Research and quality improvement experience and knowledge: a nursing survey.

Aim: To assess nursing staff's background and research and quality improvement (QI) experience.

Background: In this corporation, participation in research and QI is encouraged, but little is known about nurses' experiences.

Methods: A web-based survey was distributed. Nursing staffs from an academic/teaching medical centre and other intra-corporation non-academic facilities were compared.

Results: Respondents included: 148 (52.9%) medical centre and 132 (47.1%) non-medical centre subjects. Medical centre respondents had a higher proportion previously engaged in research, currently engaged in research and previously engaged in QI. Productivity (grant, published and presented) was low for both groups but statistically lower for the non-medical centre group. Medical centre employees used research resources more often than the non-medical centre. Time was the most frequently mentioned barrier to participation in research and QI initiatives.

Conclusions: A moderate proportion of respondents had research and QI experience, yet productivity and use of resources was low. Nurses at non-academically focused facilities were in most need of assistance. Familiarizing nurses with resources and providing protected time may increase productivity.

Implications For Nursing Management: Developing an infrastructure to support nursing research is a worthy goal. Information about interest and experience of nurses can aid management in determining how to focus financial resources.