2009 MAGNET™ PROFILES - American Nurse Today

MAGNET PROFILES
Methodology
Using an active learning strategy is
one of the best ways to learn and
retain knowledge. Initially, this
strategy was developed to teach
nursing students.
As a model for this nursing research
project, the NRC chose an
active learning strategy described
by Theil in 1987, in which learners
participated in planning a mock
study (including study design), the
informed consent process, and the
collection, analysis, and evaluation
of data to compare two different
chocolate-chip cookie recipes. After
obtaining informed consent from
mock study participants, the learners
conducted a cookie taste test
and elicited tasters’ opinions. From
their data analysis, they drew conclusions
about the tasters’ cookie
preferences. This simulated research
was an effective firsthand experience
that helped nursing students
learn the nursing research process.
For its own nursing research, the
NRC chose to adapt the Theil project,
replacing chocolate-chip cookies with peanut
butter. It wrote a study protocol and developed a
study consent form and data collection tools. The
protocol required NRC members to conduct a
peanut-butter taste test, concealing the identity of
two different peanut butter brands and offering
samples to interested hospital staff. NRC members
took the role of nurse researchers, coworkers served
as study participants, and NRC mentors oversaw
project development.
To round out the nursing research process, the
project was submitted for presentation to professional
nursing audiences. It was selected by peer review
as a podium presentation at two nursing conferences,
one regional and the other national. As
NRC members presented their research, they focused
on the innovative style and advantages of the
educational strategy.
Teaching nurses about research: Key articles
The Nursing Research Council at Robert Packer Hospital used the three articles
below to help them devise a method for teaching staff nurses about nursing research.
Author and citation Study purpose Findings
Thiel CA. The cookie To describe a technique The experiment provided
experiment: A creative for teaching the research a flexible approach for
teaching strategy. Nurse process to undergraduate students to learn about the
Educ. 1987;12(3):8-10. nursing students research process in a
nonintimidating manner.
Hudson-Barr D, Kenney S, To replicate the Great The project allowed staff to
Watters C. Introducing the American Cookie participate in an exciting
staff nurse to nursing Experiment for the experiment as a starting
research through the purpose of educating point for research.
great American cookie and engaging staff in
experiment. J Nurs Adm. nursing research
2002;32(9):440-443.
Morrison-Beedy D, Cote- To develop an The project serves as a
Arsenault D. The cookie “icebreaker” for an creative and effective
experiment revisited: initial research class teaching strategy that can
broadened dimensions for that provided be adapted at various
teaching nursing research. exemplars throughout levels.
Nurse Educ. 2000;25(6): the course.
294-296.
NRC members believe this hands-on approach
made nursing research real to bedside nurses at
Robert Packer Hospital. Firsthand experience with
this process helped the nurses better understand
published nursing research and their role in conducting
such research or collecting research data for
other nurses, and increased their appreciation of
EBP in the clinical practice setting.
By educating coworkers and sharing their work
at the local and national levels, NRC members
completed the nursing research process, illustrating
the importance of disseminating nursing research
outcomes to the larger nursing community.
By the time of the hospital’s Magnet site
survey, staff nurses were actively engaged in several
EBP and nursing research activities and were
able to show ANCC reviewers they were indeed
Magnet-caliber nurses.
■
Plaudits for the “Peanutty” project
Dubbed the “Peanutty over nursing research” project,
this study generated much excitement and pride
among NRC members. It enabled them to articulate
the steps of the nursing research process and serve
as unit resources to peers. Eager to share what
they’d learned, they assembled posters that defined
basic research terms and applied them to the study
to illustrate the basic steps of the research process.
They presented the posters at unit staff meetings
and displayed them on nursing units.
Selected references
Visit www.AmericanNurseToday.com/Archives.aspx for a complete list
of selected references.
Sally Bennett and Mary Hicks are Clinical Nurse Educators and Debra Raupers is
the Magnet Coordinator and Director of Nursing Education and Research at
Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre, Pennsylvania. Lois Schoener is Director of the
Nurse Education Program at Elmira College in Elmira, New York. The authors
wish to acknowledge the members of the Nursing Research Council at Robert
Packer Hospital, as well as Dr. Robert Bienkowski, PhD, Director of Research
and Clinical Innovation at Guthrie Healthcare System, for their support and assistance
with this project.
60 American Nurse Today Volume 4, Number 8