Ten things I learned while writing my last research grant.

There are nurses in numerous roles today fulfilling their professional responsibilities by engaging in a variety of clinical, educational, administrative and research activities. Nurse researchers strive to develop the knowledge base that nurse clinicians use in practice, and their synergistic efforts contribute toward continuously improving patient care. For nurse clinicians, the daily pursuit of excellence is evidenced in their rewards for exemplary clinical performance; for nurse researchers, receiving recognition and funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the hallmark of their accomplishments. But seeking research grant money is an arduous and complex ordeal requiring focus, persistence and deliberate action. Many seek the pinnacle "RO1"--that research grant which endorses one's scientific status in the nursing research community--and many never succeed. This author offers advice to those who would not be weak in heart or courage--to attempt to climb this pinnacle.