| Learning Objective #1: discuss outcomes of research related to the concepts of caring and belongingness | |||
| Learning Objective #2: consider opportunities for the dissemination of research findings into practice. |
By drawing on the findings from two doctoral projects the authors discuss a cyclical process where their research was derived from practice and then used to inform practice. Working from these perspectives, the authors present their areas of research, caring and belongingness, as illustrators for the discussion.
The first area of research - caring - was analysed using Foucauldian archaeological analysis with three discourses of caring identified. Through these discourses, nurses speak and understand caring using statements that that have meaning for them and as a consequence affect the domain of practice.
The second area of research - belongingness - is a phenomenon that has intuitive appeal. In a mixed method, cross national study a relationship between belongingness and nursing students’ capacity and motivation for learning to nurse emerged as a critical and recurring theme. Given that clinical placements are specifically designed to facilitate authentic learning opportunities, this is a significant finding that has repercussions at both the micro and macro levels. Thus, the dissemination of such findings is imperative.
The authors will present an overview of research outcomes for caring and belongingness followed by a discussion about various options for disseminating research into practice. Examples drawn from both authors’ studies will be used to showcase how they have translated their research findings into practice.