Monday, November 3, 2003

This presentation is part of : Accepted Posters

Research Utilization Studies in Nursing: Developing Strategies for Improving Research Use

Janice Lander, RN, BA, MA, PhD1, Carole A. Estabrooks, RN, PhD2, Bonnie Stevens, RN, PhD3, Judy Watt-Watson, RN, PhD3, Linda L. O'Brien-Pallas, RN, PhD3, Gail J. Donner, RN, PhD4, J. Ivan Williams, PhD3, Geertje Boschma, RN, PhD3, and Charles Humphrey, MA5. (1) Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada, (2) Knowledge Utilization Studies in Practice Unit, Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada, (3) Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada, (4) donnerwheeler, Mississauga, ON, Canada, (5) Data Library, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada

Objective: To model and test an ideal nursing unit with characteristics conducive to research use against observed research utilization on seven surgical units. Potential predictors are examined within the context of pain management.

Design: Multi-site comparative ethnographic case studies. Qualitative data collected over six-month periods included field notes, interview transcripts, focus group transcripts, and documents. Quantitative data were collected on research use, critical thinking dispositions, unit workload, environmental complexity, unit culture, and patient pain.

Sample: Nurses, administrators, physicians, other allied health professionals, patients and their families in seven surgical units across four acute care hospitals in two Canadian provinces.

Methods: A framework of the “ideal nursing environment” for research utilization was conceptualized based on the knowledge utilization literature and on the expertise of an assembled team. The testing of the ideal model was purely descriptive in nature, with the use of residual scores (observed research utilization scores – predicted research utilization scores) to illustrate model fit.

Findings: Organizational characteristics that improve model fit included administrative support for research, and presence of research resources. Unit level characteristics included: environmental complexity, additional time needed for patient care, direct workload and co-worker support. Individual characteristics retained in the model were education level, authority to use research, and intent to use research.

Conclusions: Organizational and contextual factors were important predictors of unit-level research use. However, retention of individual factors suggested that mixed models are necessary in developing research utilization strategies in organizations.

Implications: The unit of analysis issue is critical and traditional predictive models addressing individual traits are insufficient.

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