Collaborative practice in a nursing research course

Background: Interdisciplinary evidence-based practice (EBP) is an important component of quality patient care. However, nursing students often approach their research courses with dread and have few opportunities to develop collaborative skills. Methods: Nursing faculty collaborated with statistics faculty to modify the Great Cookie Experiment (GCE). As part of a research course, 109 nursing students participated in the modified GCE that enabled them to learn experientially about research concepts. In addition, faculty from both departments engaged the students in discussions about the collaborative process underlying their experience. Results: The modified GCE helped students learn course content and feel confident in their research course. Students discovered how collaboration was used to design and implement the GCE and help faculty be more effective and responsive teachers. Conclusion: The GCE has been shown to help nursing students learn abstract research-related concepts, but it can also be used to role model collaboration and prepare tomorrow's nurses for EBP. (c) 2023 Organization for Associate Degree Nursing. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.