Purpose:

This research study is a way to engage nursing staff in the nursing research process in a fun and nonthreatening manner.

Significance:

In today's professional climate, we are challenged to provide evidence-based quality nursing care. To meet this challenge, nurses must have an understanding of nursing research as the basis for evidence-based clinical practice change and be able to contribute positively to this change. At our midwestern Comprehensive Cancer Center, our nurses were very comfortable participating with medical research but few had knowledge of or had participated in the nursing research process. As we incorporate the concepts of evidence-based nursing into our practice under our shared governance model, the newly evolved Nursing Research Council's most pressing goal was to educate and engage the staff in nursing research.

Background/Design:

Quasi-experimental, double blind comparative study design.

Methods:

After obtaining informed consent, a convenience sample of 500 staff who met inclusion criteria were provided with 2 bags of popcorn to taste. Following the tasting, the participants filled out a Popcorn Assessment Tool providing evaluation of each popcorn, the value of this experiment on their knowledge of the nursing research process, and demographic information. Six weeks later, staff completed a follow-up questionnaire asking about the impact of this research project.

Findings:

Pending data analysis.

Conclusions:

While the basis of the research was a taste comparison of 2 different popcorn brands, the council included key aspects of the research process in the planning and implementation including informed consent, study design, scripting, blinding, budgeting, controlling for confounding variables, data collection, and analysis methods. This proposal successfully gained IRB approval and funding. Education and publicity not only discussed the research processes but also addressed the difficulties encountered with planning and managing such an undertaking.

Implications for Practice:

Staff participation in this project was overwhelmingly positive. Research is an important and vital component of improving the quality of patient care. Educating and engaging nurses in the nursing research process is one way to raise awareness and create enthusiasm for them to pursue this further in their clinical setting.