Application of action research in the field of healthcare: a scoping review protocol

Mary Casey; David Coghlan; Áine Carroll; Diarmuid Stokes; Kinley Roberts; Geralyn Hynes

doi:10.12688/hrbopenres.13276.2

Application of action research in the field of healthcare: a scoping review protocol

HRB Open Res. 2021 Jun 15:4:46. doi: 10.12688/hrbopenres.13276.2. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Mary Casey¹, David Coghlan², Áine Carroll^{3

4}, Diarmuid Stokes⁵, Kinley Roberts⁴, Geralyn Hynes⁶

Affiliations

¹ UCD School of Nursing, Midwifery & Health Systems, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Ireland.
² Trinity Business School, University of Dublin, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland.
³ School of Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Ireland.
⁴ National Rehabilitation Hospital, Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin, Ireland.
⁵ The Library, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Ireland.
⁶ School of Nursing & Midwifery, University of Dublin, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland.

Abstract

Background: Traditional research approaches are increasingly challenged in healthcare contexts as they produce abstract thinking rather than practical application. In this regard, action research is a growing area of popularity and interest, essentially because of its dual focus on theory and action. However, there is a need for action researchers not only to justify their research approach but also to demonstrate the quality of their empirical studies. Therefore, the authors set out to examine the current status of the quality of extant action research studies in healthcare to encourage improved scholarship in this area. The aim of this scoping review is to identify, explore and map the literature regarding the application of action research in either individual, group or organisational domains in any healthcare context. Methods: The systematic scoping review will search the literature within the databases of CINAHL, PubMed and ABI/Inform within the recent five-year period to investigate the scientific evidence of the quality of action research studies in healthcare contexts. The review will be guided by Arksey and O'Malley's five mandatory steps, which have been updated and published online by the Joanna Briggs Institute. The review will follow the PRISMA-ScR framework guidelines to ensure the standard of the methodological and reporting approaches are exemplary. Conclusion: This paper outlines the protocol for an exploratory scoping review to systematically and comprehensively map out the evidence as to whether action research studies demonstrate explicitly how the essential factors of a comprehensive framework of action research are upheld. The review will summarise the evidence on the quality of current action research studies in healthcare. It is anticipated that the findings will inform future action researchers in designing studies to ensure the quality of the studies is upheld.

Keywords: Action research; action research in healthcare; participation; quality in action research.