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Exploring the Roles, Functions, and Work Experiences of Nurse Scientists in the Veterans Health Administration
Qiyan Mu1, Jenice Guzman-Clark, Anna G Etchin
1Author Affiliations: Nurse Scientist (Dr Mu), Nursing Education, Research & Simulation Division, Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Nurse Practitioner (Dr Guzman-Clark), Home Telehealth/Primary Care & Community Clinics Service, Southern Arizona VA Healthcare System, Tucson; Nurse Specialist (Dr Etchin), Quality Management, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, Massachusetts; Director of Research, EBP & Analytics (Dr Sullivan), Office of Nursing Services, Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington, DC; Nurse Scientist (Dr Battaglia), Nursing, VA Eastern Colorado Healthcare System, Aurora; and Professor (Dr Battaglia), Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora.
Objective:
The aim of this project was to describe nurse scientists' roles, functions, and work experiences in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA).
Background:
Nurse scientists play a critical role in shaping the culture of clinical inquiry and closing the gap between knowledge and practice.
Methods:
A cross-sectional survey was used to collect information on sociodemographics, workload, research, clinical practice, education, and time/effort. Data were examined using descriptive statistics and χ2 analyses.
Results:
One hundred forty-four nurse scientists completed the survey. These nurse scientists serve dynamic and critical roles in conducting research, implementing evidence-based practice, and reforming policy. Research effort was limited due to workload and infrastructure constraints. Better research infrastructure was associated with higher research productivity and funding.
Conclusions:
This survey highlights the needs and challenges nurse scientists experience in conducting research and advancing VHA's mission. Given the national shortage of PhD-prepared nurses, long-term strategies are needed to attract, hire, and retain nurse scientists in healthcare systems.
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