A Guided Research Experience: Application of the Research Process in BSN Honors Program

Purpose:

The purpose of this project was to create a general and structured curriculum for the BSN IS Honors Program.

Background:

Baccalaureate of Science in Nursing (BSN) undergraduate honors students are assigned to faculty conducting research projects at various stages of implementation. The student is paired with faculty based on research area of interest. A two-semester independent study (IS) curriculum was designed to facilitate student learning of the research process. Concepts learned in the undergraduate research course (UTHealth-Houston, N4512) were applied and incorporated. The purpose of this project was to create a general and structured curriculum for the BSN IS Honors Program.

Methods or Project Description:

Semester 1: Concept knowledge and Analysis
The student will: Complete Citi training, Attend weekly faculty research meetings, identity a concept of interest (N4512 knowledge), search the internet and  identify scholarly literature regarding the concept, create evidence tables analyzing peer-reviewed literature (N4512 critique guidelines), draw conclusions, and present evidence tables to faculty.
Semester 2: Participate, Synthesize, and Disseminate
The student will: Review semester one evidence tables, participate in faculty research project, construct a poster with review findings, write a final paper synthesizing review findings and evaluating how the faculty project addresses gaps in the scientific literature.

Results or Outcomes:

At the completion of the two-semester IS course, the student has developed two products created from their interaction with the scholarly literature and involvement in the faculty research project. The first product is a final paper which could be submitted for publication. The second product is a professional poster to be presented at an internal or external conference. The two course products further the student’s exposure to the research dissemination process while simultaneously allowing the student to advance their professional and academic career.

Discussion:

This structured curriculum for the BSN Honors Program allows the student to better understand the research process. A mentorship relationship between student and faculty in nursing research is sorely needed (Byrne & Keefe, 2002). This curriculum encourages the mentor process while the student learns the origins of evidence based practice through academic research. Students who choose to enter graduate education will have base of knowledge to build upon. The curriculum is an effective method of cultivating future nursing researchers and can be implemented across various programs of research.