Exploring Nursing Research Culture in Clinical Practice: Qualitative Ethnographic Study

Area of Science:

• Nursing Research
• Clinical Practice
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• A positive research culture is crucial for research utilization in clinical nursing.
• Nurses face challenges in utilizing research findings due to a lack of supportive research environments.
• Understanding the sociocultural context is key to fostering a positive clinical nursing research culture.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and describe the sociocultural context of nursing research in a clinical setting.
• To explore the factors influencing the development of a positive research culture among nurses in a Korean tertiary hospital.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative ethnographic study involving participant observation and interviews.
• 6 registered nurses with clinical research experience in a medical-surgical unit were included.
• Spradley's ethnographic approach was used for data analysis.

Main Results:

• The overarching theme was the development of a driving force for growth within the clinical environment.
• Key components include balancing positive and negative influences, fostering transformational change, and promoting complementary communication.
• A positive research culture balances supportive elements with practical challenges like high work intensity.

Conclusions:

• Clinical nursing research is vital and requires balancing supportive elements with practical challenges.
• A positive research culture acts as a bridge connecting researchers, patients, and hospitals.
• Future research should validate these themes and identify requirements for establishing a robust clinical nursing research culture.