question about having research as a class

i know that research in nursing school is not the greatest. i am currently taking research. i know that the commission on collegiate nursing education recommends that research be in the nursing school's curriculum. why is that? i feel that research will never be used when it comes to being on the floor.

thanks,

chad a. hohenbery

how do we know what to do as nurses without research behind our actions? we don't practice just because, we practice because there is evidence behind our actions. it sounds like your school is really doing a disservice to you if ebp has not been ingrained in you.

Actually, you will find that the policies and procedures that you will be following when working as a floor nurse are evidence-based practice. That's when research comes into play. Nurses play a big role in research studies and research findings then impact our practice.

That being said, I hated my nursing research class in nursing school. :)

If you plan on being actively engaged in your profession once you're a RN, you're going to keep up to date on evidence based practice by reading nursing journals which are full of research articles. Having the knowledge of the research process, common terminology, and the ability to analyze published research articles will benefit you at the bedside.

Hello Chad! I've worked in our hospital's IRB Office and Nursing Research Departments. I agree with the other post, nursing AND research are both evidence-based. And "Research" can be practical--it doesn't need to be intimidating or theoretical.

For example, we currently have an Associate's Degree prepared floor nurse conducting a research study who works in the coronary care unit. She observed several patients crying or getting very upset when they were told they had to stay in the hospital longer in order to get their coumadin levels stabilized. Much of the wait had to do with processing the venous lab draws, so she got the support of the cardiologists to try point-of-care (fingerstick) blood testing. The hardest part, of course, was doing the literature search and preparing her research protocol, but she managed to get POC meters donated and everything for her study! She's currently in the middle of her research, but I anticipate she'll be able to prove that getting faster PT/INR's not only improves patient care and satisfaction, but saves the hospital $$.

It takes a while to get into the research groove, so please don't get discouraged. Think of it as a formal way to document quality improvement ideas. And when you start working, look for a hospital that supports nursing research--it's important to have adquate time and resources, and you can't do that if Administration doesn't support research.

Good luck and don't give up!!

Bernadette