Nursing Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Nursing, including details on health care, hospital staff, professional care.

Changing the culture of mental health nursing: the contribution of nursing clinical development units.

Happell B, Martin T

Centre for Psychiatric Nursing Research and Practice, School of Nursing, The University of Melbourne, Carlton, Australia. b.happell@nursing.unimelb.edu.au

The reluctance of nurses to utilise research findings in their practice has been extensively discussed in the literature. Nursing Clinical Development Units (NCDU) represent one approach to facilitating a greater interaction between research and nursing practice. This paper presents the results of an impact evaluation of an NCDU program operating in Victoria, Australia. In-depth interviews were conducted with participants in the NCDU program (n = 14). The findings suggest an increase in accessing and ultilising research by nurses since the introduction of the program, with an increased focus on evidence-based practice.

Published 5 October 2005 in Issues Ment Health Nurs, 26(9): 921-33.
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