An evaluation of orthopaedic nurses' participation in an educational intervention promoting research usage--a triangulation convergence model

Abstract

Aims and objectives: To describe the orthopaedic nurses' experiences regarding the relevance of an educational intervention and their personal and contextual barriers to participation in the intervention.

Background: One of the largest barriers against nurses' research usage in clinical practice is the lack of participation. A previous survey identified 32 orthopaedic nurses as interested in participating in nursing research. An educational intervention was conducted to increase the orthopaedic nurses' research knowledge and competencies. However, only an average of six nurses participated.

Design: A triangulation convergence model was applied through a mixed methods design to combine quantitative results and qualitative findings for evaluation.

Methods: Data were collected from 2013-2014 from 32 orthopaedic nurses in a Danish regional hospital through a newly developed 21-item questionnaire and two focus group sessions. Data were first analysed using descriptive statistics (stata 12.0) and qualitative manifest content analysis. Second, the results were compared, contrasted and interpreted using international literature.

Results: The nurses experienced the intervention as a new way to focus on nursing research in practice. However, some nurses were not able to see the relevance of research usage in clinical practice. Nursing research was not a top priority for the nurses and their personal barriers for research usage during their working day were prioritising patients' and colleagues' well-being. Their colleagues' and head section nurses' lack of acceptance regarding participation in the teaching session was a contextual barrier for the nurses.

Conclusion: The nurses were interested in participating in the intervention. However, some felt restricted by the research-practice gap and by diverse personal and contextual barriers.

Relevance to clinical practice: The knowledge derived from this study has high clinical and practical relevance and is currently used to facilitate the nurses' research usage in the orthopaedic department setting, by working around the perceived barriers.

Keywords: contextual barriers; educational intervention; evaluation; mixed methods; nurses; personal barriers; research usage.