The effects of a research utilization in-service program on nurses

Area of Science:

• Nursing Research
• Evidence-Based Practice
• Healthcare Education

Background:

• Nurses' engagement with research is crucial for evidence-based practice.
• Effective training programs are needed to enhance research utilization among nurses.
• Previous interventions have shown mixed results in improving research application.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of an 8-week research utilization training course for nurses.
• To assess changes in nurses' attitudes toward research, perceived support, research participation, and research utilization.
• To determine the effectiveness of the training intervention in a quasi-experimental design.

Main Methods:

• Quasi-experimental study involving 89 nurses, with control and experimental groups.
• Utilized validated instruments measuring attitudes, perceived support, participation, and utilization of nursing research.
• Statistical analysis included repeated measures analysis of covariance and Mann-Whitney U test.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements were observed in nurses' attitudes toward research and perceived institutional support.
• Research participation showed significant differences between groups at 2 and 6 months post-training.
• No significant difference in the actual utilization of research findings was detected between the groups.

Conclusions:

• The 8-week training positively influenced nurses' attitudes and participation in research.
• Sustained research utilization requires ongoing support and consultation beyond the initial training period.
• Future interventions should focus on practical implementation strategies to bridge the gap between knowledge and practice.