Research Capacity and Research Training Needs of Clinical Nurses in Suzhou, China

Background: Several studies examined the research capacity of nurses in the United States and other countries. However, the research capacity of clinical nurses in China has not been systematically surveyed. Thus, there is a need to investigate and report the research capacity and training needs of nurses in China. Method: A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a structured questionnaire. Results: In 17 hospitals, 2,324 clinical nurses were surveyed. The results indicated that most of the nurses self-assessed that their research capacity was relatively low, as the average score was 65.47 +/- 21.31 (total score = 30 to 150). Most of the nurses (n = 1,890, 83.1%) expressed the need for training in research. Linear regression analysis showed participation in nursing research practices and pursuing a higher degree could improve nurses' research capacity. Conclusion: Nurses' research capacity needs further improvement. More training courses on nursing research tailored to the requirements of nurses are needed.