Through a scoping analysis, we have identified that research career pathways within nursing and midwifery are not well understood or easily accessible. The review found the research infrastructure for nursing and midwifery is not comparable to other healthcare professions, with undergraduate programmes focusing on utilising research in practice, rather than designing and undertaking studies in practice.
There is a significant gap in research funding to develop research careers across nursing and midwifery, especially in the postdoctoral space. Many nurses and midwives who have completed doctorates, return to their former roles, rather than pursue an academic or clinical research career. This is attributed to barriers in the infrastructure to support nursing and midwifery researchers, as well as a lack of a career framework which develops clinical academic careers across nursing and midwifery, in particular the lack of postdoctoral bridging programmes available to the professions.
To begin to address this, in 2025 we launched a postdoctoral bridging programme to support early career nursing/midwifery researchers (who have completed their doctorate within the last five years) make the transition from a practice-based nurse, midwife or lecturer to early career researcher. Each year three grants are available, with funds of up to £15,000 available over a 12-month period.
2025 recipients
What are the perceptions of nurses working in district nursing settings in England of their psychological safety in the workplace
Dr Jane Hopping, London South Bank University
This research study focuses on nurses working in district nursing settings, with Dr Hopping’s previous doctoral research identifying a culture of learned helplessness in district nursing settings. Challenges in these settings have been well documented, including increased workload, reduced workforce and variations in recognition of the role. These have resulted in a significant number of district nurses leaving the profession and concerns being raised as to how district nursing services will be delivered in the future.
Although research has highlighted the challenging working practices and the negative impact of these on the service and delivery of care, there is no research exploring the culture within district nursing services in relation to their psychological safety.
The research study will address this gap by exploring the perceptions of nurses working in district nursing settings in England of their psychological safety in the workplace.
The research study will use an exploratory sequential mixed methods approach to:
- Identify how psychological safety is experienced by nurses working in district nursing settings
- Explore factors influencing the individual’s psychological safety
- Analyse the impact of psychological safety on working practices
The research aims to provide an enhanced understanding of the psychological safety of nurses working in district nursing settings in England that in turn can support district nurses to confidentially and comfortably speak up.
Knowledge gained will inform the development of strategies to enhance the psychological safety of nurses working in district nursing services, with the intent to support changes locally within healthcare organisations following recommendations made from the findings of the research. Consequently, these strategies could also be developed and advocated at a national level as part of a longer-term output.
The Co-design of a Pilot Online Pancreatitis Information Network (PIN)
Dr Stacey Munnelly, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust and University of Salford
Dr Munnelly’s previous doctoral study, Chronic Pancreatitis in the UK: A Netnography, used social media to explore the lived experiences of patients with pancreatitis. The findings revealed that pancreatitis is a painful and debilitating disease, with patients facing significant stigma and struggle due to a lack of accessible, reliable information, care and support. Many patients turn to social media for advice, highlighting a clear gap in professionally led, evidence-based information provision.
To study will address these findings by developing a model for a co-created digital resource. The Pancreatitis Information Network (PIN) will be an online information and support network for pancreatitis, to address current inequities in information, care and support.
The study will draw on the success and evidence base of established digital health initiatives such as the Kidney Information Network (KIN) and WORKWELL, an online toolkit for people with arthritis. Like the aforementioned, the proposed PIN model will better understand information and care needs, and map connections between patients, carers, clinicians and support organisations.
The study will draw on the participation of key pancreatitis stakeholders using mixed-methods and the principles of co-design.
Objectives:
- Identify information and support needs among patients, carers and clinicians through stakeholder co-design workshops
- Co-create the content of a PIN website, offering evidence-based information, peer connection and links to professional and third sector supportive resources
- Measure stakeholder satisfaction with the co-design process
- Consider how to disseminate and sustain a UK PIN
The short and medium-term impact of the PIN model will be captured through a survey of the advisory group, with these recommendations being applied to the wider use of the PIN model and how to embed a PIN in UK pancreatic infrastructure. The longer-term impact will form the basis of further research, with the ultimate goal to build and launch the PIN website and analyse the usability and acceptability of the site.
Racial inequities in access to doctoral education for nurses and midwives
Professor Gemma Stacy, Associate Dean for Practice, Nottingham Trent University and Dr Ada Hui, Head of Research, Institute of Nursing Excellence, Royal College of Nursing
Racially minoritised nurses and midwives remain critically underrepresented in doctoral education, despite making up 30% of the workforce. There is currently no comprehensive data on the scale of aspiration versus access, no national baseline for measuring progress on equity initiatives and limited understanding of specific barrier prevalence across ethnic groups, with no specific policies to address these inequitable barriers.
The research study aims to explore racial inequities in access to doctoral education for nurses and midwives through:
- Quantifying doctoral education aspiration among racially minoritised nurses and midwives nationally
- Measuring prevalence of institutional, workplace, and systemic barriers across demographic subgroups
- Assessing effectiveness of existing support mechanisms and identify gaps
- Generating baseline data for future monitoring of equity interventions
The study will conduct a UK-wide survey on racial inequities in doctoral education access for nurses and midwives and use these findings to provide a robust evidence base required for targeting policy intervention.