Background Identifying the importance of research in end of life care and fostering a culture of enquiry is a key step for healthcare providers if they are to move forward in addressing some of the challenges highlighted by the End of Life Care Strategy (DH, 2008). The ENTER project recognises the need to enhance the ability and confidence of nurses to engage in research activity and view it as an integral part of clinical practice to ensure high quality care at life’s end.

Aims

• Empowerment of senior nurses to guide their teams on research processes

• Establish a network of support across the region

• Develop a web-based resource

• Encourage clinical teams to embed a research culture in their working environments

Approach used Seven senior nurses (band 6 and above) attended a three day workshop which comprised of a mixture of taught sessions on the research process, sharing examples of research practices, introducing the ‘human face’ of teams such as Research and Development and Ethics Committees and reveiwing currently available resources.

Outcomes The group of nurses quickly established themselves as a support network for each other and although the project was originally time limited, a Community of Practice is being explored with support from Macmillan. Quarterly meetings have been planned for the next year with the aim of keeping the momentum going in each of the nurses clinical environments. A web based resource is being developed that will support nurses to foster a culture of enquiry, develop their own research practices and enable others to engage in research activity.

Application to hospice practice Two nurses work specifically in hospices and are currently developing ward based projects to enhance the frontline staffs ability to participate in research. Others work in CNS roles and on wards in the acute sector and are looking at how they can further develop and encourage colleagues to become involved in the research process in some way.