Research, audit and networking: who's in the lead?

This article compares the progress made by nursing development units compared with matched units without NDU status on research, audit and networking activities. Research and dissemination is significantly greater in NDUs than in comparators. Research in NDUs focuses on local attempts to improve practice and has some way to go before it can be generalised to health care settings beyond the unit where it was carried out. There is no difference in number of audits undertaken by NDUs and comparators but NDUs carried out more audits to evaluate nursing work and comparators did proportionately more on practice topics and user issues. There is no association between research and audit activity; more audit does not result in less research Networking activity by staff is significantly greater for NDUs, suggesting they are seen as a resource for other centres. NDUs are active in research and networking--significantly more so than comparators.