The purpose of this study was to test a theoretical model of relationships between specific hospital characteristics and nurses' research use and to determine the impact of organizational context on those relationships. Our research team (Estabrooks, Cummings Midodzi, and Wallin) tested the model using 4 data sets reflecting different levels of context, based on the Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services (PARIHS) conceptual framework. Variables that reflected contextual elements of culture (decision-making autonomy), leadership (nurse manager leadership), and evaluation (recognition of contribution) were used to sort cases into 4 mutually exclusive data sets.

Our results showed that control over practice, nurse-to-nurse collaboration, support for innovation, and facilitation of research use increased nurses reported research use. Less time to provide direct nursing care and higher emotional exhaustion reduced nurses' reported research use. Nurses working in contexts that reflected better culture, leadership, and evaluation also reported significantly more research use than did nurses working in a context that lacked any of these 3 elements.

Our findings point to the important influence of hospital characteristics and context on nurses' research use. Hospital nurse leaders may advance their evidence-based practice goals by focusing on hospital characteristics that improve the contexts within which nurses work.