Collaboration in nursing research--a multi-disciplinary approach.
Research today is increasingly a very important segment of nursing and is one of the avenues for nurses in expanding their role. Nurses are now wanting to research more diverse problems and to observe clients in more than the traditional hospital systems. Gaining access to clients is not always an easy experience. In independent research, many nurses still have to rely on the physician or some other discipline for referral of clients especially in a specialty area such as psychiatry where the diagnosing of the client can be of particular importance and carry implications for the research process itself. Collaboration with other disciplines in research offers a practical solution to many of the resistances encountered in research. It offers access to patients who may otherwise be very difficult to encounter. It offers the opportunity to share and expand each other's ideas from the points of view of other disciplines. This prevents a focus from being too narrow and allows a broadening of viewpoint. Through collaborating with other disciplines, one can have a built-in consultation system. This has many advantages, the main one being access to information, such as diagnostic criteria and psychological testing. Collaboration allows others to be familiar with the expanded role of the nurse. Many nurses are researching concepts pertinent to a particular specialty area which may or may not be a measure of direct nursing action and its effect. To many disciplines, this is seen as an expanded role. Collaboration among faculties in a university system promotes collegial relationships and credibility that need not be limited to one's own faculty.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Smith
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Memorial University, School of Nursing, St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada.
D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D009729:Nursing; D012106:Research; D012109:Research Support as Topic