Nurses' communication skills: are they effective research tools?

Children’s nurses are increasingly urged to develop an evidence base that can inform practice by becoming research aware and research active (DH 2000a, DH/HEFCE 2001). Changes to nurse education have opened up new opportunities to develop and refine the skills required to use and carry out research in practice. Preregistration curricula nurture the skills of enquiry based practice and research awareness amongst new recruits (DH 1999, UKCC 1986). In addition, opportunities for continuing professional development and continuing professional education mean that qualified nurses can develop and strengthen the academic skills of literature retrieval and critique as well as those needed to carry out research (DH 2000b). To further enhance these skills many nurses either undertake more education (such as an MSc or PhD) or become involved in established health care research projects. Both these routes provide the encouragement and supervision needed by those new to undertaking research.