Background In healthcare implementation research, there is little discussion of researchers’ experiences of using frameworks, including the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR).

Aim To identify and discuss the benefits and challenges encountered and the lessons learnt from researchers’ experiences of using the CFIR in different contexts and phases of research.

Discussion This article synthesises the reflections of nursing and public health researchers on their experiences of using the CFIR across four separate healthcare-associated infection prevention and control implementation studies. The CFIR’s benefits and challenges, the resolutions to these challenges and the lessons learnt from the application of the framework were discussed.

Conclusions Identified benefits included the framework’s adaptability and flexibility, and its provision of structure and shared language for research. Translation to another language and differentiating between domains and constructs were challenges.

Implications for practice Nurse researchers may find this article useful when considering use of the CFIR, or to anticipate and prepare to overcome the challenges highlighted when using the framework.