Research in action-developing and evaluating a student research placement experience

Abstract

Background: Evidence based practice is essential in the provision of high-quality contemporary nursing practice. Yet nursing students often lack an understanding of the research process because applied research experience is rarely facilitated in undergraduate nursing programmes. Students research knowledge is mostly gained via classroom based theoretical teaching; however, it is a challenging subject to teach and is often evaluated poorly by students who find the subject uninteresting and difficult to apply to their clinical practice.

Aim: The aim of the study was to explore the experiences of student nurses after undertaking a nurse led primary research study placement.

Methods: The study explores the students' experiences of a research placement using a phenomenological approach with the data collection method of drawings and narration which were then subject to Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis as a data analysis method.

Settings: This study was undertaken with 18 nursing students who were enrolled in a United Kingdom university, who had recently participated in a nurse-led research study exploring the use of sensors to detect atrial fibrillation in members of the public in a supermarket.

Results: The following themes were developed by the researchers: Practice makes perfect, Enhancing communication, Research attitude, Making a difference, Increased confidence, Enhanced skills, Researcher collaborations, The views of others.

Conclusions: Students valued the research placement; the experience provided insight into the conduct of research in primary health and allowed students to learn about research in an experiential way which proved to be more effective than usual classroom methods. Students' communication skills were enhanced, through interacting with the public in a different way, who were keen to engage with them because of their student status.

Keywords: Interprofessional; Multi professional; Nursing students; Qualitative research; Research; Research placements.