Understanding barriers to basing nursing practice upon research: a communication model approach

It is suggested in this paper that the potential barriers to facilitating research-based practice can be comprehensively understood using a communication model approach. Barriers can thus be explored related to the research findings' message, to the ways in which this message is encoded and transmitted by nurse researchers and to the ways in which the message is received, interpreted and accepted by nurse practitioners. The role of research-based practice as a communication feedback mechanism is also described. The paper concludes by proposing that strategies for increasing the research base of our profession are more likely to be successful if all of these potential barriers are taken into account.