Enhancing Research by National Collaboration

Enhancing Research Through National Collaboration1Nursing and Research The ultimate purpose of nursing is to provide high-quality patient careClinical practice without research is practice based on tradition without validationNursing practice is undergoing tremendous changes and challenges - To meet social challenges and needs, nursing practice must be research based The ability to conduct research is becoming an ever important skillResearch is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of nursing treatment modalities, to determine the impact of nursing care on the health of the patients or to test out a theoryNursing ResearchThe systematic investigation of patients and their health experience is the primary concern of nursing Nursing research is the application of scientific inquiry to the practice of nursing Evolved predominantly when nursing education became a part of higher education and was seeking its own body of knowledge, different from that of medicine

Purpose of Nursing ResearchTo discover and develop an organized body of knowledge To validate improvements in nursing practice To make healthcare efficient and cost effective

Research ApproachesExploratoryDescriptiveAnalytical (or explanatory)EvaluationOver recent years, there has been increasing interest among researchers and within science policy circles in the notion of research collaboration.

It is widely assumed that collaboration in research is 'a good thing' and that it should be encouraged.

C. Balog. Journal of Research Communication Studies 2 (1979/80) 159-69CollaborationWhat is research collaboration?Collaboration among individual researchers (in new or larger centres of excellence, or in interdisciplinary research groups)Improving the links between science and technology through fostering research collaboration across sectorsInternational collaboration (cost-savings or other benefits) Collaboration has a wide spectrumOffering general advice and insights to active participation in a specific piece of researchProviding material or performing a routine assaySharing data or ideas through correspondence or discussions at conferences by visiting each otherPerforming parts of a project separately and then integrating the resultsWhy do we seek collaboration?To gain experience or to train apprentice researchers in the most effective way possibleAdvancement of scientific knowledge by pooling one's knowledge with othersNeed to work in close physical proximity with others in order to benefit from their knowledge and skills Desire to increase scientific popularity, visibility and recognitionChanging patterns or levels of funding

How is Collaboration Measured ?Conventionally through multi-author or multi-address papersCo-authorship is only a partial indicator of collaborationThere are many cases of collaboration that are not 'consummated' in a co-authored paper and which are consequently undetectable with this approach There are other cases of only very peripheral or indirect forms of interaction between scientists which nonetheless yield co-authored publications. The Distinction BetweenCollaboration and Co-AuthorshipExample A:Two researchers work closely together but then decide to publish their results separatelyOne possible reason for this might be that they come from different fields, and each decides to produce a (single-author) paper for his or her disciplinary audienceAlternatively, they might just disagree over the interpretation of the findings and decide to write them up in separate papersThe Distinction BetweenCollaboration and Co-AuthorshipExample BResearchers who have not worked together in their research decide to pool their findings and write them up jointly A bibliometric assessment would count (B) as a collaboration but not (A)

What kind of collaboration?Intramural Extramural Institutional IntersectoralMultisectoralTechnical collaborationFinancial collaborartionIntramural CollaborationDo we want to conduct a robust study, which can be undertaken smoothly without any problems, maximizing existing resources in the institution ?Depending upon the purpose of research study: - Clinician/ health professional in the field - Laboratory - Pathology, Microbiology - Biostatistician - Child psychologist, speech therapist, - Occupational therapistDiscuss with your own peer group within the institutionExtramural CollaborationDo we want to a add value with extramural support?Unless we are otherwise self sufficient, it is beneficial to seek help from: - Social Scientist - Clinical epidemiologist - Biostatistician - Experts in the field Institutional CollaborationDepending upon our research question/ what we want to know, do we expect sufficient quantity (sample) and quality in our set up to conduct the study?Need to tie up with another hospital/ institution to meet the appropriate sample requirements of the research studyIntersectoral CollaborationDo we want another dimension to be added to our study?We may have to go beyond health or social sciencesExample: Study on Rotavirus as an aetiological organism in acute watery diarrhoea in Delhi childrenCollaboration with Meterological Department, Govt. of India to provide details about rainfall, temperature and relative humidity 17Multicenteric Studies (1)Do we need a larger representative sample to prove our hypothesis?Representative sample to study interventions or behaviors/practices?Enrolments from different parts of the country using common definition and common interventionExample:Is home based treatment of severe pneumonia with oral amoxycillin as effective as if given in the hospital ?Multicenteric study done at Nagpur, Sewagram, Pune, Chennai, Chandigarh and AligarhMulticenteric Studies (2)Do we want to know nationally representative behaviors/ practices to suggest a policy change across the country?Example: -Assessment of Injection Practices in India by IPEN (2002-2003) - 84 institutions (82 medical colleges and 2 NGOs)Statement made by the Honble Minister for Health in Indian Parliament regarding Injection Safety The Government of India has decided to introduce Auto Disable (AD) syringes for administering injections under Universal Immunization Programme (UIP)

Technological CollaborationDo we need any devices or equipment/ add a management component to conduct research?Collaboration with Biomedical Engineering, IITs, IIMs etc. will provide the desired professional support which ordinarily we dont have.Financial CollaborationDo we need financial assistance/ guidance from governmental/ non-govt. agencies?We are priviledged to have ICMR and DBT to support biomedical research Support from WHO, UNICEF and other organizationsSum UpCollaboration in research is 'a good thing' and that it should be encouragedDepending upon our research question and objectives we need to decide what kind of collaboration is required and how we can do itCo-authorship adds value to collaborationCollaboration not only enhances research but also strengthens institutions

Assessment of Injection Practices In India: An IPEN Study

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