Nursing and the research assessment exercise: past, present and future

Area of Science:

• Nursing Research
• Higher Education Policy
• Research Capacity Building

Background:

• The UK nursing research landscape faces challenges within higher education institutions.
• Previous Research Assessment Exercises (RAE) have influenced research output and capacity.
• Conflicting health and education policies create a complex environment for nursing research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine approaches to undertaking nursing research in UK higher education.
• To investigate methods for building research capacity within nursing departments.
• To analyze the impact of policy and assessment on nursing research futures.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of responses to past Research Assessment Exercises (RAE).
• Analysis of findings from a small study of nursing departments participating in the RAE.
• Speculative analysis based on current education and health policies.

Main Results:

• Difficulties in nursing research are attributed to contradictory policies and assessment methods.
• Nursing education is constrained by stringency in both health and education sectors.
• The RAE and income generation from National Health Service (NHS) consortia reflect differing views on higher education's role.

Conclusions:

• Contradictory policies and assessment rivalries hinder nursing research capacity.
• Higher education's role is debated between an elitist view and workforce supplier.
• The NHS R&D strategy offers an alternative to RAE for collaboration and funding.