Building Research Capability Research Articles

Predictors of confidence in research: a cross-sectional survey of pharmacists in the north of England.

Pharmacist-led research is key to optimizing medicines use and improving pharmacy services, yet it is not yet widely embedded into careers. This study aims to identify predictors of confidence in meeting the research learning outcomes in the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) Post-Registration Foundation and Core Advanced curricula, to provide targeted recommendations for building research capability and capacity within the profession. The study was a cross-sectional electronic survey, distributed to eligible pharmacists in March 2023 (n = 253). The survey gathered demographic information, research experience, and self-reported confidence in meeting the research learning outcomes in the RPS Post-Registration Foundation and Core Advanced curricula. Pre-determined independent variables were analysed using two binomial logistic regression models (one per curriculum) to identify predictors of the dichotomous variable: confidence with meeting all research learning outcomes in that curriculum. Participants were more likely to self-report as confident (versus not confident) with meeting all research learning outcomes in a curriculum if they had recent experience (within the previous 12 months) of research or research-related activities, held a postgraduate research qualification, had undertaken research training outside of a postgraduate qualification, discussed research in their appraisal, or worked in the hospital sector. Conversely, male gender, years practicing, and protected time for research did not predict confidence. A targeted approach, including improving access to research methods training, experience-based learning, mentorship, and linking research projects to key organizational objectives, could be the key to developing research capability and capacity across all sectors and career stages.

Developing future research leaders

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to describe a novel strategy for building research capability in a young university with an emerging research culture. Investment in building research capacity is essential for universities to remain competitive, but one of the challenges for younger universities is developing the research capability of individuals in an emerging research culture.Design/methodology/approach– To gain a better understanding of how leading researchers become research leaders and how universities can design strategies to attract, retain, develop and promote researchers, we carried out a study of 30 research leaders in Australia. We then designed and implemented a cohort-based career development programme for early career researchers.Findings– From our research, and the programme we developed, we have found that developing early career researchers does not mean teaching them how to do research – it means teaching them how to build a track record, which can lead to a research career. A development programme for early career researchers is a short-term investment for longer-term returns, but these programmes do have immediate impact on research productivity for the individual researchers and for the organisation.Practical implications– We consider the success of the Early Career Researchers Programme is due to the regular face to face workshops, the development of the research career plan and the supportive research environment provided by the me.Originality/value– The investment in this programme clearly demonstrates the value of researcher development on research outputs and research careers. These methods could be applied to researcher development training programmes elsewhere.

Indigenous Research Capability in Aotearoa

This article begins by considering the general nature of capability, from some dictionary meanings, then extends to theoretical perspectives related to the capability approach. As a consequence, we arrive at an operational definition that emphasises the ability to solve problems in a systematic way that brings transformation. In these terms, capability is seen as an inherent feature of the life process. The second part of this article presents a model of knowledge generation and illustrates how the development of capability is also an inherent feature of the research process in the fundamental goal of transforming both theory and practice. In the final section, we review and update the activities, initiatives and outcomes of the Capability Building program of Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga, from its beginning in late 2002 to the present, and show that this multi-level and networked program continues to be successful in building research capability. We end by listing some key objectives that are necessary for continuing to strengthen our research culture and capabilities for the future.

State of health economic evaluation research in Saudi Arabia: a review

BackgroundIf evaluation of economic evidence is to be used increasingly in Saudi Arabia, a review of the published literature would be useful to inform policy decision-makers of the current state of research and plan future research agendas. The purpose of this paper is to provide a critical review of the state of health economic evaluation research within the Saudi context with regard to the number, characteristics, and quality of published articles.MethodsA literature search was conducted on May 8, 2011 to identify health economic articles pertaining to Saudi Arabia in the PubMed, Embase, and EconLit databases, using the following terms alone or in combination: “cost*”, “economics”, “health economics”, “cost-effectiveness”, “cost-benefit”, “cost minimization”, “cost utility analysis”, and “Saudi”. Reference lists of the articles identified were also searched for further articles. The tables of contents of the Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal and the Saudi Medical Journal were reviewed for the previous 5 years.ResultsThe search identified 535 citations. Based on a reading of abstracts and titles, 477 papers were excluded. Upon reviewing the full text of the remaining 58 papers, 43 were excluded. Fifteen papers were included. Ten were categorized as full economic evaluations and five as partial economic evaluations. These articles were published between 1997 and 2010. The majority of the studies identified did not clearly state the perspective of their evaluation. There are many concerns about the methods used to collect outcome and costs data. Only one study used some sort of sensitivity analysis to assess the effects of uncertainty on the robustness of its conclusions.ConclusionThis review highlights major flaws in the design, analysis, and reporting of the identified economic analyses. Such deficiencies mean that the local economic evidence available to decision-makers is not very useful. Thus, building research capability in health economics is warranted.

Performing Research Capability Building in New Zealand's Social Sciences: Capacity–Capability Insights from Exploring the Work of BRCSS's ‘sustainability’ Theme, 2004–09

Many governments are seeking to ‘mature’ social science through research capability. The Building Research Capability in the Social Sciences (BRCSS) experiment gave New Zealand's social science community a chance to mature itself through capability building. We examine the emergence of BRCSS's ‘sustainability’ research theme. Selected as one of five key research themes because of its public good investment priority and the level of social science interest, the meanings and purpose of the theme emerged in practice. We present the theme as a series of performances through the life of BRCSS, itself an emergent assemblage of changing theoretical projects, research and policy priorities, and research capability. Reading the experiment reflexively from the inside, we consolidate the experience of performing new research practices into existence to reconceptualise and theorise research capability. We conclude that any fresh engagement in substantive issues must confront how knowledge production might be done differently, and that experimentation around capacities and capabilities for knowledge production begins to open up substantive concerns in fresh and generative ways.

Models to enhance research capacity and capability in clinical nurses: a narrative review

To identify models used as local initiatives to build capability and capacity in clinical nurses. The National Health Service, Nursing and Midwifery Council and the United Kingdom Clinical Research Collaboration all support the development of the building of research capability and capacity in clinical nurses in the UK. Narrative review. A literature search of databases (including Medline and Pubmed) using the search terms nursing research, research capacity and research capability combined with building, development, model and collaboration. Publications which included a description or methodological study of a structured initiative to tackle research capacity and capability development in clinical nurses were selected. Three models were found to be dominant in the literature. These comprised evidence-based practice, facilitative and experiential learning models. Strong leadership, organisational need and support management were elements found in all three models. Methodological issues were evident and pertain to small sample sizes, inconsistent and poorly defined outcomes along with a lack of data. Whilst the vision of a research ready and active National Health Service is to be applauded to date, there appears to be limited research on the best approach to support local initiatives for nurses that build research capability and capacity. Future studies will need to focus on well-defined objectives and outcomes to enable robust evidence to support local initiatives. To build research capability and capacity in clinical nurses, there is a need to evaluate models and determine the best approach that will provide clinical nurses with research opportunities.

Trials in primary care: statistical issues in the design, conduct and evaluation of complex interventions

Trials carried out in primary care typically involve complex interventions that require considerable planning if they are to be implemented successfully. The role of the statistician in promoting both robust study design and appropriate statistical analysis is an important contribution to a multi-disciplinary primary care research group. Issues in the design of complex interventions have been addressed in the Medical Research Council's new guidance document and over the past 7 years by the Royal Statistical Society's Primary Health Care Study Group. With the aim of raising the profile of statistics and building research capability in this area, particularly with respect to methodological issues, the study group meetings have covered a wide range of topics that have been of interest to statisticians and non-statisticians alike. The aim of this article is to provide an overview of the statistical issues that have arisen over the years related to the design and evaluation of trials in primary care, to provide useful examples and references for further study and ultimately to promote good practice in the conduct of complex interventions carried out in primary care and other health care settings. Throughout we have given particular emphasis to statistical issues related to the design of cluster randomised trials.

20 Establishing a Network of Research Active Hospices

Background: Research activity in palliative care is relatively underdeveloped and often consists of small, single-centre studies that may not be powered enough to answer important questions that affect both patients and clinical services. Building research capability allows larger and more ambitious projects to be completed that can address these questions. Aims and objectives:

Introducing problem-based learning into research methods teaching: Student and facilitator evaluation

The evidence base for the effectiveness of problem-based learning (PBL) has never been substantively established, although PBL is a generally accepted approach to learning in health care curricula. PBL is believed to encourage transferable skills, including problem-solving and team-working. PBL was used to deliver a postgraduate research methods module and a small evaluation study to explore its efficacy was conducted amongst the students (n = 51) and facilitators (n = 6). The study comprised of an evaluation questionnaire, distributed after each themed group of PBL sessions, and a group discussion conducted 4 weeks after the conclusion of the module, which was attended by student representatives and the facilitators. Questionnaire data was analysed using SPSS, and a transcript of the interview was subjected to content analysis. The results indicated that students felt that a PBL approach helped to make the subject matter more interesting to them and they believed that they would retain knowledge for a longer period than if their learning had used a more traditional lecture format. Students also perceived that PBL was effective in its ability to enhance students' understanding of the group process. All those involved in the PBL process reinforced the pivotal role of the facilitator. This study indicates that there is potential for PBL to be used beyond the more usual clinical scenarios constructed for health care professional education and further exploration of its use in areas such as building research capability should be undertaken.

A general dental practice research network--philosophy, activities and participant views.

The importance of building research capability among general dental practitioners was highlighted when in 1996 a large tranche of money was released to support research and development in primary dental care. As a result of the links forged by this research opportunity, a group of primary dental care practitioners was recruited into a Primary Dental Network. This network was closely allied to an academic department and the aim was to develop the practitioners' research interest into research skills and finally into a research project. The group therefore attended a series of structured workshops, designed specifically to augment the practitioners' skills using a 'learning by doing' approach. Once the practitioners had acquired the relevant skills, they undertook a research project, which will be reported in a later paper.