Research Competence in Clinical Nursing Insights From Chinese Nurses: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Aim: To assess the research capacity of 3014 clinical nurses in northeastern China, examining their participation in research and self-assessed competencies to advance nursing practice.

Background: Nursing research is essential for the development of the nursing discipline, yet significant progress in enhancing the research capabilities of nursing staff has been limited over the past decades. Clinical nurses, central to the execution of research activities, need improved research skills to identify relevant topics and synthesise clinical experiences with the literature.

Design: A cross-sectional survey.

Methods: In 2023, using a convenience sampling method, a cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted on 3014 nurses in a Grade A tertiary hospital. The questionnaire included questions on basic information and scientific research, as well as a self-evaluation scale assessing the nurses' capability for conducting scientific research.

Results: Among the nurses participating in the survey, 29.66% (894) had published academic papers in Chinese, 2.06% (62) had published papers in Science Citation Index journals, 2.39% (72) had hosted nursing research projects, 5.87% (177) had participated in nursing research projects and 71% (2140) expressed their willingness to participate in nursing research activities. The average score on the self-evaluation of research capability was 54.08 ± 24.55, with scores ranging from 0 to 120.

Conclusion: The clinical nurses' research capacity scores are at the midpoint of the scale (0-120), indicating basic research capabilities with room for improvement. There is a high willingness to engage in research. Nursing managers should consider these factors in training programmes and promote research activities to improve the team's scientific capability.

Relevance to clinical practice: This study reveals a critical gap between nurses' willingness and actual involvement in research, emphasising the need for enhanced research skills to improve nursing practice.

Patient or public contribution: This study did not require patient or public involvement in its design, outcome measures or execution. The contribution of patients/members of the public was limited solely to data collection.