Four Tips to Improve Your Research Program

Karen Gabel Speroni

PhD, MHSA, BSN, RN

Magnet^®, Pathway to Excellence^®

Dr. Karen Gabel Speroni helps hospitals and hospital systems through all phases of their Magnet^® journey. She is also an acknowledged research process expert who facilitates research and evidence based practice infrastructures for Magnet designation and redesignation.

Dr. Karen Gabel Speroni helps hospitals and hospital systems through all phases of their Magnet^® journey. She is also an acknowledged research process expert who facilitates research and evidence-based practice infrastructures for Magnet designation and redesignation.

Dr. Speroni has nearly 30 years' experience in biomedical and evidence-based practice research, including consulting work with academic medical centers, Institutional Review Boards, and community hospitals. She currently chairs the University of Maryland Shore Regional Health Nursing Research Council, serves as a clinical scientist on two Institutional Review Boards, and provides research consultation for other hospitals.

She is a prolific author and presents her research findings and processes nationally and internationally. An active mentor, she guides nurses in research and evidence-based practice.

Her childhood obesity research project, Kids Living Fit™, and her Nurses Living Fit™ project were profiled as innovations of excellence by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). In 2012, she received the Virginia Magnet Consortium Nursing Excellence Award for leadership.

Summary of Services

Conducts organizational assessments.
Reviews application documents for Magnet.
Reviews ANCC requests for supplemental information and assists with responses.
Prepares organizations for successful ANCC site visits working with hospital groups, shared governance councils, and clinical nurses.
Assists with strategic planning for nursing excellence.
Mentors and works with teams to successfully achieve strategic outcomes.
Helps organizations develop effective shared leadership and decision-making structures, processes and outcomes, shared governance models and professional practice models.
Research process expert.
QuERY (Quality improvement, Evidence-based practice, Research, and You) process expert: facilitates incorporation of quality improvement, evidence-based practice, and research at the unit level.

Education

PhD, Business Administration-Health Care Management, Eastern University
MHSA, Policy, Planning and Marketing, The George Washington University
BSN, Research College of Nursing-Rockhurst University

Certifications

American Nurses Credentialing Center–Certificate Holder in Fundamentals of Magnet^®

Professional Memberships

American Nurses Association
Sigma Theta Tau International
Virginia Nurses Association

Selected Publications

Groton, M., Fisher, M., Stranahan, K., Higley, M., Speroni, K.G., & Daniel, M. (2015). A prospective, randomized, single-blind study evaluating the effectiveness, tolerability and cost of colonoscopy bowel preparations. Gastroenterology Nursing. 38(1):31-41. doi: 10.1097/SGA.0000000000000087

Van Dyke, D., Singley, B., Speroni, K.G., & Daniel, M. (2014). Comparative study evaluation of fall risk assessment tools for psychiatric patient fall prevention: A comparative study. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 52(12):30-5. doi: 10.3928/02793695-20141022-01. Epub 2014 Oct 28.

Speroni, K.G. (2014). Designing exercise and nutrition programs to promote normal weight maintenance for nurses. Online Journal of Issues in Nursing. 19(3). doi:10.1177/1942602X14527322. http://nas.sagepub.com/content/29/3/140.full [Podcast: http://nas.sagepub.com/site//misc/Podcasts.xhtml]

Wilson, J., Speroni, KG, Jones, RA & Daniel, M.G. (2014). Exploring how nurses and managers perceive shared governance. Nursing 2014, 22: 19-22. www.Nursing2014.com DOI-10.1097/01.NURSE.0000450791.18473.52

Duffy, M.T., Friesen, M.A., Speroni, K.G., Swengros, D.A., Shanks, L., Waiter, P. & Sheridan, M.J. (2014). Bachelor of science in nursing degree completion barriers, challenges, incentives and strategies. Journal of Nursing Administration. 44(4), 232-236.

Speroni K.G., Fitch T., Dawson E., Dugan L., & Atherton M. (2013). Incidence and cost of workplace violence perpetrated by hospital patients or hospital visitors. J Emerg Nurs. 1-11. doi:10.1016/j.jen.2013.05.014.

Friesen, M.A., Herbst, A., Turner, J.W., Speroni, K.G. & Robinson, J. (2013). Developing a patient-centered ISHAPED handoff With patient/family and parent advisory councils. Journal of Nursing Care Quality, (28)3, 208-216.

Speroni, K.G., Fisher, J., Dennis, M., & Daniel, M. (2013). What causes near-misses and how are they mitigated? Nursing 2013, 43(4), 19-24.

McLaughlin, M., Speroni, K.G., Kelly, K.P, Guzzetta, C., & Desale, S. (2013). National Survey of Hospital Nursing Research, Part 1. Research requirements and outcomes. Journal of Nursing Administration, 43(1), 10-17. Reprinted 2013, 43(10), S28-S35.

Kelly, K.P., Turner, A., Speroni, K. G., McLaughlin, M., and Guzzetta, G. (2013). National Survey of Hospital Nursing Research, Part 2. Facilitators and hindrances. Journal of Nursing Administration, 43(1), 18-23. Reprinted 2013, 43(10), S36-S41.

Speroni, K.G., Earley, C., Seibert, D., Kassem, M., Shorter, G., Ware, C., Kosak, E. & Atherton, M. (2012). Effect of Nurses Living Fit™ exercise and nutrition intervention on body mass index in nurses. Journal of Nursing Administration, 42(4), 231-238.

Westerfield, H.V., Stafford A.B., Speroni, K.G., & Daniel, M.G. (2012) Survey research of patients' perceptions of patient care providers with tattoos and/or body piercings. Journal of Nursing Administration, 42(3), 160-164.

Stagg, S., Sheridan, D., Jones, R. A., & Speroni, K. G. (2011). Evaluation of a workplace bullying cognitive rehearsal program in a hospital setting. The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 42(9), 395-403.

Speroni, K.G., Lucas, J., Dugan, L., O'Meara-Lett, M., Putman, M., Daniel, M. & Atherton, M. (2011). Comparative effectiveness of standard endotracheal tubes versus endotracheal tubes with continuous subglottic suctioning on ventilator-associated pneumonia rates. Journal of Nursing Economics, 29(1), 15-21.

Speroni K.G., Earley, C., & Atherton, M. (2007). Evaluating the effectiveness of the Kids Living Fit™ program: A comparative study. Journal of School Nursing, 23(6), 329-336.

For a listing of publications, click here

Tip 1: Standardize research terminology

Whether your research program is well established or brand new, consistent terminology puts everyone on the same page.

Tip 2: Identify an experienced mentor

Research mentors guide the nursing research process and support and advise nurses as they conduct studies. Mentors are a proven factor in hospital nursing research success.

Tip 3: Inspire nurse involvement

QuERY can help:

Qu = Quality Improvement
E = Evidence-Based Practice
R = Research
Y = You

Hold a QuERY best idea contest. Here’s how it works:

Ask clinical nurses for ideas to improve standards of care, community outreach, or the work environment.
Form teams on each unit to identify the unit’s best QI activity, EBP project, or research study. If there aren’t any, select one from the literature.
Enlist a panel of nurses to judge the improvement ideas and unit-based projects. To facilitate understanding, be sure to share research terminology definitions.
Select winners from each category, and reward and recognize the nurses involved. Prizes could include journal subscriptions, conference attendance, preferred parking, spa gift cards, etc. Please check your organization’s rules.

Tip 4: Recognize research achievements

Share your success! Disseminate findings through poster presentations, podium presentations, or published manuscripts.

References

McLaughlin, M., Speroni, K.G., Kelly, K.P., Guzzetta, C., and Desale, S. (2013). National survey of hospital nursing research, Part 1. Research Requirements and Outcomes. Journal of Nursing Administration, 43(1), 10-17. Reprinted 2013, 43(10), S28-S35.

Kelly, K.P., Turner, A., Speroni, K.G., McLaughlin, M., and Guzzetta, G. (2013). National survey of hospital nursing research, Part 2. Facilitators and Hindrances. Journal of Nursing Administration, 43(1), 18-23. Reprinted 2013, 43(10), S36-S41.

This article was originally published in December 2014.

*Use of ANA Consultation Services does not guarantee you will achieve an ANCC credential. ANA consultants and staff cannot influence the actions of ANCC program staff nor decisions of the Commission on Magnet® Recognition, Commission on Pathway to Excellence®, or Commission on Accreditation in Practice Transition Programs and the Commission for Nursing Continuing Professional Development..