JCPSLP Vol 16 Issue 1 2014

research-related skills. Our students are taught research skills and the knowledge required to become critical thinkers, and are well versed in the ability to appraise and engage in research. Unit 3 of the Competency Based Occupational Standards (CBOS) “Planning evidence-based speech pathology practices” describes the use of evidence- based practices as critical to competence (Speech Pathology Association of Australia, 2011). Unit 5, “Planning, providing and managing speech pathology services”, outlines the requirement for SLPs to collaborate in research (Element 5.7) and adhere to scientific principles in their practice (Element 5.6; Speech Pathology Association of Australia, 2011). This is designed to ensure that we have a strong potential for building research capacity within services. A study by Finch et al. (2013) found an inverse relationship between years of experience and use of evidence-based practice, providing some evidence to suggest that more recent graduates have strong foundation skills for research that should continue to be nurtured. Involvement in research has a direct link to increases in use of evidence-based principles in everyday practice, assisting clinicians to be more effective practitioners (Hubbard et al., 2009). Another factor encouraging improved engagement in clinical research is greater recognition at the policy or management levels within health care settings of the importance of research capacity building. Research centres based onsite within health care settings are increasing in number; for example the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, or the Centre for Functioning and Health at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane. Involvement in research is increasingly being included as a job expectation, written into position descriptions, for example, within the Queensland Health, Health Practitioner (HP) levels of employment. Funding opportunities for employees within health settings to undertake research at their place of employment are also encouraging research capacity building. Partnerships between universities and health care facilities are increasing and a greater number of conjoint academic-clinical positions are being created, with the aim of rapidly developing research culture and expertise and providing research mentoring within hospital networks. These partnerships are also helping to reduce the barriers faced by individual academics in seeking research collaborations with clinicians in health care settings. There is growing recognition within academic settings of the value of recruiting clinicians interested in undertaking higher research degrees to answer clinical questions relevant to their practice. These clinicians often have clinically driven research questions, a readily available participant base and the ability to translate their research findings directly into Moving forward, one way that we might find common ground is by reconceptualising clinical research or translational research as “practice driven research”. Practice driven research is defined as “research that is initiated from and embedded within the practice community” (Hubbard et al., 2009, p. 70). Research that is practice driven is based on the assumption that research initiatives originate from within the clinical setting, providing the opportunity for health professionals to identify and their clinical practice. Conclusion

The marriage of clinical work and research provides the best outcomes for my patients, and results in directly transferrable and seamless integration of research outcomes into clinical practice. Research and clinical work cannot exist without the other. Since completing my PhD and commencing a 5-year health research fellowship, I have capacity, support and time to allow me to ask and answer more of my clinical questions through formal research projects. Future projects will explore the impact of dysphagia on patients and their carers, how to best treat dysphagia using novel service delivery, screening for dysphagia and nutrition to optimise speech pathology and dietetic services, and optimising radiotherapy techniques to reduce long-term swallowing morbidity. The questions I (and my colleagues) generate through regular contact with patients feed my research plan. The results from my research are rapidly translatable into clinical practice. My fears of losing touch with my patients’ needs and losing my clinical skills did not come to pass. In fact my insight into patients and my clinical skills have only been enhanced through integrating research into my clinical work. Finding common ground Despite the differing factors influencing clinical research, academics and clinicians share the goal of trying to improve the quality of life of those affected by communication and swallowing impairments. Clearly clinical research is the common ground, but how do we support each other in our attempts to implement and complete successful clinical research projects? Why is it that research and client management are considered separate, and not both embedded within our core practice? How can we find a common ground where we as SLPs can engage more readily in clinical research together? Current influences on the changing face of clinical research and directions for the future There are some promising changes in both academic and clinical spheres that will influence engagement from both sides in clinical research as we move into the future. One of the exciting aspects of a profession in the health sciences is the necessity of being a life-long learner, and engaging in improving our knowledge and services in order to meet our common goal of trying to improve the quality of life of those affected by communication and swallowing disorders. As our profession continues to evolve both sides must embrace clinical research opportunities and strive to find common ground. Although not a recent phenomenon, the increasing emphasis on evidence-based practice is one factor that is and will continue to encourage engagement in clinical research. There is an impetus for researchers and clinicians to work together to ensure that: • clinical research being conducted is relevant, addresses clinical priorities, and builds the evidence base in areas where research is most needed, and that • barriers to translation of clinical research are addressed so changes to practice can be implemented (e.g., to ensure interventions can be realistically conducted in health care settings, and not only under controlled research conditions). Embedded within our undergraduate and graduate- entry masters programs is a strong foundation for building

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JCPSLP Volume 16, Number 1 2014

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