Background: In healthcare, bridging the research-to-practice gap is a top priority. Knowledge mobilisation scholars suggest that this gap can be closed through collaboration between knowledge users and producers. The concept of boundary objects – shared things and ideas that enable communication – has gained popularity across various collaborative work practices, but their potential within knowledge mobilisation in health care is understudied. An ongoing challenge for designers of boundary objects is how to create objects that are valued and shared both in principle and in practice. Aims and objectives: This paper reports on a study of boundary objects used during knowledge mobilisation through NHS-university partnerships called Collaborations for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care (CLAHRCs). The distinction is investigated between boundary objects-in-theory and boundary objects-in-use, considering whether the latter possess specific characteristics which make them more effective during knowledge mobilisation. Methods: A qualitative case study of three CLAHRCs was conducted. Twenty-one people employed as ‘boundary spanners’ were interviewed to explore whether boundary objects played a role in knowledge mobilisation. Findings: The most effective boundary objects-in-use were co-produced through a process of bricolage. These possessed high levels of meaningfulness and resonance, and reconciled multiple user perspectives. Together these properties contributed to the overall authenticity of boundary objects-in-use. Discussion and conclusion: This paper helps to explain why designated boundary objects frequently fail in practice, and why there is a need to focus on understanding boundary objects based on symbolic, rather than structural, dimensions.

中文翻译：

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使真实：通过国家卫生服务与大学的伙伴关系探索知识动员中的边界对象和拼凑

背景：在医疗保健领域，弥合研究与实践的差距是重中之重。知识动员学者认为，这一差距可以通过知识使用者和生产者之间的合作来弥合。边界对象的概念——实现交流的共享事物和想法——在各种协作工作实践中越来越流行，但它们在医疗保健知识动员中的潜力尚未得到充分研究。边界对象设计者面临的一个持续挑战是如何创建在原则和实践中都受到重视和共享的对象。目的和目标：本文报告了通过 NHS 大学合作伙伴关系（称为应用健康研究和护理领导力合作 (CLAHRC)）在知识动员过程中使用的边界对象的研究。研究了理论中的边界对象和使用中的边界对象之间的区别，考虑后者是否具有使它们在知识动员过程中更有效的特定特征。方法：对三个 CLAHRC 进行了定性案例研究。21 名受雇为“边界生成器”的人接受了采访，以探讨边界对象是否在知识动员中发挥作用。发现：最有效的边界使用对象是通过拼贴工艺共同生产的。这些具有高度的意义和共鸣，并协调了多个用户的观点。这些特性共同构成了使用中边界对象的整体真实性。讨论与结论：本文有助于解释为什么指定的边界对象在实践中经常失败，