Research Priorities in Gerontologic Nursing for Long-Term Care

For which topic were research priorities identified?

long-term care

In which location was the research priority setting conducted?

North America - USA

Why was it conducted at all?

As gerontologic nursing vies for recognition as a distinct specialty within the broader discipline of nursing, there is an urgent need to define the theoretic underpinnings of this new specialty.

What was the objective?

to identify the impressions of practitioners as to research priorities in long-term care

What was the outcome?

a ranking list of 23 research topics

How long did the research prioritization take?

Spring 1982 - summer 1982

Which methods were used to identify research priorities?

Delphi

How were the priorities for research identified exactly?

Step 1: Delphi round 1: participants were asked to identify five current nursing issues, 175 suggestions. Step 2: data processing: suggestions redrafted to 41 items. Step 3: Delphi round 2: participants were asked to rate each statement along 5 questions. Step 4: Delphi round 3: participants were asked to re-rate based on own rating and group mean ratings. Step 5: Delphi round 4: participants were provided with priority list of research items and asked to identify organizational factors that would facilitate or inhibit implementation of the identified research items

Which stakeholders took part?

Nursing homes and home health agencies. Delphi round 1: 31 nursing homes and 15 home health agencies participated. 24 participants completed all 3 rounds.

How were stakeholders recruited?

The subjects were drawn from all of the nursing homes and home health agencies in Dade and Broward counties of Southeast Florida. There were 37 nursing homes in Dade County and 22 in Broward County. Home health agencies were evenly distributed for a total of 40 agencies in the two counties.

Were stakeholders actively involved or did they just participate?

Stakeholders were mere participants of the research prioritization process; they were not actively involved in the process.