Student nurses conducting research among their peers: lessons learned.

Introducing real world experiences into nursing education is a challenge, but it is worth the effort? In this case, upperclassmen nursing students gathered data for a funded study; the study benefitted from increased subject responsiveness. The student-researchers benefitted from greater self-efficacy in nursing research and an increased professional self-image. They also saw firsthand the complications that occur in gathering data and felt that the research process became more real to them. The use of student researchers is recommended as an active learning technique to instill lifelong understanding of and appreciation for research among future nurses.