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  4. Nursing and Midwifery Research Unit

Nursing and Midwifery Research Unit

Providing research leadership and development opportunities to SMHS nurses and midwives

Nursing and Midwifery Research Unit

The Nursing and Midwifery Research Unit (NaMRU) guides and mentors nurses and midwives undertaking nurse and midwifery-led research projects or working in clinical trials research at South Metropolitan Health Service.

Research leadership and development provided by the unit supports SMHS nurses and midwives to maintain focus on the delivery of excellent health care, every time.

Established in 2021, the unit also offers opportunities for clinical staff and new researchers to be involved in quality improvement and research, including the pursuit of higher degree research studies. 

The unit’s vision is to empower SMHS nurses and midwives to be involved in research through its commitment to:

  • fostering a research culture
  • building research capacity
  • promoting career pathways
  • solving consumer focused nursing and midwifery research priorities.

Building nursing and midwifery research

In 2022 the unit undertook 2 key projects to guide its research strategy for nurses and midwives at SMHS and Fiona Stanley Fremantle Hospitals Group (FSFHG).

Research capacity and culture survey

This survey sought to provide an understanding of the perceived nursing and midwifery research capacity and capability at SMHS. Major themes identified from the responses of the almost 100 participants included research workforce and skills barriers and factors that enabled research.

Recommendations drawn from the survey included:

  • developing nurse and midwifery-led research opportunities and research development pathways
  • identifying research mentors and champions
  • defining research reporting structures
  • creating a resource support network
  • guidance on securing funding and disseminating research.

Research priorities project

This project sought to guide SMHS research through the identification of the top 10 nursing and midwifery research priorities. Identifying these research priorities helps understand health service needs and improve care delivery. The research was conducted using the James Lind Alliance Priority Setting Partnership approach in collaboration with a staff and consumer steering group.

The priorities were identified as:

  • patient and family centred care
  • education and training
  • efficient processes
  • interpersonal skills
  • support for nurses and midwives
  • staffing
  • nurse and midwife scope and skills
  • public and community health
  • vulnerable populations
  • patient safety.

Nursing and Midwifery Research Network

A key initiative in building research culture and capacity has been the development of the Nursing and Midwifery Research Network.

The network is a group of experienced academic researchers who partner with SMHS to support nurses to undertake research opportunities which improve patient outcomes through evidence-based practice and knowledge translation.

We welcome enquiries and participation from nurse and midwife scholars across WA. 

Clinical research nurses

Clinical research nurses (CRNs) are specialised registered nurses who combine clinical nursing expertise with research knowledge and skills.

CRNs are integrated in the unit, working on investigator initiated and commercial sponsored clinical trials.

If you are interested in joining a team as a CRN, please contact us for further information and opportunities.

Recognising our achievements

To catalogue our growing research output and impact, the unit collects information on:

  • active nurse and midwifery-led projects
  • journal publications by nurses and midwives
  • staff undertaking higher degrees by research.

We match nurse and midwifery-led projects to our research priorities and promote new research projects to focus on our research priorities.

We also promote research through supporting a research development grant via the staff-supported Francis Jones Education, Travel and Research Fund, and the Fiona Stanley Fremantle Hospitals Group Nursing and Midwifery Caritas Awards through the Excellence in Research category.

Contact us

Nursing and Midwifery Research Unit
Level 2, Harry Perkins South, Fiona Stanley Hospital
Phone: 6151 1179
Email NaMRU

 


 

Return to the main research page.

Last Updated: 15/10/2024
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