Abstract
Aim: Reflect upon the visibility of nursing-led research during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Background: The emerging SARS-CoV-2 infection has galvanized collaborative and multidisciplinary efforts in clinical and research practice worldwide. The scarce evidence-base to manage patients with COVID-19 has included limited nurse-led research.
Introduction: Clinical research nurses have greatly contributed to the delivery of COVID-19 research, yet the number of COVID-19 nursing-led research papers appears to be limited, with even fewer nurse-led research projects funded.
Methods: Authors’ views and PubMed search on ‘COVID-19 and nursing’.
Findings: There is a dearth of nursing-led research. Most papers describe the nursing contribution to COVID-19 care, changes in nursing working arrangements and emotional burden. There are opportunities to explore the consequences to vulnerable population groups of public health measures implemented to stop the progress of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Discussion: Workforce gaps, limited integration in research structures and clinical redeployment may have hampered nurse-led research. COVID-19 may exacerbate staffing deficits by disrupting the education pipeline, obstructing the transition from clinical to academic practice, particularly in areas where clinical academic roles are yet to emerge.
Conclusion: The absence of nurse-led research in COVID-19 can be explained by chronic, underlying factors and the features of the pandemic response. Emerging models of care, effective staffing and inequalities related to COVID-19 appear obvious research areas. Nursing leadership needs to strengthen its political voice and lobbying skills to secure nurse-led research funding.
Implications for Nursing Policy: Embracing international nursing research, strengthening collaborations and lobbying policymakers for investment in nurse-sensitive research would enhance the response to COVID-19.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 214-218 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | International Nursing Review |
| Volume | 68 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| Early online date | 10 Feb 2021 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Jun 2021 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:ECS is affiliated with the National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare‐Associated Infection and Antimicrobial Resistance at Imperial College London in partnership with Public Health England. ECS and AMR are National Institute for Health Research Senior Nurse and Midwife Research Leaders. ECS and MW acknowledge the support of the BRC.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 The Authors. International Nursing Review published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Council of Nurses.
Keywords
- COVID-19
- Health Policy Research
- Infection Control
- Nursing Capacity Building
- Nursing Policy
- Nursing Research
- Pandemic
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Nursing
