Aligning Evidence-Based Practice With Translational Research: Opportunities for Clinical Practice Research

Magnet(R) and other organizations investing resources in evidence-based practice (EBP) are ideal laboratories for translational nursing research. Translational research, the study of implementation of evidence into practice, provides a unique opportunity to leverage local EBP work for maximum impact. Aligning EBP projects with rigorous translational research can efficiently meet both EBP and research requirements for Magnet designation or redesignation, inform clinical practice, and place organizations at the leading edge of practice-based knowledge development for the nursing discipline

Shared Vision Among Acute Care Magnet® Hospital Nurses

Psychometric testing of the Shared Vision (SV) scale that measures team efforts toward common patient-centered goals was initially estimated among rural hospital nurse executives. The purpose of this study was to estimate the scale’s reliability (internal consistency), convergent validity (Pearson correlation with Practice Environment Scale), and structural validity (ordinal confirmatory factor analysis) among acute care Magnet® hospital nurses. The study sample included 289 nurses from 27 acute care Magnet® hospitals. The scale demonstrated acceptable estimates for internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = .902, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [0.883, 0.919]), convergent validity (r = .720, p < .001), and structural validity with a one-factor structure. The findings of this study supported the reliability and validity of the SV scale as a unidimensional construct in measuring SV among nurses in acute care Magnet® hospitals. Further testing among different nursing providers and health care settings is needed to accumulate evidence and expand use of the instrument

Psychometric Testing of the Smoking Cessation Counseling Scale among Magnet® Hospital Nurses

Psychometrics of the Smoking Cessation Counseling Scale, which measures adherence to evidence-based smoking cessation counseling practice, were originally estimated among rural hospital nurses. The purpose of this study was to estimate the scale’s reliability, convergent validity, and factor structure among 289 nurses from 27 acute care Magnet® hospitals. The scale demonstrated acceptable estimates for internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = .95, 95% CI = [0.94, 0.96]). Convergent validity was supported by the association with comfort in conducting smoking cessation counseling (coefficient = 3.58, 95% CI = [2.80, 4.37]) and shared vision (coefficient = 0.72, 95% CI = [0.02, 1.42]). A four-factor structure (standard care, basic counseling, advanced counseling, and referral to services) was identified. Findings supported the scale’s reliability and convergent validity among Magnet® hospital nurses. Further testing is needed to confirm the four-factor structure and accumulate psychometric evidence among different nursing providers and health care settings to expand the use of the instrument

Engaging Patients with Heart Failure into the Design of Health System Interventions: Impact on Research Methods

Purpose: To engage patients with heart failure (HF) to assess if changes are needed in a research study design, methods and outcomes when transferring interventions used in urban/community hospitals to rural hospital settings. Design: A qualitative structured interview was conducted. Method: Eight patients from two rural hospitals participated in an interview prior to discharge. Results: Patients validated the study design, measures and outcomes, but identified one area that should be added to the study protocol, symptom experience. Conclusion: Patient interviews validated that the intervention, methods and outcomes were important, but modifications to the study protocol resulted. Patient engagement in the conceptualization of patient centered outcome research is essential to guide the investigator approach to studies

Staffing and Worker Injury in Nursing Homes

Objectives. We examined the relationship between nursing home staffing levels and worker injury rates in 445 nursing homes in 3 states. Methods. We obtained First Reports of Injury and workers’ compensation data from 3 states (Ohio, West Virginia, and Maryland) for the year 2000. We then linked these data to Medicare’s Online Survey, Certification and Reporting system to obtain nursing home staffing details and organizational descriptors. We used ordinary least squares and log-transformed regression models to examine the association between worker injury rate and nursing home staffing and organizational characteristics. Results. Total nursing hours per resident day were significantly associated with worker injury rates in nursing homes after we adjusted for organizational characteristics and state dummy variables (P=.0004). Conclusions. Our findings suggest that nursing home staffing levels have an important impact on worker health. These findings were supported for multiple facilities across different states; therefore, policies and resources that increase staffing levels in nursing homes are warranted

Building Research Infrastructure In Magnet® Hospitals: Current Status And Future Directions

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to describe the infrastructures supporting research in Magnet® hospitals. BACKGROUND Hospitals undertaking the journey toward Magnet designation must build research and evidence-based practice (EBP) infrastructures that support the infusion of research and EBP into clinical practice. METHODS An electronic survey was developed and distributed to the chief nursing officer or Magnet coordinator of all Magnet hospitals between June 10, 2015, and July 8, 2015. RESULTS Of the 418 Magnet hospitals invited, 249 responses (60%) were received. Resources dedicated to nursing research were difficult to isolate from those for EBP. Supporting clinical nurses\u27 time away from the bedside remains a challenge. Nearly half (44%) indicated that research is conducted within the nurses\u27 usual clinical hours, and 40% indicated that nurses participate on their own time. CONCLUSIONS Hospitals use a variety of resources and mentor arrangements to support research and EBP, often the same resources. More targeted resources are needed to fully integrate research into clinical practice

Is there a relationship between service integration and differentiation and patient outcomes?

Objective: To examine the level of service integration within Maryland hospitals and service differentiation across the hospital system or network and its affect on heart failure patient clinical and economic outcomes. Data sources/Study setting: Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission Inpatient Data for 1997 and 1998 were used for secondary data analysis. Study design: Retrospective cross sectional. Independent variables were the level of service integration and differentiation created from the 1998 American Hospital Association Annual Survey based on the work of Bazzoli et al. [1]. The primary dependent variables were readmission, in-hospital mortality, length of stay and costs. Data collection/Extraction methods: Patients discharged from Maryland hospitals with a diagnosis that grouped to DRG 127 (heart failure) were extracted. Multivariate linear and logistic models clustered by hospital were used to analyse results at the patient level. Principal findings: A higher likelihood of readmission was found as the level of Community Differentiation increased. Although costs were higher as Total Differentiation increased in 1998, these results were not validated by 1997 data. No significant relationship was found between integration of services and outcomes. Conclusions: Similar outcomes were achieved regardless of the level of service integration or differentiation. Community hospitals produce similar patient outcomes at the same cost for this diagnosis

Credentialing: The Need For A National Research Agenda

A national research agenda is needed to promote inquiry into the impact of credentialing on health care outcomes for nurses, patients, and organizations. Credentialing is used here to refer to individual credentialing, such as certification for nurses, and organizational credentialing, such as American Nurses Credentialing Center Magnet recognition for health care organizations or accreditation of providers of continuing education in nursing. Although it is hypothesized that credentialing leads to a higher quality of care, more uniform practice, and better patient outcomes, the research evidence to validate these views is limited. This article proposes a conceptual model in which both credentials and standards are posited to affect outcomes in health care. Potential research questions as well as issues in research design, measurement, data collection, and analysis are discussed. Credentialing in nursing has implications for the health care professions and national policy. A growing body of independent research that clarifies the relationship of credentialing in nursing to outcomes can make important contributions to the improvement of health care quality. © 2014 Elsevier Inc