Integration of Nursing Education, Practice & Research

Introduction

Knowledge, Practice, Research are the cornerstones of the nursing profession. The relationship of these three cornerstones is reciprocal and cyclical. Clinical practice generates research questions and knowledge. Research guides our practice and builds knowledge.

The relationship among the three cornerstones of nursing— Practice, research, and theory and filling the theory-practice gap is the vital role of nursing institutions. With this intent every institution should strive to integrate nursing education and nursing service to lift the standards of patient care and nursing education.

Integration of nursing education and service helps to achieve the following objectives:

1. To achieve optimal patient care and sound education for students through effective utilization of qualified faculty.

2. To improve interpersonal relationship between college faculty and nursing service staff.

3. To create a healthy learning environment in the clinical setting for nursing students.

4. To provide opportunities for involvement of senior staff from the nursing service and the college of nursing at the policy making level by serving on the academic and service committees.

Bridging the gap by integration of education, practice and research

Integration enhances the ongoing reciprocal and cyclical relationship among theory, practice, and research, promoting the nursing profession’s ability to meet the societal obligations. This will help close the perceived “gap” between knowledge and practice and promote the practice. Nursing leaders must work towards keeping the reciprocal and cyclical relationship among theory, practice, and research by bridging the “gap” between knowledge and practice. This can be done by continued interaction between nursing researchers/scholars and practicing nurses. Secondly, it increases graduate student nurses’ exposure to theoretical principles.

It provides nursing scholars and researchers the opportunity for clinical involvement to minimize the disparity between the world of nursing educators and scholars and the world of practicing nurses. Finally, integration also helps in addressing current healthcare and nursing issues in terms of knowledge, theory perspectives.

The knowledge used in making nursing clinical decisions is produced by research findings which ultimately provides best practices in nursing. Ideally, all patient care decisions should be based on research-evidence. In any discipline, science is the result of the relationship between the process of inquiry (research) and the product of knowledge.

Role of faculty in integration of knowledge and practice

The faculty in college of nursing can maintain current knowledge and skills in theory and practice, based on the best available evidence.

• They practice nursing in ways that reflect evidencebased, up-to-date knowledge.

• Plan a variety of teaching and learning activities that foster creativity and innovation of nursing practice and the health-care environment.

• Nurse educators develop their critical inquiry and the ability to conduct research and utilize findings to identify and solve educational and practice-based problems.

• Synthesize, use and generate knowledge pertinent to nursing education and practice. Engage in debate and reflection with peers to generate and apply new ideas that contribute to the improvement of nursing education and practice.

• Develop future nurse scholars by nurturing a spirit of sharing, inquiry and self-reflection. Engage in scholarly writing and publication.

• Promote ethical and legal principles of integrity, academic honesty, flexibility and respect through role modelling.

• Participate in ongoing professional self-development and support the professional learning of colleagues.

• Facilitate professionalization for learners by creating learners’ self-reflection, personal goal setting and socialization within the role of the nurse.

• Maintain a professional record (curriculum vitae and/or portfolio) that demonstrates current nursing and teaching competence.

Methods to enhance Integration

The training unit responsible for in-service training should reevaluate their approaches for education to meet the increasing needs of new graduates due to the fast changing technological advancements. The current setup does not fully help the newly hired nurses. Senior nurses should play a vital role in staff education as mentors and role models and should be motivated for these roles. Current training programs, although in place, may not be providing enough experience to develop adequate skills, knowledge, or self-confidence, needed for a nurse to work effectively in her specialty, and to provide high quality care to the patients. Fast tract refresher courses and workshops should be conducted more frequently within the institution, as part of the continuing education program.

There should be collaboration between the college of nursing and the nursing services to develop curriculum courses, teaching more reality-based clinical aspects and components that could be easily applicable and integrated by the nurses while in the actual practice setting. Nursing educators must constantly monitor clinical practice and re-evaluate the curriculum to ensure that necessary knowledge and skills for successful practice are achieved from the educational program.

Example

Nurses are generally the first responders to a cardiac arrest and initiate basic life support while waiting for the advanced cardiac life support team to arrive. Speed and competence of the first responder are factors contributing to the initial survival of a person following a cardiac arrest. Hence, knowledge, skills, and attitudes of individual nurses may influence the speed and level of involvement in true emergency situations. Resuscitation knowledge and skills are important for the chosen career, and the current curricula must incorporate certain prerequisites that every student nurse should have completed before assuming job responsibility as a nurse. This will ultimately develop adequate skills, fund of knowledge, or confidence needed to meet any emergency or to handle any type of patients.

Education, Practice & Research Congruence

• The continuum of nursing education reconceptualised

• Creates need for new practice models

• Creating new education practice partnerships

• Creating a workforce that can address complex needs and serve as the surveillance system in health care

Advantages

• Translates class room teaching into practice

• Updates the faculty on theoretical knowledge and clinical skills, thus making the teacher a true practitioner

• Extended care in the community helps the faculty run services independently

• Interpersonal relationship between faculty and students is maintained

• Team work at all levels of care becomes meaningful and the faculty role is appreciated

• Uniform salary structure

• Active participation in research, conferences and workshops and in conduction

• Appreciated as a unique and effective model by other Nursing institutions/Statutory bodies in the country

Conclusion

Integration with perfect blend of practice, research with teaching applied in primary, secondary and tertiary care settings lifts the standard of patient care. It empowers leadership role and motivates in translating the plans into actions, instrumental in building a positive work culture both as educators and as practitioners. Integration helps in preparing committed, competent, compassionate nurses with professional excellence.

Conflict of Interest

None.