Appoint a primary investigator to lead and coordinate the research. She or he will be the main person who communicates the findings of the research to colleagues and other parties. She or he will decide the methodology of the research, and will coordinate and oversee the roles taken by other people involved in the research. Additionally, she or he will make decisions based on difficulties and obstacles that are encountered during the course of the research.
Appoint a team of research assistants to work with the key researchers in the project. It makes sense to appoint these people from amongst staff on the unit where the research data will be collected. For example, if the research is being carried out in the Emergency Department, it is advisable to recruit research staff from this department. Some necessary qualities in a research team include being educated about the relevant qualification, being on site for sufficient time to participate in the research project and having a willing, positive attitude.
Decide on the methodology for the research project. According to the Cleveland Clinic website, methodologies may include: descriptive/correlational (e.g. noise levels on a unit), experimental (e.g. assessing the effect of a new patient intervention), qualitative (e.g. understanding the complexity of nursing care), or quantitative (how many triage patients the Emergency Department can see in a three hour period).
Develop an accurate recording system for the data collected during the period of research, and ensure that all relevant staff are aware of it. Appoint one person to oversee the collating and input of data.
Collect and analyze the data at the end of the research project. Write a report on its findings. It is advisable to repeat the research and put the results together before drawing a definitive conclusion. The research should then be published in at least two major nursing journals, as well as shared with key executives at the hospital or health care clinic. Improved nursing practice should be adopted based on the research findings.