Barriers and perceived needs for understanding and using research among emergency nurses

Area of Science:

• Nursing Research
• Evidence-Based Practice
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Nurses play a crucial role in research and evidence integration.
• Barriers hinder research understanding, conduct, and evaluation at multiple levels.
• The Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) investigated research needs and barriers in emergency nursing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess emergency nurses' research education and experience.
• To identify individual and organizational barriers to research in emergency nursing.
• To determine educational needs for improving research knowledge and skills.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional survey design was employed.
• The survey targeted members of the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA).
• A 62-item instrument assessed research values, skills, awareness, organizational factors, and educational needs.

Main Results:

• Individual barriers included lack of knowledge in critiquing studies and research process familiarity.
• Unit-level barriers involved administrative support and authority to change practice.
• Organizational barriers included insufficient support systems like protected research time.

Conclusions:

• Emergency nurses demonstrate strong motivation for research and evidence-based practice.
• Identified personal, unit, and organizational barriers highlight areas for improvement.
• This research provides a foundation for enhancing research capacity in emergency nursing.