Improvements in the infrastructure for nursing research in universities in Kazakhstan

Abstract

Aim: This study aimed to describe the status and analyze the improvements made by universities in Kazakhstan to nursing research infrastructure in the following services: library, internationalization, finance, information and communication technology (ICT), and research, development, and innovation (RDI). Background: In higher education institutions (HEIs), a strong research infrastructure is a necessity for academic education and research. In Central Asian countries, nursing is regarded as an assistive field to medicine, affecting nursing research infrastructures. Methods: In this descriptive study, following benchmarking and a recommendations report, an interview of nursing faculty members was used to obtain data regarding nursing research infrastructure in ten universities in Kazakhstan. The SQUIRE-EDU was used to ensure the quality of reporting. Results: The Kazakhstani universities providing nursing education are still in the process of developing their nursing research infrastructure. They have not acquired access to nursing databases, and only one textbook concerning nursing research can be found from their libraries. None of the universities have joined international nursing networks. The participation of the university staff and students in conferences with nursing themes has increased. The universities are investing in staff capacity building, but not yet in nursing research projects. Discussion and conclusion: Kazakhstani universities have the autonomy to develop nursing research and its infrastructure. Active measures by the university management, such as financing access to nursing databases, international cooperation, and international projects, are necessary. Implications for nursing and health policy: Research infrastructures’ quality strongly impacts the development of nursing science and practice in any country. It is crucial to increase the volume of research that demonstrates the effectiveness of clinical nursing and its contribution to health outcomes. To enable the faster development of nursing science in Central Asian countries, this development should be supported through international collaboration.