Despite decades of emphasis on evidence-based practice in nursing and midwifery, we are still discovering how best to teach it.
This realisation has been central to my work as a postgraduate researcher exploring the intersection of research, teaching and practice in midwifery and nursing education.
“Research informs teaching, teaching fosters practice readiness, and practice raises new questions for research”
The foundations are strong. We have frameworks, knowledge and committed educators. What we’re building now is a more coherent, evidence-based approach to teaching evidence-based practice that works consistently across different contexts.
We see pockets of excellence: innovative workshops, integrated modules and passionate educators creating powerful learning experiences.
Our opportunity now is to synthesise these successes into a comprehensive approach that helps students not only to learn about evidence-based practice and research, but to embrace it as an integral part of nursing and midwifery practice.
We are changing the way research is perceived. Whereas in the past it may have been seen as something separate from everyday nursing and midwifery, it is now recognised as a core professional skill.
We are moving from teaching research as a subject to promoting it as a mindset – a way of thinking that belongs to everyone in healthcare. This shift in mindset is critical.
It takes us beyond compliance with policy or curriculum standards and into the realm of professional identity – where research becomes part of how we see ourselves as nurses and midwives.
Our profession doesn’t need every nurse or midwife to become a dedicated researcher. Rather, we are cultivating a workforce that is confident in engaging with research, reading it critically and applying it thoughtfully.
Research underpins high quality, safe care. Nurses and midwives are skilled decision-makers, and evidence supports those decisions.
When research literacy is embedded throughout the educational journey, it leads to greater autonomy and accountability in practice, and ultimately to better patient outcomes.
Research-inspired teaching is one of the most powerful ways to bridge the persistent gap between what we teach, what we discover through research and what we do in practice.
The most effective programmes don’t just deliver content – they embed inquiry, critical thinking and real-world relevance into every learning experience.
They connect classroom discussions to clinical realities, empowering students to see research not as an abstract concept, but as a tool for shaping care.
These programmes model the teaching-research-practice nexus, where each element enriches the others: research informs teaching, teaching fosters practice readiness, and practice raises new questions for research.
To move forward, we need more than isolated examples of excellence – we need a culture of coherence.
Imagine a learning environment where clinical placements encourage students to ask and explore real practice-based questions, where classrooms are spaces for collaborative inquiry, and where curricula are built on the understanding that research engagement is a shared responsibility across the profession.
This kind of integration ensures that the development of research skills isn’t confined to a single unit or academic term, but is woven throughout the learning experience.
Yet to do this effectively, we must also acknowledge the ongoing challenges in integrating research into education and practice.
Educators need clear guidelines, practical toolkits and robust resources that support the translation of knowledge into everyday clinical and educational settings.
It’s not about adding more content, it’s about changing the way we engage with knowledge. As educators and clinicians, we might ask: how can we model a spirit of inquiry more visibly? How can we help students to see evidence not just as information, but as a means to make a difference?
When research, education and practice are seamlessly linked, transformation occurs. Students become active contributors to professional knowledge, not just recipients.
They develop the confidence to question, critique and improve care through evidence. In the process, they become not only better practitioners, but future leaders of the profession.
Elina Leiviskä is a postgraduate researcher, Coventry University, registered nurse and midwife, and member of the Challengers’ Committee European Hub, Nursing Now Challenge
