Nursing research remains critical piece of the program

Among research projects now in process, Bridges said one intriguing study involves cases where children need to be in isolation due to treatment with radiation, which restricts the child’s access to the parents. The question under study is how nurses can support the parent and child relationship when parents can’t be physically with child. She also cited “a fascinating study” about walkability for breast cancer survivors. In this participatory study, take pictures of barriers and facilitators of residential walkability. This project is unusual in that patients tell their story using photos. Bridges said the study is unique because, rather than asking breast cancer patients to take a written survey, the nurses asked them to photograph what hinders or compels their exercise — lack of sidewalks or street lights, for instance, or having to walk past school yards with children who laugh at their baldness due to cancer treatment. The study’s photos with patients’ vignettes are expected to be displayed at a local cancer treatment facility. Studies funded through the foundation are small scale. “We do get experienced scientists who are at the bedside, and this small study, for them, can be a stepping stone for preliminary data for a larger study in the future.” Once studies are completed, participants submit reports of their findings to the foundation. “We announce the grants we fund on our website and publish the titles, principle investigators and institutions in a brochure,” said Barnes. “Importantly, we require our grantees to submit their work to the Virginia Henderson Library of Sigma Theta Tau International.” This is done to disseminate the findings to a wider audience. Some nurse researchers publish their studies or share them as posters or conference presentations. The $2,000 Lynn Doll Grant, also available from the foundation, offers nurses with successful projects funding to disseminate their results. As studies and projects continue to be submitted, completed and shared in nursing practice, nurses caring for patients with autoimmune conditions and cancer will be able to continually evaluate their practice, seek answers to clinical questions in an effort to improve their practice, and change their practice based on evidence and evaluation of that change, ultimately improving care through their own research and findings.