Completed studies

Discover our completed research projects.

Theory2Practice

From theory to practice: unveiling the theoretical basis and components of effective implementation strategies for improving nursing practice and patient outcomes

What are our goals?

Why?

Many current implementation strategies aimed at promoting practice change among healthcare professionals lack a systematic, theory-driven approach in their development and evaluation. The early incorporation of theory into the implementation strategy development phase can provide a structured framework to better address the complex factors influencing healthcare professionals’ behavior change. Our recent systematic review and meta-analysis on the effects of implementation strategies on nursing practice and patient outcomes (N = 204 studies) highlighted the need to further investigate the key factors and components that affect the effectiveness of different implementation strategies.

how?

This study is a secondary analysis of implementation strategies identified from a prior systematic review. It will employ both qualitative and quantitative methods, including content analysis and meta-regression. Content analysis will be used to systematically analyze and interpret the qualitative data, aiming to identify patterns, themes, and categories within the dataset. The analysis will focus on coding and interpreting the content of the included studies related to implementation strategies, allowing for a comprehensive understanding of how these strategies are developed and evaluated.

PROMs/PREMs

Development and validation of an implementation blueprint for the implementation of patient-reported outcome and experience measures (PROMs/PREMs) in oncology

What are our goals?

Why?

Patient-reported outcome and experience measures (PROMs/PREMs) have been a focus of healthcare research for over 40 years, providing valuable insights into patients’ health, functioning, quality of life, and experiences while receiving care. These standardized, validated questionnaires have been shown to improve patient-clinician communication, enhance symptom management, reduce healthcare utilization, and even increase survival rates. Despite significant investments in PROM/PREM implementation worldwide, including efforts led by the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer, implementation in oncology remains in its early stages, particularly in Quebec. Challenges include barriers at the patient level (e.g., low health literacy), clinician level (e.g., obtaining results from external digital platforms), and service level (e.g., workflow integration). There is a lack of clear guidance on selecting and tailoring implementation strategies to address these barriers effectively.

how?

The study uses implementation mapping and the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) to explore barriers and enablers across five domains: Innovation, Outer Setting, Inner Setting, Individuals, and Implementation Process. An umbrella review of systematic and scoping reviews on PROM/PREM implementation in oncology will generate an initial list of barriers and enablers, complemented by qualitative data from the e-IMPAQc project. Using the Expert Recommendations for Implementing Change (ERIC) Taxonomy, the project will develop an implementation blueprint that links these barriers and enablers to specific strategies. Each strategy will be assessed using APEASE criteria and tailored based on Proctor’s dimensions. Validation will involve focus groups with knowledge users to refine and finalize the blueprint, ensuring practical applicability in oncology settings.