Development of the Massachusetts School Nurse Research Network (MASNRN): A Practice-Based Research Network to Improve the Quality of School Nursing Practice

Abstract

When school nurses embrace evidence-based practice (EBP), higher-quality care is provided to students, their families, and the larger community. Despite this, school nursing has been slow to embrace EBP. Practice-Based Research Networks (PBRNs), which capitalize on the combined strengths of clinicians and researchers to study clinical questions, are one approach to overcoming barriers towards advancing evidence-based practice (EBP) in school nursing. This article will briefly review EBP and PBRNs. The development of Massachusetts School Nurse Research Network (MASNRN), a PBRN designed to investigate health issues common across schools and to validate school nursing practice, will then be described. Details regarding MASNRN’s mission, governance, communications systems, staffing, and network maintenance and funding will be explicated. MASNRN can serve as a model for PBRN development within the broader school nursing community.