Susan Diemert Moch, RN, PhD, Family Health Nursing, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Eau Claire, WI, USA
One tool for getting research into practice is through New Knowledge Discussion Groups. The New Knowledge Discussion Group Model has been evolving for almost twenty years and seventeen groups have been conducted and evaluated in acute care, community, interdisciplinary and rural settings. The model involves a contract with health practitioner participants to read articles on an identified topic and to attend three to four group sessions. A group co-leader often contacts the author (researcher) of one of the articles to share information and to ask questions. Participants express great satisfaction with participation in the discussion groups. Many groups have requested that the groups continue. Through follow-up interviews, group members report changes they have projected for the work setting. Recently, the focus for the groups has been on implementation. For instance, one group of nurses in acute care, wanted to determine ways the staff could increase nursing recognition on the unit. Another group of administrators wanted to know what helps with nursing satisfaction in acute care settings. Therefore, research on the topic was shared so that the groups could plan for implementation on the units. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the model through New Knowledge Discussion Groups with staff members in a critical care unit and a medical-surgical unit. An action research framework was used so documenting the process of the intervention was important. In addition, a pre and post open-ended assessment tool developed by the researcher was used for participants. Interviews regarding implementation were also held with five unit personnel at three months after the group sessions. A summary of the action research process, assessment tools and interviews will be shared. In addition, actions taken by the two units regarding the topic discussed will be enumerated.