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UTILISING RESEARCH IN THE
PAEDIATRIC CLINICAL SETTING Jackson R1, Petranis L1, Johnston, L2 1Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne, Australia 2Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne & The
University of Melbourne, Australia Background: Studies have provided
clear evidence patients receiving research-based nursing interventions have
better outcomes than those receiving routine care. Many barriers to
evidence based practice have been identified. The Victorian Center for
Nursing Practice Research (VCNPR) at The University of Melbourne conducts
an innovative training program, the Clinical Research Fellowship (CRF)
Program. The Fellowships are designed to support clinical nurses to
identify, appraise and utilise research as an evidential base for daily nursing
practice. Objective:
The nursing management and staff at the
Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne sought to enhance research-based
paediatric nursing practice by supporting clinical nurses to undertake the
CRF program and implement their findings into practice. Methods: Clinical nurses from RCH identified a practice,
policy or procedure without an evidential base. The Program taught the
skills required to search for, and appraise, the relevant literature and
the participants developed strategies to implement findings into research. Results:
Management at RCH has funded 18 nurses to
undertake the Program. Outcomes have included development of evidence based
learning packages, introduction of updated institutional policies,
confirmation of current policies and commencement of primary research in
areas where a paucity of literature was identified. All nurses reported
high levels of satisfaction with the Program and their achievements. Conclusion: Supporting clinically based nurses to undertake
a skills training program in evidence based practice results in the
implementation of research in practice and enhances the professionalisation
of nursing.