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Nursing

Research

Our Vision

nursing imageResearch is a key element of professional nursing practice. From conducting research to using research findings in practice or bringing evidence to the point of care, nursing research helps improve patient care. Involving those providing care in research efforts improves the likelihood of evidence-based care and safer care practices. Grounded in the goal of ensuring our patients receive optimal nursing care, our vision is to build a strong foundation to enable discoveries of care and nursing practice that are shared both within the hospital and to the larger health-care community. From this vision, our key research priority is to determine best practices and for nurses to implement and evaluate to improve patient care.

Our Research Leaders

As we build our foundation, we continue to draw on our internal expertise. Several research initiatives designed to improve patient care are being led by our nurses. Key examples include:

  • Laura Teague, RN, MN, ACNP, an advanced practice nurse on the wound care team, has been a driving force for creating a multi-disciplinary research agenda on best practices for the prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers. Recently, she was awarded a Canadian Nurses Foundation grant for Measuring Outcomes of Best Practices in Pressure Ulcer Prevention Using a Valid and Reliable Surveillance Tool. This study aims to generate knowledge around refinement of a standardized tool and method of data collection and analysis around best practices in pressure ulcer prevention.
  • Brenda Stade, RN, PhD, a clinical nurse specialist-nurse practitioner, has developed a program area of research around fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. She is part of a multi-disciplinary team that was awarded a Canadian Institutes of Health Research grant for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: Perinatal Mechanisms, Treatments and Diagnostic Neuromakers. This study will provide information on how to better provide care to both the women and children who experience fetal alcohol syndrome.
  • Lianne Jeffs, RN, M.Sc., director nursing/clinical research, contributes globally to evolving patient safety science as her program area of research is patient safety. Her work focuses on the generating knowledge on the design and delivery of safer health-care systems. Specifically, she is an investigator on Leadership to Promote Patient Safety Culture and Learning in Critical Care funded by the Canadian Health Services Research Foundation and is leading a study on near misses funded by the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care entitled Exploring the Perceptions and Experiences of Health Care Professionals Associated with a Near Miss Intervention. Discoveries from both of these studies will guide future efforts to improve patient care.

Our Strong Partnerships

We also continue to strengthen our partnership with our affiliated academic partner, University of Toronto (U of T). This is evident by an increased number of research studies being conducted by Uof T faculty and graduate students. Examples include:

  • A study site for the Canadian Nursing Turnover study (TOS) led by Dr. Linda O'Brien-Pallas. This study will provide data on the impact of nursing turnover on patient satisfaction and safety, nurse satisfaction, health and safety and system outcomes. Visit www.chsrf.ca/funding_opportunities/ogc/2003/pallas_e.php for more information.
  • A study site for Nursing Staffing, Interruptions in Practice and Patient Safety Outcomes study led by Dr. Linda McGillis Hall. This study will provide information on how best to design the delivery of patient care by minimizing interruptions in nurse's work. Visit www.nursing.utoronto.ca/lmcgillishall for more information.
  • Four graduate students from various departments (nursing, educational and occupational health) are involving various units from our hospital in their thesis work. Knowledge gained from these studies will inform both nursing practice and management around more effective ways to provide and support better patient care.

Our Resources

Time and developing research competencies have been identified as the two most critical challenges to involve nurses in research. To respond to these challenges, a director of nursing/clinical research position was created in November 2005 to provide leadership in building capacity for nurses to participate in research and use research in practice. This position is funded through the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care's nursing enhancement funding. Our nurses also have access to funds to support research pilot studies through the A.J Bailey Nursing Research Fund.

Our Future

In fall 2006, a corporate plan for enhancing nursing's contribution to research at the Hospital was disseminated. To address our priority around best practices and evidence-based nursing care, we are launching a research strategy that will involve clinical nurses identifying areas to explore and improve patient care. Through this strategy, clinical nurses are involved in the research process through a mentorship framework and integrated curriculum. This strategy will equip nurses with the competencies required to develop, implement and evaluate a research project in 2007 that is based on a clinical idea and/or improvement. We will continue to cultivate our culture of discovery by building a critical mass of nurses at the Hospital. These nurses will be involved in research by strengthening our partnerships with our affiliated academic institutions and by developing partnerships with other academic institutions. Other strategies will flow from the research action plan and will focus on developing tools and resources to assist nurses in their everyday practice to ensure that patients receive the best care possible. Through discoveries from research, our nurses continue to contribute to ensuring that quality-care practices are developed and shared within the hospital and with other health-care settings.

Contact Us

Lianne Jeffs, RN, M.Sc.
Director, nursing/clinical research
St. Michael's Hospital
Phone: 416-864-6060 Ext. 3547
E-Mail: JeffsL@smh.toronto.on.ca