The research potential of practice nurses.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Research
• Primary Care Research
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Limited understanding of practice nurses' research engagement and priorities.
• Practice nurses play a crucial role in primary care service delivery.
• Identifying facilitators and barriers is key to advancing practice nursing research.

Purpose of the Study:

• Assess research interest levels among practice nurses in Essex and East London.
• Identify practice nurses' research priorities.
• Explore factors influencing the development of practice nursing research.

Main Methods:

• A questionnaire survey was distributed to 1,054 practice nurses, with a 40% response rate.
• Follow-up interviews and focus groups were conducted with 55 volunteers.
• Logistic regression analysis was used to identify predictors of research interest.

Main Results:

• Approximately 50% of respondents expressed interest in research; 33% had prior experience, and 20% had initiated research.
• Graduate-level education and involvement in nurse training or external research predicted higher interest.
• Lack of time, insufficient general practitioner support, and limited access to higher education resources were identified as key barriers.

Conclusions:

• Practice nurse research offers a unique perspective on health needs and service provision.
• Developing practice nurse research can enhance primary care quality, professional status, job satisfaction, and staff retention.
• Addressing identified barriers is essential for fostering practice nursing research capacity.