Light up your practice with nursing research

All nurses have a part to play in nursing research, even those with elementary skills in research. This article introduces nursing research to nurses in clinical practice who may not be familiar with the research process, but who can use research findings to guide their practice. It is also intended to foster collaboration between researchers and practitioners, so that they will work together through research to establish a specialized knowledge base for nursing.     

Organising your practice.

A general medical practice is an ideal site for the provision of family planning services as long as careful consideration is given to organizational and administrative factors. At present, two-thirds of family planning consultations in the UK are conducted in general practice. Although physicians should feel free to address family planning issues in general medical consultations, formation of a family planning clinic separate from the medical practice is recommended to allow more time for discussion and teamwork. A specific day and time can be allocated for family planning services. In general, 2 hours/week is adequate for a practice of 4500 patients. In staffing the clinic, a family planning nurse should be considered as essential as the physician. In addition to conducting procedures such as history taking, examination, and counseling, a nurse can help patients overcome cultural or sexual barriers to seeking family planning services. At minimum, the clinic nurse should have completed the course 900, while the physician should be certified by the UK Joint Committee on Contraception. Measurement of current performance and assessment of deficits should become an integral part of any family planning service in general practice.     

Why money matters. Interview by Lynne Pearce

Nurses are increasingly expected to manage their own budgets, but many know little about sound financial management.     

Research that matters: bridging the gap between research and practice in thanatology

This article serves as an Introduction to this two-issue special series of Death Studies on the integration of research and practice in thanatology. After discussing the lack of dialogue between researchers and practitioners in the field, the author identifies some common elements of the research and clinical processes in thanatology. These include the central role of pragmatic theory building and the universal human encounter with loss. The author then offers suggestions for enhancing the exchange between researchers and clinicians, including improvements in theory, methodology, and the dissemination of research findings. Lastly, the individual articles in the series are introduced to the reader.