Critical care research in a district general hospital: the first year

Until recently, research in critical care units has usually taken place in university teaching hospitals. The general' critical care unit patient population is broader than this and the research needs to reflect this. As a general critical care unit in a district general hospital we wanted to set-up research within our own department, as part of the critical care team and part of our culture. With extensive background communication, drive and hard work, the support of the hospital Research and Development department was gained and Comprehensive Local Research Network funding successfully applied for. A research team was established and a model for the Research Nurse role was developed and implemented. This model is described. Participation in national trials commenced and the research portfolio is growing. Networking with other teams also proved valuable. Research has been established as part of the culture' of the day-to-day work and the staff have embraced this. Dedicated Research Nurse posts and education of the whole team have ensured successful implementation and recruitment of the studies. Experiences of the first year are shared and discussed here. Sharing experience of developing research within a critical care unit in a district general hospital, and a suggested model for a new Research Nurse role, may benefit other similar units in their efforts to establish research.