Supporting the evolution of a research culture among nurses in Malaysia

Objective This paper describes a project to promote a research culture amongst nurses in Malaysia. The project, funded by the Australian Government’s Australia Malaysia Institute, and implemented by a group of Australian nurse academics, provided a rare professional development opportunity to nurses in urban and remote areas of Malaysia. Setting The Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur and the remote town of Sibu, on the Island of Borneo, were the setting for this project. The diversity of Malaysia was epitomized in the locations chosen for the implementation of tailored professional development seminars. Conclusions Evidence based practice in nursing is a global phenomenon. The importance of basing nursing care on scientifically derived, current evidence is a critical element of contemporary nursing practice. This notion is appreciated and accepted by nurses in Malaysia who, despite being impacted upon by barriers to the conduct and implementation of research in the clinical area, seek opportunities to enhance patient outcomes through evidence based practice. Projects such as the one described in this paper provide a means for nurses to undertake professional development through collaborative activities that are not limited by geographic, socioeconomic or cultural boundaries.