original nursing research articles

• Search by keyword
• Search by citation

Page 1 of 44

Nurses, non-nurse healthcare providers, and clients’ perspectives, encounters, and choices of nursing gender in Tanzania: a qualitative descriptive study

A growing share of male nurses in the nursing profession in Tanzania has changed the trend of diversity of nursing gender. This might have created a divergent perspective within the communities. Therefore, the...

• View Full Text

The experiences of patients with COVID-19 and their relatives from receiving professional home care nursing: a qualitative content analysis

To overcome of patients with COVID-19 over the capacity of hospitals and mild to moderate severity of the disease in most cases, the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention...

The influence of socio-cognitive mindfulness, moral sensitivity and dementia communication behaviors on dementia nursing performance of nurses in long-term care hospitals: a cross-sectional study

By incorporating socio-cognitive mindfulness which has been under-examined in the nursing field, this study investigated the relationships between socio-cognitive mindfulness, moral sensitivity, dementia commu...

The mediating effect of pregnancy adaptation between family support and maternal-fetal bonding: a cross-sectional study

Establishing a nurturing bond with the unborn child is essential for expectant mothers throughout pregnancy. While the influence of family support and pregnancy adaptation on maternal-fetal bonding is evident,...

Emotional intelligence and self-esteem among Saudi Arabian and Indian nursing students: findings from two countries

Understanding the emotional intelligence (EI) and self-esteem of Indian and Saudi nursing students is important because their future nurse–patient relationships may be influenced by factors related to their un...

Pass or fail: Teachers’ experience of assessment of postgraduate critical care nursing students’ competence in placement. A qualitative study

Learning in placement is essential to postgraduate critical care nursing students’ education. Assessment of students’ competence in placement is important to ensure highly qualified postgraduate critical care ...

Factors influencing peripheral intravenous catheter practice of nurses in small and medium sized hospitals: a cross-sectional study

The importance of the peripheral intravenous catheter (PIVC) practices on patient safety is increasing. Small and medium-sized hospitals play a central role in the provision of healthcare services in South Kor...

Burden, social support, and coping strategies in family caregivers of individuals receiving home mechanical ventilation: a cross-sectional study

Home mechanical ventilation (HMV) is a treatment method for patients with chronic respiratory failure. HMV is a challenge for both patients and their caregivers. Some studies have shown a higher risk of depres...

Preparedness for a first clinical placement in nursing: a descriptive qualitative study

A first clinical placement for nursing students is a challenging period involving translation of theoretical knowledge and development of an identity within the healthcare setting; it is often a time of emotio...

Nurses’ self-regulation after engaging in end-of-life conversations with advanced cancer patients: a qualitative study

Self-regulation is crucial for nurses who engage in in-depth end-of-life conversations with advanced cancer patients, especially in cultural contexts featuring death taboos. An improved understanding of the se...

Sustainability consciousness among nursing students in Egypt: a cross-sectional study

Recognizing nurses as pivotal change agents and urgent preparation for the next generation is crucial for addressing sustainability issues and cultivating a sustainable healthcare system. Reports highlight gap...

Effect of authentic leadership and mindfulness educational program on nursing managers' competencies: a quasi-experimental study

Authentic leadership is an emerging perspective in leadership that focuses on leaders' values and beliefs. while the mindfulness perspective permits nurse managers to be fully present, aware of themselves and ...

Stress level and associated factors among nurses working in the critical care unit and emergency rooms at comprehensive specialized hospitals in Southern Ethiopia, 2023: explanatory sequential mixed-method study

Stress is a pervasive occurrence within certain professions, including nurses working in emergency and intensive care unit environments. Nurses in these settings often confront various stress-inducing factors,...

Innovative cultural care training: the impact of flipped classroom methods on critical cultural competencies in psychiatric nursing: a quasi-experimental study

Healthcare systems are encountering a growing number of diverse and multicultural clients due to globalization and migration. To effectively address the challenges associated with cross-cultural interactions, ...

The mediating effects of self-efficacy and study engagement on the relationship between specialty identity and career maturity of Chinese nursing students: a cross-sectional study

Career maturity is a crucial indicator of career preparedness and unpreparedness can cause the turnover of new nurses. Considerable empirical work demonstrates the potential associations between specialty iden...

Effectiveness of a home-based pulmonary rehabilitation maintenance programme: the Rehab2Life study protocol

Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is the bedrock of non-pharmacological treatment for people with COPD. Nonetheless, it is well described in the literature that unless the patient changes his behaviour, the benefi...

Exposure to secondary traumatic stress and its related factors among emergency nurses in Saudi Arabia: a mixed method study

Emergency department (ED) nurses are exposed to the risk of secondary traumatic stress (STS), which poses a threat not only to nurses’ health and psychological well-being but also adversely affects the executi...

“Unless someone sees and hears you, how do you know you exist?” Meanings of confidential conversations – a hermeneutic study of the experiences of patients with palliative care needs

Patients with palliative care needs live with the reality of limited time due to illness or age, eliciting emotional and existential responses. A failure to address their existential needs can lead to signific...

Improvement in nurse staffing ratios according to policy changes: a prospective cohort study

Since 1999, reimbursements for nursing services for inpatients have been paid differentially according to the nurse staffing ratios in Korea. However, differentiated nursing fees are insufficient for nurse sta...

Translation, adaptation, and validation of a Chinese version of the Hypertension Self-Care Activity Level effects (H-SCALE) for patients with hypertension

Lifestyle modification is an essential component of prevention and management of hypertension. Existing instruments in Taiwan focus on assessing lifestyle modifications by evaluating medication adherence or co...

Nursing practice of routine gastric aspiration in preterm infants and its link to necrotizing enterocolitis: is the practice still clinically relevant?

The practice of routine gastric residual aspiration in preterm infants remains controversial, with conflicting evidence regarding its impact on necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). As front-line caregivers, nurses...

Acceptance of virtual patients as a continuous professional development approach among practicing nurses in primary health care settings in a low-income country: a quasi-experimental posttest setup design

Virtual patients are an educational technological approach used in healthcare education. Its distinctive features have rendered virtual patient technology appealing for the training of medical and healthcare s...

Content of a wound care mobile application for newly graduated nurses: an e-Delphi study

Wound care represents a considerable challenge, especially for newly graduated nurses. The development of a mobile application is envisioned to improve knowledge transfer and facilitate evidence-based practice...

Factors associated with clinical nurse’s mental health: a qualitative study applying the social ecological model

The prevalence of burnout, depression, and anxiety among Chinese nurses was 34%, 55.5%, and 41.8% respectively. Mental health problems have significant impacts on their personal well-being, work performance, p...

Effectiveness of a needs-tailored nurse-led recovery program for community-dwelling people with schizophrenia: a cluster-randomized controlled trial

Meeting people’s needs is positively correlated with their recovery. However, recovery services rarely include nurse-led programs tailored to the needs of these people. This study aimed to evaluate the effecti...

Comparison of barriers to effective nurse-patient communication in COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 wards

Communication is a basic need of humans. Identifying factors that prevent effective nurse-patient communication allows for the better implementation of necessary measures to modify barriers. This study aims to...

The relationship between personality traits and happiness: the mediating role of emotional regulation

Understanding the factors contributing to happiness in the nursing profession is essential, particularly considering the high levels of stress associated with the job. This study aimed to explore the role of e...

Developing a survey to measure nursing students’ knowledge, attitudes and beliefs, influences, and willingness to be involved in Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD): a mixed method modified e-Delphi study

Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) was legalized in Canada in 2016. Canada’s legislation is the first to permit Nurse Practitioners (NP) to serve as independent MAiD assessors and providers. Registered Nurses’...

From incivility to outcomes: tracing the effects of nursing incivility on nurse well-being, patient engagement, and health outcomes

Nursing incivility, defined as disrespectful behaviour toward nurses, is increasingly recognized as a pressing issue that affects nurses’ well-being and quality of care. However, research on the pathways linki...

Nurse perceptions of practice environment, quality of care and patient safety across four hospital levels within the public health sector of South Africa

Improving the practice environment, quality of care and patient safety are global health priorities. In South Africa, quality of care and patient safety are among the top goals of the National Department of He...

Nursing students’ perspectives on patients' safety competencies: a cross-sectional survey

Nurses constitute the largest body of healthcare professionals globally, positioning them at the forefront of enhancing patient safety. Despite their crucial role, there is a notable gap in the literature rega...

Nursing students’ stressors and coping strategies during their first clinical training: a qualitative study in the United Arab Emirates

Understanding the stressors and coping strategies of nursing students in their first clinical training is important for improving student performance, helping students develop a professional identity and probl...

Nurses’ and patients’ perceptions of physical health screening for patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders: a qualitative study

Despite worldwide concern about the poor physical health of patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD), physical health screening rates are low. This study reports nurses’ and patients’ experiences o...

Pre-treatment assessment of chemotherapy for cancer patients: a multi-site evidence implementation project of 74 hospitals in China

Chemotherapy, whilst treating tumours, can also lead to numerous adverse reactions such as nausea and vomiting, fatigue and kidney toxicity, threatening the physical and mental health of patients. Simultaneous...

Effectiveness of simulation-based interventions on empathy enhancement among nursing students: a systematic literature review and meta-analysis

This study aimed to secure and analyze evidence regarding the enhancement of nursing students’ empathy through simulation-based interventions. It comprehensively analyzed self-reported emotions and reactions a...

The role of nurses for patients with Parkinson’s disease at home: a scoping review

Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disease, and many patients are cared for at home by nurses. Parkinson’s disease nurse specialists have been certified in several countries. This study aimed to provid...

Predictive factors of occupational stress among nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study in Kashan, Iran

Considering the severe and sudden changes in the job conditions of nurses during the covid-19 pandemic, the increase in job tensions during this critical period and its consequences on the quantity and quality...

Improve the satisfaction of medical staff on the use of home nursing mobile APP by using a hybrid multi-standard decision model

To identify critical satisfaction gaps in a home nursing mobile application (APP) using a systematic decision-making model.

Nurses′ knowledge and practice about neonatal pain management in public hospitals in West Oromia, Ethiopia, 2022: multi-centered cross-sectional study

In low-and middle-income countries inadequate neonatal pain management persists as a significant public health issue despite the availability of guidelines. Newborns often experience pain from routine medical ...

Working with a robot in hospital and long-term care homes: staff experience

Although there is a growing literature on the use of telepresence robots in institutional dementia care settings, limited research focused on the perspectives of frontline staff members who deliver dementia ca...

Translation and psychometric testing of the Persian Version of nurses’ ethical decision-making in End-of-Life Care Scale

Ethical decision-making in end-of-life care is one of the most challenging aspects of healthcare: providing ethical care to the society is one of the most important responsibilities of healthcare professionals...

Unraveling the synergy: how organizational intelligence fuel soft skills and nurses’ thriving: a cross-sectional study

Investigate the influence of organizational intelligence on the development of soft skills and the overall thriving of nurses at Alexandria Main University Hospital in Egypt.

Experience of undergraduate nursing students participating in artificial intelligence + project task driven learning at different stages: a qualitative study

Artificial intelligence is a growing phenomenon that will soon facilitate wide-scale changes in many professions, and is expected to play an important role in the field of medical education. This study explore...

Job performance and associated factors among nurses working in adult emergency departments at selected public hospitals in Ethiopia: a facility-based cross-sectional study

Optimizing the performance level of nursing staff is crucial for the efficient functioning of hospitals and better patient health outcomes. However, published data on the job performance levels and associated ...

The impact of nurse’s sense of calling, organizational commitment, job stress, and nursing work environment on patient safety management activities in comprehensive nursing care service units during the covid-19 pandemic

As the number of COVID-19 patients rises, there has been a notable increase in the workload for nurses. However, medium-sized hospitals lacked standardized protocols or consistent approaches to address the spe...

Spiritual nursing education programme for nursing students in Korea: a systematic review and meta-analysis

This study conducts a systematic review and meta-analysis to understand the characteristics and contents of studies on spiritual nursing education programmes and their effects.

Usability of Standards for Scaffolding in a Health Sciences Programme: A feasibility Study

Standards contribute to comprehensive and programmatic implementation of educational strategies, such as scaffolding. Although the development of educational standards follows a rigorous consensus approach, th...

A qualitative study of the value of simulation-based training for nursing students in primary care

Clinical placement is an essential component of nursing education, providing students with the opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge to practice. However, challenges such as lack of supervision and passiv...

Effectiveness of a family empowerment program on caregiving capacity and adverse mood in caregivers of children with acute leukemia: a quasi-experimental study

Family-centered empowerment programs have been widely used in the pediatric field. Therefore, the current study investigated the effectiveness of family empowerment programs on caregiving ability and adverse m...

Clinical nursing competency during epidemics: a qualitative content analysis

Nurses are on the frontline for managing epidemic diseases. Different aspects of clinical nursing competencies during epidemics are important issues that need investigation.

Important information

Editorial board

For authors

For editorial board members

For reviewers

• Manuscript editing services

Annual Journal Metrics

2022 Citation Impact 3.2 - 2-year Impact Factor 3.6 - 5-year Impact Factor 1.428 - SNIP (Source Normalized Impact per Paper) 0.769 - SJR (SCImago Journal Rank)

2023 Speed 26 days submission to first editorial decision for all manuscripts (Median) 161 days submission to accept (Median)

2023 Usage  3,633,213 downloads 785 Altmetric mentions 

• More about our metrics

Peer-review Terminology

The following summary describes the peer review process for this journal:

Identity transparency: Single anonymized

Reviewer interacts with: Editor

Review information published: Review reports. Reviewer Identities reviewer opt in. Author/reviewer communication

More information is available here

• Follow us on Twitter

BMC Nursing

ISSN: 1472-6955

• General enquiries: [email protected]

The Professional Nurse: Four Decades of Immense Change

Affiliation.

• 1 Author Affiliation : Director, Magnet Recognition Program®.
• PMID: 34910703
• DOI: 10.1097/NNA.0000000000001094

As one of the world's oldest occupations, nursing has seen, inspired, and innovated a host of changes. The evolution has been especially evident for the last 39 years. Since the 1980s, a growing focus on autonomy, research, and evidence-based practice has transformed nursing from a job to a profession. Concepts such as shared governance, interprofessional collaboration, and frontline engagement have transformed nurses from doctors' assistants to empowered and independent clinicians directly impacting patient outcomes and the healthcare environment. As the 30th anniversary of the American Nurses Credentialing Center comes to an end and the original Magnet® research celebrates a 39th birthday, we take a closer look at how the Magnet framework reflects these changes and how Magnet-designated organizations continue to advance nursing practice with innovation, knowledge, and leadership.

Copyright © 2022 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

• Anniversaries and Special Events*
• Credentialing
• Evidence-Based Nursing*
• Interprofessional Relations*
• Nursing Research*
• Nursing Staff, Hospital / trends*
• Organizational Culture
• Personal Autonomy*

Nursing: Recognizing Original/Primary Research

• Get Started
• Google Scholar
• Social Media
• Find a Journal Article from a Citation
• Recognizing Original/Primary Research
• Course Guides
• APA This link opens in a new window
• Nursing Exams
• Nursing Research How-To Videos

Original Research

What is original research.

Original research is considered a primary source.

An article is considered original research if...

• it is the report of a study written by the researchers who actually did the study.
• the researchers describe their hypothesis or research question and the purpose of the study.
• the researchers detail their research methods.
• the results of the research are reported.
• the researchers interpret their results and discuss possible implications.

Diagram of a Research Article

How can i tell if an article is original research.

There is no one way to easily tell if an article is a research article like there is for peer-reviewed articles in the Libraries' databases.  The only way to be sure is to read the article to verify that it is written by the researchers and that they have explained all of their findings, in addition to listing their methodologies, results, and any conclusions based on the evidence collected. 

All that being said, there are a few key indicators that will help you to quickly decide whether or not your article is based on original research. 

• Literature Review or Background
• Conclusions
• Read through the abstract (summary) before you attempt to find the full-text PDF. The abstract of the article usually contains those subdivision headings where each of the key sections are summarized individually. 
• << Previous: Find a Journal Article from a Citation
• Next: Course Guides >>
• Last Updated: Jan 31, 2024 10:30 AM
• URL: https://irsc.libguides.com/nursing

Research articles

Epidural analgesia during labour and severe maternal morbidity, exposure to antibiotics during pregnancy or early infancy and risk of neurodevelopmental disorders, clinical and healthcare use outcomes after cessation of long term opioid treatment due to prescriber workforce exit, effect of the hpv vaccination programme on incidence of cervical cancer by socioeconomic deprivation in england, long acting progestogens vs combined oral contraceptive pill for preventing recurrence of endometriosis related pain, ultra-processed food consumption and all cause and cause specific mortality, comparative effectiveness of second line oral antidiabetic treatments among people with type 2 diabetes mellitus, efficacy of psilocybin for treating symptoms of depression, reverse total shoulder replacement versus anatomical total shoulder replacement for osteoarthritis, effect of combination treatment with glp-1 receptor agonists and sglt-2 inhibitors on incidence of cardiovascular and serious renal events, prenatal opioid exposure and risk of neuropsychiatric disorders in children, temporal trends in lifetime risks of atrial fibrillation and its complications, antipsychotic use in people with dementia, predicting the risks of kidney failure and death in adults with moderate to severe chronic kidney disease, impact of large scale, multicomponent intervention to reduce proton pump inhibitor overuse, esketamine after childbirth for mothers with prenatal depression, glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist use and risk of thyroid cancer, use of progestogens and the risk of intracranial meningioma, delirium and incident dementia in hospital patients, derivation and external validation of a simple risk score for predicting severe acute kidney injury after intravenous cisplatin, quality and safety of artificial intelligence generated health information, large language models and the generation of health disinformation, 25 year trends in cancer incidence and mortality among adults in the uk, cervical pessary versus vaginal progesterone in women with a singleton pregnancy, comparison of prior authorization across insurers, diagnostic accuracy of magnetically guided capsule endoscopy with a detachable string for detecting oesophagogastric varices in adults with cirrhosis, ultra-processed food exposure and adverse health outcomes, added benefit and revenues of oncology drugs approved by the ema, exposure to air pollution and hospital admission for cardiovascular diseases, short term exposure to low level ambient fine particulate matter and natural cause, cardiovascular, and respiratory morbidity, optimal timing of influenza vaccination in young children, effect of exercise for depression, association of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease with cardiovascular disease and all cause death in patients with type 2 diabetes, duration of cpr and outcomes for adults with in-hospital cardiac arrest, clinical effectiveness of an online physical and mental health rehabilitation programme for post-covid-19 condition, atypia detected during breast screening and subsequent development of cancer, publishers’ and journals’ instructions to authors on use of generative ai in academic and scientific publishing, effectiveness of glp-1 receptor agonists on glycaemic control, body weight, and lipid profile for type 2 diabetes, neurological development in children born moderately or late preterm, invasive breast cancer and breast cancer death after non-screen detected ductal carcinoma in situ, all cause and cause specific mortality in obsessive-compulsive disorder, acute rehabilitation following traumatic anterior shoulder dislocation, perinatal depression and risk of mortality, undisclosed financial conflicts of interest in dsm-5-tr, effect of risk mitigation guidance opioid and stimulant dispensations on mortality and acute care visits, update to living systematic review on sars-cov-2 positivity in offspring and timing of mother-to-child transmission, perinatal depression and its health impact, christmas 2023: common healthcare related instruments subjected to magnetic attraction study, using autoregressive integrated moving average models for time series analysis of observational data, demand for morning after pill following new year holiday, christmas 2023: christmas recipes from the great british bake off, effect of a doctor working during the festive period on population health: experiment using doctor who episodes, christmas 2023: analysis of barbie medical and science career dolls, christmas 2023: effect of chair placement on physicians’ behavior and patients’ satisfaction, management of chronic pain secondary to temporomandibular disorders, christmas 2023: projecting complete redaction of clinical trial protocols, christmas 2023: a drug target for erectile dysfunction to help improve fertility, sexual activity, and wellbeing, christmas 2023: efficacy of cola ingestion for oesophageal food bolus impaction, conservative management versus laparoscopic cholecystectomy in adults with gallstone disease, social media use and health risk behaviours in young people, untreated cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 and cervical cancer, air pollution deaths attributable to fossil fuels, implementation of a high sensitivity cardiac troponin i assay and risk of myocardial infarction or death at five years, covid-19 vaccine effectiveness against post-covid-19 condition, association between patient-surgeon gender concordance and mortality after surgery, intravascular imaging guided versus coronary angiography guided percutaneous coronary intervention, treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms in men in primary care using a conservative intervention, autism intervention meta-analysis of early childhood studies, effectiveness of the live zoster vaccine during the 10 years following vaccination, effects of a multimodal intervention in primary care to reduce second line antibiotic prescriptions for urinary tract infections in women, pyrotinib versus placebo in combination with trastuzumab and docetaxel in patients with her2 positive metastatic breast cancer, association of dcis size and margin status with risk of developing breast cancer post-treatment, racial differences in low value care among older patients in the us, pharmaceutical industry payments and delivery of low value cancer drugs, rosuvastatin versus atorvastatin in adults with coronary artery disease, clinical effectiveness of septoplasty versus medical management for nasal airways obstruction, ultrasound guided lavage with corticosteroid injection versus sham lavage with and without corticosteroid injection for calcific tendinopathy of shoulder, early versus delayed antihypertensive treatment in patients with acute ischaemic stroke, mortality risks associated with floods in 761 communities worldwide, interactive effects of ambient fine particulate matter and ozone on daily mortality in 372 cities, association between changes in carbohydrate intake and long term weight changes, future-case control crossover analysis for adjusting bias in case crossover studies, association between recently raised anticholinergic burden and risk of acute cardiovascular events, suboptimal gestational weight gain and neonatal outcomes in low and middle income countries: individual participant data meta-analysis, efficacy and safety of an inactivated virus-particle vaccine for sars-cov-2, effect of invitation letter in language of origin on screening attendance: randomised controlled trial in breastscreen norway, visits by nurse practitioners and physician assistants in the usa, non-erosive gastro-oesophageal reflux disease and oesophageal adenocarcinoma, venous thromboembolism with use of hormonal contraception and nsaids, food additive emulsifiers and risk of cardiovascular disease, balancing risks and benefits of cannabis use, promoting activity, independence, and stability in early dementia and mild cognitive impairment, effect of home cook interventions for salt reduction in china, cancer mortality after low dose exposure to ionising radiation, effect of a smartphone intervention among university students with unhealthy alcohol use, long term risk of death and readmission after hospital admission with covid-19 among older adults, mortality rates among patients successfully treated for hepatitis c, association between antenatal corticosteroids and risk of serious infection in children, the proportions of term or late preterm births after exposure to early antenatal corticosteroids, and outcomes, follow us on, content links.

• Collections
• Health in South Asia
• Women’s, children’s & adolescents’ health
• News and views
• BMJ Opinion
• Rapid responses
• Editorial staff
• BMJ in the USA
• BMJ in South Asia
• Submit your paper
• BMA members
• Subscribers
• Advertisers and sponsors

Explore BMJ

• Our company
• BMJ Careers
• BMJ Learning
• BMJ Masterclasses
• BMJ Journals
• BMJ Student
• Academic edition of The BMJ
• BMJ Best Practice
• The BMJ Awards
• Email alerts
• Activate subscription

Information

An official website of the United States government

The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

• Publications
• Account settings

Preview improvements coming to the PMC website in October 2024. Learn More or Try it out now .

• Advanced Search
• Journal List
• HHS Author Manuscripts

The Importance of Nursing Research

Nursing research has a tremendous influence on current and future professional nursing practice, thus rendering it an essential component of the educational process. This article chronicles the learning experiences of two undergraduate nursing students who were provided with the opportunity to become team members in a study funded by the National Institute of Nursing Research. The application process, the various learning opportunities and responsibilities performed by the students, and the benefits and outcomes of the experience are described. The authors hope that by sharing their learning experiences, more students will be given similar opportunities using the strategies presented in this article. Nursing research is critical to the nursing profession and is necessary for continuing advancements that promote optimal nursing care.

Throughout the 21st century, the role of nurse has evolved significantly. Nurses work in a variety of settings, including the hospital, the classroom, the community health department, the business sector, home health care, and the laboratory. Although each role carries different responsibilities, the primary goal of a professional nurse remains the same: to be the client's advocate and provide optimal care on the basis of evidence obtained through research.

Baccalaureate programs in the United States prepare students for entry-level nursing positions. The focus is to care for individuals throughout the human life span. Knowledge is acquired from textbooks, classroom and Web-based instruction, simulation, and clinical experiences. The goal of all programs is for students to graduate as safe, entry-level professionals, having received a well-rounded exposure to the nursing field. Students are exposed to evidence-based nursing practice throughout their curriculum; however, the allocated time for nursing research is often limited. Many programs require only one 3-credit hour course for nursing research. This amount of time is limited, despite the broad spectrum of nursing research and its influence on current and future nursing care.

Research is typically not among the traditional responsibilities of an entry-level nurse. Many nurses are involved in either direct patient care or administrative aspects of health care. Nursing research is a growing field in which individuals within the profession can contribute a variety of skills and experiences to the science of nursing care. There are frequent misconceptions as to what nursing research is. Some individuals do not even know how to begin to define nursing research. According to Polit and Beck (2006) , nursing research is:

systematic inquiry designed to develop knowledge about issues of importance to nurses, including nursing practice, nursing education, and nursing administration. (p. 4)

Nursing research is vital to the practice of professional nursing, and the importance of its inclusion during undergraduate instruction cannot be overemphasized. Only with exposure and experience can students begin to understand the concept and importance of nursing research.

The purpose of this article is to describe undergraduate students’ experiences of becoming aware of and participating in a federally funded research study from the National Institute of Nursing Research. As a part of funding for the study, which was an AREA award ( A cademic R esearch E nhancement A ward, R15 mechanism), there were designated opportunities for student involvement. The primary aim of the research study was to investigate the effects of gene-environment interactions on risk factors of preclinical cardiovascular disease in a cohort of 585 young adults who all had a positive family history of cardiovascular disease (i.e., essential hypertension or premature myocardial infarction at age 55 or younger in one or both biological parents or in one or more grandparents), verified in the medical record. Specific genes examined included cytochrome P-450, family 1, subfamily A, polypeptide 1; cytochrome P-450 2A; glutathione S-transferase mu 1; and glutathione S-transferase theta 1. Cardiovascular-dependent measures were diastolic blood pressure, endothelium-dependent arterial vasodilation, left ventricular mass indexed for body size, systolic blood pressure, and total peripheral resistance. The effects of ethnicity and gender were also explored.

Learning Opportunity

The learning process began with the principal investigator (M.S.T.) of the study visiting the junior class (class of 2007) of baccalaureate students at the Medical College of Georgia. This particular student group was chosen due to their academic standing because they would have the chance to take full advantage of learning directly from a nurse researcher for one full year before graduation. The principal investigator briefly presented and discussed the growing field of nursing research, the advancements made by nursing research, and the critical role of nursing research to nursing practice. The principal investigator also presented an overview of the funded research study and extended an invitation to students to apply for two part-time positions on the grant that were designed specifically for nursing student involvement. Students recognized the excellent opportunity and were intrigued with the future possibilities. They understood this option was unique and appeared to be a great pathway for becoming an active participant in learning the nursing research process through involvement in an official nursing research study.

The principal investigator established objective criteria for the application process. The criteria included writing a maximum 1-page essay sharing the reasons why the students wanted to join the research project as a team member and also sharing their personal and professional goals for involvement in the study. Many students were interested; thus, it was a very competitive process. The principal investigator reviewed the essays and selected approximately 10 prospective individuals for an interview. The interview was an extension of the essay. At the interview, the principal investigator further described the positions, provided a detailed overview of the grant, and had the opportunity to gain a better understanding of the student candidates. The students were encouraged to ask questions to further understand the expectations of the prospective opportunity. The interview also provided the students with increased exposure to the study's goal and more familiarization with the expectations of the funded positions.

After the interview process was completed, two individuals were selected, per the grant specifications. The selected individuals described the interview process as a positive experience that helped solidify their desire to become involved in the research study. The principal investigator emphasized that this job opportunity was designed to be a learning experience in which the students would be guided through the entire research study process and become members of a multidisciplinary team. Time responsibilities for each student included approximately 6 hours per week. The principal investigator communicated clearly that the nursing baccalaureate program was the first priority for the students, and thus provided a flexible work schedule.

Research Study Experience

The students began working in early april 2006. The first step in the work experience included 6 weeks of funded orientation. This was their first exposure to the research process; thus, it was important for the students to be provided with a strong foundation. Orientation included attending a team meeting and being introduced to the members of the multidisciplinary team (i.e., biostatistician, cardiologist, geneticists, nurse researcher, and psychologist, all of whom served as co-investigators, and the genetic laboratory personnel); reviewing the grant application; completing the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) (2000) ; completing the Roche educational program on genetics; and touring the worksite facilities. Reviewing the grant gave the students a better understanding of the specific aims and objectives of the study and the intended procedures of the genetic laboratory work in which the students would be involved. The complexity of the grant required the principal investigator to further explain and clarify specific details. The CITI training, which is required by the institution's Office of Human Research Protection, was completed online and took approximately 5.5 hours. The CITI program was presented in a tutorial format, and satisfactory completion of numerous quizzes was required. The task was tedious and time consuming, but valuable and essential, as it increased the awareness of the established codes of conduct for research. At the conclusion of the CITI training, the students understood the necessary policies and procedures for maintaining security and confidentiality of human subjects, the legal and ethical issues regarding the research process, and the essential procedures for research conduct.

Although the students had a basic understanding of genetics, they completed the Roche Genetics Education Program (2004) to gain a deeper understanding. The program was direct and easy to navigate and was excellent for all learning styles, as it contained both visual and auditory explanations. The explanations covered both basic and complex genetic concepts. Through the use of the genetics program, the students were able to comprehend abstract genetic details and to further understand the importance and influence of genetics on personal health. To conclude the orientation process, students were taught basic laboratory procedures, such as polymerase chain reaction and restrictive enzyme digestion, which were used to perform genotyping for the study. After these procedures had been observed several times, the students were given the opportunity to acquire hands-on experience with these laboratory techniques. Each of these components of the orientation process provided the students with the needed foundation for becoming involved in the research study.

After approximately 2 months of orientation, the students were ready to begin working in the genetics laboratory. One of the primary responsibilities of the students would be to further learn and become confident with genotyping techniques. The laboratory was shared among research personnel of several funded studies, with various research experiments being conducted concurrently. The students, under the supervision of the principal investigator and geneticist (H.Z.), also worked with experienced research assistants to perform the genotyping. The students maintained a daily log describing the laboratory genotyping procedures and experiments, and these logs were reviewed at team meetings. Although the actual procedure for polymerase chain reaction seemed straightforward, the students quickly learned that quality control must be used. Sometimes during genotyping, the DNA samples did not produce results. The students discovered that there are numerous contributing factors to successful polymerase chain reaction, such as quality of DNA templates, primer specifications, temperature settings, gel conditions, pipette measuring accuracy, and general laboratory techniques. Even the slightest error could result in permanent DNA sample loss, major experiment failure, or DNA sample contamination.

The students met with the research team members frequently to discuss and troubleshoot potential solutions and problem solve techniques that would foster improving the success rate and productivity of the genotyping. From the laboratory experience, the students learned that every detail must be considered and addressed precisely and meticulously when conducting experiments. Sometimes the process became frustrating, but the students soon discovered that patience and persistence were the most important attributes for a laboratory researcher to possess. The laboratory experience was an excellent hands-on learning opportunity. The students no longer viewed research as strictly information gathered from a journal or textbook, but rather as a physical act that required extreme concentration, dedication, and determination.

After spending numerous months in the laboratory performing the required genotyping, the students had the opportunity to be exposed to another role of a nurse researcher. They performed literature reviews regarding the study. Although the students had written papers in their nursing school program that required literature citations, they were not familiar with all of the library resources available to them. In no time, the students learned which library and online resources had the most validity and what would be the most relevant to their study. The literature search results provided the students and principal investigator with information on new studies that had been conducted on gene-environment interactions regarding tobacco smoke exposure and cardiovascular disease. From the literature review experience, the students learned the importance of being selective and time efficient. Often when a search was first begun, thousands of articles were listed, but the students learned the importance of narrowing the searches to the specific areas of focus. After the students completed their searches, they met with the principal investigator, who provided direction on the articles identified as the most relevant to the study.

The students continued working with the principal investigator during data review, analysis, and preparation of dissemination of the results (i.e., the publishing process). They helped to prepare an abstract submission of the study presented at an international meeting ( Tingen et al., 2007 ). They also helped with the preparation of manuscripts of the study results. By the conclusion of their work experience, the students will have been exposed to and participated in the entire research process.

Benefits and Outcomes

From the students’ perspectives, this opportunity was extremely beneficial. Prior to this experience, the students were not familiar with nursing research. Their original perception of research was that it was conducted by people with chemistry, biology, biochemistry, and genetic degrees in laboratories at major universities. They now realize that nursing and research can be combined and that optimal nursing care is dependent on the latest research findings. In addition, the students believe this opportunity has been beneficial in learning that nurse researchers are valuable to nurses in other settings. For example, one of the long-term goals of this research study is to develop appropriate interventions for children who are more susceptible to and at risk for the harmful effects of tobacco smoke due to their genetic heritage. The information obtained by a nurse researcher can be disseminated to nurses who work directly with the individuals to whom the research applies. Practice that has shown to be effective through research allows nurses to better advocate for patients and provide the best possible care. Although the majority of nurses who provide patient care will be consumers of nursing research, implementing evidence-based nursing practice is crucial to provide optimal nursing care. Information from nursing research has the potential to directly impact the care provided to patients in all health care settings.

Now that the students have had the opportunity to become more familiar with nursing research through involvement as team members, they recognize that their future professional possibilities are endless. Nursing research is an emerging and growing field in which individuals can apply their nursing education to discover new advancements that promote evidence-based care. They learned the research process and the important roles that each team member plays during the study phases of conception, design, implementation, analysis, and dissemination. Each aspect of the research process is important and contributes to the overall success of the study.

The students also discovered the benefit of trying new things. Prior to this experience, they had little exposure to the research process and nursing research. Consequently, they had to be receptive to learning and recognize that acquiring new knowledge was a gradual process. At times, the students felt anxious because all aspects were new, but they realized that without trying, they would never advance and feel comfortable with the research process. As the students reflected, they thought this was an excellent growing experience professionally, scholastically, and personally. In addition, this opportunity benefited the students’ peers through discussions and their sharing of work responsibilities, the research process, and the importance of evidence-based practice. As future nurses, the students are strong proponents of nursing research, and this experience has also broadened their horizons regarding future professional growth and opportunities. In addition, they have a better understanding of the importance of scientific evidence to support their clinical practice. As a result, the students thought that a stronger emphasis should be placed on nursing research in undergraduate baccalaureate education and that more students should have the opportunity to participate as team members in nursing research studies.

The students were almost one full year into nursing school and thought they had learned about all of the possibilities for their futures when they were first presented with this learning opportunity. They knew their future options were numerous and included working in acute care and community settings. They also realized they could further their education and pursue graduate degrees to include a master's degree and become an administrator, educator, clinical nurse specialist, nurse anesthetist, or nurse practitioner, or potentially pursue a doctorate. They did not know there was an emerging and growing field in which their nursing education could be applied and furthered—the area of research and the role of becoming a nurse researcher. Prior to this experience, students perceived their possibilities for a professional career in nursing were tremendous. Now by being involved in the entire process of conducting a federally funded research study, they realized their future professional possibilities are limitless.

The authors of this paper hope that by sharing their experience, they will encourage both nursing faculty and nursing students to not only introduce the research process into the nursing curriculum, but also to consider making nursing research a tangible and more integrated process. They think that a more beneficial approach to the introduction of research may be achieved through incorporating research-related content into each nursing course throughout the educational process. This could be conducted in addition to the current curriculum plan of many schools of nursing that require a single and concentrated 3-hour research course with a goal of research becoming a positive experience for students that is enthusiastically received as a new learning opportunity. In addition, students who are involved as team members in a funded research study may be provided with scheduled classroom opportunities for making progress reports to their peers. Also, the students could field questions regarding the research project and their experiences. These activities may foster increased learning and interest about research among the students’ classmates.

As nursing students are the future members of the nursing profession, and for the profession to continue to advance, nursing research must be the foundation of comprehensive, evidence-based clinical practice. This may only occur with increased exposure to nursing research. Therefore, it is critical that the future members of the nursing profession be exposed to, develop an appreciation for, and become more involved in nursing research, and thus incorporate its outcomes into the delivery of optimal professional nursing practice.

Acknowledgments

The lead author was awarded a grant (NR008871) from the National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Nursing Research.

• Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative [April 14, 2006]; Office of Human Research Protection. The Medical College of Georgia. 2000 from http://www.mcg.edu/Research/ohrp/training/citi.html .
• Polit DF, Beck CT. Essentials of nursing research: Methods, appraisal, and utilization. 6th ed. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; Philadelphia: 2006. [ Google Scholar ]
• Roche Genetics Education Program [May 10, 2006]; Education. 2004 from http://www.roche.com/research_and_development_r_d_overview/education.htm .
• Tingen MS, Ludwig DA, Dong Y, Zhu H, Andrews JO, Burnett AH, et al. Tobacco smoke exposure and genetics: Youth at risk for cardiovascular disease.. Proceedings of the 13th Annual Meeting of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco.2007. p. 39. [ Google Scholar ]