[Teach]

In some of the literature I have been reading lately I have noticed some authors stating that research utilization is an organizational responsibility rather than the responsibility of the individual nurse. Do you agree or disagree with this statement?
Teach <;0)

[VickyRN]

Originally Posted by Teach

In some of the literature I have been reading lately I have noticed some authors stating that research utilization is an organizational responsibility rather than the responsibility of the individual nurse. Do you agree or disagree with this statement?
Teach <;0)

I disagree. It is each nurse's professional responsibility to make sure his or her care conforms to the latest evidence-based standards and protocols.

[elkpark]

I agree with the statement, in the sense that all facilities have (are required to have) nursing policy and procedure manuals, and (are required to) hold all the nursing staff accountable for following the established policies and procedures. You can't have some individual nurse come in to work next Tuesday and suddenly start doing some intervention or treatment in a new way, different from everyone else in the facility, because s/he read an article in a journal! For one thing, not everything that gets published ends up becoming an accepted standard over time ("one swallow doth not a summer make;" that's why replication is such an important part of research) It is the responsibility of facilities to keep their policy/procedure manuals "up to date" and reflecting the established, accepted best practices, and I interpret the statement in the OP to reflect that -- that the role of the individual nurse would be to advocate for consideration of an institution-wide change in policy/procedure, not to unilaterally, individually implement a new, different practice on the basis of her/his own reading.

[llg]

Good post, elkpark! My knee-jerk reaction was to say simply ... "It's the responsibility of both," ... but your post made me stop and think about the topic more deeply. Thank you.

I still think that both the individual and the institution have resposnsibilities in research utilization. Each should be aware of the role they need to play to assure that patients receive the best care possible. To think of it as an either/or question is WAY too simplistic.

The same is also true of the conduct of research.

Good thread topic ...

llg

[VickyRN]

Originally Posted by elkpark

I agree with the statement, in the sense that all facilities have (are required to have) nursing policy and procedure manuals, and (are required to) hold all the nursing staff accountable for following the established policies and procedures. You can't have some individual nurse come in to work next Tuesday and suddenly start doing some intervention or treatment in a new way, different from everyone else in the facility, because s/he read an article in a journal! For one thing, not everything that gets published ends up becoming an accepted standard over time ("one swallow doth not a summer make;" that's why replication is such an important part of research) It is the responsibility of facilities to keep their policy/procedure manuals "up to date" and reflecting the established, accepted best practices, and I interpret the statement in the OP to reflect that -- that the role of the individual nurse would be to advocate for consideration of an institution-wide change in policy/procedure, not to unilaterally, individually implement a new, different practice on the basis of her/his own reading.

Excelent post, elkpark.

[NRSKarenRN]

Originally Posted by elkpark

I agree with the statement, in the sense that all facilities have (are required to have) nursing policy and procedure manuals, and (are required to) hold all the nursing staff accountable for following the established policies and procedures. You can't have some individual nurse come in to work next Tuesday and suddenly start doing some intervention or treatment in a new way, different from everyone else in the facility, because s/he read an article in a journal! For one thing, not everything that gets published ends up becoming an accepted standard over time ("one swallow doth not a summer make;" that's why replication is such an important part of research) It is the responsibility of facilities to keep their policy/procedure manuals "up to date" and reflecting the established, accepted best practices, and I interpret the statement in the OP to reflect that -- that the role of the individual nurse would be to advocate for consideration of an institution-wide change in policy/procedure, not to unilaterally, individually implement a new, different practice on the basis of her/his own reading.

Professional post of the year award winner.