title: [Why nurses fly and surgeons rotate. The surgical study network CHIR-Net].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The German National Surgical Trial Network (CHIR-Net) which has been funded since 2006 by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF, funding code 01GH1001A-01GH1001F, 01GH0702) is made up of eight regional surgical centers. The aim of the CHIR-Net is the design, implementation and publication of prospective, randomized, multicenter trials to support evidence-based medicine in surgery. Two main pillars of the CHIR-Net are the surgeon on rotation program and the flying study nurse program. With these two programs the surgical hospitals are supported in their trial working by educating competent investigators and the infrastructural support of flexible and mobile study nurses.
  
  
  METHODS
  The surgeon on rotation program and the concept of the flying study nurse are presented descriptively. Furthermore, this paper provides reports of experiences of a surgeon on rotation and a flying study nurse of the CHIR-Net. Additionally, the results of an on-line evaluation of the regional surgical hospitals (belonging to the regional surgical center of the universities Witten/Herdecke and Cologne) regarding the needs and requirements of the regional surgical hospitals are presented.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The surgeon on rotation program of the CHIR-Net offers investigators the possibility to acquire the basics of designing, developing and implementation of high quality clinical trials. In addition, their own study projects could be intensively driven forward. The flying study nurse program enables in particular non-university surgical hospitals to be supported competitively in performing their own study projects and participating in muliticenter clinical trials. The success of these two programs has been confirmed by the conducted evaluations and the presented field reports.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The CHIR-Net is able to develop a high quality study culture in Germany with its surgeon on rotation and flying study nurse program. In addition to the funding period by the BMBF, the continuance of the CHIR-Net should be a primary aim of further measures.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Forschung in der Operativen Medizin, Fakultät für Gesundheit, Chirurgisches Regionalzentrum des CHIR-Net Witten/Herdecke-Köln, Universität Witten/Herdecke, Standort Köln, Ostmerheimer Str. 200, Haus 38, 51109, Köln, Deutschland.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wyen
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Jakob
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Neudecker
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tenckhoff
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Seidel
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Affüpper-Fink
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Knöll
authors.forename: E A M
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Neugebauer
mesh_terms: D003195:Computer Communication Networks / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004501:Education, Medical; D004506:Education, Nursing; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine / Q000458:organization & administration; D013502:General Surgery / Q000193:education; D005858:Germany; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000458:organization & administration; D006785:Hospitals, University / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic / Q000451:nursing; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000458:organization & administration*; D024802:Nurse's Role; D019555:Physician-Nurse Relations; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic / Q000451:nursing; D012109:Research Support as Topic / Q000458:organization & administration; D012660:Semantics; D013531:Surgicenters / Q000458:organization & administration*