Creating the evidence base: the journey from practice to research

The ability to deliver accurate, evidence-based information when helping patients make decisions about their care is fundamental to the role of the clinical nurse specialist. For patients with ulcerative colitis who are considering surgery to form an ileo-anal pouch, it is essential to give them information about the psychosocial, as well as the physical, effects of such surgery. As many of these patients are of working age, understanding the likely consequences for paid employment is a priority. However, very little evidence is available on this subject. The authors therefore decided to develop a research study aimed at filling this gap. A proposal to conduct a phenomenological study into the subsequent employment experiences of patients who have undergone ileo-anal pouch formation has been developed. This article seeks to explore how the research idea and its methodology stemmed from practice and highlights the importance of seeing research and practice as complementary components of good nursing care.