Learning Objective #1: Describe how a Nursing Research Council's (NRC's) internal Web resources can be utilized to facilitate clinical research development within an institution

Learning Objective #2: Describe the mechanisms used to introduce and promote the NRC's internal Web site

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Introduction: Research involvement by clinical staff is highly valued at our Burn Center. One identified barrier is finding the resources and support to accomplish literature searches. The Nursing Research Council (NRC) proposed development of an internal website to facilitate literature searches. Methods: A task force of NRC members surveyed potential users and compiled pertinent resources on a website. The majority of links were selected to provide access to quality literature by utilizing reliable databases. Research-related, online tutorials were included to assist the new clinical investigator. The NRC website, serving as a central repository for pertinent documents and links, was introduced in a lecture “Performing Literature Searches for Clinical Issues via the NRC Website.” Subsequent hands-on computer training and a fact-finding contest were utilized to promote, and demonstrate utility of, the new resource. Results: Post-evaluations from the introductory lecture confirmed that all attendees were able to: recognize the characteristics of quality research; list the benefits of various types of information sources; describe the process for accessing literature via the NRC website; and identify the steps in using a database to search the literature. Lecture attendees, as well as those of a subsequent hands-on session, indicated that they intended to utilize the resource. Members of the NRC assist clinical investigators in their use of the web resources. The NRC website has been utilized 1291 times in the first year since publication, for a monthly average of 108. The NRC website resources have contributed to a 50% increase in Nursing and Allied Health Professionals as principal investigators within the same time frame. Conclusions: The NRC has provided resources and support to enable clinicians to accomplish comprehensive literature searches through an internal website. The NRC will continue to promote, evaluate and modify the website, for continued utilization for committee work and clinical investigations.