Post with a minimum of 250 words, must contain at least (2) professional references, and cited correctly in the current APA format. Ask 2 provocative questions to prompt online discussion with your peers using bold print at the end of your initial discussion.

Discussion Topic

Use “The Relationships Among Theory, Research, and Practice” text and Figure 5-1. Then. refer to the specific text: “…practicing nurses focus on unique individuals, researchers focus on systematically collecting knowledge about samples and populations, and theorists focus on abstract and general concepts and their interrelationships. Understanding the different perspectives of each of these groups in knowledge building shows their activities to be complementary.”

  1. How can nurses better understand these different perspectives?
  2. How can nurses make the different perspectives “complementary”? 
  3. How can nurses use the principles of diffusion of innovations (Chap. 1) to better understand the different perspectives of the activities in knowledge building for themselves?
  4. How can nurses use the principles of diffusion of innovations to help colleagues better understand the different perspectives?

BioMed CentralBMC Health Services Research

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Open AcceDebate
From theory to practice: improving the impact of health services
research
Kevin Brazil*1, Elizabeth Ozer2, Michelle M Cloutier3, Robert Levine4 and
Daniel Stryer5

Address: 1Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University and St. Joseph’s Health System
Research Network, Hamilton, ON, Canada, 2Department of Pediatrics/Adolescent Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA,
3Department of Pediatrics, University of Connecticut Health Center and Connecticut. Children’s Medical Center, Hartford, CT, USA,
4Occupational and Preventive Medicine, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN, USA and 5Center for Outcomes and Effectiveness Research,
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD, USA

Email: Kevin Brazil* – [email protected]; Elizabeth Ozer – [email protected]; Michelle M Cloutier – [email protected];
Robert Levine – [email protected]; Daniel Stryer – [email protected]

* Corresponding author

Abstract
Background: While significant strides have been made in health research, the incorporation of
research evidence into healthcare decision-making has been marginal. The purpose of this paper is
to provide an overview of how the utility of health services research can be improved through the
use of theory. Integrating theory into health services research can improve research methodology
and encourage stronger collaboration with decision-makers.

Discussion: Recognizing the importance of theory calls for new expectations in the practice of
health services research. These include: the formation of interdisciplinary research teams;
broadening the training for those who will practice health services research; and supportive
organizational conditions that promote collaboration between researchers and decision makers.
Further, funding bodies can provide a significant role in guiding and supporting the use of theory in
the practice of health services research.

Summary: Institutions and researchers should incorporate the use of theory if health services
research is to fulfill its potential for improving the delivery of health care.

Background
While significant strides have been made in medical
research over the past several decad