The Great American Cookie Experiment: Engaging Staff Nurses in Research 123

• Lack of experience and fear can interfere with nurses' participation in research.
• Creative experiential learning programs can engage nurses in the research process.
• Nurses' view of research will not change until their fear of research is addressed.
• To advance and lead care at the bedside, nurses must embrace their role in research.

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to engage staff nurses in research in an informative and fun way by determining nurses' preference for sugar-free chocolate chip cookies versus regular chocolate chip cookies.Design and MethodsA descriptive, crossover, double-blinded study was performed using a convenience sample of 300 staff nurses.ResultsNurses preferred the texture, flavor, and overall preference of the regular chocolate chip cookie as compared with the sugar-free chocolate chip cookie (p < 0.001).ImplicationsThe Great American Cookie Experiment remains a creative teaching strategy to enhance knowledge and engage nurses in the research process.