FROM THE EDITOR: Patricia McClunie-TrustEnsuring our nursing research sees the light of day

Tēna koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tatou katoa.

Welcome to the 2024 edition of Kaitiaki Nursing Research. As we publish the 15th edition of the journal, I am reflecting on the evolution of nursing research in Aotearoa, New Zealand, particularly the optimism and challenges described by Chick (1987) and Chick and Kinross (2006) in the second part of the last century. These pioneers highlighted the importance of nursing research in advancing the profession and supporting health-care outcomes. In the late 1980s, Chick (1987) optimistically noted that nursing research seemed on the cusp of a new era. However, despite the passion and energy for innovative research projects, nurse researchers faced significant challenges, particularly a lack of funding. As Chick and Kinross (2006, p. 149) noted, “Many hours and much energy went into planning projects that never gained a funding source and therefore never saw the light of day.” Despite a sense of beginning a new era of nursing research in the 1980s, many promising projects remained unfulfilled (Litchfield, 2009).

Nursing research in Aotearoa, New Zealand has progressed in recent years, with a stronger focus on producing evidence-based knowledge that directly influences practice, policy and education. It has called attention to systemic issues, including health-care equity, culturally responsive care, and the specific needs of Māori and Pacific populations. However, the challenges of earlier days persist, particularly in securing sustainable funding, aligning research with health-care policy needs, and ensuring research findings are implemented effectively in practice. Nursing research is essential for advancing nursing education in New Zealand – the robust integration of research into academic programmes is vital to prepare future nurses with a strong foundation in research literacy and evidence-based decision-making. It must also produce knowledge that illuminates the purpose and scope of nursing in the unique and increasingly more complex demands of nursing roles in Aotearoa, New Zealand.

Kaitiaki Nursing Research welcomes submissions that explore diverse aspects of nursing practice, education, policy, and patient care. Getting published in Kaitiaki Nursing Research enables researchers and practitioners to share findings with a broader audience, fostering a collaborative approach to addressing health-care challenges. In this edition, the journal has collaborated with Te Wāhanga Rangahau Tapuhi – the New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) Nursing Research Section, to share the commitment to fostering a robust culture of inquiry and evidence-based practice.

Researched viewpoint

The researched viewpoint by Brownie and Broman highlights the critical role of a robust domestic nursing workforce in New Zealand’s health-care system, where nurses form more than half the regulated health workforce. Given the ageing demographic of nurses and New Zealand’s high proportion of internationally qualified nurses (IQNs), the urgency for data-driven workforce planning is pressing. Challenges such as retirement projections and heightened reliance on IQNs require immediate action, especially in light of disparities in health-care access and outcomes for Māori, Pacific, and rural communities, where domestically trained, culturally aligned nurses are vital. With the current health and vocational education reforms adding complexity, addressing New Zealand’s nursing workforce challenges necessitates proactive data-sharing and analysis to support a sustainable and effective health-care system.

Primary research studies

Malone and Bingham assessed the impact of an eight-week credentialed trauma-informed care course on health-care professionals’ attitudes toward implementing trauma-informed practices. A trauma-informed approach helps health-care providers understand service users’ experiences more deeply and effectively. A quasi-experimental pre-and-post-study design was applied using purposive sampling. The ARTIC-35, a validated tool, measured participant attitudes toward trauma-informed care before and after the course.The results of this study suggest that trauma-informed care is essential for the delivery of optimal care and benefits both patients and health-care providers by improving self-efficacy and care outcomes. As the largest health-care workforce, registered nurses (RNs) are pivotal in integrating trauma-informed practices and enhancing the quality of patient care.

Research reviews

Toneycliffe’s literature review sought to identify motivations for RNs in clinical practice to transition into nursing education. With an increasing demand for RNs, retaining a strong nursing education workforce is essential. The findings of this review showed RNs who transitioned into teaching roles in nursing education citing various motivations and challenges. The autonomy and satisfaction of giving back to the profession and training future nurses appealed to some, while academic aspirations motivated others. Dissatisfaction with clinical environments also prompted some nurses to shift to education. The rising demand for nursing education requires a growing educator workforce to handle increased student intakes into pre-registration programmes. Understanding the motivations behind nurses’ transitions from clinical practice to education can help develop sustainable recruitment and retention strategies for nurse educators in tertiary institutions.

The integrative review by Gilbertson and McClunie-Trust explored whether behaviour therapy improves well-being in adults with epilepsy. Epilepsy complicates daily life through unpredictable seizures and treatment side-effects, with adverse effects on well-being. Behaviour therapy has shown benefits in self-management and enhancing well-being in other chronic conditions. Quantitative data from the 16 studies included in the review revealed three significant themes that indicated improvements in well-being. Barriers such as transportation, memory issues, and technology literacy affected participation in the studies. However, the findings of this review suggest that behaviour therapy shows potential for improving well-being in adults with epilepsy.

Research brief

Aotearoa, New Zealand faces a rapidly ageing population, with numbers aged over 65 projected to grow by 36 per cent between 2021 and 2031. As life expectancy rises, older adults are expected to live longer with chronic illnesses, increasing health-care demands. Nurses, positioned at the frontline, are key to addressing these needs. The polytechnic sector, responsible for training the majority of nursing graduates, plays a critical role in ensuring future nurses are well-prepared for this demographic shift. A review of recent literature by Heath et al. replicated a survey by Neville et al. (2008) to assess core components in nursing curricula for aged care. Research questions explored the definition, timing, settings, and educational experiences of aged-care placements and staff and student preparation processes in polytechnic nursing programmes. This review identified additional factors affecting aged-care education, including clinical examples used in teaching, types and timing of clinical placements in aged care, student preparation for placements, and the quality of supervision. Researchers also noted the importance of the curriculum addressing demographic shifts and intersectional factors.

Methodology

The methodology resource by Woods explores ResearchGate as a professional forum and hub for sharing knowledge, publications and research data. ResearchGate is a platform for researchers to collaborate across institutional and international boundaries. Woods explains how researchers can sign up, find resources, share their research internationally, and track who is reading and citing their publications.

NZNO Nursing Research Section

In the final section of this year’s edition, we have included a report from Te Wāhanga Rangahau Tapuhi, the NZNO Nursing Research Section, which was established in 1975 and currently has 377 nurse researcher members. The report outlines the section’s mission, aims and recent activities, including commentary on the research forum held in Tamaki Makaurau, Auckland, in early October, themed “Hoki whakamuri, kia anga whakamua – Look at the past to help forge the future.” We have published five abstracts from the presentations at the October forum.

References

Chick, N. (1987). Nursing research in New Zealand. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 9(3), 317-334.

Chick, N., & Kinross, N. (2006). Chalk and cheese. Trail-blazing in NZ nursing: A story told through memoir.

Litchfield, M. (2009). To advance health care: The origins of nursing research in New Zealand. New Zealand Nurses Organisation.

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