Using Liberating Structures to Increase Engagement in Identifying Priorities for the APNA Research Council.

BACKGROUND: In 2015, the Co-Chairs and Steering Committee of the Research Council members recognized the need to reevaluate the council's priorities.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the top priorities for the Research Council.

DESIGN: Use of liberating structures: Impromptu Speed Networking, 1-2-4-all, and Crowd Sourcing.

RESULTS: Identified Research Council priorities included the following: efforts to increase psychiatric mental health (PMH) research funding; serve as a connector to bring researchers together; foster research through state chapters; increase collaboration between PhDs and DNPs; and develop models for organizational support for PMH staff nurse involvement in research.

CONCLUSIONS: The liberating structures used are valuable strategies for engaging groups of people to identify what matters most to the group. Through the use of these novel techniques, the American Psychiatric Nurses Association Research Council has identified priorities for the work of the council. This has led to actions planned for the coming future with the intent to move PMH nursing research forward.