Our Programs
Baptist Health consistently strives to provide the best care to our patients and families. Nursing and Allied Health research is one way in which we can continually improve that bedside care. The goal of our Nursing and Allied Health Research program is to develop a culture of inquiry resulting in improved nursing practice, thereby increasing satisfaction with and quality of patient care in our hospital.
Baptist Health Lexington's Creation of an Evidence-based Practice Model
The Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) model used by Baptist Health Lexington is unique in that our achievements have been nationally recognized as operational in a community hospital, model implementation requires minimal to moderate resources and the model has been implemented over time. Baptist Health Lexington has experienced a successful 5-year journey integrating the EBP model! Keep reading for details about program implementation and outcomes:
Nursing and Allied Health Research at Baptist Health
Baptist Health Lexington recognized the need for a different approach to research projects for nursing due to the "perception" of research as an activity restricted to doctorally prepared professionals. Many nurses may not feel prepared to engage in research, and we set out to change that narrative. One additional benefit to come from the program is that seeing nurses succeed in research and publication, encourages others nurses to engage in research and return to school, thus creating a ripple effect of sorts.
For this reason, and many others, our program stands out. The goal of this program is to develop a culture of inquiry resulting in improved nursing practice, thereby increasing satisfaction with and quality of patient care in our hospital. We consistently strive to provide the best care to our patients and families. Nursing and Allied Health research is one way in which we can continually improve that bedside care.
The three pillars of this model are:
- An emphasis on one-on-one mentorship.
- Active involvement in defining and resolving clinical problems.
- An expectation of continuous learning regarding the research process.
In addition, nurses lead and participate in the research process by:
- Identifying clinical problems
- Reviewing literature
- Reviewing evidence
- Designing projects
- Collecting data.
- Analyzing and interpreting data
- Disseminating outcomes through presentation or publication
Clinical nurses have initiated more than half of the research studies conducted at Baptist Health Lexington in the first five years of the program, which is exceptional. At Baptist Health Lexington, we believe our clinical nurses ask the right questions and have the right ideas about solutions; we provide the right resources to enable inquiry.
Become a nurse at Baptist Health Lexington! See a list of current job openings and apply today!
The Importance of Publications – An Accomplishment You Can Be Proud Of
Baptist Health Lexington has refined a process to assist nurses and allied health professionals in manuscript development and submission.
The Baptist Health Lexington EBP model has resulted in an impressive amount of publications in peer reviewed journals. Research Consultants and Medical Librarians offer guidance throughout the research, manuscript development and publication process.
Nurses and allied health professionals are invited to lead projects and write for publication at Baptist Health Lexington. Nurses who are involved in research often choose to continue their education and earn a baccalaureate, graduate or doctoral degrees in nursing. The confidence and skills gained throughout the research process encourage nurses who wish to pursue higher education to take that next step.
To increase the number of nurses who participate in our research projects and publications, we build research requirements into our clinical ladder program. In order to proceed on the clinical ladder, clinical nurses (CN’s) must attend a research-focused 1-hour session led by an RC. We also offer creative writing series, personalized database training with a librarian, and sessions with publication editors or peer reviewers that offer submission tips, thus giving the best chance possible for publication. Our focus on research is a top priority at Baptist Health Lexington.
Our Publication Process – How We Achieved a Publish Rate Nearly 7 Times Higher Than Other Hospitals
Baptist Health Lexington has created a seven-step process to assist nurses and healthcare providers in being published.
- A determination of the likelihood of publication.
- Clarification of the number/names/order of coauthors.
- An updated review of recent literature on the topic, including articles from the targeted journal.
- Selection of an appropriate journal that would be most likely to publish the submission.
- Selection of three articles from the journal intended for submission to be used as models.
- Collaborative writing with an RC.
- Submission to the journal of choice with the assistance of an RC.
With this process, Baptist Health Lexington has had quite a record of published articles from clinical staff as lead or coauthors. More than half of the publications generated are from CN’s. While many hospitals are active in publication to literature sources, Baptist Health Lexington is published roughly seven times more a year than other hospitals.
Each year we offer one or more Research Internships through the University of Kentucky College of Counseling and Psychology. This internship forges from a relationship with the University and upon recommendation from the staff in various research areas. For more information on this internship, please contact Dr. Dorothy Brockopp, Nursing Research Coordinator at 859.260.3343.
The success of the EBP program is due in large part to the support from administration, the resources made available to aid in the research process and the culture of inquiry that has developed at Baptist Health Lexington. If you are interested in joining our staff of nurses, we encourage you to apply! You can find a list of all current open nursing positions in our career section.