AACN invites clinicians and researchers to apply for research grants

The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) invites clinicians and researchers to apply for its grants, with awards ranging from $1,500 to $50,000.

This year, AACN makes available two Impact Research Grants of $50,000 each to support inquiry that drives change in high acuity and critical care nursing practice.

Available to experienced clinicians and researchers, the grants fund priority projects to address gaps in clinical research at the organization or system level and support translation of these findings to bedside nurses. These projects include technology to achieve optimal patient assessment, management and/or outcomes; healing and humane environments; processes and systems for optimal contribution of high acuity and critical care nurses; symptom and outcome management; and prevention of complications.

Earlier this year, AACN awarded its first $50,000 AACN Impact Research Grant to Ruth Kleinpell — PhD, RN-CS, FAAN, director, Center for Clinical Research, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, and professor, Rush University College of Nursing — to explore the impact of telemedicine on ICU nursing care. Kleinpell and her co-investigators — Sutter Health, Sacramento-Sierra region, Calif.; Baptist Health South Florida, Miami; Resurrection Health Care, Chicago; UMass Memorial Medical Center, Worcester; and Eastern Maine Medical Center, Portland — are conducting a two-phase study that includes national benchmarking of a random sample of 350 nurses who work in tele-ICUs to identify the impact of telemedicine on nursing care, including barriers and benefits.

AACN developed the Impact Research Grant program to ensure a pipeline for evidence-based resources that include protocols and practice alerts in support of AACN priorities. These grants support work that addresses family presence, the influence of specialty nursing certification and of AACN's Healthy Work Environment Standards.

AACN will award three $50,000 Impact Research Grants in 2012, the final year of the initial three-year program. Applicants may request up to $50,000 in total costs over a three-year period. Research must be completed in two to four years.

AACN continues to offer annually the AACN-Sigma Theta Tau Critical Care Grant and AACN-Philips Medical Systems Outcomes Grant, up to $10,000 each; AACN-Edwards Lifesciences Nurse-Driven Clinical Practice Outcomes Grant, up to $10,000; and AACN Physio-Control Clinical Practice Grant, up to $1,500.

All research grant applications open Sept. 1 and must be submitted online by Nov. 1. Principal investigators must be current AACN members. For more information, including award criteria and supporting documents, visit www.aacn.org/grants, or contact Linda Bell, AACN clinical practice specialist, at (800) 394-5995, ext. 318.