A framework for analyzing and improving nurse practitioners' access to research literature

Advanced practice nurses are charged with basing their practice on research by evaluating and engaging in research studies. Review of research, however, is often hampered by the difficulty in accessing research. The breadth and depth of the literature on innovation and information dissemination demonstrate that nurse practitioners' (NPs) access to and use of the research literature are not trivial matters. This paper suggests some guidelines that may make research more accessible to the NP community. Because the issue is viewed as a problem of access, a seminal work on patients' access to healthcare services is employed to frame the discussion and proposed solutions.