The Article: Fostering implementation of health services research findings into practice: a consolidated framework for advancing implementation science

Big Idea:

Increased interest in implementation science has lead to a number of different theories about how to turn research into practice behaviours. However, each one is a bit different and leaves out key elements. This study was done to compare the different theories, identify overlap between the theories and merge them to close the gaps caused by using only one theory for implementation.

Evidence:

They used a snowball sampling approach to find published theories that have been tested to identify their strengths and what parts of the theory supports implementation. Then they try to link the different theories together by grouping and relabeling things that were redundant or overlapping and pulling appart ideas that were trying to cover unique underlying concepts.

Quotable:

"some estimates indicate that 2/3rds of organizations' efforts to implement change fail." p. 2

The 5 constructs:

- Intervention

- Outer Setting

- Inner Setting

- Individual Characteristics

- Process

So What?

This paper is extremely useful when planning to implement new research and engaging health systems in change behaviours. The constructs presented in the paper help provide useful perspectice and strategies for enabling better implementation and sustained changes.

I would highly recommend this to educators, managers and directors looking to implement change. Students may also find this paper useful for nursing leadership and organizational classes. Nursing leaders and researchers may also benefit from reading this paper for talks on change and ensuring their messaging and research include these valuable perspectices.

Reference:

Damschroder, L. J., Aron, D. C., Keith, R. E., Kirsh, S. R., Alexander, J. a, & Lowery, J. C. (2009). Fostering implementation of health services research findings into practice: a consolidated framework for advancing implementation science. Implementation science, 4, 50. doi:10.1186/1748-5908-4-50 -