Putting nursing research findings into practice: research utilization as an aspect of the management of change*

Abstract

Journal of Advanced Nursing 15, 614-620 M A C G U I R E J . M . ( 2 0 0 6 ) M AC G U I R E J . M . ( 2 0 0 6 ) Journal of Advanced Nursing 53(1), 65-74Putting nursing research findings into practice: research utilization as an aspect of the management of change This paper discusses a number of different levels at which the implementation of nursing research findings needs to be addressed and identifies 10 areas of potential difficulty: the complexity of the change process, the genesis of research programmes, the formulation of research questions, differences in theoretical approaches, timescales and planning cycles, information overload, credibility, applicability, response to change and the management of change. An attempt is made to shift the nature of the discourse from the personal to the organizational and from a diffusionist perspective to that of change management. It is suggested that it is simplistic to regard the apparent lack of take-up of research-based practice findings as a failure on the part of individual nurses to respond rationally to the production of new information. The integration of research and practice has to be addressed at all levels within an organization; from policy statements to procedure manuals and from managers, educators and clinicians to support workers within the framework of the management of change. The potential of action research and quality circles in this context is touched on.

Clinical judgement and decision‐making in nursing – nine modes of practice in a revised cognitive continuum

“…Ensuring that ‘evidence is made available and equipping staff with the skills to know how to evaluate and apply it’ is essential for evidence‐based clinical decisions (National Health Service Executive 1999, p. 8). Critical appraisal skills training (Mulhall & le May 2004) is also necessary to increase research utilization in practice areas and requires managerial support (MacGuire 1990). Integrative or systematic reviews can also help inform practice and model critical skills (Whittemore 2005).…”

Clinical credibility and trustworthiness are key characteristics used to identify colleagues from whom to seek information

“…However, within nursing, and arguably other healthcare professions, the existing research base for many aspects of clinical practice is underdeveloped. This, in addition to the difficulties encountered when implementing available research‐based evidence in clinical practice (MacGuire , Squires et al . ), makes realising evidence‐/research‐based practice challenging and necessitates the use of other types of evidence when making clinical decisions.…”

Recognising our role: improved confidence of general nurses providing care to young people with a mental illness in a rural paediatric unit

“…The implementation of changes to clinical practice and subsequent adoption of these changes is notoriously challenging (Rycroft-Malone et al 2004, Fink et al 2005, Copnell & Bruni 2006. Utilisation of a process that is driven by participants and aimed at addressing a research problem, introduces a sense of ownership and commitment to the actions implemented (MacGuire 1990). Action research has been used successfully by others to improve many aspects of nursing care, education and management (Bennett 1998, Baillie 1999, Dickinson et al 2005, Casey 2007).…”