Insights into the barriers and enablers faced by nurse/midwife clinician researchers in Australia

Background

Clinician researchers are described as health professionals who conduct research and provide clinical care. Whilst this dual expertise is common in medicine and increasingly in allied health disciplines, fewer nurses and midwives are engaged in clinician researcher roles.

Aim

This study aimed to understand the barriers and enablers experienced by clinician researchers in nursing and midwifery in the Australian health systems.

Methods

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with current nurse or midwife clinician researchers in Australia. Participants were classified as clinician researchers if they were registered nurses or midwives currently practising clinically whilst concurrently engaged in research. Interview data were analysed using iterative thematic analysis. In total, 15 interviews were conducted.

Findings

Key themes identified included (i) perceived value; (ii) structural factors; and (iii) personal factors. Nurse and midwife clinician researchers reported feeling challenged by the absence of a clear career trajectory, and the constant undervaluing of nurse and midwife clinician researchers by health service leaders and peers.

Discussion

Barriers included insufficient funding, motivation, mentorship, and leadership support. Enablers included protected research time, leadership support, and capacity-building. Participants also proposed changes to support clinician researcher career progression. These suggestions were used to put forward evidence-based recommendations for such a pathway.

Conclusion

This study highlighted the need for a clearly articulated workforce model to support sustainable clinician researcher careers for nurses and midwives to overcome these barriers.