UNASSIGNED: Clinical research requires a competent workforce of clinical research professionals (CRPs) who are well-trained to perform varied and complex tasks within their roles. The Joint Task Force for Clinical Trial Competency (JTF) framework established essential domains for conducting high-quality clinical research that can guide professional development of CRPs. The Research Professionals Network (RPN) Workshops were established in 2017 to focus on developing ongoing inter-institutional, peer-led, JTF-centric continuing education for CRPs. Four institutions and their affiliates are part of the collaboration.
UNASSIGNED: Workshop participant survey data and other metrics were collected over four academic years. Both quantitative and qualitative analyses were performed to assess participant experience and identify relevant themes.
UNASSIGNED: Participants demonstrated overall high satisfaction with the workshops and significantly value the interpersonal, inter-institutional collaboration made possible through the workshops.
UNASSIGNED: These inter-institutional RPN Workshops have evolved into a Community of Practice, which can be expanded into future opportunities.

Research skills in nursing are crucial for guiding evidence-based practice and enhancing health care. However, undergraduate nursing students often encounter challenges in skill development because of curriculum constraints that prioritize clinical education. Bridging this skill gap is imperative for preparing students for evidence-based practice and nursing scholarship.
This study aimed to investigate the impact of incorporating action learning into undergraduate nursing research classes to improve the quality of nurse education.
A mixed-methods approach was employed using pre- and post-online surveys for quantitative analysis and reflective journals for qualitative analysis.
The study was conducted at a college of nursing in Seoul, South Korea.
A convenience sample of 19 fourth-year nursing students participated in the study.
Action learning-based nursing research classes were implemented over ten sessions, integrating lectures and team activities. Pre- and post-assessment data on communication skills, critical thinking tendencies, and problem-solving abilities were analyzed using paired t-tests. The qualitative analysis involved content analysis of individual and team reflective journals.
Participants in action learning-based nursing research classes showed significant improvements in their communication skills (t = 3.46, p = 0.002), critical thinking tendencies (t = 3.80, p = 0.001), and problem-solving abilities (t = 1.82, p = 0.043). From the analysis of reflective journals four main themes were developed: organized team projects, dynamics of learning goal achievement, extended application of learning outcomes, and recommendations for better action learning-based classes.
This study highlights action learning as an effective educational method that integrates theory and practice in nurse education, helping students prepare for their future roles as nursing professionals. The findings underscore the effectiveness of action learning in improving undergraduate nursing students\' research competency and support the need for continued development of such pedagogical approaches.

UNASSIGNED: Several curricular initiatives have been developed to improve the acquisition of research competencies by Health Science students.
UNASSIGNED: To know how students self-perceived of whether their participation in the XIV National Research Congress for Undergraduate Students of Health Sciences had helped them in the acquisition of 36 research-related transferable competencies (TCs) common to Health Science degrees.
UNASSIGNED: A survey design (Cronbach\'s alpha = 0.924), using a self-administered questionnaire, was conducted among undergraduate students who voluntarily participated in the Congress. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 25 and Statgraphics 19. Statistical significance was considered for P < 0.05.
UNASSIGNED: Eighty-one students from 12 Health Science degree programs responded. Key findings are presented in a structured manner, using a Likert-5 scale. Twenty-five of the competencies surveyed obtained an average ≥ 4 highlighting: \"Critically evaluate and know how to use sources of clinical and biomedical information to obtain, organize, interpret, and communicate scientific and health information\"; \"To be able to formulate hypotheses, collect and critically evaluate information for problem solving, following the scientific method\", \"Critical analysis and research\" and \"Communicate effectively and clearly, orally and in writing with other professionals\". Significance was found in 15 competencies. The development of the competencies \"Teamwork\", \"Critical reasoning\" and \"Analysis and synthesis abilities\" was considered to be of greater \"personal utility\" by the respondents.
UNASSIGNED: Participation in this event contributed to the development of research-related TCs, critical analysis and information management and communication, especially in relation to learning the sources of clinical and biomedical information, to know, following the scientific method, how to formulate hypotheses that allow students to solve problems in their professional activity. The experience was significantly influenced by the respondents\' year, the type of participation in the event and the gender of the students. Limitations and suggestions regarding future research are discussed to encourage further exploration of the topic.

UNASSIGNED: Community health workers and promotoras (CHW/Ps) have a fundamental role in facilitating research with communities. However, no national standard training exists as part of the CHW/P job role. We developed and evaluated a culturally- and linguistically tailored online research best practices course for CHW/Ps to meet this gap.
UNASSIGNED: After the research best practices course was developed, we advertised the opportunity to CHW/Ps nationwide to complete the training online in English or Spanish. Following course completion, CHW/Ps received an online survey to rate their skills in community-engaged research and their perceptions of the course using Likert scales of agreement. A qualitative content analysis was conducted on open-ended response data.
UNASSIGNED: 104 CHW/Ps completed the English or Spanish course (n = 52 for each language; mean age 42 years SD ± 12); 88% of individuals identified as female and 56% identified as Hispanic, Latino, or Spaniard. 96%-100% of respondents reported improvement in various skills. Nearly all CHW/Ps (97%) agreed the course was relevant to their work, and 96% felt the training was useful. Qualitative themes related to working more effectively as a result of training included enhanced skills, increased resources, and building bridges between communities and researchers.
UNASSIGNED: The CHW/P research best practices course was rated as useful and relevant by CHW/Ps, particularly for communicating about research with community members. This course can be a professional development resource for CHW/Ps and could serve as the foundation for a national standardized training on their role related to research best practices.

UNASSIGNED: The field of Implementation science (IS) continues to evolve, and the number and type of IS capacity building Programs (ISCBPs) are in flux. These changes push the field to revisit the accepted IS competencies and to guide sustainment of ISCBPs. Our objectives were: (1) compare characteristics of current ISCBPs; (2) identify recommendations to support ISCBP sustainment; (3) measure how often ISCBPs address IS competencies; (4) identify novel and important IS competencies for the field.
UNASSIGNED: This multi-method study included ISCBPs delivering structured, longitudinal IS training, excluding single courses and brief workshops. We used three complementary methods to meet our objectives. First, we identified ISCBPs via an internet search and snowball sampling methods. Second, we surveyed these ISCBPs to identify areas of program focus, types of trainees, IS competencies addressed, and recommendations to sustain ISCBPs. Third, we conducted a modified Delphi process with IS researchers/leaders to reach consensus on the IS competencies that were both important and novel as compared to the IS competencies published to date.
UNASSIGNED: Among 74 eligible ISCBPs identified, 46 responded (62% response rate). Respondent ISCBPs represented diverse areas of focus (e.g., global health, cardiopulmonary disease) and trainee stages (e.g., graduate students, mid-career faculty). While most respondent ISCBPs addressed core IS methods, targeting IS competencies was less consistent (33% for nongraduate/non-fellowship ISCBPs; >90% for graduate/national ISCBPs). Our modified Delphi process identified eight novel and important IS competencies related to increasing health equity or the speed of translation. Recommendations to sustain ISCBPs included securing financial administrative support.
UNASSIGNED: Current ISCBPs train learners across varying career stages in diverse focus areas. To promote rigor, we recommend ISCBPs address specific IS competencies, with consideration of these eight novel/emerging competencies. We also recommend ISCBPs report on their IS competencies, focus area(s), and trainee characteristics. ISCBP programs need administrative financial support.
UNASSIGNED: There is a limited workforce capacity to conduct implementation science (IS) research. To address this gap, the number and type of IS capacity building Programs (ISCBPs) focusing on training researchers and practitioners in IS methods continue to increase. Our efforts to comprehensively identify and describe ISCBPs for researchers and practitioners highlighted four implications for leaders of ISCBPs related to program sustainment and rigor. First, we identified a range of contextual characteristics of ISCBPs, including the research topics, methods, and IS competencies addressed, and the types of trainees accepted. Second, given the variability of trainee types and research, rigorous ISCBP programs should tailor the IS competencies and methods addressed to the skills needed by the types of trainees in their program. Third, the field of IS needs to periodically revisit the competencies needed with attention to the skills needed in the field. We used a consensus-building process with ISCBP leaders and other IS experts to expand existing IS competencies and identified eight important, novel IS competencies that broadly relate to promoting health equity and speeding the translation of research to practice. Finally, as more institutions consider developing ISCBPs, we identified factors needed to support ISCBP sustainment, including ongoing financial support. In addition to these implications for ISCBP leaders, there are also policy implications. For example, IS journals may enact policies to require manuscripts evaluating ISCBP performance to report on certain contextual characteristics, such as the IS competencies addressed and types of trainees accepted. The field may also consider developing an accreditation body to evaluate the rigor of ISCBP curricula.

Background: In acknowledgement of the importance of research competency in academic medicine, an extracurricular student research program and faculty development researcher pathway was developed to promote scholarly productivity at New York University (NYU) Long Island School of Medicine (LISOM), a three-year accelerated Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME)-accredited medical school. The aim was to enhance medical students\' and faculty scholarly productivity, by creating new training programs targeting research skills and academic collaboration. Impact was assessed by initial review of the extracurricular student research program and faculty development researcher pathway. Methods: Electronic surveys via Google were sent out to all current (n = 72) students on 9/20/2021 and the faculty identified based on their primary appointment to NYU LISOM in the learning management system on 9/17/2021 to determine participation in research, presentation of research findings, satisfaction with the program, and research opportunities for students.  Student scholarly productivity was tracked using PubMed, restricted to search years 2020 through 2022.  For the faculty development researcher pathway, publications were tracked for each participant before and after completion of the program, with pre- and post-completion dates ranging from 2012 through 2020.  Results: Student survey results (29 responses out of 72) indicated 28% of students were involved in research with institutional faculty and 59% were interested in starting a research project. Most students involved in extracurricular research were satisfied with their experience and eight students have publications with faculty.  For the faculty development researcher pathway, 35% of the participants increased publications after program graduation. Conclusions: Outcomes from the student research program and faculty researcher pathway were positive regarding student research engagement and faculty scholarly productivity, though long-term outcomes are yet to be evaluated. Progress will be tracked as students continue through undergraduate and graduate medical education, and as both students and faculty progress throughout their career.

BACKGROUND: Undergraduate students make up the largest pool for the recruitment of future nurses. The fundament for developing research competency has to be laid at this level of education.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the construct validity, reliability, sensitivity to change and convergent validity of the Research Competency Scale for Nursing Students (RCS-N).
METHODS: A psychometric study with repeated measurements.
METHODS: Nursing school from Sichuan, China.
METHODS: 146 undergraduate nursing students.
METHODS: Construct validity was evaluated with exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and item response theory (IRT) analysis. Internal consistency reliability was determined with Cronbach\'s alpha, and IRT based reliability estimates were also provided. Sensitivity to change was evaluated with repeated measures ANOVA. Convergent validity was analyzed based on the correlation of the RCS-N scores with nursing research class examination scores.
RESULTS: Exploratory factor analysis yielded one dominant factor explaining 72.59% of the items\' variance. CFA confirmed unidimensionality of the scale and produced appropriate goodness of fit indices after accounting for local dependency by collapsing several items to testlets. IRT analysis demonstrated a good capability of the scale to differentiate between persons with different abilities. Internal consistency was excellent (α = 0.98) and IRT based reliability was good to excellent. The participants\' RCS-N scores increased significantly from 29.3 before participation in the research methodology class to 62.6 after the class. There was no correlation (r = 0.16, p = 0.051) between the RCS-N result and class test scores.
CONCLUSIONS: RCS-N is a promising, valid and reliable tool for evaluating the research competency of undergraduate nursing students. The scale can however not replace actual examination of students\' knowledge acquired in research methodology courses.