Clinical research: the potential of practice development

Abstract

Research and development are strategic initiatives that, when built into modern practice settings, help to creat a culture in which people have the potential to promote best practice; It is argued that the potential of practice development (PD) as a means of research contemporary clinical practice is largely underestimated by mainstream scientists; PD, as part of a research design, is discussed in detail from the perspectives of research in the critical paradigm, participatory world views and action research; fundamental components of PD such as facilitation, team building, practice projects and ethical comportment within a structure of a research design or proposal are discussed and examples from current studies are given.