Collaboration in the Emergency Department: an innovative approach

Recently an innovative collaborative Nurse Research Consultant position between Curtin University of Technology and Joondalup Health Campus was established. The position was considered to be essential to ensure the development and implementation of evidence-based nursing practice in the Emergency Department (ED). This paper presents the findings of an explorative qualitative research study that identified how the Nurse Research Consultant position fulfilled the needs of emergency nurses in the area of research and development. The study also highlighted factors that impacted on the ED nurses' ability to utilise and conduct research. A questionnaire was developed and distributed to all of the nursing staff in the ED. Following analysis of the questionnaires semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 registered nurses. Content analysis was utilised to identify themes from the interviews. Data analysis of the interviews identified four main themes: enabling the research process, hindering the research process, assisting the research process and expanding the Nurse Research Consultant role. The findings highlighted that ED nurses are reluctant to become involved in research because of a perceived lack of knowledge, skill level, time and motivation. However, most nurses considered that the Nurse Research Consultant, formal education, cultural change, access to resources and involvement in research activities as mechanisms to assist them to contribute in research activities.