Using a student-faculty collaborative learning model to teach grant development in graduate nursing education

Graduate nurses are employed in clinical, research, educational, and policy roles. As leaders, they are expected to develop and sustain projects that support translating research to practice and policy. Funding to support initiatives is tight and requires innovative solutions to cover salaries, benefits, equipment purchases, and other program expenses. In an effort to teach grant writing while developing skilled leaders who are effective and competitive in securing funds, the George Washington University School of Nursing offers a graduate-level grant writing course. In the summer of 2011, a collaborative learning model was developed within the course. The joint approach was foundational to securing an Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality grant to support development and implementation of a patient engagement project by the Nursing Alliance for Quality Care. This article describes the project and offers hints for those seeking to develop a collaborative educational experience that affords new leadership skills for RNs from all backgrounds.