor, in order to favor economic growth. Hence, the training of nursing PhDs is also committed with fighting unbalances and defending systems and actions that promote opportunities for inclusive economic growth for all [ 31 , 32 ].…”

Evidence into action: a policy brief exemplar supporting attainment of nursing now

“…Furthermore, at the individual organizational and sub‐organizational levels, the impact of such activity can have a near‐immediate impact on the role that the profession plays in the delivery of person‐centred care (Ghebrehiwet, ). More recently, Benton et al () demonstrated that a wealth of material is available in the form of meta‐analytical, systematic and integrative reviews that can be used to produce policy briefs on topics supportive of the attainment of UHC and other SDGs as well as a diverse range of issues relevant to addressing today’s health needs. As noted in the WHO () monitoring report, while some success has been made towards attaining UHC, progress is still too slow.…”

“…Crisp () highlighted an enormous, worldwide increase in non‐communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes. Benton et al () confirmed the availability of a wealth of evidence to address this health challenge, and the WHO () has provided up‐to‐date information on its magnitude at both aggregate and country levels. Furthermore, with diabetes as the exemplar, it is possible to demonstrate how nursing solutions can be used to simultaneously resolve the four other dimensions that Crisp () suggests should be addressed as part of the Nursing Now campaign.…”

“…To capture this data, WHO, the International Council of Nurses (ICN) and the Burdett Trust for Nursing are collaborating with a wide range of stakeholders on the Nursing Now Program, a three‐year campaign to raise the profile and status of nursing worldwide. Furthermore, regarding the pursuit and attainment of UHC, Benton et al identified the opportunity to build on available evidence by mobilizing the profession towards influencing policy. This paper provides a practical example of how available evidence can be turned into a briefing to influence policy and bring about change targeted at delivering UHC.…”

The Importance of Context and Organization Culture in the Understanding of Nurses’ Barriers Against Research Utilization: A Systematic Review

“…A gap exists between what is known from research and theory and what is actually done in clinical practice (Benton, Watkins, Beasley, Ferguson, & Holloway, 2020; Mackey & Bassendowski, 2017). A definitively greater focus on research utilization in clinical practice, constituting the development and usage of empirical research knowledge in practice (Estabrooks, 1999), has been applied in the past 50 years to move closer to evidence‐based practice (Mackey & Bassendowski, 2017).…”