Building gerontological nursing research capacity: research initiatives of the John A. Hartford Foundation Centers of Geriatric Nursing Excellence

Gerontological nursing research is critical for developing the science that will be needed to provide the evidence base required to care for the unprecedented growth of the older adult population in the 21st century. This article describes the research initiatives of the 5 Hartford Centers of Geriatric Nursing Excellence (HCGNE), the key features that made them successful, the lessons learned, the challenges during implementation, and the outcomes; it concludes with conclusions and recommendations. The HCGNE developed highly successful initiatives to increase gerontological nursing research capacity focused on assisting faculty and students to write and conduct pilot studies. Key features of these initiatives included mentoring by senior gerontological nurse researchers over an extended period of time, dedicated time free from the demands of teaching, and financial support, either in the form of money or release time from regular responsibilities. The research initiatives described in this article can serve as models upon which other schools can build their own initiatives, based on their own strengths and resources. Ongoing strategies to increase gerontological nursing research are needed at both the national and individual school levels.