[Action research: a way to improving quality nursing practice]

ABSTRACT

Improving the quality of health care is an important priority. However, research has shown that methods of altering clinician's behavior or implementing organizational change are often ineffective. Action research has been used successfully to facilitate change and improve service provision in industry, education and more recently in health care. In this paper action research methodology and why it could be successful in promoting change and quality of nursing services are outlined. Recently published studies using action research demonstrate that action research improves clinical care, teamwork, communication and administration. It also encourages practice teams to audit their work and identify their educational needs. Action research should be a useful means of improving quality in health care and could be used more widely. Action research could be a useful method of transforming theory to practice