Impact of Undergraduate Research Experience on Professional Career Outcomes of Nurses.

BACKGROUND The benefits of engaging undergraduate nursing students in research have been well-identified; however, little research has documented the long-term outcomes of this research assistant (RA) experience on nurses' professional careers. This study evaluated the impact of undergraduate research experience on participants' nursing professional career outcomes. METHOD A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted with a purposive sample of two groups (N = 94; RAs = 32 and non-RAs = 62). The questionnaire was administered online. RESULTS A comparison of participants' responses revealed statistically significant differences regarding scholarship activities and attitudes toward evidence-based practice. RAs had a greater likelihood of involvement in professional development and higher educational aspirations than non-RAs. CONCLUSION Undergraduate nursing research experience appears to have a positive impact on evidence-based practice, professional involvement, continuing education, and scholarship activities. These findings support future investment in undergraduate nursing research experiences to build a knowledge-based workforce and advanced nursing scholarship. [J Nurs Educ. 2021;60(10):570-576.].