Exploring the barriers to and facilitators of implementing research into practice

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Healthcare Implementation Science
• Evidence-Based Practice

Background:

• Community nursing roles have evolved, demanding greater integration of research into practice.
• Nurses increasingly use evidence-based tools and interventions, necessitating research translation.
• Factors influencing the successful implementation of research findings into community nursing practice require investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore and identify barriers and facilitators for community nurses implementing research into practice.
• To understand the challenges faced by registered community nurses and district nurses in adopting evidence-based interventions.
• To inform strategies for improving research utilization in community nursing settings.

Main Methods:

• An exploratory, descriptive qualitative study design was employed.
• Four focus groups were conducted with a total of 22 registered community nurses and district nurses.
• Thematic analysis was used to identify key themes from participant discussions.

Main Results:

• Four primary themes emerged: keeping up to date with evidence, using clinical tools, education/training, and implementation processes.
• Barriers to research implementation were identified at personal, professional, and organizational levels.
• Facilitators for implementing research into practice were also implicitly or explicitly discussed within these themes.

Conclusions:

• Implementing research into community nursing practice is complex, influenced by multiple factors.
• Personal, professional, and organizational barriers significantly impact the translation of evidence into practice.
• Targeted strategies are needed to overcome identified obstacles and enhance research utilization among community nurses.