The FY23 KCRP Nurse-Initiated Research Award supports innovative, high-impact kidney cancer research, conducted by nurses working in clinical practice and/or an academic environment (DNP or PhD), to advance ideas or clinical care. Proposed research must demonstrate potential to have a major impact in kidney cancer, ideally in a multi-disciplinary manner led by a nurse. Applications are strongly encouraged to address one of the FY23 KCRP Focus Areas or must provide justification that the proposed research addresses a critical problem, question, or need in kidney cancer.
Nurses make up the largest group of health professionals within the health system and nursing is the largest profession in the United States. Nurses engage in more regular interactions with patients and their families, relative to other health professionals. Nurses who have earned advanced degrees (PhD in particular) are being recognized more frequently for their contributions in bridging clinical practices and patient care experiences to nurse-initiated research. Their evidence-based investigations have resulted in advancements to health care delivery and the growing field of nurse scientist-led investigations. Please refer to Appendix 2 for further reference. This award enables the nurse-scientist(s) to compete for research funding that will help determine the best practices to both inform and improve kidney cancer patient care. Although the project should address an important question in kidney cancer patient care, studies may also seek to investigate topics associated with access to care, health equity/health disparities, communication/patient education, quality of life, or patient support systems (not all-inclusive).
Research Approach: The proposal must pursue a kidney cancer project and should have high potential to lead to, or make breakthroughs in, kidney cancer patient care, survivorship, and outcomes research (not all-inclusive). The feasibility of the research design and methods should be well-defined, and a clear plan should be articulated as to how the proposed goals of the project can be achieved. Below are some examples of projects that this award is intended to support (not all-inclusive):
• Projects that develop best practice models for support of nurses and patient care
• Evaluating the effects (short-term and long-term) of interventions on patients and/or patient care
• Investigating psychosocial issues relevant to people living with kidney cancer, their families, and/or their care-partners
• Conducting nurse practice for kidney cancer patients during a period of medical crisis (e.g., COVID-19, nurse shortages, access to therapies)