# Presentation: 100431

## Research Environments and the Research Report Card

- Brenda Recchia Jeffers, PhD, RN
- Associate Professor
- Director Graduate Program and Research
- Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University
- Jeffers, B.R. (2005) Research Environments that Promote Integrity
*Nursing Research, 54 (1), 63-70*

## Aims & Objectives

- To present a method for assessment and public reporting of research integrity practices within research environments
- Illustrate a sample report card

## Assessment of Research Practices

- Institute of Medicine (2002; 2003)
- Overlap of reports
- Integrated approach needed
- Models few

## Internal Control Model

- Used for system design within many types of organizations
- Goal:
- To decrease risk for low occurrence but high impact breaches in integrity

## COSO Model (1994)

- Development processes
- Focuses on identifying & controlling risk
- Promotion of integrity

## Model Components

- Control Environment
- Risk Assessment
- Control Activities
- Monitoring
- Information and Communication

**Notes:**
Inverted pyramid

## Control Environment

- Factors in place to accomplish organizational goals
- Integrity tone
- Consciousness of integrity
- Philosophy, management style, and ethical values and competence

## Model Applied

- Articulated Research Mission
- Expected standards of ethical research behavior to promote integrity
- Developed research integrity infrastructure

## Risk Assessment

- Risks that interfere ability to achieve objectives
- Risks are unique, dynamic, and subject to change

## Model Applied 

- Processes in place to identify relevant research integrity risks
- Discipline unique
- Research methods dependent

**Notes:**
Research Practices

## Internal Control Activities

- Address assessed risks
- Greatest emphasis

## Model Applied 

- Research Practices relevant to risks

## Monitoring

- Least emphasis
- Top of pyramid
- Builds on all other internal control processes

## Model Applied

- Quality initiatives
- Institutional Assessment
- Compliance with Federal Regulations

## Information and Communication

- Emphasized throughout implementation of internal control processes

## Use of Report Cards

- Health Care
- Industry
- Education

**Notes:**
Measuring, Reporting, commonly understood by the lay public, public accountability, full disclosure

## Application to Nursing College Environment

- Application to Nursing College Environment

- Use model components to assess processes that promote Research Integrity
- Publicly communicate via Research Report Card

## Control Environment

- _Assessment_
- Research Mission
- Strategic Plan
- Socialization
- Non-punitive atmosphere

- _Report Card Elements_
- Mission tied to professional standards
- Goals stated

## Risk Assessment

- _Assessment_
- Vulnerable Pop.
- Nature of Research Teams
- Multiple Sites
- Auditing
- Promotion & Tenure

- _Report Card Elements_
- Current Research
- Populations; types of research; methods used
- Process for Recognizing Conflicts of Interest

## Control Activities

- _Assessment_
- Infrastructure
- RCR education
- Consenting standards
- Quality initiatives

- _Report Card Elements_
- Number & Qualification of Staff
- Value added Education
- Discipline/Method standards
- Ongoing Quality initiatives

## Monitoring

- _Assessment_
- Compliance level
- External peer review
- IRB prescreening
- IRB accreditation

- _Report Card Elements_
- College audits
- Results of quality initiatives
- Status of accreditation

## Communication

- _Assessment_
- College/University
- Constituent
- Website Use

- _Report Card Elements_
- Examples of Communication
- Report Card postings

## Advantages of Integrated Framework

- Consistency & Comprehensiveness
- Common language
- Benchmarking
- Framework for Reporting

## Report Card

- Organizational commitment to Research Integrity
- Reasonable Assurance and Public Trust

**Notes:**
Shift from individual

## Information and

_**Information and**_
_**Communication**_
- Internal and public communication related to research integrity

- Figure Captions
*Figure 1.* Internal control model to promote research integrity1
- 1From *Internal Control: Integrated framework, *by COSO: Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission, 1994, p. 17. Copyright 1994 by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. Adapted with permission of the

_**Monitoring**_
- Quality initiatives
- Compliance with Federal Regulations