Zhuldyz Kuanysh – MMPH, PhD student, Karaganda Medical University, Kazakhstan
Johanna Heikkilä – Senior Advisor, PhD (Nursing science), Assistant professor, Jamk University of Applied Sciences, Finland.
Open Science is an approach to research that emphasizes transparency, collaboration, and sharing of research data and findings. It has gained significant momentum in recent years, as more and more researchers across disciplines recognize the importance of making their work accessible to others (Paic, 2021). Nursing is no exception, and the principles of Open Science have potential to revolutionize the field.
Many organizations advocate the implementation of Open Science. For example, the UNESCO Recommendations state that “Open Science provides an international framework for open science policy and practice that recognizes disciplinary and regional differences in approaches to open science “ (UNESCO, 2021).
One of the key tenets of Open Science is open access publishing. This means that research findings are made freely available to anyone who wishes to access them, rather than being restricted by paywalls or other barriers (Piwowar et al., 2018). In nursing, this could have significant benefits for both researchers and practitioners. For example, it could lead to more rapid dissemination of new research findings, enabling nurses to keep up with the latest developments in their field and make evidence-based decisions about patient care.
Another important aspect of Open Science in nursing is the sharing of research data. By making their data available to others, researchers can facilitate collaboration and the replication of their work. This not only helps to ensure the validity of research findings, but also promotes the development of new knowledge and understanding in the field. Moreover, sharing data can help to address issues of research waste and inefficiency, as others can build on existing datasets rather than having to start from scratch.
Open Science also emphasizes the importance of collaboration and transparency in research. This means working with others, and including patients, caregivers, and other stakeholders, to ensure that the research questions and methodologies are relevant and meaningful. It also means being transparent about research processes, including any limitations or uncertainties that may exist. This can help to build trust and credibility with patients and the broader public, while also promoting more robust and rigorous research practices.
Of course, there are challenges in implementing Open Science in nursing. For instance, there may be concerns about protecting patient privacy and confidentiality when sharing research data. There may also be resistance from some researchers who are accustomed to more traditional modes of publishing and research dissemination. However, as the benefits of Open Science become increasingly apparent, it is likely that more and more nurses and nursing researchers will embrace these principles and work to make them a reality.
Overall, Open Science has the potential to transform nursing research and practice. By embracing principles of openness, transparency, and collaboration, nurses can work together to create a more robust and effective evidence base for patient care. This not only benefits individual patients, but also helps to advance the broader goals of the nursing profession and public health more broadly.
REFERENCES
Paic, A. 2021. “Open science – Enabling discovery in the digital age”, OECD Going Digital Toolkit Notes, No. 13, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/81a9dcf0-en.
UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science. 2021. SC-PCB-SPP/2021/OS/UROS, 10.54677/MNMH8546 https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000379949.locale=en
Piwowar H, Priem J, Larivière V, Alperin JP, Matthias L, Norlander B, Farley A, West J, Haustein S. 2018. The state of OA: a large-scale analysis of the prevalence and impact of Open Access articles. PeerJ 6:e4375 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.4375
Coordinators
Jūratė Macijauskienė, project coordinator
Živilė Kepežinskienė, project manager
Editorial team
Dinara Kozhakhmetova, responsible for WP4 Dissemination
Baituganova Aizhan, responsible for WP4 Dissemination