Fostering the growth of research-based oncology nursing practice.

Purpose/objectives: To describe the initial stages involved in fostering a research-based oncology nursing practice in a comprehensive cancer program, including planning the initial implementation strategies to stimulate research awareness and create a program of research studies in clinical oncology nursing.

Data Sources: Literature searches; published articles, abstracts, and books; interviews with staff nurses; departmental, committee, and task force meetings; nursing grand rounds and workshops.

Data Synthesis: Review and use of the available information facilitated the design of implementation strategies that addressed issues identified in the literature and in clinical practice.

Conclusions: The nursing department was able to plan, introduce, and evaluate a series of activities directed toward integrating research and clinical practice and building a series of research studies in oncology nursing. Introducing both goals was challenging but facilitated staff learning about research, participating in research-related activities, and seeing results from research studies relevant to their clinical practice.

Implications For Nursing Practice: Research can be introduced successfully into the clinical setting if staff are involved in the planning and design of research-related activities and if research expertise is available to foster and support their participation.