First off, I would like to acknowledge that the journal titled From novice to expert, was absolutely spot on. Working as an RPN since 2012, I have seen the many nurses transition from stage to stage. I currently also teach the PN clinical at our local college in the hospital, and can see their growth from student to co-worker. I have been teaching since 2017, and can effectively see the lineage of past students.
For my research project on research education in Ontario’s Practical Nursing programs and how it impacts RPNs’ ability to use evidence-informed practice, I think the Knowledge-to-Action (KTA) Framework is the best fit in this case. The KTA framework focuses on creating knowledge and then actually putting it into practice, which is exactly the gap my project is looking at.
I chose this framework because it lines up with what I’m seeing in PN education. Many programs don’t teach research in a structured way, which leaves RPNs feeling unprepared to use evidence in their practice. The KTA framework helps me look at both sides: what knowledge is being taught in schools (or not being taught), and how that knowledge, or lack of it, gets translated into the workplace.
This will help me answer my research question by giving me a way to identify the barriers (like limited curriculum time or lack of faculty support) and the things that can help (like mentorship, stand-alone courses, or more emphasis in the classroom). It also gives me a way to frame recommendations so they’re not just about “what’s missing,” but also about how we can take real steps to bridge that gap between what’s taught in PN programs and what’s needed in practice