Research odyssey: the evolution of a research partnership between baccalaureate nursing students and practicing nurses

Nurse Educ Today. 2010 May;30(4):376-82. doi: 10.1016/j.nedt.2009.10.001. Epub 2009 Nov 5.

Abstract

This longitudinal descriptive study evaluates the implementation of an innovative teaching strategy: a research partnership between baccalaureate nursing students and nurses in two acute care hospitals. The impetus for this partnership was to introduce a concrete, clinical dimension to a junior level introductory nursing research course. Formative analysis was used to evaluate the success and weaknesses of this innovative strategy over 3 years. Following each year, an evaluation by students and nursing unit managers led to refinement of the partnership goals and logistics for the following year. The third year culminates in a comparison between student responses to the partnership in the small community hospital and those assigned to a larger magnet status hospital. Conclusions, based on content and descriptive analysis indicate the partnership's educational benefits for students and a few logistical concerns. Future directions for this educational strategy are presented.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study

MeSH terms

  • Accreditation
  • Attitude of Health Personnel
  • Clinical Nursing Research* / education
  • Clinical Nursing Research* / organization & administration
  • Cooperative Behavior*
  • Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate / organization & administration*
  • Evidence-Based Nursing / education
  • Evidence-Based Nursing / organization & administration
  • Focus Groups
  • Hospitals, Community
  • Humans
  • Interprofessional Relations*
  • Leadership
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Nursing Education Research
  • Nursing Methodology Research
  • Nursing Staff, Hospital / organization & administration
  • Nursing Staff, Hospital / psychology*
  • Pennsylvania
  • Program Evaluation
  • Qualitative Research
  • Statistics, Nonparametric
  • Students, Nursing / psychology*