Involvement of Nurses in Scientific Research in a Hospital Setting in the City of Lubumbashi in the DRC: Obstacles and Enabling Factors

Introduction: Nursing is an important link in the healthcare chain. Excessive workload is often associated with a decline in the quality of care provided and a compromise in patient safety. The overall objective of the study was to contribute to the promotion and improvement of nursing research by nurses at Gécamines Sud Hospital, Jason Sendwe General Referral Hospital, and the university clinics of Lubumbashi. Methods: This descriptive, cross-sectional study explored the participation of nurses in Lubumbashi in scientific research using questionnaires and interviews. It identified barriers such as lack of training and resources, as well as enabling factors such as institutional support and personal motivation. Analysis of the collected data made it possible to propose recommendations to strengthen nurses’ participation in research, thereby improving the quality of care and evidence-based practice. We used Epi-Info 7 software and Excel for in-depth data coding and analysis. Results: In this study, we found that 93.3% of nurses do not conduct scientific research. Barriers to scientific research include: 37.7% lack financial resources, 23.2% lack time to conduct research, 17.9% lack institutional support, 10.2% lack internet access, and computer incompetence. Regarding factors that promote scientific research, 75% of those conducting research report that computer competence is the main factor for optimal nursing research. Conclusion: It appears that the lack of financial resources, time, internet access, and institutional support remains a barrier to scientific research in nursing and the acquisition of computer skills. The availability of necessary resources and capacity building will improve the level of implementation of scientific research in nursing.