Abstract
Our colleagues have presented a valuable assessment of nursing contributions to the Research Excellence Framework (REF) in the United Kingdom. The visibility of nurses in national-level health research is important for several reasons. Occasionally, an ill-informed political figure is wont to say that nurses do not need university, or certainly not too much education, which is as harmful as it sounds (Gillett, 2012). My work added to many voices that highlight the invisible work that nurses do at the bedside (Jackson et al., 2021, 2022). However, these authors ask an important question: What is the invisible work of nurses in research? And at a national level?
Although the REF is open to its own neo-liberal critiques, it is nevertheless the current benchmark for research in the United Kingdom. It is encouraging to see that nurses’ research is increasing in the REF. These authors highlight how much of the work is funded at the Trust level, for relatively smaller amounts of money. With nursing as a practice discipline, this does make sense. We tend to have smaller budgets and nurses are not usually conducting research requiring multi-millions for equipment costs. It also makes sense that our work is often connected to other disciplines, as we work collaboratively throughout our roles. However, the context of nurses as contributors in their own right remains a challenge. I have encountered physicians who diminish nursing research because healthcare is interprofessional, so why bother? (Jackson, 2021). These frustrating attitudes persist, despite incredible work coming from nurse researchers, as both primary investigators and team members.
It is especially concerning that many studies relevant to nursing do not include nurse researchers as part of their team. I had hoped that we had reached a point where the ‘nothing about us without us’ mentality had thoroughly permeated health research. It seems that when it comes to professional issues, this is not the case.
This paper presents several tensions for us to consider. I am cautious to encourage nurses to conduct high-quality research to be included in the REF, because this is already happening. It can also be challenging for nurses to join interprofessional research teams if their work will not be respected as an equal contribution. A lack of recognition for our work does not diminish its quality or value. Alas, this is also the climate where we find ourselves needing to achieve in metrics like REF to be taken seriously.
I am also wary of research that continues to problematise nursing, looking at workforce problems and patient safety risks. These are important areas of study, and we can also examine how nurses are adding value, creating benefit and enhancing care in our healthcare systems. Burnout and short staffing are not the only nursing issues that merit study, especially when the root of these problems is a chronic lack of support for nurses, not the nurses’ lack of coping skills. We have seen nurses finding their voices in new ways in the recent job action in the United Kingdom. I am hopeful that the momentum around knowing our value will continue in all settings. The Academy is a place for nurses, just as much as the bedside.