By: Jen Calver, RPN, PhD (candidate) Research Coordinator, WeRPN
Over the past three years, WeRPN has sponsored 10 research grants, supported 7 RPN research fellows and facilitated 28 recruitment and partnership initiatives. These efforts have generated 15 scholarly publications and over 30 professional and academic presentations. Each piece of research has contributed to one of four key priorities in our 3-year strategic research plan (SRP): the valued role of RPNs, delivery of care, excellence in practice and health human resources and workforce planning.
Together with RPNs across the province, collaborators, and key partners, we have established a new WeRPN research program infrastructure governed by a research advisory council.
Looking ahead, our next SRP will focus on driving an evidence-informed practice. Our goal will be to continue increasing the representation of RPNs in the literature to provide a better understanding of our profession, address issues, maintain up-to-date knowledge of emerging evidence, and inform our practice and care delivery.
We’ve received a fantastic response to our fourth call for research and RPN fellowship proposals, and following a thorough evaluation process, WeRPN approved funding for seven new research studies and three new RPN research fellows for 2024-2025.
Research topics include:
- Registered Practical Nurse leaders’ experiences of managing and responding to workplace violence and harassment in home and community care led by Sonia Nizza at VHA.
- Registered Practical Nurse and role clarity: A qualitative study of the lived experiences of RPNs and interprofessional collaboration in an inpatient rehabilitation hospital led by Sonya Canzian at Unity Health.
- Optimizing the Registered Practical Nurse role in acute care: Generating evidence to inform nursing workforce retention strategies co-led by Dr. Alyssa Indar and Dr. Sherry Espin at Toronto Metropolitan University.
- Registered Practical Nurses’ knowledge and experience with post-stroke spasticity in long-term care led by Dr. Amanda McIntyre at Western University.
- New graduate Registered Practical Nurses’ readiness for practice in acute care settings led by Mary-Jan Ducsharm at Conestoga College.
- Examining the implementation and impact of introducing Registered Practical Nurses in acute care hospital setting led by Dr. Marianne Saragosa at the University of Toronto
- Supporting data-informed and person-centred care planning by RPNs in community-based transitional care: A multi-method participatory study led by Dr. Margaret Saari at Saint Elizabeth Health
Each of these studies includes RPNs as key members of the research teams. The projects align with WeRPN’s research priorities and aim to produce applicable, usable, and relevant outcomes that will benefit our profession.
In addition to these research studies, we are thrilled to announce three new Research Fellowship Projects:
- Palliative care for persons with dementia micro-credential training for BEGIN recipients working in their new roles in long-term care or home care. Attila Kovacs, RPN is the research fellow and will work closely with his mentors and have support of his executive sponsor.
- Registered Practical Nurses knowledge and experience with post-stroke spasticity in long-term care. Jennifer Walker, RPN is the research fellow and will work closely with her mentors and have support of her executive sponsor.
- Emotional Model of Care. Oghenefegor Uwejeya, RPN is the research fellow and will work closely with her mentors and have support of her executive sponso
These projects highlight the exceptional contributions of RPNs across various health sectors. Nursing research is crucial for developing knowledge about health, care of people and communities, and for identifying evidence that can address health challenges and inform practice and policy.
Throughout my career in healthcare, I’ve witnessed the remarkable contributions by RPNs, but I have also been frustrated by the lack of understanding about our roles. It has been an honour to help drive evidence forward and build a repository of RPN resources and publications. This work fosters a better understanding of our profession, keeps us informed about emerging evidence, and provides practice evidence for better care.
