CONDUCTING UNIT-BASED RESEARCH TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF CARE

How does a tertiary care medical center without a primary academic nur sing affiliation improve quality of patient care by conducting unit-ba sed nursing research? The organization's strengths and opportunities i nclude top management support, an infrastructure for development of nu rse researchers, a specific patient care coordinator role, research su pporting organizational decision making, and success in obtaining nurs ing research grants. The effects of Limited consultative support, stat istical avoidance, reorganization, competing staff demands, and lack o f funding must be minimized. Strategies include: continue communicatio n with top management, provide meaningful development opportunities an d technical research support, build on completed research, use multidi sciplinary teams, and change thinking to maximize the research opportu nities that already exist.