Getting policy into practice requires much effort. Transformation does not happen overnight. Once research is gathered, policies and practices must be changed to reflect the best current practices. To do so, policy makers must be cognizant of the need for change. The researcher must demonstrate the importance and necessity of the recommended changes. The article, “The Challenge of Bridging the Gap between Researchers and Policy Makers: Experiences of a Health Policy Research Group in Engaging Policy Makers to Support Evidence Informed Policy Making in Nigeria by Uzochukwu et al., 2016), a research group chronicles their challenges while attempting to get research into policy and practice.
Strategies included four main components: (1) the stakeholders’ request for supporting evidence for the need for change; (2) policymakers’ and stakeholders’ quest for researchers’ evidence; (3) inclusion of stakeholders in research design throughout the research process; and (4) activating policymaker-researcher involvement in best practices to influence policy. Results are represented in a model using the getting research into policy and practice (GRIPP) process. Challenges for transitioning research into practice include the policymakers’ demand for research, their uptake of research, and the communication gap that exists between researchers, donors, and policymakers (Loversidge & Zurmehly, 2019). Effective management of the political process of GRIPP also presented a challenge as some policymakers were not willing to use research and resisted change.
The Health Policy Research Group’s (HPRG) experience revealed that including the decisionmakers and policymakers early in the research process during data collection seemed to have improved the evidence into policy practice. Allowing policymakers to be part of the research process increases their ability to understand and interpret the research evidence needed to make policy change. The most beneficial strategy in GRIPP proved to be collaboration among researchers and policymakers during the implementation stage, thus, increasing involvement and improving transition into policy. The integration of research findings into policy and
communicating research findings to Nigerian policymakers is necessary if improved policy decisions are to be adopted (Uzochukwu et al., 2016). To effectively initiate policy change in Nigeria, it is important to stress the relevance of research findings and identify issues that empower as well as those that limit getting research into practice.
References:
Loversidge, J. & Zurmehly, J. (2019). Evidence-Informed Health Policy: Using EBP to Transform Policy in Nursing and Healthcare. Indianapolis, IN: Sigma Global Nursing Excellence.
Uzochukwu, B., Onwujekwe, O., Mbachu, C., Okwuosa, C., Etiaba, E., Nystrom, M., & Gilson, L. (2016). The challenge of bridging the gap between researchers and policy makers: Experiences of a health policy research group in engaging policy makers to support evidence informed policy making in NIgeria. Globilization and Health, 1-15. doi:DOI 10.1186/s12992-016-0209-1
Discussion Board Responses Rubric
Discussion Board Responses Rubric
Criteria Ratings Pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeNumber of Responses
Students are expected to respond to at least 2 of their peers. 30 pts
Exemplary
28-30 points. The responses exceed the requirement for the activity. 27 pts
Satisfactory
23-27 points. The responses fulfill the minimum required number for the discussion activity. 0 pts
Unsatisfactory
0-22 points. The responses do not meet the number required for the activity.
30 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeSubstance of Responses 45 pts
Exemplary
42-45 points. The responses offer either an extension on the original posting or a clearly alternate point of view that fosters further thinking, reflection, or response on the discussion topic. 41 pts
Satisfactory
34-41 points. The responses generally offer some insight by either extending the point of the original or offering an alternate point of view, but they may not encourage further thought or reflection on the discussion topic as much as they possibly could. 0 pts
Unsatisfactory
0-33 points. The responses do not offer any new or very limited insight by either extending the position of the original post or providing an alternate point of view.
45 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeGrammar, Punctuation & APA 25 pts
Exemplary
23-25 points. The postings have less than 3 errors in grammar, punctuation, and/or APA. 22 pts
Satisfactory
19-22 points. The postings have 3-5 errors in grammar, punctuation, and/or APA. 0 pts
Unsatisfactory
0-18 points. The postings have more than 5 errors in grammar, punctuation, and/or APA.
25 pts
Total Points: 100
Peer Response: EIHP
As today’s nurses continue to take part in advocacy, one important thing that they need to understand is that the policies that they create and support should be informed by research-based evidence. The World Health Organization emphasizes the need for evidence-informed policymaking and clearly outlines the different stages that the entire process should follow (World Health Organization, 2021). In your article, Uzochukwu et al., (2016) have expressed concerns regarding the challenges that are commonly experienced when integrating research into policy-making. They have also suggested a number of strategies that one can consider to improve the process of evidence-informed policy-making. Combining these strategies with the WHO recommendations can promote the successful implementation of an evidence-informed health policy.
WHO has discussed seven steps that should be followed during the implementation of an evidence-informed health policy. The stages include; providing a clear definition of the health problem, conducting a comprehensive search of published articles, critical and efficient appraisal of related resources, gathering relevant evidence from the resources, relating the information to a specific context, applying the information to facilitate policy or practice change, and evaluating the impacts of an implemented policy (World Health Organization, 2021). As you have highlighted in your post, including the decision-makers and policymakers early in the research process during data collection seemed to have improved the evidence into policy practice. Essentially, allowing policymakers to be part of the research process increases their ability to understand and interpret the research evidence needed to make policy change (Uzochukwu et al., 2016). In addition to the strategies proposed by Uzochukwu et al. (2016), the WHO recommendations can help to address the challenges that are commonly experienced when integrating research into policy-making.
References
Uzochukwu, B., Onwujekwe, O., Mbachu, C., Okwuosa, C., Etiaba, E., Nystrom, M., & Gilson, L. (2016). The challenge of bridging the gap between researchers and policy makers: Experiences of a health policy research group in engaging policy makers to support evidence informed policy making in NIgeria. Globilization and Health, 1-15. doi:DOI 10.1186/s12992-016-0209-1
World Health Organization. (2021). Evidence-informed policy-making. https://www.euro.who.int/en/data-and-evidence/evidence-informed-policy-making/about-us