Research Knowledge Development Research Articles

Symmetrical and Asymmetrical Modeling: Applying Vitae Researchers’ Development Framework through the Lens of Web 2.0 Technologies for Vocational-Health Education Researchers

Background and Purpose: The development of research knowledge, skills, and attitudes among postgraduate vocational-health education students is a crucial outcome of their degree program. This study focuses on the research competences of vocational-health education students and their use of web 2.0 technologies to enhance research productivity. The study employs the Vitae Researcher Development Framework (RDF) and examines the use of web 2.0 technologies. Method: The study surveyed 390 postgraduate vocational-health education students enrolled in universities in Pakistan. Of the participants, 50.5% were male, 49.5% were female, 45.1% were from private universities, and 54.9% were from public sector universities. Moreover, 68.2% were Master’s students, while 31.8% were doctoral students. The data were analyzed through both symmetrical and asymmetrical modeling techniques, including Partial least square equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and fuzzy set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA), to measure the direct and indirect specific relationships among the constructs. Results: The results confirmed that research competences and web 2.0 technologies have a direct effect on research productivity. Furthermore, the results revealed that web 2.0 technologies mediate in the relationship between research competences and research productivity. Conclusions: The study concludes that research competences and web 2.0 technologies predict research productivity. Additionally, web 2.0 technologies have an intervening role in the relationship between research competences and research productivity during the COVID-19 pandemic emergency. Implications: This study highlights the broader implications for health education policymakers and institutions to include web 2.0 technologies in their development plans. Future studies can develop web 2.0-based instructional strategies for the professional development of advanced vocational-health education researchers. Originality: This study contributes to the knowledge of research competences, web 2.0 technologies, and research productivity for vocational-health education researchers.

Welcoming ease: Building a concept from nursing practice

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to describe the building of the concept welcoming ease for its use in further knowledge development in research. MethodA published concept building process was used to guide creation. Development of the concept welcoming ease occurred through a 10-phase approach that included taking a story from practice and identifying key phenomena of interest. Core qualities were lifted with careful attention to theoretical grounding and thorough review of the literature. With this foundation in place, a reconstructed story was created, and mini-saga and mini-synthesis fashioned. ImplicationsThe theory-research-practice triad is seen when concepts are built upon knowledge gained through practice. Theory and developing concepts are used to query phenomena of interest. Future research focus centers on integrating aromatherapy into care for those in treatment for substance use disorder (SUD). Insights gained through future study are expected to support knowledge development in nursing vital to caring in the human health experience.

Professional Doctorate in Midwifery: What is it and Why Would I Do One?

According to national midwifery-specific and healthcare profession strategy, embedding research into the professions, including creating researcher leaders, is a priority. Evidence shows that this provides benefit for the people we care for, the employing organisation and the individual employee. However, developing the knowledge to undertake or lead research can seem overwhelming. The Professional Doctorate is one pathway available to support people in the development of research knowledge and skills. This five-year part-time course is completed alongside clinical work. Initial taught content develops knowledge and skills, before leading on to completion of independent research, with appropriate supervision throughout.

Teaching evidence-based practice (EBP) in nursing curricula in six European countries—A descriptive study

BackgroundTeaching evidence-based practice (EBP) in nursing education varies among nurse educators and universities. Lack of nurses' knowledge and skills are among the barriers commonly associated with the limited use of EBP in practice. ObjectivesTo describe the presence, characteristics and content of courses of EBP in nursing bachelor's, master's, and PhD programs in six European countries. DesignA descriptive study design was employed. SettingsThe study was implemented as part of the EBP e-Toolkit Project as a strategic partnership of six European higher education institutions from six countries in the framework of the Erasmus+ Programme. ParticipantsCensus sampling (N = 225) was used. A total of 162 (72%) faculties responded from the following countries: Spain (79), Italy (44), the Czech Republic (15), Poland (12), Greece (7), and Slovenia (5). MethodsThree structured instruments were developed by using the consensus development panel. The research was conducted from December 2018 to March 2019. For names of subjects, a manual narrative Template Analysis was used with open descriptive coding. ResultsSubjects in “EBP in Nursing or Health Care” are included in 45 (29.2%) bachelor's programs, mostly worth 180 European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits, 30 (28%) master's, and 6 (40%) PhD programs. In bachelor's programs, an average of 134 h are spent teaching EBP steps, followed by 127 h in master's programs and 52 h in PhD programs. EBP subjects have different focuses: clear topics in EBP, development of research knowledge, awareness of the need for evidence-based clinical work, and understanding the needs of the profession. ConclusionsTeaching EBP is not yet sufficiently integrated into nursing curricula. For more efficient integration, guidelines on the standardization of teaching approaches and content have to be developed in all three cycles of higher education. Further research is needed on the implementation of teaching at master's and PhD levels of nursing curricula.

Overview of Nursing Research

Research in nursing is devoted to rigorous scientific inquiry that provides a significant body of knowledge to advance nursing practice and services, shape health policy, and impact the health of people in all countries. Research in nursing has been from time immemorial starting with the mother of scientific nursing, Florence Nightingale and over the years and decades nursing research has gone through different phases of transformation. The purpose of doing research in nursing is to find answers to questions or solution to problems of relevance to the nursing profession. The role of the research nurse is indispensable to successful research studies and this requires the nurse to be equipped with a solid foundation based on years of experience in nursing, leadership and organizational skills, computer-based skills and an in-depth knowledge of research. The research capacity of a nurse can be developed by knowledge development in research, interdisciplinary collaboration and mentoring. Current trends anticipated in nursing research for the 21st century include: continued focus on evidence-based practice, emerging interest in translational research, greater emphasis on systematic reviews, expanded local research in healthcare setting, strengthened interdisciplinary collaboration, expanded dissemination of research findings and increased visibility of nursing research.

A view from within: how doctoral students in educational administration develop research knowledge and identity

This study reports on experiences of doctoral students in educational administration at a time when the effectiveness of programs preparing practitioners and academics in this field are being questioned. Concerns related to how students in educational administration developed knowledge about research and identity as researchers were closely examined in a research-intensive university in the United States. Through participant interviews and personal narratives, findings revealed the challenges encountered at the nexus of the effectiveness of the educational program intersecting with the experiences of the doctoral students. Participants shared the importance of proximity to campus, self-advocacy, student status (full-time versus part-time) and personal and professional goals as influencing their development of research knowledge and identity. There were indicators that communities of practice, relationships with faculty, thematic pedagogy, public practice and action-oriented research were equally important in acquiring research knowledge and in developing a research identity.

Transmitting Tricks of the Trade: Advisors and the Development of Research Knowledge

How is sociological research practice learned? Because much of the tacit knowledge required to succeed in professions such as academia cannot be obtained formally, informal channels of learning—such as interaction with advisors—may be crucial. In this paper I test the extent to which graduate school advisors influence the development of their advisees' research habits, practices, and beliefs. I find that advisors' attitudes and intra-professional standing affect how their advisees view various research practices—both those that are less codified (such as how to deal with anomalous data) and those that are quite standardized (such as statistical significance testing). For the least standardized and most qualitative research practices, such as interpreting qualitative text, I find that students' experiences are more relevant that advisors' attitudes. I discuss these findings by referencing literature in the sociology of science and knowledge and relate my findings to broader knowledge about teaching sociology at the graduate level.