Promote Research Use Research Articles

Research and practice, meet the state education agency

State education agencies play critically important roles in promoting research use in education. They influence policy design and implementation, collect data about schools and districts, and can use their statewide reach to advance research use within the state agency and in districts. As Carrie Conaway explains, the states that have done the most to advance research use for systems improvement have built research infrastructures, used both existing research and local data to spur improvement, and formed close partnerships with researchers.

数学的な表現の主体的な活用を促す指導の研究(4) : 書きことばの「特徴」に焦点をあてて

数学的な表現の主体的な活用を促す指導の研究(4) : 書きことばの「特徴」に焦点をあてて

Resistance and Consistent: Access to Medicines and Patent Law Reform in India and China

The paper starts with reviewing the debates on patent in access to medicines in the context of globalization of TRIPS regime. It then looks at the issue of resistance related to patent theories, mechanism and the linkage with social movement during law reform processes. Accordingly, the 2005 revision of Patent Act in India and the 2008 revision of Patent Law in China are chosen as the backdrops for comparison. The choice of patentability doctrine and the exceptional clauses to promote research use would be the major aspects of comparison, both having been influenced by civil society actions at different degrees in both countries. The paper intends to draw the conclusions that while strong technocratic influences remain, both countries’ law makers have started walking out of the closed discourse of patent law reform via interacting with societal concerns in the context of improving access to medicines.

Research Use of Nurses Working in the Critical Care Units: Barriers and Facilitators.

There is a distinct gap between theory and practice with respect to research use in clinical practice, particularly in critical care units, that could be related to the presence of a number of barriers that hinder the use of research findings. The aims of the study were to identify barriers and facilitators to research use as perceived by Jordanian nurses in critical care units and to examine the predictors of research use among those nurses. The study used a cross-sectional, correlational design. The self-administered "Barriers Scale" was introduced to 200 registered critical care nurses, using the drop-and-collect technique, between October and November 2015. The results revealed that "nurse does not have time to read research at work" was the top ranked barrier that hinders research use (mean [SD], 3.45 [0.79]). The first 7 ranked barriers were related to the organizational subscale. Managerial support was the top perceived facilitator for research use. Only "attending special training courses in nursing research" was the significant predictor of research use and explained 59.1% of the variance in research use, t(190) = -3.93, P = .003. The most identified barriers toward research use revealed by the qualitative data include dominant routine nursing tasks, existence of gap between theory and practice, shortage of nursing staff, and public negative image about nursing profession. Participants suggested the importance of increasing organizational support and creating an organizational research culture to further promote research use in clinical nursing practice. Research use has not been widely implemented yet in Jordan because of various barriers. The organization-related barriers were the most influential. Factors hindering research use are multidimensional, and optimizing them should be a shared responsibility of nurse managers, researchers, clinicians, and academicians. Further initiatives are required to raise awareness of the importance of using evidence-based practice.

A long-term, strategic approach to evidence generation and knowledge translation in NSW, Australia.

There is a growing body of literature about the barriers to, and enablers of, the use of research evidence in policy and practice. Research funders are in a unique position to influence activities aimed at promoting research use. During the past decade, NSW (New South Wales) Health has systematically built and invested in an integrated population and health services research portfolio made up of different types of investment and policy focuses. Each of these investments has an explicit focus on translation. Ensuring a long-term, sustained, strategic approach to priority-driven research generation, true coproduction of evidence and effective knowledge translation will continue to deliver results for NSW. The NSW Population Health Research Strategy 2017-2021, currently in development, will have a strong emphasis on fostering environments and actions that promote the use of research in policy and practice.

The development of ORACLe: a measure of an organisation's capacity to engage in evidence-informed health policy.

BackgroundEvidence-informed policymaking is more likely if organisations have cultures that promote research use and invest in resources that facilitate staff engagement with research. Measures of organisations’ research use culture and capacity are needed to assess current capacity, identify opportunities for improvement, and examine the impact of capacity-building interventions. The aim of the current study was to develop a comprehensive system to measure and score organisations’ capacity to engage with and use research in policymaking, which we entitled ORACLe (Organisational Research Access, Culture, and Leadership).MethodWe used a multifaceted approach to develop ORACLe. Firstly, we reviewed the available literature to identify key domains of organisational tools and systems that may facilitate research use by staff. We interviewed senior health policymakers to verify the relevance and applicability of these domains. This information was used to generate an interview schedule that focused on seven key domains of organisational capacity. The interview was pilot-tested within four Australian policy agencies. A discrete choice experiment (DCE) was then undertaken using an expert sample to establish the relative importance of these domains. This data was used to produce a scoring system for ORACLe.ResultsThe ORACLe interview was developed, comprised of 23 questions addressing seven domains of organisational capacity and tools that support research use, including (1) documented processes for policymaking; (2) leadership training; (3) staff training; (4) research resources (e.g. database access); and systems to (5) generate new research, (6) undertake evaluations, and (7) strengthen relationships with researchers. From the DCE data, a conditional logit model was estimated to calculate total scores that took into account the relative importance of the seven domains. The model indicated that our expert sample placed the greatest importance on domains (2), (3) and (4).ConclusionWe utilised qualitative and quantitative methods to develop a system to assess and score organisations’ capacity to engage with and apply research to policy. Our measure assesses a broad range of capacity domains and identifies the relative importance of these capacities. ORACLe data can be used by organisations keen to increase their use of evidence to identify areas for further development.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12961-015-0069-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Collaborative development and implementation of a knowledge brokering program to promote research use in Burkina Faso, West Africa

Despite efforts expended over recent decades, there is a persistent gap between the production of scientific evidence and its use. This is mainly due to the difficulty of bringing such knowledge to health workers and decision-makers so that it can inform practices and decisions on a timely basis. One strategy for transferring knowledge to potential users, that is, gaining increasing legitimacy, is knowledge brokering (KB), effectiveness of which in certain conditions has been demonstrated through empirical research. However, little is known about how to implement such a strategy, especially in the African context. The KB program presented here is aimed specifically at narrowing the gap by making scientific knowledge available to users with the potential to improve health-related practices and decision making in Burkina Faso. The program involves Canadian and African researchers, a knowledge broker, health practitioners, and policy-makers. This article presents the collaborative development of the KB strategy and the evaluation of its implementation at year 1. The KB strategy was developed in stages, beginning with a scoping study to ensure the most recent studies were considered. Two one-day workshops were then conducted to explore the problem of low research use and to adapt the strategy to the Burkinabè context. Based on these workshops, the KB program was developed and brokers were recruited and trained. Evaluation of the program's implementation after the first year showed that: 1) the preparatory activities were greatly appreciated by participants, and most considered the content useful for their work; 2) the broker had carried out his role in accordance with the logic model; and 3) this role was seen as important by the participants targeted by the activities and outputs. Participants made suggestions for program improvements in subsequent years, stressing particularly the need to involve decision-makers at the central level.

What supports do health system organizations have in place to facilitate evidence-informed decision-making? a qualitative study

BackgroundDecisions regarding health systems are sometimes made without the input of timely and reliable evidence, leading to less than optimal health outcomes. Healthcare organizations can implement tools and infrastructures to support the use of research evidence to inform decision-making.ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to profile the supports and instruments (i.e., programs, interventions, instruments or tools) that healthcare organizations currently have in place and which ones were perceived to facilitate evidence-informed decision-making.MethodsIn-depth semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with individuals in three different types of positions (i.e., a senior management team member, a library manager, and a ‘knowledge broker’) in three types of healthcare organizations (i.e., regional health authorities, hospitals and primary care practices) in two Canadian provinces (i.e., Ontario and Quebec). The interviews were taped, transcribed, and then analyzed thematically using NVivo 9 qualitative data analysis software.ResultsA total of 57 interviews were conducted in 25 organizations in Ontario and Quebec. The main findings suggest that, for the healthcare organizations that participated in this study, the following supports facilitate evidence-informed decision-making: facilitating roles that actively promote research use within the organization; establishing ties to researchers and opinion leaders outside the organization; a technical infrastructure that provides access to research evidence, such as databases; and provision and participation in training programs to enhance staff’s capacity building.ConclusionsThis study identified the need for having a receptive climate, which laid the foundation for the implementation of other tangible initiatives and supported the use of research in decision-making. This study adds to the literature on organizational efforts that can increase the use of research evidence in decision-making. Some of the identified supports may increase the use of research evidence by decision-makers, which may then lead to more informed decisions, and hopefully to a strengthened health system and improved health.

Factors influencing the contribution of advanced practice nurses to promoting evidence-based practice among front-line nurses: findings from a cross-sectional survey

This paper is a report of a study to identify factors influencing advanced practice nurses' contribution to promoting evidence-based practice among front-line nurses. Despite widespread recognition that care should be evidence-based, nurses experience challenges implementing evidence-based practice. As opinion leaders, advanced practice nurses can influence the practice of front-line nurses by promoting research use. Little is known about how advanced practice nurses use evidence and their influence on care given by front-line nurses. A cross-sectional survey of 855 advanced practice nurses working in 87 hospital/primary care settings in England. The questionnaire examined understandings of evidence-based practice, sources of evidence used, ways of working with front-line nurses, perceived impact on front-line nurses, skills in evidence-based practice and barriers to promoting evidence-based practice. Data were collected in 2005 and analysed using descriptive statistics. Comparisons were made between advanced practice nurses with Masters qualifications and those with lower qualifications. Advanced practice nurses used different sources of evidence. They engaged in various activities to promote evidence-based practice and had a positive influence on front-line nurses' practice. Advanced practice nurses' skills in evidence-based practice varied with few considering themselves expert. Advanced practice nurses with Masters qualifications perceived themselves to be more skilled in all aspects of evidence-based practice than those with lower qualifications. Advanced practice nurses are well placed as clinical leaders to promote evidence-based practice by frontline nurses but require further development of their skills in evidence-based practice. In order to maximize their potential, advanced practice nurses require Master's preparation.

Determinants of research use in clinical decision making among physical therapists providing services post-stroke: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundDespite evidence of the benefits of research use in post-acute stroke rehabilitation where compliance with clinical practice guidelines has been associated with functional recovery and patient satisfaction, the rate of reliance on the research literature in clinical decision making among physical therapists is low. More research examining factors that motivate physical therapists to consider research findings in neurological practice is needed to inform efforts to intervene. The objective of this study was to identify practitioner, organizational, and research characteristics associated with research use among physical therapists providing services post-stroke.MethodsA cross-sectional mail survey of physical therapists providing services to people with stroke in Ontario, Canada was conducted. The survey questionnaire contained items to evaluate practitioner and organizational characteristics and perceptions of research considered to influence evidence-based practice (EBP), as well as the frequency of using research evidence in clinical decision making in a typical month. Ordinal regression was used to identify factors associated with research use.ResultsThe percentage of respondents reporting research use in clinical decision making 0 to 1, 2 to 5, or 6+ times in a typical month was 33.8%, 52.9%, and 13.3%, respectively (n = 263). Academic preparation in the principles of EBP, research participation, service as a clinical instructor, self-efficacy to implement EBP, a positive attitude towards research, perceived organizational support of research use, and Internet access to bibliographic databases at work were each associated with research use and placed in the final regression model. In the final model (n = 244), academic preparation in EBP, EBP self-efficacy, agreement that research findings are useful, and research participation each remained significantly associated with research use after adjusting for the effects of the other variables in the model.ConclusionsA third of therapists rarely use research evidence in clinical decision making. Education in the principles of EBP, EBP self-efficacy, a positive attitude towards research, and involvement in research at work may promote research use in neurological physical therapy practice. Future research is needed to confirm these findings and to determine the type of research participation that may promote research use.

Knowledge brokering as an intervention in paediatric rehabilitation practice

Introduction Knowledge brokering is an emerging intervention to promote research use in clinical practice. By targeting identified barriers, clinician knowledge brokers have the potential to facilitate evidence-based practice for their peers, while accounting for contextual factors that influence this process. Few accounts in the literature describe the process of implementing a knowledge brokering system, or the specific activities and roles carried out by knowledge brokers in an enabling capacity. Content The aim of this article is to present the theoretical basis for knowledge brokering, and to describe a model used by a brain injury team within a paediatric health care centre. Conclusions Knowledge broker facilitation enabled the compilation and creation of useful resources to assist team members in incorporating evidence into practice. It also yielded increased awareness of, and access to, available research, as well as evidence syntheses on clinical topics of relevance to the group. Clinicians may be well suited to perform this enabling role. An increased emphasis on mentoring and community building to support knowledge brokers and on structured evaluation of knowledge broker activities is recommended.

Promoting Evidence-based Practice

This article draws on both a cross-sector literature review of mechanisms to promote evidence-based practice and a specific review of ways of improving research use in social care. At the heart of the article is a discussion of three models of evidence-based practice: the research-based practitioner model, the embedded research model, and the organizational excellence model. The article concludes that the ideas contained within each of these models are likely to be appropriate at different times and for different service settings. There is a need to build on such models to develop a coherent framework for strategies to promote research use.

Research use in clinical practice – extent and patterns among nurses one and three years postgraduation

This paper is a report of a study of nurses' research use in clinical practice one and three years postgraduation in Sweden. Internationally, learning to critically appraise and use research is an educational objective within nursing training, with the aim of promoting research use in nursing practice. The extent to which these skills is acquired and used among relatively newly graduated nurses is largely unexplored, however. . A descriptive study was conducted in 2006 using a national longitudinal survey of two nursing cohorts one (n = 1,365) and three (n = 933) years postgraduation. The self-reported extent of instrumental, conceptual and persuasive research use was measured. Data were analysed using both variable- and pattern-oriented approaches based on cluster analysis. Research use was reported to occur in about half or fewer of the working shifts. In both samples, seven clusters of nurses with different research use profiles were identified. Clusters representing overall low and very low users in all three types of research use were predominant both at one (45.6%) and three (51.6%) years postgraduation, whereas clusters of nurses reporting overall high research use were uncommon. The proportion of very low users was larger 3 years after graduation than 1 year after graduation. The low extent of reported research use, raises the question of whether scientific perspectives included in nursing education are translated into clinical application. The pattern-oriented approach illustrates the complexity of research use and identification of typical research use profiles in specific contexts may have potential to guide interventions aimed at supporting evidence-based practice.

Nurse educators’ critical thinking dispositions and research utilization

Nurse educators are becoming recognized as important facilitators of research use in the health care system, thereby contributing to improved patient and system outcomes. Currently, no published studies could be located that specifically examined critical thinking dispositions and research utilization of nurse educators. This paper reports research utilization behaviours and critical thinking dispositions of a random sample of nurse educators across a western Canadian province (n=287). Descriptive statistics and correlations were compiled for research utilization and critical thinking dispositions measures. Almost all nurse educators who participated in the study scored above the target score of 280 on the California Critical Thinking Dispositions Inventory. The majority of nurse educators (82.1%) scored 280-350, with 15.4% of them scoring above 350, indicating high critical thinking dispositions. Nurse educators scored quite high on overall research utilization (mean=4.4/5). They believe that research makes a positive difference in practice and reported using various sources of information. Our analysis indicates that there is a statistically-significant correlation between nurse educators' total critical thinking dispositions and all measures of research utilization. Education of nurse educators must include critical thinking to maximize their role in promoting research use as part of evidence-based practice.

Information transfer: what do decision makers want and need from researchers?

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to undertake a systematic assessment of the need for research-based information by decision-makers working in community-based organizations. It is part of a more comprehensive knowledge transfer and exchange strategy that seeks to understand both the content required and the format/methods by which such information should be presented.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional telephone survey. Questions covered current practices, research use, and demographic information, as well as preferences for receiving research information. Three types of organizations participated: Children's Treatment Centres of Ontario (CTCs); Ontario Community Care Access Centres (CCACs); and District Health Councils (DHCs). The analysis used descriptive statistics and analyses of variance (ANOVA) to describe and explore variations across organizations.ResultsThe participation rate was 70%. The highest perception of barriers to the use of research information was reported by the CCAC respondents, followed by CTCs and DHCs. The CTCs and DHCs reported greater use of research evidence in planning decisions as compared to the CCACs. Four sources of information transfer were consistently identified. These were websites, health-related research journals, electronic mail, and conferences and workshops. Preferred formats for receiving information were executive summaries, abstracts, and original articles.ConclusionThere were a number of similarities across organization type with respect to perceived barriers to research transfer, as well as the types of activities the organizations engaged in to promote research use in decision-making. These findings support the importance of developing interactive, collaborative knowledge transfer strategies, as well as the need to foster relationships with health care decision-makers, practitioners and policymakers.

What works to promote evidence-based practice? A cross-sector review

English This article presents results from a systematic review of the effectiveness of different mechanisms for promoting research use across the health, social care, criminal justice and education sectors. Findings suggest that research use is enhanced by interactions between researchers and research users, and by providing a supportive context for the uptake of research or research-based practice. Strategies using multiple mechanisms to encourage research use are also often successful. More research is needed to draw firm conclusions about the effectiveness of other approaches or of combining specific strategies. Despite this, some key lessons emerge about effective methods for implementing evidence-based policy and practice (EBPP).

Promoting research use in speech and language therapy: a cluster randomized controlled trial to compare the clinical effectiveness and costs of two training strategies

To evaluate the clinical and cost effectiveness of two training strategies to promote the use of research evidence in speech and language therapy (SLT) management of poststroke dysphagia. Pragmatic, cluster randomized trial. Seventeen SLT departments in north-west England. Two SLTs from each department received training and cascaded information across their department. Process of care was measured from the notes of 708 patients with acute poststroke dysphagia across eight departments allocated to training strategy A, and 762 patients across nine departments in strategy B. Strategy A: training on the critical appraisal of published research papers and practice guidelines. Strategy B: strategy A plus training on management of change in clinical practice. Pre- and post-training adherence to practice guidelines in poststroke dysphagia management, based on a review of case notes. Incremental cost of increased adherence to clinical guidelines. Departments' practice differed in adherence to guidelines. Departments changed following training (F=2.22, df 16, 1436, p=0.004). The effect of training strategy on clinical practice was not significant. Strategy B departments engaged in more activities relating to research use following training than strategy A. Total costs of training averaged ł2001, 2892 Euros, $3886 (SD ł502, 726 Euros, $975) for strategy A and ł3366, 4866 Euros, $6537 (SD ł2121, 3066 Euros, $4119) for strategy B. Training in research implementation in addition to critical appraisal and guideline introduction is associated with increased dissemination activities and awareness of research information, but not with changes in clinical practice within six months of training. The department in which SLTs work influences their use of research. The process of poststroke dysphagia management can be measured using a tool developed from practice guidelines.

Promoting Research Use Among Undergraduate Students Through Service Learning

Promoting Research Use Among Undergraduate Students Through Service Learning

Methodology as Outreach: A Public Mini-Course on Archival Principles and Techniques

Suggested strategies for archival outreach usually focus on promoting research use of the collections archivists maintain. Recent discussions on enhancing the profession's image among the public, however, also have concluded that archivists can and should encourage an appreciation of the curatorial methods they employ. Ironically, although archivists work hardest at marketing collections, it may be archival methods, particularly preservation skills, that most intrigue the general public. People who are wholly unfamiliar with the significance, usefulness, or even the meaning of archives often are extremely interested in learning how to manage and care for their own records. For instance, how many archivists, after trying to explain what they do for a living, have been greeted with the reply, have these old photographs in my atticwhat should I do with them? The archivist's ability to satisfy such interests offers the opportunity to cultivate closer ties between the archival community and the rest of society. Archivists can exercise this type of outreach in a number of ways. Some of the more common include lectures or workshops on basic conservation practices, consultation services about establishing archives, and assistance in producing historical displays for various types of community institutions or groups. Another approach has been implemented recently at the University of Toledo with promising results. The university offers a public, noncredit minicourse on the recognition, appreciation, and basic care of historical records commonly found in the home. The course is sponsored by the university's Division of Continuing Education and is directed toward individuals seeking advice on how to properly maintain their own documents and memorabilia. Entitled Historical Family Records: How to Recognize and Preserve, the class is taught by an archivist and carries a $35.00 standard continuing education fee (anyone over 60 years of age may enroll free). Meetings take place in the special collections and archives department of the university library, and classes are limited in size to twelve students. The