Cultivating a culture of research in nursing through a journal club for leaders: A pilot study

Aim: To describe whether an action learning-inspired journal club for nurse leaders can develop the leaders' self-perceived competences to support a research culture in clinical nursing practice. Background: Development of clinical research capacity and nurse leaders with the requisite competences are key factors in evidence-based health care practice. This study describes how nurse leaders at a large regional hospital took part in a journal club for nurse leaders, with a view to developing their competences to support a nursing research culture in their departments. Methods: A pilot study using a multimethod approach to evaluate the journal club for nurse leaders. Four nurse leaders participated in the journal club for nurse leaders. Content analysis on the data was performed. Results: Data revealed that participation in journal club for nurse leaders gave the leaders a feeling of increased competences to support nursing research culture in their departments. They stated that the action learning approach and the competences of the facilitator were key factors in this outcome. Conclusions: An action learning-inspired journal club for nurse leaders can be useful and meaningful to nurse leaders in developing leadership competences. Implications for nursing management: As an approach in journal club for nurse leaders, action learning can develop nurse leaders' competence to support a research culture, and thus ensure evidence-based nursing is practised.