Symbiosis--undergraduate research mentoring and faculty scholarship in nursing

Although teaching is the major focus of academia, research and professional publications frequently determine faculty eligibility for promotion and tenure. In universities where funded research is scarce, faculty need creative means to accomplish research goals. Research is an essential part of baccalaureate nursing education. The goal of research education at the baccalaureate level is to prepare knowledgeable consumers in nursing research. The purpose of this article is to describe an undergraduate nursing research course that provide students with hands-on experience in the conduct of nursing research and provide faculty with assistance in moving their research agenda forward. Faculty members were solicited to work with 5-10 students in a research project that was either in the planning stages or actively in progress. After one year of program implementation, faculty and students were involved in presenting poster and oral presentations at state, regional, and international research conferences. Manuscripts and proposals for funding are in the process of submission.