City Research Online

Abstract

Aim
Reflect upon the visibility of nursing-led research during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background
The emerging SARS-CoV-2 infection has galvanised collaborative and multidisciplinary efforts in clinical and research practice worldwide. The scarce evidence-base to manage patients with COVID-19 has included limited nurse-led research.

Introduction
Clinical research nurses have greatly contributed to the delivery of COVID-19 research, yet the number of COVID-19 nursing-led research papers appears to be limited, with even fewer nurse-led research projects funded.

Methods
Authors’ views and PubMed search on ‘COVID-19 and nursing’.

Findings
There is a dearth of nursing-led research. Most papers describe the nursing contribution to COVID-19 care, changes in nursing working arrangements, and emotional burden. There are opportunities to explore the consequences to vulnerable population groups of public health measures implemented to stop the progress of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Discussion
Workforce gaps, limited integration in research structures and clinical redeployment may have hampered nurse-led research. COVID-19 may exacerbate staffing deficits by disrupting the education pipeline, obstructing the transition from clinical to academic practice, particularly in areas where clinical academic roles are yet to emerge.

Conclusion
The absence of nurse-led research in COVID-19 can be explained by chronic, underlying factors and the features of the pandemic response. Emerging models of care, effective staffing, and inequalities related to COVID-19 appear obvious research areas. Nursing leadership needs to strengthen its political voice and lobbying skills to secure nurse-led research funding

Implications for Nursing Policy
Embracing international nursing research, strengthening collaborations, and lobbying policymakers for investment in nurse-sensitive research would enhance the response to COVID-19.

Publication Type:	Article
Additional Information:	© 2021 The Authors. International Nursing Review published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Council of Nurses. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Publisher Keywords:	Health Policy Research, Nursing Policy, Infection Control, Nursing Capacity Building, COVID-19, Pandemic
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HN Social history and conditions. Social problems. Social reform R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine > RA0421 Public health. Hygiene. Preventive Medicine R Medicine > RT Nursing
Departments:	School of Health & Psychological Sciences > Nursing
SWORD Depositor:	Symplectic Administrator

Export

Downloads