The development and validation of the Research for Practice Tool (R4PT) for nursing and midwifery

Tools for assessing research capacity and participation for health professionals have been in use for over a decade with little change. Given the evolving research context emphasising integration into clinical practice, it is time to update or develop tools that reflect current research practices. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a questionnaire designed to examine nurses' and midwives' attitudes, capabilities, participation, and perceived impact of practice-based research.

The Research for Practice Tool (R4PT) was developed using factors and items identified from an extensive literature review and analysis of existing tools. A modified Delphi method was used to confirm the factors and items. The content validity of the R4PT was determined through reviews from four research experts and six nursing and midwifery clinician researchers. The usability and acceptability of the R4PT was conducted by 12 nurses and midwives. The factors and items of the R4PT were assessed by factor analyses of responses from a target population of 8500 nurses and midwives in a Local Health District in NSW, Australia.

A total of 1,430 participants responded to the R4PT (17%). A seven-factor solution was identified in the exploratory factor analysis. Sixty-six out of 73 items each loaded onto a single factor, explaining 71.5% of the variance. The identified factors were research value and culture (1 and 2), research integration and relevance for practice, research translation, research impact, individual research capability and team research capability. The factors were distinct with the inter-factor correlations less than 0.8. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that all models showed good fit, with non-significant chi-squared tests, CFIs of 1, TLIs > 0.95, RMSEAs of 0 and SRMRs < 0.8. Cronbach's alpha for all factors, except research value and culture 1, showed acceptable consistency (> 0.7).

The R4PT is a valid and reliable means of assessing research participation, aligning with clinical practice and service delivery trends. The culture and value factors (1 and 2) need to be reworked and retested prior to inclusion in subsequent surveys. The R4PT will provide valuable information to inform capacity-building activities, workforce and work practice models that integrate research into practice.