Graduate student-faculty collaboration in research and publication

The nursing profession advocates development of theoretical knowledge as a basis for nursing practice and promotes preparation of graduate students as nursing scholars. This study explored the influence of selected factors on the publishing efforts of student authors who published in the Western Journal of Nursing Research during a 5-year period. Assignments, particularly for a dissertation, provided a significant impetus for publishing. Self-selection of a topic of interest also was an important factor. Approximately one third of the student authors had collaborated with faculty as coauthors. Graduate students make a significant contribution to the creation and dissemination of nursing knowledge. The influence of collaboration with faculty, the defining elements of collaborative mentorship and inherent ethical issues should be investigated in future studies.