Nurses are the well-known backbone of healthcare, yet, as noted by Rocel and Williams, clinical nurses have limited opportunities to expand their skillset into research within the healthcare setting. This is a missed opportunity to advance nursing science at the point of care because clinical nurses are ideal research partners to explore clinical phenomena with doctorally prepared nurse scientists.
When nurse scientists are employed by the healthcare system, they can collaborate with clinical nurses to contribute to the scientific evidence that underpins evidence-based practices within their work environments and to reduce the well-known 17-year research-to-practice gap described by Rubin. These partnerships are not common practice, though, as most PhD-prepared nurses occupy roles in academia.
This is an urgent call to action to explore and invest in different collaborative research models in which clinical nurses’ expertise and experiences are required to conduct meaningful research initiatives.
Involving clinical nurses in robotics research
Clinical nurses collaborating with nurse scientists studying the implementation of cutting-edge technology in the healthcare setting is an underexplored partnership. At one healthcare system in Delaware, nurses at different levels had the unique opportunity to study delivery robots deployed to support workflows in a variety of practice environments throughout an acute care hospital setting.
According to Baltrusch and colleagues, integrating robotics into nursing workflows represents an emerging and underexplored area of clinical innovation. Led by a nurse scientist and initially funded through an external grant, clinical nurses meaningfully contributed to this cutting-edge work, which has led to the successful growth of a robotics nursing research program and fellowship.
In the beginning, the robotics research team was composed of five members, including a nurse scientist, nursing excellence leader, clinical nurses, and a research coordinator. Within a year, the team expanded to 12 members, including more clinical nurses, doctoral nursing students, research nurse coordinators, and a medical librarian, reflecting growing leadership and organizational investment in nurse-led innovation. As clinical experts and co-investigators, the diverse team met weekly to contribute their knowledge to successfully build study protocols that received Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval.
Table 1: How do clinical nurses get started in research?
Impact of participation in research on clinical nurses
With a nurse scientist’s guidance, clinical nurses with no prior research experience participated in the entire research process as co-investigators from exploration of research questions, protocol development, data collection, and analysis to dissemination. Since the deploying the robots in spring 2022, this partnership has led to tremendous scholarly activities: three IRB-approved study protocols; 20 podium and poster presentations at local, regional, national, and international conferences; nine publications; 30 invited external guest presentations; one robotics blueprint; two podcast interviews; and extensive media coverage.
This collaboration had a significant impact on nurses’ professional development such as building new knowledge together, enhancing scholarship, nurturing curiosity, and creating innovative outlets for nurses to explore outside of delivering routine patient care. In addition, the culmination of these investments advances the profession and the future of nursing in profound ways and boosts research capacity in healthcare systems.
Table 2: Clinical nurse narrative and experience
Amanda Spence, a clinical nurse shared her story of participation on the robotics research team.
How do clinical nurses get started in research?
Amanda initially joined with the aspiration of professional advancement on the organization’s clinical ladder. Her leader encouraged her to participate in this opportunity. With no formal research experience, Amanda joined the research team. As the study began, Amanda was intrigued, learning quickly with the guidance of the nurse scientist.
How can nurses be empowered to grow and learn new skillsets?
Amanda recalls taking a research class during her BSN program and struggling with the concepts, which left her hesitant when joining the research team. However, the mentorship she received made all the difference. She quickly became engaged in every step of the research process, contributing to the development of protocols, data collection, analysis, and eventually dissemination of their findings. This journey made her realize how vital mentorship is in empowering nurses without prior research experience to become active contributors to the scientific process.
What are the benefits of nurses participating in research?
Working at the bedside demands resilience and strength, both physically and emotionally. In addition to being a deeply meaningful role, participating in projects like this has enhanced Amanda’s skills and given her a new perspective on her career. She’s excited about the future of the research team and their upcoming study, knowing that the skills and knowledge she has gained will serve her in her current and future career opportunities. Recognizing the diverse opportunities beyond bedside nursing has inspired Amanda to pursue a master’s degree in nursing and she became chair of the systemwide Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice professional governance council.
Benefits of clinical nurses participating in research
Participation in research is deeply beneficial for nurses, their professional development, and their career trajectory. By developing skills in research, writing, and presenting, nurses are better prepared to seek out additional opportunities and involvement in projects within their practice areas and organizations. For example, after participating in research, one clinical nurse used her new skills to become the chair of the systemwide nursing research and evidence-based practice council. Structured research participation nurtures nurses’ curiosity and builds confidence that they can apply to their practice areas. Seeing ideas come to fruition and having pride in research provides a sense of purpose outside of patient care, allowing nurses to be more invested in both their organization and the profession. Doucette describes this pride as a key indicator of nurse retention and engagement.
According to Allen and colleagues, healthcare systems and organizations also benefit from nurse participation in research through improved patient outcomes, increased nurse engagement, and data-driven decisions. Research-active nurses serve as the critical link between inquiry and practice, ensuring that evidence is grounded in the reality of patient care and that practice is relevant.
Allen and colleagues also note that in addition to the benefits to nurses and healthcare systems, nursing research contributes to the profession by enhancing the body of knowledge and impacting standards of care or best practice. Frontline insight from clinical nurses strengthens the relevance and feasibility of research, ensuring that research addresses real clinical problems.
Building a successful robotics nursing research program in a large healthcare system requires leadership support and clinical nurse collaboration with nurse scientist expertise. Sustained success was achievable because of the established clinical nurse and nurse scientist partnerships, clinical nurses willing to expand their skillsets, and leadership support for innovative professional development opportunities. Embedding robotics into clinical practice not only advances innovation it also creates new pathways for clinical nurses to grow as researchers, leaders, and change agents within healthcare systems. Acknowledgements: The authors would like to thank the American Nurses Foundation, ChristianaCare leadership, and clinical nurses pursuing continued development through research. Paige Merring, DNP, RN, CCRN, NEA-BC, is Magnet Program Director/Nursing Excellence Program Manager and Susan Smith, PhD, RN is Director of Technology Research & Education at ChristianaCare in Wilmington, DE; ; Amanda Spence, BSN, RN-BC, is an RN at ChristianaCare in Newark, DE. Allen DH, Arthur EK, Blazey M, et al. A scoping review on the nurse scientist role within healthcare systems. Worldviews Evid Based Nurs. 2023;20(1):47-55. https://doi.org/10.1111/wvn.12624 Baltrusch SJ, Krause F, de Vries AW, van Dijk W, de Looze MP. What about the human in human robot collaboration? Ergonomics. 2022;65(5):719-40. doi:10.1080/00140139.2021.1984585 Doucette J. Nurse experience 2025. Press Ganey. January 26, 2026. info.pressganey.com/e-books-research/nurse-experience-2025 Rocel B, Williams D. Engaging nurses in scholarly work. Am Nurse J. 2024;19(1):50-6. doi:10.51256/anj012450 Rubin R. It takes an average of 17 years for evidence to change practice—The burgeoning field of implementation science seeks to speed things up. JAMA. 2023;329(16):1333-6. doi:10.1001/jama.2023.4387Table 3: How can organizations support clinical nurse participation in research?
Conclusion
References
