Yvonne L. Munn Nursing Research Award (2018-2019)

Overview

Debra Burke, RN, MBA, DNP, NEA-BC, Chief Nurse, Patient Care Services, and the leadership of the department of nursing support research awards annually through the Yvonne L. Munn Center for Nursing Research. These studies focusing on original research are initiated by MGH staff nurses for the purpose of advancing nursing science and improving outcomes for patients and families. The intent is that the studies support and advance Patient Care Services annual strategic goals and the professional practice model. Completed studies are featured as presentations throughout the yqear at quarterly Munn Nursing Research Grand Rounds.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants seeking a Yvonne L. Munn Nursing Research Award must be a registered nurse, in a staff nurse role, working at least 20 hours per week as a permanent benefits-eligible employee at MGH. Part-time nurses are encouraged to work collaboratively with a full-time co-PI. Registered nurses currently enrolled in a doctoral program or at the post-doctoral level are not eligible (contact the Munn Center for other funding options). Each team is required to have a mentor to provide guidance and oversight, and to enhance the rigor of the investigation. The nurse mentor must have a PhD; however, a team-based mentoring approach consisting of a PhD and DNP prepared nurse is also acceptable. The Munn Nursing Research Award Committee, in conjunction with the Munn Center, can also provide assistance to potential applicants in locating a mentor.

It is not necessary to have MGH Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval prior to proposal submission; however, all funded proposals must be reviewed and approved by the MGH IRB before the study is conducted. Additionally, all nurses participating in research studies must complete the IRB’s on-line educational program, Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) (http://www.citiprogram.org), prior to beginning the study. Please review the Munn Award IRB and Project Initiation Policy.

Proposal Preparation and Mentoring

Doctorally prepared nurse mentors, along with the Munn Research Award Committee, will provide guidance in proposal writing, budget preparation, study implementation, and evaluation. For information regarding Mentor responsibilities please review the Mentor Role Guidelines. Questions regarding proposal preparation, budget preparation and submission should be directed to Stacianne Goodridge: sgoodridge@partners.org

Selection of Awards

All applications for the Y. L. Munn Nursing Research Award go through a series of steps as outlined in the timeline below. The co-chairs of the Munn Awards Committee are responsible for facilitating these activities. A formal review of all Munn Awards submitted is completed by a Selection Committee that includes representation from within the MGH community as well as appointed External Faculty Nurse Scientists from Schools of Nursing across Massachusetts.

The Selection Committee Members include the co-chairs and members of the Munn Awards Committee, the Director of the Munn Center for Nursing Research, and 3-4 External Faculty Nurse Scientists from local Schools of Nursing. Each reviewer receives a packet of materials containing all of the applications, review guidelines, PCS goals, and a scoring sheet. Reviewers are asked to rank all proposals. The co-chairs of the Munn Review Committee and the Director of the Munn Center review all the data and make a final selection. Each application is presented in rank order with a summary of the study review to the Chief Nurse and Vice President for Patient Care Services for final approval. All submissions are reviewed with proposal authors and the winners are announced during Nurse Recognition Week celebrations.

Time Frame and Contact Informaion for Proposal Submission

	October 12, 2018 (5 pm)	Letters of Intent (conforming to guidelines), Nursing Director Support Letter due (2 pages max) and your CV to sgoodridge@partners.org
	December 7, 2018 (5 pm)	Proposals due for internal review, email to sgoodridge@partners.org
	January 18, 2019	Preliminary feedback to applicants following internal review
	February 1, 2019 (5 pm)	Final proposal with requested revisions (if any) due for full review, submit via email to sgoodridge@partners.org
	Mid-February	Proposals sent to external reviewers
	March	Review Committee (internal & external) ranks proposals
	April April	Final recommendations for funding sent for approval Candidates notified of award decisions
	May	Awards presented during Nurse Recognition Week

Proposal Format and Evaluation Criteria

Proposals must meet Institutional Review Board (IRB) criteria for proposals. The Partners Human Research Committee IRB may be reached at http://healthcare.partners.org/phsirb or at 617-424-4100.

The External Award Review Committee utilizes the format and criteria below in evaluating proposals. It is required that applicants use these criteria to develop their proposals and comply with the associated page limits. Formatting for all proposals should be margins of 1” all around, a font of 12 pitch, and single spacing. A cover page stating applicant name, unit of employment, mentor’s name, and title of project should be included. See below for guidelines.

Original Research:

Cover page as described above
Completed applicant check list. The list can be found at
Abstract (500 word maximum/include word count after last line of abstract)
Introduction (1 page maximum)
Background (identify gap in knowledge) and Significance (2 pages maximum)
Aims with Research Question (1 page maximum)
Methodology (3 page maximum)
Data Analysis (1 page maximum)
Potential Contributions to Nursing and Dissemination Plan (1 page maximum)
Timeline, team members and roles
Budget template (required)
Mentor’s biosketch or CV
References
Relevant attachments such as appendices, instruments as needed

Note: The information session slide presentation elaborates on all award requirements. Proposals not conforming to guidelines will be returned.

Resources to Support Your Project

Meeting with Munn Awards Chairperson (email sgoodridge@partners.org)
Your mentor
Previous Munn Award recipients
Yvonne L. Munn Center for Nursing Research staff
Treadwell Library Online
Your Nursing Director and CNS
Munn Research Awards Committee

Award Notification and Funding

Approved grant awards may be funded up to $1500. All Munn Award applicants will be notified of their funding status prior to Nursing Research Day. Formal announcements will occur at the annual Yvonne L. Munn Research Lecture held during Research Day activities as a part of Nurse Recognition Week each May. Recipients are expected to attend the award ceremony. Awardees’ names will be placed on a plaque in the Ellison corridor.

Key Timelines for Awardees

First step: Post Award planning meeting with Munn Award mentor, Committee co-chairs, and a Nurse Scientist from the Munn Center.
The funding period for the award is 2 years’ actual studies are usually conducted over 6-12 months).
Submit a progress report to the Munn Center every six months until the research is completed.
Investigators will present results of completed study at Munn Nursing Research Grand Rounds, have a poster at MGH Nursing Research Day or a similar venue.

Follow-up

All grant applications, both funded and unfunded, will be reviewed with team members by a member of the Yvonne L. Munn Center for Nursing Research shortly after Research Day. Plans for project implementation or resubmission will be discussed during these sessions.

Acknowledgement: Dissemination resulting from this award (publication, presentation, and grant) should include the following statement:
“Research support for this investigation was provided by the Yvonne L. Munn Nursing Research Award and the Yvonne L. Munn Center for Nursing Research, Institute for Patient Care, Massachusetts General Hospital.”