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PROMOTING SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH COLLABORATIONWhen small is big The maximum amount given for “small” research grants from the Honor Society of Nursing is $5,000, but to nurse researchers—and nursing—they’re priceless. by Lois S. Marshall “Building a program of research is not done in a vacuum, and research is never done alone. Having the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International behind one’s efforts is priceless. It takes a team, and having the honor society behind you is like having an invisible cheerleader,” says Victoria Menzies, PhD, APRN-BC, recipient of a 2004-05 small research grant from Sigma Theta Tau International. She, like many other nursing professionals over the past 71 years, has benefited from these grants. The first funding for nursing research in the United States was established by Sigma Theta Tau in 1934—the word “International” wouldn’t be added to the organization’s name until 1985—and the first grant, in the amount of $600, was awarded in 1936. Since that time, the organization’s research-grant program has continued to grow as scholarly activities and advancement of nursing science have become more sophisticated and integral to the growth of the nursing profession. The honor society currently awards 10 to 18 small research grants per year, which include the Doris Bloch Award, the Rosemary Crisp Award and the Virginia Henderson Clinical Grant. The term “small,” when referring to these grants, does not mean insignificant. Although $5,000, the maximum amount given, may be regarded as small when compared to the monetary value of some grants available to researchers, each grant carries with it the potential for significant return in research value, an outgrowth of the program’s purpose. The purpose of the small-grants program is to provide funding for novice researchers, to assist them in beginning their research trajectories, and to help more seasoned researchers strike off in new directions. In the process, Sigma Theta Tau International, together with its research-granting partners, has contributed significantly to the professional careers of many of its members, while also contributing to the advancement of nursing science. In 1987, the first partnered grant was awarded by the honor society in collaboration with the American Nurses Foundation. Over time, as criteria were developed for the awarding of such grants and other organizations also sought to partner with the honor society, additional alliances were formed, bringing the current number of partnered grants to 14. The researchers highlighted here have used their “small” research awards to conduct pilot studies, complete dissertations, begin new research paths, buy equipment for their research, fund projects that otherwise might not have been funded and help establish themselves as nurse researchers. In the process, recipients have contributed significantly to the nursing profession, a journey that, for many, began when they learned they had received a research grant from Sigma Theta Tau International.
Menzies graduated in 2004 with a PhD from the University of Virginia and found herself an assistant professor at Florida International University in Miami. She applied for a small research grant as a way to “actively, immediately, and effectively immerse myself in the research community of South Florida.” Menzies’ exploration of the effects of relaxation and guided imagery on pain, distress, self-efficacy and functional status in Hispanic individuals diagnosed with fibromyalgia was partially funded by the small research grant she received from the Honor Society of Nursing. “Receiving that grant provided me,” says Menzies, “with a level of credibility as I networked to obtain participant recruitment support from local hospitals, clinics and physicians. With this research funding, I was able to develop, implement and complete a pilot study; write and submit a final report, which is being developed currently into a manuscript; and strengthen the foundation of preliminary studies, as I write further grant proposals.” Preliminary data acquired from Menzies’ pilot study was used in applying for an R21 grant from the National Institute of Nursing Research, the proceeds of which will be used to further explore the interventions studied in her initial work and to expand her research sample to include American and Caribbean blacks. Menzies describes nursing research as an ongoing learning process: “My research path is just beginning. Every time I write a grant proposal, receive feedback, conduct the research and write another proposal, I discover that each step informs the next step. I am wiser for having done the preliminary pilot study that was funded by my honor society small research grant.” She also gained confidence from the experience. “One can be assured that a rigorous review process by esteemed and seasoned research colleagues from around the world will take place when applying for a small grant. If one receives a small-grant award, it contributes to a sense of accomplishment in being able to carry one’s research dreams and enthusiasms forward.”
A 2003-04 small research grant enabled Mo-Kyung Sin, RN, DSN, assistant professor at Seattle University College of Nursing in Seattle, Washington, USA, to complete research about older Koreans in the Puget Sound area of Washington state. “Receiving an honor society grant allowed me to finish my research project, which was a small study with a sample size of 88,” said Sin. “I used the funds I received for subject payment, equipment and travel, none of which I could have done without this funding.” As with Menzies, the initial research conducted by Sin with small-grant money from the Honor Society of Nursing helped lay the foundation for future research. “The research experiences made possible through the grant have prepared me well to apply for further funding for my collaborating team and me,” she says. The research experience also contributes to Sin’s work as a nursing-research educator. “The experiences I gained from subject recruitment, conducting community-based research with an elderly minority population, and through data collection and analysis have been used in my education of nursing students. I teach nursing research and can use examples from my own study to advance knowledge about the research process in the course.”
For Jane Ransom, RN, PhD, a 2000-01 research grant from the Honor Society of Nursing provided “the impetus for conducting a qualitative study about HIV testing that would not have otherwise been possible.” An associate professor at The University of Toledo College of Nursing, Ransom has disseminated the results of her research in posters, in papers presented at the 13th International Nursing Research Congress in 2002 and the annual meeting of the Midwest Nursing Research Society in 2003, and in an article published in Qualitative Health Research (Ransom, 2005). “The process of applying for a small research grant is the same preparation process needed to seek federal funding for more extensive research,” Ransom says. “It helps provide the background required to be considered for larger grants by others. For anyone interested in really focusing on furthering his or her research, this type of grant funding is a stimulating first step.”
Funding received from a 2000-01 partnered grant, sponsored by the Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) and Sigma Theta Tau International, enabled Hilaire Thompson, RN, PhD, “to start a basic science dissertation which would not have been possible otherwise, given the costs associated with animal work. It also provided me,” says Thompson, “with the start of my funding history, which allowed me to pursue a faculty position at a top-tier research institution.” An assistant professor in behavioral nursing and health systems at the University of Washington in Seattle (USA), Thompson’s research focuses on post-traumatic hyperthermia. “This grant allowed me to purchase the equipment necessary to do continuous recording of temperature and activity data in rodents. The telemetry system purchased with funds from this grant also allows for more sophisticated analysis of circadian rhythm than would have been otherwise possible,” says Thompson. Since receiving the partnered grant from AACN and the honor society, Thompson has received additional funding via an F31 grant from the National Institute of Nursing Research, a partnered small grant from Integra Foundation and Neuroscience Nursing Foundation, and a K12 Multidisciplinary Clinical Research Scholar award from the National Institutes of Health. Thompson has disseminated her findings in articles and abstracts published in Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism (Thompson, Hoover, Tkacs, Saatman, & McIntosh, 2005), Neurobiology of Disease (Thompson, Tkacs, Raghupathi, Saatman, & McIntosh, 2003), Biological Research for Nursing (Thompson, 2005) and Journal of Neurotrauma (Thompson, Hoover, Sparks, Saatman, Tkacs, & McIntosh, 2003). “The results of my work with rodents,” says Thompson, “have informed our understanding of post-traumatic hyperthermia, which is likely an inflammatory process, giving a clearer understanding as to why current treatment strategies are ineffective. It also gives us a model to test alternative strategies and has stimulated new questions regarding best practices and lack of evidence for fever management in nursing, generating a new line of inquiry. “The small grants program is a great program, providing funding for both new and experienced researchers,” says Thompson. “This funding provides evidence for scholarship and generativity and can often be leveraged for other funding opportunities.”
Carol McVeigh, RN, RM, PhD, professor of nursing, director of nursing and head of the School of Health Sciences at Massey University in New Zealand, used the funds from her 2000-01 Rosemary Crisp Award to the fullest in researching symptoms of perimenopause. When McVeigh received the grant, she was a faculty member at Griffith University School of Nursing and Midwifery in Australia, the first faculty member in that school to receive an international grant. In Australian terms, the funds from the award “represented almost $10,000 and supported my efforts to investigate a topic of great interest to middle-aged women,” says McVeigh. “This study was undertaken following a media release of American research results linking use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to both breast cancer and heart disease,” she says. “That information caused a great deal of concern and fear within my local community and resulted in a number of women stopping HRT administration.” McVeigh has disseminated her research findings through one publication and two conference presentations. Her article titled “The perimenopause: More than hot flashes and night sweats” was published in the Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing (McVeigh, 2005). Her findings were also presented at the 13th International Research Congress in Brisbane, Australia, in 2002 and in Toronto, Canada, at the 37th Biennial Convention of the Honor Society of Nursing in 2003. “Since receiving the grant funding, I have been successful both individually and as a member of research teams that have received large grant funds—$250,000,” says McVeigh. “The most recent successes included grants from the New Zealand Health Research Council, and another one is being considered by the Tertiary Education Commission. “Applying for research grants supported by Sigma Theta Tau International will afford you the opportunity to build your research design, implementation and reporting skills,” McVeigh continues. “It also offers you the opportunity to network with other applicants and members through online communication and conference/congress attendance.” The honor society’s small-grant research program provides an excellent opportunity for national and international members to apply for and receive research funds with both targeted and non-targeted foci. Whether used by a novice or experienced nurse researcher, the program provides a great opportunity for funding research important to the advancement of nursing science. “Participating in the small research grants application process is a statement of faith by you as a nurse researcher and a statement of faith in Sigma Theta Tau International as a funding agency,” says Menzies. “The process of applying and receiving feedback is invaluable,” she continues. “If you want to grow your research trajectory, the professional integrity of the honor society when listed as a funding source reflects favorably on applicants submitting grant proposals to other funding agencies and moves nursing research forward.” Applying for a small research grant also contributes to the overall research-support goals of the Honor Society of Nursing. Continued development, administration and awarding of the grants are integral to achieving those goals. With every small research grant that is applied for and funded, the promotion, development, dissemination and utilization of nursing knowledge is advanced. —Lois S. Marshall, RN, PhD, nurse education consultant in Miami, Florida, USA, is nurse researcher scholar in residence, Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International. References Ransom, J.E., Siler, B., Peters, R.M, & Maurer, M.J. (2005).Worry: Women’s experience of HIV testing. Qualitative Health Research, 15(3), 382-393. Thompson, H.J. Thermoregulatory sequela of traumatic brain injury. (2005). [Abstract]. Biological Research for Nursing, 6, 241-242. Thompson, H.J., Hoover, R.C., Sparks, C., Saatman, K.E., Tkacs, N.C., & McIntosh, T.K. (2003). Differential patterns of thermoregulatory dysfunction following severe experimental traumatic brain injury. [Abstract]. Journal of Neurotrauma, 20, 1107. Thompson, H.J., Hoover, R.C., Tkacs, N.C., Saatman, K.E., & McIntosh, T.K. (2005). Development of posttraumatic hyperthermia after traumatic brain injury in rats is associated with increased periventricular inflammation. Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism, 25, 163-176. Thompson, H.J., Tkacs, N.C., Raghupathi, R., Saatman, K.E., & McIntosh, T.K. (2003). Hyperthermia following traumatic brain injury: A critical evaluation. Neurobiology of Disease, 12, 163-173. |
