Abstract
Purpose/Background/Significance: Undergraduate nursing honors research programs are a method for increasing the desire for students to pursue graduate education for eventual research careers. The purpose of this study was to identify and describe the types and outcomes of undergraduate nursing honors research programs in the U.S.
Methods: A qualitative descriptive design using content analysis for data analysis. Faculty who were involved in undergraduate nursing honors research programs in the U.S. were recruited to complete an interview that elicited responses on the type and structure of the program, barriers to implementation, faculty workload models, and outcomes realized from the program.
Results: There is variance in the methods for the design and execution of undergraduate nursing honors research programs. Variance is primarily seen in the following areas: linkage to a university or campus level honors/research program; specific required coursework; when in the nursing program the honors program commences; who is selecting the honors topic; the student final outcome; faculty eligibility to direct honors students; how faculty workload is managed; and how mentoring honors students contributes to the promotion and/or tenure process. Less variability is found with the following areas: admissions criteria; major barrier to execution of program is faculty availability; and desiring program outcomes of graduate school and project dissemination. Despite the variation, the many types of models of undergraduate nursing honors research program were deemed successful by participants related to the main purpose of the programs which is to develop future nursing scholars. This study is limited to the findings of the participants programs.
Conclusions: This study found that while there is variance in the design and execution of undergraduate nursing honors research programs, that this variance does not limit the outcomes of the program.
Notes
References:
American Council on Education (2023). The Carnegie classification of institutions of higher education. Retrieved from: https://carnegieclassifications.acenet.edu/index.php
Bull, R., Shearer, T., Youl, L, & Campbell, S. (2018). Enhancing graduate nurse transition: report of the evaluation of the clinical honors program. Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 49(8), 348-355. doi:10.3928/00220124-20180718-05
Burkhalter, P. K., Kim, H. T., (1976). The honors program approach to undergraduate research in nursing. Journal of Nursing Education, 15(5), 21-25.
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Duckett, L. J., Brand, K. P., Fairbanks, D. (1990). Recruiting the brightest and best for nursing—an honors program can help. Nurse Educator, 15(1), 12-16.
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Hermanns, M., Smith, B. M., Stone, K., & Streufert, P. D. (2022). Engaging nursing honors students in research: a model program. Journal of Professional Nursing, 43(2022), 129-133. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2022.10.002
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Lim, F., Nelson, N., Stimpfel, A. W., Navarra, A. M., & Slater, L. Z. (2016). Honors programs: current perspectives for implementation. Nurse Educator, 41(2), 98-102. DOI: 10.1097/NNE.0000000000000211
Lincoln, Y., & Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. Newbury Park, CA: Sage
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (2021). The future of nursing 2020-2030: charting a path to achieve health Equity. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/2e982.
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doi:10.3928/01484834-20160914-07
Oleson, M. (1988). To be or not to be: honors program in baccalaureate nursing education. Nurse Educator, 13(4), 26-29.
Redley, B., Forbes, H., Bloomer, M., Tomlinson, E., Manias, E., & Botti, M. (2021). Towards nursing leadership for professional and career outcomes of bachelor of nursing (honours) students: a case study. Collegian, 28(2021), 692-702. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colegn.2021.07.008
Reutter, L., Paul, P., Sales, A., Jerke, H., Lee, A., McColl, M., Stafford, E., Visram, A. (2010). Incorporating a research apprenticeship model in a Canadian nursing honors program. Nurse Education Today, 30(2010), 562-567. doi:10.1016/j.nedt.2009.12.001
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Sigma Membership
Alpha
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Descriptive/Correlational
Research Approach
Qualitative Research
Keywords:
Mentoring and Coaching, Curriculum Development, Nursing Education, Advances in Education, Nursing Research, Undergraduate Nursing Students, Honors Programs
Recommended Citation
Reising, Deanna L. and Cheziwa, Jessie, "Current Practices in Undergraduate Nursing Honors Research Programs" (2025). Biennial Convention (CONV). 152.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/convention/2025/presentations_2025/152
Conference Name
48th Biennial Convention
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Conference Year
2025
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All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2025-12-02
Current Practices in Undergraduate Nursing Honors Research Programs
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Purpose/Background/Significance: Undergraduate nursing honors research programs are a method for increasing the desire for students to pursue graduate education for eventual research careers. The purpose of this study was to identify and describe the types and outcomes of undergraduate nursing honors research programs in the U.S.
Methods: A qualitative descriptive design using content analysis for data analysis. Faculty who were involved in undergraduate nursing honors research programs in the U.S. were recruited to complete an interview that elicited responses on the type and structure of the program, barriers to implementation, faculty workload models, and outcomes realized from the program.
Results: There is variance in the methods for the design and execution of undergraduate nursing honors research programs. Variance is primarily seen in the following areas: linkage to a university or campus level honors/research program; specific required coursework; when in the nursing program the honors program commences; who is selecting the honors topic; the student final outcome; faculty eligibility to direct honors students; how faculty workload is managed; and how mentoring honors students contributes to the promotion and/or tenure process. Less variability is found with the following areas: admissions criteria; major barrier to execution of program is faculty availability; and desiring program outcomes of graduate school and project dissemination. Despite the variation, the many types of models of undergraduate nursing honors research program were deemed successful by participants related to the main purpose of the programs which is to develop future nursing scholars. This study is limited to the findings of the participants programs.
Conclusions: This study found that while there is variance in the design and execution of undergraduate nursing honors research programs, that this variance does not limit the outcomes of the program.
Description
Undergraduate nursing honors research programs are a method for increasing the desire for students to pursue graduate education for eventual research careers. The purpose of this study was to identify and describe the types and outcomes of undergraduate nursing honors research programs in the U.S. This study found that while there is variance in the design and execution of undergraduate nursing honors research programs, that this variance does not limit the outcomes of the program.