Chapter 26: Where Do I Go from Here?

Quizzes give you the chance to test your knowledge through multiple choice questions, short answers, matching activities and other revision tools.

1. Identify eight things you could do in order to consolidate / develop your research knowledge:

Answer:

Read research / evidence-based practice papers

Set up or join a journal club

Display the research/evidence-based practice work of colleagues and students in the practice area.

Organise workshops, seminars, teaching sessions or research meetings for colleagues and students.

Join or set up a research interest group / community of research practice that relates to your clinical specialty or area of practice

Mentor students

Spend time with research nurses or midwives working in your area of practice.

Join a standard or policy writing group or get involved with bench-marking.

Get involved in teaching nurses and midwives at your local academic institution.

Attend conferences and consider submitting an abstract for the presentation of a poster or a paper.

Join the research interest group of your professional organisation.

Make links with your local academic institution, there may be research interest groups that you can join.

Undertake further study such as an MSc, MA, MPhil, PhD or EdD.

2. What does REF stand for?

Answer:

Research Excellence Framework

3. What happens after an institution makes a submission to REF

Answer:

Based on the application, the institution is given a credit rating. This rating influences future funding and the institution’s reputation.

4. Identify six different ways in which you could get your name in print in a professional nursing / midwifery journal or relevant health-care publication:

Answer:

Write a paper for publication

Co-author a paper for publication

Present a poster / paper at a conference

Write a letter to the letters section of a professional journal

Write a response to a letter previously published in a professional journal

Write a review of a conference / academic book / teaching material or other resources

Undertake peer review of papers submitted to a professional journal

Write a critique of a study to be published alongside the original research

Write a piece for an ‘in house’ journal or newsletter

Join the editorial board of a journal

Write a chapter for a book

Co-author a chapter for a book

5. Identify six strategies you could employ as a stepping stone to pursuing a career in research

Answer:

Make your intentions known to your line manager during your appraisal / performance review

Talk to research nurses / midwives about their career pathway

Ask if a research nurse / midwife in your practice area will mentor you

Investigate research opportunities at your work setting / externally

Undertake further study such as post-graduate research modules, Masters, PhD or DEd

Look out for early career research training opportunities

Undertake the Good Clinical Practice training

Join a research ethics committee

Take responsibility for some aspect of a study being undertaken in your practice area.

Look for funding opportunities to undertake a small-scale study in your practice area.

Make contact with expert researchers in your area of interest.

Look for research secondment opportunities.

Secure a permanent clinical research post.

6. Identify five possible senior research roles that an experienced nurse / midwife researcher may pursue:

Answer:

Chief investigator/lead researcher for a nursing, midwifery or health related study

Leading a programme of research

Leading a local, national or international research network

Leading a research special interest group / research cluster

Combined clinical and academic roles

Joint appointments between an academic institution and clinical practice

Senior research governance role such as chair of an indemnity insurance or ethics committee

Reader or associate professor or professor.