University-hospital research collaboration provides meaningful experience for student learning

Having the faculty and clinicians work together to formulate a problem for study or to take some portion of an existing study is very useful. Students see that research has practical value and that practice can be affected by systematic investigation of existing nursing practice. Possibly the greatest benefit of students' involvement in this joint project was students' and staffs' realizations that nursing research planned and implemented jointly can benefit both the nurses in practice and the baccalaureate students. Involving students in active participation in joint projects developed and executed in collaboration between clinicians and faculty seems a feasible and worthwhile undertaking. Yet, these projects need to be carefully selected, taking into account the needs of the agency and the students as well as faculty's ability to cope with undergraduate students' inexperience.