An exploration of the influence of managerial factors on research utilization in district nursing practice

This paper reports a small study which explored the management arrangements of the providers of community services in five health districts and the influence these had on the way research findings were utilized by nurses in their clinical practice. Insights were sought into the nature of the organizations in which district nurses worked. With the co-operation of the service managers, all the nurses had previously been involved in testing a model of dissemination of research information. The study reported here arose from that original research and explored the links between management arrangements and research utilization in clinical practice. Interviews using a semi-structured schedule are reported from 22 service managers in the five health districts. Data on managers' professional roles and backgrounds, the organizational structures and processes and external social and political factors were collected and analysed. A selection of findings is discussed in relation to influence on research utilization in clinical practice.