Facilitators and barriers to undertaking research into the practice and delivery of clinical ultrasound: A qualitative investigation

Introduction: Increasing research productivity of clinicians can deliver benefits for healthcare organisations and those who work in them, but a notably larger proportion of ultrasound practitioners are interested in undertaking research than are actively engaged in it. This study aimed to understand this gap by investigating the facilitators and barriers to conducting research in professionals from multiple disciplines whose work is focused on clinical ultrasound. Methods: Current and prospective researchers from any discipline interested in or undertaking research into the practice and delivery of clinical ultrasound were recruited between March and June 2023. Participants completed semi-structured qualitative interviews with a researcher via video platform. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results: Twelve participants (8 women, 4 men) from a range of disciplines participated. Five themes were identified, which were: 1) research is a challenging path, 2) interpersonal networks fuel research, 3) research requires resources, 4) data collection challenges and 5) scientific curiosity. These suggested that 1) participants experienced research as a challenging career path; 2) formal and informal networks provided important knowledge and opportunities; 3) research was a resource–intensive activity, requiring time and funding, and other professional/clinical commitments often took priority; 4) data collection and applying for ethical approval were barriers requiring specialist knowledge to overcome; and 5) personal scientific curiosity and desire for achievement were key drivers motivating participants to continue in research. Conclusions: Motivation for engaging in ultrasound research activity was mainly internal. Additional barriers and facilitators were external, including time, information and interpersonal networks. Implications for practice: Organisations can increase the likelihood of research activity by ultrasound practitioners by providing allocated research time and social support networks. It may be particularly fruitful to focus on helping prospective researchers bridge the gap between ‘novice’ and ‘beginner’ phases.