Developing research potential in the primary and community nursing workforce: the impact of a community of practice

Abstract

Nurses are an under-represented discipline in health and care research career pathways, even more-so in primary and community settings (Avery et al., 2022). Primary care and community nurses are an extremely diverse workforce, working in distinct specialities supporting patients and their families across the lifespan (NHS, 2023). They have the experiential knowledge required to understand the needs of patients, families and communities, working in partnership with them, to recognise what works and what does not. This unique nature of their roles requires them to build long-term relationships with their patients, liaising across services; they are in an ideal position to develop, support and conduct research, informed by their insights and clinical expertise (DHSC, 2013). However, there are few nurses within these settings that are actively involved in health and care research and even fewer embarking on their own clinical academic careers (Bradbury et al, 2021).