A practical approach to teaching nursing research

Nurse educators often struggle to take the mystique out of research for undergraduate students. A learning experience to implement the research process at a level appropriate for senior nursing baccalaureate students presented itself during a community clinical practicum. Students who had completed a health assessment of a seniors retiree club identified lack of membership growth as a concern. Their instructor encouraged and helped them to investigate this problem further by applying research concepts. The experience demonstrates that nursing research can be incorporated successfully in the clinical area.