Conducting multisite research studies in nursing education: brief practice of CPR skills as an exemplar

Few large, multisite studies have been conducted in nursing education, and literature pertaining to conducting those studies is lacking. We recently completed a randomized trial to examine the effects of brief practice on nursing students' retention of CPR psychomotor skills. The purpose of this article is to describe strategies for implementing a multisite study in nursing education, using our research as an exemplar. Strategies are presented for structuring a multisite study; selecting, preparing, and communicating with team members across sites; selecting sites; recruiting and retaining participants; managing the technical aspects of an intervention; and collecting and managing data. Ethical considerations also are explored.