Paper
Friday, 21 July 2006
This presentation is part of : From Research to Practice: Initiatives and Strategies
Exploring the Gap Between Research and Practice
Dee McGonigle, PhD, MSN, BS, RN1, Graham Glynn, PhD, BSc2, Lee G. Bach, PhD, MA, BS3, Kathleen G. Mastrian, PhD, MN, BS, RN1, and Jo Anne Carrick, MSN, CEN, RN1. (1) School of Nursing, Penn State University, Upper Burrell, PA, USA, (2) Royer Center, Penn State University, University Park, PA, USA, (3) Master of Arts, Center for Humanistic Studies Graduate School, Farmington Hills, MI, USA
Learning Objective #1: evaluate the benefit of using the heuristic qualitative method to enhance metacognition and facilitate knowledge structuring.
Learning Objective #2: assess the use of knowledge structuring to initiate evidence-based practice.
In the practice world/realm of nursing, researchers and clinicians are somewhat distinct. Each attains and structures knowledge in a way that makes sense within his/her own world or domain. This can produce a knowledge gap. How then, can we help close the gap between the worlds of research and practice? One idea is to have researchers and clinicians share their knowledge structures to incorporate critical pieces of information from each other’s world. Through the use of the heuristic qualitative approach, two professionals developed knowledge structures using software to foster successful metacognitive experiences. Each participant used Moustakas’ (1990) six stages of heuristic qualitative methodology to get the most out of what they knew, had experienced and learned about a selected topic. They each developed their own knowledge structure using KnowledgeWorkshop, a personal knowledge and information management system, that facilitates the development of knowledge structures and provides a way to visualize how someone constructs her/his own unique reality about a topic or domain. They shared their structures, analyzed each other’s structure and collaborated to develop one knowledge structure using the same software package. Each participant kept an electronic journal of the process through the development of his/her own knowledge structure, analysis of his/her partner’s knowledge structure and the collaborative synthesis of the knowledge structures. This synthesis was analyzed to look for gaps between research and practice. The resulting process through which this exploration, conception, synthesis, implementation and evaluation occurs will guide the development of other knowledge structuring strategies aimed at professionals to foster evidence-based practice.  This approach into the worlds of the clinician and researcher will help us to develop a means to create, shape and disseminate knowledge from research and clinical experts that will continue to reduce the gaps between research and practice by fostering shared insights and evidence-based practice.

See more of From Research to Practice: Initiatives and Strategies
See more of The 17th International Nursing Research Congress Focusing on Evidence-Based Practice (19-22 July 2006)