Nurses in paediatric care--self-reported professional self and perceived research utilization

Area of Science:

• Nursing Research
• Paediatric Care
• Professional Development

Background:

• Understanding nurses' self-perception and research barriers is crucial for advancing paediatric care.
• Professional levels may influence how nurses view their capabilities and integrate research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate professional self-perception and perceived barriers to research utilization among nurses at different professional levels in paediatric care.
• To explore the relationship between professional self-evaluation and research barriers in paediatric nursing.

Main Methods:

• A comparative study involving three groups of nurses: control, trainee, and specialists (n=113) at two Paediatric University hospitals.
• Utilized the Professional Self Description Form (PSDF) and the Barriers Scale to assess self-perception and research barriers.
• Statistical analysis to compare scores between the nurse groups.

Main Results:

• All nurse groups scored highest in sensitivity; consideration and creativity varied by group.
• Significant differences observed in persistence scores between control and other groups.
• Common barriers included lack of time for research implementation and reading.
• Specialist nurses reported higher barriers related to isolation, unwillingness to change, and administrative constraints.
• No correlation found between professional self-perception and perceived research barriers.

Conclusions:

• Professional self-evaluation showed minimal differences across educational levels and experience in paediatric nursing.
• Perceived barriers to research utilization appear to increase with higher competence and experience among nurses.
• Findings suggest that professional identity may be distinct from the challenges faced in research implementation.