Journeying between the Education and Hospital Zones in a collaborative action research project

Abstract

The authors present their journey through the development of an action research project based on collaboration between university health lecturers and a practice development and research nurse in an NHS Trust hospital. The project was designed to raise awareness and improve the practice of all staff in relation to the dignity and respect shown to patients and their visitors in the hospital. The authors describe how this project developed from what was essentially an education-based action research project centred on a programme designed to address the issue of dignity and respect, to one focused on seeking to facilitate institutional change within the hospital. In the process of undertaking this project the authors, as co-researchers, have journeyed together between the 'Education Zone' and the 'Health Zone' and this experience has formed the catalyst for analysis of a variety of critical incidents that challenged their thinking and behaviour as action researchers and as educators. They use the analogy of journeying into unfamiliar territory to convey their experience and although this project involved the collaboration of health and education professionals, the issues it raised may have resonance for other action researchers seeking to collaborate across organisations.

Sustainability in an action research project: 5 years of a Dignity and Respect action group in a hospital setting

“…This seeming invisibility was useful but Iain, particularly, was also careful to insist the meetings kept formal minutes that were circulated widely and to appropriate hospital committees (Crow et al 2006). We felt the group had considerable power to improve dignity and respect practice through the direct action of individual members but at the same time we recognized that we had to work within the hospital's organizational structure to maximize our effectiveness.…”

“…We were also reminded of Kemmis' (2001) assertion that Action Research needed to move beyond cosy reflections with fellow-travellers to tackling more uncomfortable and difficult issues in less familiar territory (Crow et al 2006). The project thus began to incorporate more features of the 'empowering' type of Action Research as we shifted the power of decision making to the newly formed 'Dignity and Respect Action Group'.…”

“…The first is the collaboration between Hospital and University staff which has enhanced the module and enabled observational exercises in practice to be an integral part of the module delivery. The close working of University and Hospital staff in making these exercises meaningful to students has been evaluated by them as important in applying theory to practice (Crow et al 2006).…”

“…We have been in a predominantly Action phase of the research for some time and as highlighted in Crow et al (2006) we have perhaps suffered from the difficulty of maintaining reflective space in the meetings in the face of the frenzy of action.…”

“…The development of this module was undertaken as an Action Research project and was evaluated carefully (Crow et al 2006(Crow et al , 2007. The students on the first 3 deliveries of the module reported that the module had reignited their enthusiasm and passion for promoting dignity and respect for their service users and they had plenty of ideas for improving this aspect of care.…”