National Survey of Hospital Nursing Research, Part 2

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to describe the facilitators and hindrances associated with the conduct of registered nurse–led research in US hospitals. BACKGROUND: Hospital-based nursing research programs are growing in response to increasing emphasis on evidence-based practice. Concerns existed about institutional regulations prohibiting staff nurses’ ability to be principal investigators of their research studies. METHODS: Comments from the Hospital-Based Nursing Research Requirements and Outcomes national survey regarding facilitators and hindrances of conducting nursing research in hospitals were analyzed using content analysis. RESULTS: Comments from 95% of surveys were classified into 24 facilitator and hindrance codes. Both Magnet^® and non-Magnet hospitals identified the presence of a research mentor as the top facilitator. In non-Magnet hospitals, the top hindrance was a lack of a research mentor as compared with Magnet hospitals, which reported lack of time. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of a research mentor is the most important facilitator for hospital nursing research. Findings provide data to inform research program development.