Real Stories of Nursing Research: The Quest for Magnet Recognition

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Research: when the topic comes up does the room get very quiet? Have you thought that because you work in a small hospital, you are “only” a staff nurse, or because you have never done research before that you can't do research? You are not alone. This book evolved from a study that the authors conducted regarding implementing nursing research programs. They hope by sharing real stories from clinical nurses doing research, mostly for the first time, that others will overcome their fears and be inspired to conduct their own nursing research.

In the forward, Dr Joyce E. Johnson provides a brief overview of the Magnet™ program and its encouragement and recognition of excellence in nursing. Readers are invited to accept the challenge to join “the hero's quest,” which is the authors' comparison of nursing research and the quest or journey a hero undertakes under adverse and challenging circumstances. To join the quest, readers must leave their comfort zone to seek an important goal that can benefit the greater good. An amusingly accurate description of the challenges and stages of a quest follows.

The first 40 pages of the book are extremely useful and take readers through a not-to-be-missed introduction to nursing research. The authors help readers overcome the fear of research by discussing myths and presenting the realities. For example, the myth, “it's not my job” versus the reality, “yes it is!” and the myth, “I don't have the skills” versus the reality, “you can learn them.”

One useful table in the book—Ten Easy Steps—is included in a chapter about using resources to get started with nursing research. The table is presented for those at the beginning of their journey. In part 11, Resources Novices Can't Do Without, the authors discuss how to find and use resources. They highly encourage using mentors, and they also discuss “our friends”: statistics and the institutional review board. The authors call these things “our friends” to play on the fear of these two subjects, which are actually very helpful in the nursing research process. Also, the authors provide specific guidance relating to the new model for the Magnet program and the “so what” aspect of research (ie, realizing it is not just what the researcher does but how it affects patient outcomes).

With the basics out of the way, readers then move into the 57 inspiring real stories of nursing research, as told by nurses. The research topics encompass all areas of clinical nursing. These nurse researchers model the research process, including identifying a problem, designing and implementing their research, and sharing the results. Reading these stories shows readers that they are already doing research without giving themselves credit for it.

The storytelling format is the perfect tool for transforming the formal, intimidating image of nursing research into one that allows readers to have the confidence to see the opportunities they have to participate. The gentle guidance and support give readers the courage necessary to find the path to conducting nursing research.

I would highly recommend this book for those who need support and motivation for nursing research during their Magnet journey. The wealth of clinical improvement information included in the stories also would make this book a beneficial resource to anyone interested in how to provide the highest quality patient care. And you never know, the most surprising effect of this book may be that by the end, readers actually want to do nursing research.