Purpose:

(1) Describe the American Nurses Credentialing Center's research standard for achieving Magnet designation. (2) List 8 strategies to hardwire a nursing research culture in your organization.

Significance:

Meeting the Magnet research standard is often a challenge for many hospitals.

Design/Background/Rationale:

Moses Cone Health System met this challenge by implementing several strategies designed to hardwire a research culture.

Methods/Description:

The first step involved forming a permanent research committee consisting of advanced practice nurses, staff nurses, nurse leaders, and local faculty. Our next tactic was a monthly research newsletter, written by committee members, which mirrored hospital initiatives. For example, when we implemented a new hand antisepsis, our research newsletter summarized published research in support of the change. In addition, we have developed a nursing research Web page. To ensure that nursing research does not go unnoticed, we require staff, faculty, and graduate students to submit research proposals to our committee prior to IRB. To amplify our efforts, a grid is maintained that documents each project's progression. At the end of the year, all projects that have reached completion are eligible for our annual research poster, highlighting the most significant research contributions from our system. The poster is reproduced for all nursing departments. The committee also hosts an annual Nursing Research Day that is geared toward staff nurses and includes poster presentations. And finally, the committee conducts its own research. Through a group-selected project, the research process is taught firsthand. From clinical question to dissemination, the pitfalls and excitement are experienced by all.

Conclusions:

Research activities, including IRB submissions, projects completed, posters presented at national conferences, and publications, have significantly increased since implementing these strategies.