Companion Document to the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education: Nursing DRAFT

Nurses engage in research, understanding that it is iterative and depends upon asking increasingly complex or new questions, the answers to which in turn develop additional questions or lines of inquiry.

Narrative

Inquiry focuses on open or unresolved questions within, between, or among disciplines, while research is a more formal process with the goal of establishing evidence. Research can be guided by theoretical models, past research or critiques of research, or current practice and may generate new knowledge. Nurses refine research questions, use appropriate research methods, and explore diverse perspectives. They understand that some questions are ambiguous and require further exploration for a satisfactory answer, while others have a currently established uncontested answer. Some questions may not have a definitive answer and can inform what is known on the topic. They also understand that answers may change over time. Nurses at all levels participate or engage in an evidence-based process. The process of inquiry extends beyond the academic and healthcare worlds to the community at large and may focus on personal, patient, clinical, professional, or societal needs.

Entry-level nurses acquire strategic perspectives on inquiry and a greater repertoire of investigative methods. As lifelong learners, they demonstrate a spirit of inquiry and integrate nursing knowledge with knowledge from other disciplines. They generate questions through practice to improve patient care and participate in research as a team member.

Advanced-level nurses recognize collaborative efforts within their discipline to extend nursing knowledge by including knowledge gleaned from related disciplines. They lead teams and participate in interprofessional teams to follow a line of inquiry.  They conduct research with librarians, faculty, researchers, and scholars. They analyze data to identify gaps and inequities in care and monitor trends in outcomes. Advanced-level nurses question established practices using the lens of new research.

Competencies

Nurses developing their IL abilities can:

• Recall that research is an iterative process. [Remembering]
• Organize complex research by breaking complex questions into simple ones. [Understanding]
• Choose an appropriate scope of investigation. [Applying]   
• Develop questions for research based on clinical issues, information gaps, or reexamination of existing possibly conflicting information. [Applying]
• Organize information in meaningful ways. [Applying]         
• Analyze gathered information and assess for gaps or weaknesses. [Analyzing]   
• Synthesize ideas gathered from multiple sources. [Evaluating]
• Formulate reasonable conclusions based on the analysis and interpretation of information. [Creating]

Evidence of the Frame in Action

• An undergraduate nursing student investigates the connection between a mother’s microbiome and her infant’s developmental milestones, demonstrating the evolving nature of research and the importance of generating new questions.
• Public health nurses work with an interprofessional group to design community-engaged research investigating vaccine hesitancy, illustrating how inquiry extends beyond academic settings to address societal needs.
• A nurse identifies the best approach to inform a quality assurance and quality improvement project, showcasing the application of research to improve patient care.
• An undergraduate nurse scholar researches and creates an annotated bibliography and literature review on the stigma and discrimination against unhoused youth, exemplifying the synthesis of ideas from multiple sources.
• A DNP student presents a quality improvement project implementing a mindfulness meditation training program to prevent burnout among psychiatric nurses, highlighting the practical application of research findings.
• A nurse scientist completes and publishes their dissertation on the effect of an educational intervention on nursing students’ knowledge of and attitudes toward caring for transgender and gender nonconforming people, demonstrating the formulation of reasonable conclusions based on analysis.
• A DNP nursing student and a PhD nursing student collaborate on a scoping review to inform their future scholarship in evidence-based practice, illustrating the collaborative nature of inquiry and the synthesis of diverse perspectives.