Nursing students’ perspectives about experiential learning in a research study

Objective : To examine nursing students’ perspectives about experiential learning in a research study (n = 36). Method: Qualitative content analysis was used to analyze student narratives about their 12-week experience participating in an NIH-funded research study. Results: Findings reveal three essential themes: pleasure and personal rewards of research, improving the lives of patients and new interest in research participation. Conclusion: Engaging nursing students in research can enhance their interest in lifelong learning, stimulate their willingness to bring new strategies to the clinical interface and can expose them to diverse populations and settings. Importantly, experiential learning in hands-on clinical research improves student nurses' educational experiences and motivates them to advance nursing research.