JCPSLP
Volume 16, Number 1 2014
17
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
their clinical practice.
Conclusion
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
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
