Commentary : The trials and tribulations of performing within the research arena

The reality of research is that it requires a great deal of time, energy, commitment and attention to detail for a mere 20-min conference presentation or a publication in a journal that may not see the light of day for at least a year. Engaging staff cooperation and negotiating access and approval can be an arduous task and this is before the research sample is even recruited! However, this preparatory work is essential to prevent the best laid plans from being derailed. So why do we bother? The purpose of this commentary is to provide insight and share experiences in the hope that by raising awareness, problems can be anticipated and resolved and the research process enhanced. This ‘commentary’ on the research ‘game’ likens research to staging a play, an original, robust script, with a good design and great casting. This unusual, good-natured commentary is geared to the beginner researcher who wishes to undertake healthcare research and aims to describe the trials and tribulations of performing within the research arena (Walter et al . 1999, Cleary & Freeman 2005).