Nurse Professional Development & Pathways
The Research/EBP Pathway supports the IU Health Nurse Attribute- has a Spirit of Inquiry. Growth opportunities in this pathway will encourage the nurse to be curious, raise questions, implement evidence, and creatively problem-solve to impact patient care outcomes and overall patient experience. This pathway will develop and advance the IUH professional nurse expertise in the fields of nursing research, performance improvement, and quality. A few examples of growth opportunities include leading a performance improvement project or participating in a research study. Career advancement opportunities related to this pathway include; clinical nurse specialist, nurse researcher/scientist, quality improvement, and infection prevention.
The following link provides a plethora of information about nursing research:
Click Here
Obtain a specialty certification
If you are not certified in your specialty area, obtaining your specialty certification should be one of your first goals. Certification validates your knowledge, skills, and abilities in your clinical area of practice. Certification is recognition of your achievement, expertise, and clinical judgement. It is a mark of excellence and maintaining certification will require a commitment to lifelong learning and skill acquisition.
IU Health participates in the following programs which can help you achieve certification:
ANCC(American Nurses Credentialing Cerner) Success Pays program
ONCC(Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation) FreeTake
AACN(American Association of Critical-Care Nurses) Certification Value Program
Certification Quick Guide
Gathering and collaborating with interprofessional teams
If you have questions about continuing your education or when you can apply for tuition reimbursement, please reach out to your unit/department leader.
Click here to see about financial aid and reimbursement opportunities.
Critique, evaluate and contribute evidence during rounding
Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to improve patient care.
Conduct a library search to better understand the latest evidence and research for your patient population. Share your new knowledge with colleagues.
Collaborate with care team in the application of practice guidelines
Utilize population and/or practice specific guidelines to improve patient care and outcomes.
Review the practice guidelines for your patient population and work with your CNS or practice expert to evaluate the evidence and make recommendations.
Lead and participate in department/system quality or research projects
Work with nursing staff and interdisciplinary teams to research and improve patient care.
Reach out to your CNS or practice expert to understand the types of quality initiatives and research for your department. Ask how you can get involved.
Review Journal articles
Nurses have access to online journals as well as medical libraries in some hospitals to review journal articles and utilize evidence.
Access the IU Health library to search for journal articles related to your patient population or professional interest.
Lead a journal club
This can be population specific or general nursing research. Access to online journals is available to all IU Health nurses.
Access the IU Health library to search for journal articles related to your patient population or professional interest. Connect with your leader and/or educator about setting up a journal club for your department or facility.
Present poster or podium presentation at local/facility level
Preparation/Presentation assistance is available. Ask your manager, educator, mentor, or CNS to assist you.
Present at a conference
Check with your manager, educator, mentor, and/or CNS to assist you with submitting research abstracts for state or national conferences.
Participate in the formation of evidence-based practice through research
Some hospitals have formal fellowships to assist with nursing research.
Discuss with your leader and/or CNS about how you can get involved with EBP and research.
Develop an abstract
Develop an abstract and submit it for local, state, national or international conference. If the abstract is accepted, present a poster or podium presentation at local/facility level.
Reach out to your leader, educator, and/or CNS to assist you with submitting an abstract for state or national conferences.
Write up projects for publication
Mentor assistance is available to help guide IU Health nurses write for publication.
Reach out to your leader, educator, and/or CNS for guidance about available resources for writing articles for publication.
Explore data and develop research quality questions
Explore nursing and patient issues on your unit and research the problem.
Mentor students
Work with students to assess needs of unit/patient population. Guide students with the research work.
Reach out to your leader and/or educator about nursing students who need a mentor for projects.
Share with team members
Share peer reviewed research findings with team members to integrate knowledge into nursing practice utilizing such avenues as unit meetings, huddles, practice councils, unit based leadership councils, and department newsletters.
Connect with your leader, educator and/or CNS about how you can share findings at department meetings, huddles, practice councils, unit based leadership councils, and/or department newsletters.