Nurses’ participation in and leadership of research projects is a critical component of professional development,1  through engaging in the meaningful work associated with a personal investment in research,2,3  improved patient outcomes,4  and Magnet designation.5  As one indicator of the value of nurse engagement, a national survey of hospitals by McLaughlin and colleagues6  reported that 83% of 160 hospitals surveyed were engaged in nurse-led research, demonstrating the growing breadth of nursing science. Additionally, recent updates to the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Magnet application require 2 clinical inquiry projects, increasing the emphasis on and commitment to nursing research for more than 600 ANCC Magnet-designated hospitals in the United States.7 

Despite unequivocal agreement regarding the value of research for health care organizations and the critical role nurses play in leading that science, recent literature highlights the enormous variation across hospitals and health systems in...

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