Nursing Research Challenge® Project: Challenges and Opportunities for Nursing Research

Verónica Tíscar-González^{1, 2, 3} , María Ángeles Cidoncha-Moreno^{3, 4} , Jesús Larrañaga-Garitano¹

¹ OSI Bilbao-Basurto (Osakidetza). Basque Country, Spain.
² Biobizkaia Health Research Institute. Basque Country, Spain.
³ Academy of Nursing Sciences of Bizkaia. Basque Country, Spain.
⁴ Deputy Directorate of Nursing, Osakidetza. Basque Country, Spain.

Nursing research within healthcare organizations constitutes a fundamental pillar of the advancement and optimization of patient care. Its impact is reflected in the improvement of care quality, innovation in procedures and treatments, as well as in the efficiency and sustainability of the healthcare system. It also plays a key role in the development and strengthening of the nursing profession, thus promoting continuous updating of knowledge, evidence-based decision-making, and recognition of the role of nursing as an essential scientific discipline in comprehensive patient care (1, 2).

For all these reasons, the Nursing Research Challenge® (NRC®) project (3, 4) was created to foster nursing research and promote a research-oriented culture among nursing professionals. Through this initiative, the goal is to strengthen the generation of scientific knowledge in the field of patient care by facilitating access to resources, specialized training, and collaborative networks. At the same time, it aims to raise awareness among the management and administration of healthcare institutions about the strategic importance of nursing research, promoting its integration into organizational policies and ensuring the necessary support for its development and sustainability.

Since its creation at the end of 2021, NRC® has become an institutional project within the Basque Public Health System, currently involving 12 of the 17 healthcare organizations that comprise it. In addition, through a license agreement signed with the National Association of Nursing Directors (ANDE) in 2022, it has successfully expanded across Spain, establishing itself as a leader in promoting nursing research within healthcare organizations. Thanks to this collaboration and the implementation of two nationwide open calls, a total of 30 healthcare organizations have now adopted the project, promoting the integration of research into clinical practice and strengthening nursing leadership in knowledge generation.

This growth demonstrates the interest and need to continue developing strategies that promote evidence-based research, contributing to the improvement of healthcare quality and the advancement of the nursing profession within the healthcare sector. NRC® provides a strategic plan and a highly valuable roadmap for healthcare organizations and their managers, guiding the integration of nursing research into institutional structure and decision-making. This initiative facilitates the design of strategies that promote the generation and application of evidence-based knowledge, optimizing care processes and promoting higher-quality, safer, and more efficient patient care. In addition, it strengthens nursing leadership in the scientific field, ensuring active participation in the transformation and improvement of the healthcare system (5).

On the other hand, NRC® promotes the integration of nursing into multidisciplinary research teams, contributing the discipline's scientific knowledge and value to the development of studies and innovations in healthcare. The active participation of nursing professionals in these teams enables a holistic view of patient care, enriching the approach to health problems from a humanistic and person-centered perspective. This strengthens collaboration between different specialties, promoting the production of rigorous knowledge that applies to clinical practice, with a direct impact on improving health outcomes and the efficiency of healthcare systems.

Currently, through the Academy of Nursing Sciences of Bizkaia (ACEB), an agreement has been formalized by signing a license agreement with the Association of Peruvian Nurse Researchers and Inventors (ACIPEIN) to expand NRC® in Peru. This collaboration represents a strategic opportunity, as the implementation of the project in this country will strengthen the research capacity of its nursing professionals, contributing to the advancement of care science and the visibility and empowerment of research in this field. Finally, this expansion reinforces the commitment of both organizations to excellence in research and the improvement of care quality. The future of nursing research is built on cooperation, innovation, and a commitment to excellence, ensuring a positive and lasting impact on the quality of care and people's health.

REFERENCES

Tíscar-González V, Blanco-Blanco J, Orruño-Aguado E, Moreno-Casbas T. Debilidades, amenazas, fortalezas y oportunidades de la investigación enfermera en el País Vasco. Enferm Clín [Internet]. 2023; 33(2): 167-171. Disponible en: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enfcli.2022.10.001
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Tíscar-González V, Larrañaga-Garitano J. OSI Bilbao Basurto (Osakidetza). Nursing Research Challenge. Marca registrada por BIOEF, ante la Oficina Española de Patentes y marcas (OEPM) con fecha 7/10/2021 y con número M4141045, y el registro de Evidencia de Archivo digital en la plataforma de Blockchain del documento que describe la metodología desarrollada en la iniciativa.
Tíscar-González V, Larrañaga-Garitano J, Cidoncha-Moreno MÁ, Garate-Echenique L, Moro-Casuso I. Nursing Research Challenge: proyecto de innovación en gestión. País Vasco: Osakidetza; 2021. Disponible en: https://www.dropbox.com/s/oibaxiexvf1u9ty/Documento%20NRC%20-%20Digital.pdf?dl=0
Tíscar-González V, Larrañaga-Garitano J, Cidoncha-Moreno MÁ. Fomento de la investigación en cuidados en las organizaciones sanitarias: Proyecto Nursing Research Challenge. Enferm Clín [Internet]. 2023; 33(3): 173-174. Disponible en: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enfcli.2023.04.001