QNIS Investing in Research and Practice

1. QNISInvesting in Research and Practice Julia Quickfall Nurse Director

2. The Aims of the QNIS • To foster and support professional development of primary care and community nurses through research. • To describe, acknowledge and celebrate the nursing contribution to the provision of quality primary health care. • Quality improvement – Fellowship By Assessment.

3. QNIS Objectives • The promotion of quality nursing practice in the community. • To foster and develop nursing leadership. • To promote community nursing research. • Funding of project initiatives to address gaps in service provision. • To engage in partnership working.

4. Context of Community Nursing • Emphasis on health needs assessment. • Shift from acute to community based care. • Ageing population and rise in long term conditions. • Promotion of well-being and prevention of ill health. • ‘Modern’ health services, proactive, safe, faster and closer to home.

5. Issues for Community Nursing Research • Lack of community nursing research base and application of research into practice. • Avoid duplication of effort. • Developing health needs assessment, communication and decision making skills. • Joined-up research; work with patients and carers, other health care professionals, disciplines and institutions. • Need for ‘bottom up’ approach to tackle health inequalities.

6. Challenges for QNIS of Funding Research • Highlighting areas for community nursing research. • Whose responsibility to fund? • Encouragement of innovation and pump priming of research. • Addressing issues of inequality, deprivation and vulnerability. • Supporting research nurses. • Encouraging research into practice.

7. Lisbeth Hockey Community Nursing Research Fellowship • Part-time Community Nurse secondment over 12-18 months. • Opportunity to develop research knowledge and skills. • Opportunity to carry out a discreet study linked to a larger study in a supportive environment. • Two Fellowships have so far been awarded – GCU and RGU.

8. Research Funding 2007 For individual nurse researchers: • Call for research proposals by 30 June 2007 • Maximum £10,000 for pilot study or small investigation • May be part of Master’s Dissertation

9. Project Funding 2007 A Project may involve: • An innovation in practice • A service development to address unmet health or nursing care needs • An initiative for the professional development of nurses in the community (including conferences) • An implementation of research knowledge into community or primary care nursing practice • Evaluation of an development of service provision

10. Partnership in Practice Scotland (PiPS) Awards 2007 • Small awards of £2,000 over 2 years. • Promote service development. • Partnership between Community nursing and other disciplines or allied health professionals. • Key element is innovative practice.

11. Fellowship by Assessment(FBA) • Award to recognise delivery of quality patient care. • Portfolio based. • Meeting of ten standards of care. • Description of context for care. • Evidence base developed from practice (audit/survey/case study etc.) to demonstrate quality of care. • Critique of care delivery and future action plan to address gaps in service.

12. QNIS Contact Details Julia Quickfall QNIS Nurse Director 31 Castle Terrace Edinburgh EH1 2 EL Tel 0131 229 2333 Julia.quickfall@qnis.org.uk Rebecca.archer@qnis.org.uk Website: www.qnis.org.uk