The general objective of the Specialized Professional Development Program for Clinicians  is to enable these members to become more familiar with the research process and provide them with the tools to get actively involved in the research activities being conducted in their workplace.

The workshops are consecutive, and learning is cumulative. One workshop is given per semester, on two different occasions; lasting an average of half a day, these sessions involve an intensive period in which learning is put into practice. Occasionally, an additional presentation or ad hoc workshop will explore the previously discussed concepts further, or introduce themes that may be dealt with outside the regular program.

All workshops are complimentary and open to everyone. Spots are limited, however, and registration is mandatory. Given that the workshops use learning through practical exercises in interactive groups, virtual participation is not possible.

Program summary

The provisional program is as follows:

Workshop 1 – “From clinical problem to research question: tools to make things happen” (Fall 2008)

General theme: Translating a clinical issue into a question that could give rise to a research project.

Objectives:

• Learn to clearly express a pertinent research question based on a clinical problem stemming from participants’ own experience.
• Learn to identify the factors that facilitate, and the potential obstacles to, the launching of a research project.

 

Workshop 2 - “From clinical problem to literature review: why, where, what and how to find and use the evidence” (Winter 2009)

General theme: Strategies for identifying the scientific literature relevant to a particular research question or clinical problem.

Objectives:

• To discover, choose and begin using various (re)sources leading to scientific evidence.
• To learn to establish an efficient and pertinent literature research strategy for a defined clinical issue or specific research question.
• To learn how to determine the relevance of the results of a literature search and become more critical of the scientific value of other "health information" nurses may come across.

 

Workshop 3 -"Research methods: tools for choosing the method (design) suited to the research question”(Fall 2009)

General theme: Review of various types of studies and the associated research designs, with a view to identifying a method suited to the research question concerned.

Objectives:

• To learn about the different types of studies and correctly identify the associated relevant research designs.
• To understand the basic components of a given research method.
• To select the designs that are most suitable for the research question concerned.

 

Workshop 4 – “Grant application elements: protocol components and drafting strategies”(Winter 2010)

General theme: Review of the components involved in drafting a research protocol with a view to submitting a clear, articulate grant application.

Objectives:

• To learn about the various components involved in drafting a grant application.
  
• To become proficient at drafting such applications.