Issue link: https://ahint.epubxp.com/i/619494
6 | T H E C O N N E C T I O N • W I N T E R 2 0 1 6 R esearch. For some, the word results in intellectual stimulation and positive feelings of anticipation. For others, research conjures up feelings of fear or dread. Research is defined by Merriam's Dictionary as the "careful study that is done to find and report new knowledge about something." 1 In this issue of The Connection, we hope to encourage AAHFN members to embrace research — by reading it, using it to make practice decisions to improve outcomes, participating in it as a member of an interdisciplinary team and disseminating it with a poster, oral presentation, webinar and publication. You will find The Connection's focus on research to be reader friendly, practical and engaging. Guest Editor Dr. Kristen Sethares has put together an excellent team of writers for this issue. As you read the articles, think about how you, the heart failure (HF) nurse, can engage even more in research. All of us, working together to create and share new knowledge, can contribute to improving our HF patient's outcomes, including increasing self-care abilities, reducing readmissions and improving quality of life. Reference 1. Merriam-Webster Dictionary website. http://www. merriam-webster.com/dictionary. Accessed October 7, 2015. Research — Something for All AAHFN Members to Get Excited About Karen S. Yehle, PhD, MS, RN, FAHA • Editor Associate Professor, School of Nursing • Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN E D I T O R ' S N O T E G U E S T E D I T O R ' S N O T E E vidence-based practice (EBP) is the use of the best clinical evidence, often from research studies, in making patient care decisions. 1 Nursing research is a systematic process that allows nurses to answer questions important to clinical practice. It takes many years for an innovation to move from the development phase to use in practice. This length of time is unacceptable, especially where many of these innova- tions can improve the care we provide patients with heart failure (HF) every day. One component slowing down translation of innovations to practice is the dissemination stage. Nurses are not routinely communicating their knowl- edge and innovative practices to other healthcare professionals. All nurses should participate in this process, and that is the major focus of this edition of The Connection. In this issue, we hope to provide nurses with guidance about all phases of the research process — from finding funding and writing a research proposal to developing an abstract or poster for dissemination and sharing that knowledge with other nurses in a journal club. We hope that these articles will increase your knowl- edge and confidence to participate in this vital activity. Reference 1. Sackett DL, Straus SE, Richardson WS, Rosenberg WMC, Haynes RB. Evidence-based Medicine: How to Practice and Teach EBM. London: Churchill Livingstone; 2000. The Importance of Disseminating Evidence to Improve the Care of Patients with Heart Failure Kristen A. Sethares, PhD, RN, CNE • Guest Editor • Professor of Nursing University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, North Dartmouth, MA