The impact of a clinical academic nurse researcher in critical care: A 1-year service review

Aims: To outline the activity and impact from implementing a clinical academic nurse researcher in a multi-centre critical care unit.

Design: A prospective exploratory activity audit informed by the Plan, Do, Study, Act framework.

Methods: Quantitative data on clinical academic activity, from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024, were collected in a Microsoft Excel © [2022, version 16.66.1] spreadsheet. Activity narratives were detailed in qualitative data and the impact categorized.

Results: A total of 1500 clinical academic activity hours were logged (accounting for annual leave entitlement and sickness). Of these, 973 h were directly categorized within clinical academic activity. Most frequently undertaken clinical academic activities were academic writing (17.6%), data collection/analysis (9.6%), grant and funding workup (6.8%), Intensive Care Unit service development (6.6%), clinical activity (5.2%) and local level capability and capacity (4.9%) and other supportive tasks such as administration, unscheduled meetings, critical planning time and peer support (38%). Improvements broadly mapped onto five healthcare improvement domains; organizational, process design, data optimization and utilization, evidenced-based practice, and patients/staff impact.

Conclusions: Our data indicate system mechanisms afforded by the clinical academic role that have not been explored within the contemporary literature. A nursing clinical academic demonstrates impact across the broad organization whilst increasing the visibility of nursing work and the potential for system resilience. In conclusion, our service review underscores the transformative potential of clinical academics in shaping the future of healthcare. Utilizing their expertise and contributions paves the way for innovation, excellence and sustainability in patient care.

Impact: This review has provided clarity about clinical academic activity of a nurse researcher during the first year. There is international impact of this work for both clinical academics who may be evaluating such roles and healthcare management developing similar roles locally.

Patient and public contribution: No Patient or Public Contribution.