Research, audit and networking: who's in the lead?

Area of Science:

• Nursing Research
• Healthcare Management
• Quality Improvement in Nursing

Background:

• Nursing Development Units (NDUs) are established to foster advancements in nursing practice.
• Assessing the impact of NDU status on key professional activities is crucial for understanding their effectiveness.
• Previous evaluations have not comprehensively compared NDUs with matched non-NDU units on research, audit, and networking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the progress of NDUs versus matched non-NDU units in research, audit, and networking.
• To identify differences in the focus and outcomes of research and audit activities between NDUs and comparators.
• To evaluate the extent of networking activities undertaken by NDUs.

Main Methods:

• Comparative analysis of NDUs and matched control units.
• Quantitative assessment of research output, audit frequency, and networking engagement.
• Qualitative analysis of the nature and focus of research and audit activities.

Main Results:

• NDUs demonstrated significantly greater research and dissemination activities compared to control units.
• No significant difference in the total number of audits, but NDUs focused more on evaluating nursing work.
• Networking activity was significantly higher in NDUs, positioning them as resources for other centers.
• Research in NDUs primarily focused on local practice improvements, with limited generalizability.

Conclusions:

• NDUs are significantly more active in research and networking than comparable non-NDU units.
• NDUs contribute to advancing nursing practice through localized research and evaluation.
• The findings suggest NDUs play a vital role in professional development and knowledge sharing within nursing.