Research: an essential skill of a graduate nurse?

This paper discusses a research project undertaken by undergraduate nursing students, which includes data collection and provides transferable skills as well as a secure grounding for future research work. There is an expectation that nurse graduates should have research skills, but disagreement about how these skills should be acquired. This paper puts forward the case that undergraduate nurses should have some experience of "hands-on" research for the same reason that they undertake training in clinical skill acquisition, i.e., the skills in question are an essential feature of their role as a nurse. It is further argued that a research project develops transferable skills, which are expected from graduates of any discipline, and are much sought after by employers. In the light of present and future changes in nursing roles such transferable skills would better equip nurses to meet such changing demands in their professional role.