Who asks the questions in medical and healthcare research? Who examines hospital processes and patient care practices? To Jolene Kittle, PhD, RN, breaking down barriers to include a wider variety of medical professionals in research is the goal.

Jolene Kittle, PhD RN is taking on the role of Research Scientist Nurse at Upstate Medical University.

Kittle has recently filled the position at Upstate Medical University as a research scientist nurse; working to help Upstate’s nursing staff through the process of creating scientific studies, conducting research, publishing academic writings, and presenting at conferences. The first barrier? Changing the mindset about who has the ability to conduct research.

“It’s always been in my mind too; scientific research is only available to certain groups. But it’s not. Nurses can take a lead role. These resources are accessible to us as much as anyone.”

Nurses may be the best equipped to ask and help answer questions about hospital function and patient care. Kittle describes valuable nursing research articles that have been done on staffing models, length of shifts, and patient outcomes. “It needs to be the people that are taking care of the patients, and that's exactly who we want taking the lead on this,” explains Kittle.

It could be as simple as formally writing up a project that’s already ongoing.

“I hear all the time people attending conferences and saying, ‘Wow, I just watched all these talks on things that are being done other places and we're doing it here, we're just not getting the word out.’ I’d love to help them showcase their work and be recognized, and perhaps that could lead them into a more involved research project down the line.”

In the first few months in her new role, Kittle has been talking with many of the SUNY Upstate resources available, such as the CNY Biotech Accelerator and the Clinical Research Unit, which are excited at the prospect of helping nurses with any ideas they may have about beneficial research.

“I can help make those connections and just help with all the institutional knowledge in the background,” says Kittle. “They just need to come with the idea and the passion and the determination to do it.”

For more information on nurse-led research, reach out to Jolene Kittle at kittlej@upstate.edu