A theory-based on-the-job research curriculum for nurses and allied health professionals to increase clinician-initiated research at a rehabilitation hospital

Research Objectives: Allied health professionals and nurses receive limited clinical research training in school. No standard curriculum exists to further educate clinicians about research once joining the healthcare field.

Objective: to develop and test a research curriculum designed to instill foundational skills necessary to translate clinician-derived research questions into feasible projects.

Design: Pre-post preliminary study

Setting: Spinal cord and brain injury rehabilitation hospital

Participants: Nurses and allied health professionals

Interventions: Clinicians participated in four, weekly, 1-hour classes designed to increase research knowledge, skills, and confidence. The curriculum is based on Lee et al’s four dimensions of the theoretical framework for curriculum development in health professional education. Using an experiential, group-based approach, the curriculum covers: identifying gaps within clinical practice, understanding the basic components of research and, applying these components toward a research strategy that is specific, focused, measurable, clear, and feasible.

Main Outcome Measures: 29-question (5-point Likert scale) survey of curriculum effectiveness and confidence in conducting research.

Results: 14 participants (OT/PT/SLP/nursing; median 6.5 years of clinical experience, 43% with some formal research training). Two dropouts. Nine completed the pre-survey, six completed the post-survey. 100% reported no change in or increased confidence in all areas of research (≥3, range: 1-5). Largest confidence increase was in knowing how to pursue research at the hospital (pre M=3, IQR=1.5; post M=5, IQR=.5). Confidence remained the same for operationalizing variables (pre M=3, IQR=.5, post: M=3. IQR=1). The median effectiveness for all five course components was 4 with IQR of .75. The most effective component was the hybrid—in-person+virtual platform (M=4.5, IQR=3), the least effective was weekly quizzes (M=3, IQR=3).

Conclusions: All participants gained confidence in their ability to conduct clinical research, and the median effective of the five course components suggests that, overall, the components were effective. These results will be used to hone the curriculum for a more robust future study.

Author(s) Disclosures: None of the authors declare any conflicts or relationships that may bias presentation.