Development and Implementation of An Advanced Practice Research Toolkit

    Research output: Other contribution

    Abstract

    Background:

    Achieving the Research Pillar in Advanced Clinical Practice Roles Research is a fundamental pillar for those working at the level of advanced practice (HEE 2017; NHS England, 2024). Research capability ensures that knowledge is translated into clinical practice, however, research is a less well-established pillar for advanced practitioners (Fielding et al., 2022). Anecdotally this pillar is perceived as more difficult to achieve within advanced practice roles due to operational barriers.

    In my previous role as Associate Professor of Nursing at Gloucestershire NHS Foundation Trust (GHNHSFT)/University of Worcester, similar research support was being requested by various advanced practitioners and advanced practice teams, who frequently indicated that they did ‘not know how or where to get started’ with the research pillar. I created the Advanced Practice Research toolkit in March 2023 to:

    provide a framework for research discussions
    support advanced practitioners to ‘get started’ with research
    encourage advanced practice teams to consider their research priorities
    enable individual and team research objective setting
    aid appraisal discussions

    Design
    The Advanced Practice Research toolkit has two sections:

    Section A: the research pillar framework maps the research pillar capabilities against suggested individual and team activities. Example resources and training opportunities are provided for each capability, and these can be amended for individual organisations.

    Section B: the research pillar activity log is designed to help advanced practitioners to work with their research supervisor to plan and record research activities, considering their short and medium-term research ambitions and providing information that will support annual appraisals.

    Implementation
    The toolkit was disseminated to advanced practitioners at one trust blog (Gaskin, 2023) [received 2118 views to date], and the National AP Conference [received 1064 views to date]. I have received requests to implement the toolkit from individual advanced practitioners and organisations across England and Scotland, resulting in invitations to present the toolkit at numerous local and regional advanced practice events and webinars.

    In January 2024, I presented at a West Midlands Clinical Research Network , for which 297 delegates registered from England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and America. The webinar recording and a copy of the toolkit is available here.

    Evaluation
    This novel toolkit, developed to meet the needs of advanced practitioners in one organisation, has gained interest nationally and internationally, with many positive comments received about how simple it is to use. We are currently designing a national evaluation to ascertain how the toolkit has been implemented and the impact it has had for advanced practitioners. If you would like more information about the toolkit or would like to pilot it in your organisation, please get in touch.

    Professor Kerry Gaskin, Birmingham City University

    [email protected]

    References           

    Fielding C, Riley J, Sutherland C, Swift K, Gordon A. (2022) Research as part of the advanced clinical practitioner role. British Journal of Nursing. 31(7):372-374. doi: 10.12968/bjon.2022.31.7.372. PMID: 35404650

    Gaskin K (2023) Achieving the research pillar: a research toolkit for Advanced Practitioners, Evidence Based Nursing, available at:

    https://blogs.bmj.com/ebn/2023/06/11/achieving-the-research-pillar-a-research-toolkit-for-advanced-practitioners/ [accessed 11/3/24]

    Health Education England (2017) The multiprofessional framework for advanced clinical practice, available at: https://www.hee.nhs.uk/sites/default/files/documents/multi-professionalframeworkforadvancedclinicalpracticeinengland.pdf [accessed 11/3/24]

    National Health Service England (2024) The Multi-professional Practice-based Research Capabilities Framework, available at: https://advanced-practice.hee.nhs.uk/research-framework-launched/ [accessed 11/3/24]

    Original languageEnglish
    TypeMidlands Faculty for Advancing Practice
    Media of outputOnline
    Publication statusPublished (VoR) - Apr 2024

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