ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Conducting research in clinical settings can be problematic for many nurses in practice due to lack of experience and support. METHOD: Research collaboration between clinical nurse specialists and staff nurses in clinical settings can promote development of their research process skills. RESULTS: Strategies identified can be applied by clinical nurse specialists involved in continuing education and staff development in clinical practice through further research development. CONCLUSION: Collaboration among clinical nurse specialists and staff nurses provides a unique and strong link that transcends degrees and roles to make substantial contributions to professional nursing practice.
Subject(s)
Cooperative Behavior , Interprofessional Relations , Nursing Research , Nursing Staff, Hospital , Specialties, Nursing , HumansABSTRACT
Stress, time constraints, patient satisfaction, need for support, and cost containment became the impetus for a nursing consultation group on a spinal cord injury (SCI) unit. This unit is located in part of a center for rehabilitation in a large, tertiary care medical center. Staff on this unit care for a maximum of 20 spinal cord injured individuals and their families. This article describes how the clinical nurse specialist (CNS) identified the need for such a group as well as the benefits, membership, structure, and types of nursing issues addressed. Pitfalls and how to avoid them are identified for those interested in developing similar consultation groups.
Subject(s)
Consultants , Nurse Clinicians/organization & administration , Psychiatric Nursing , Spinal Cord Injuries/nursing , Humans , Nursing Staff, Hospital/education , Program Development , Spinal Cord Injuries/psychology , Stress, Psychological/psychologyABSTRACT
As partners in health care, clinical and administrative nurses must share in the work, risks, and rewards inherent in nursing practice while promoting high-quality results in a cost-conscious and cost-effective environment. One way to achieve these results is by developing a nontraditional rehabilitation structure and nursing practice model. This article discusses practical strategies for constructing and implementing such a model; it also identifies tangible outcomes of using the model. The healthcare environment in the 1990s demands a high level of involvement on the part of staff; the rehabilitation nursing model presented in this article meets this challenge.
