Facilitating research utilization through collaboration

The rhetorical gap between clinical practice and academia was tested by the development of a special program grant to facilitate use of research by staff nurses. The grant capitalized on an established collaborative relationship between a university school of nursing and a community hospital. The merger of education and practice demonstrated the principles of interinstitutional collaboration in action. Resources of the grant included a doctorally-prepared nurse and a clinical librarian to provide research utilization classes for staff nurses, and an academic credit course to address reality-based practice problems for nurse managers. The model developed for this effort is described and critical behavioral aspects of research utilization for practicing nurses and academic nurses are outlined.