There are signs that researchers and practitioners are seriously attempting to work more closely together to bring research and practice into closer alliance. This paper describes one such attempt in the form of an 'experiment' in collaboration between academic researchers and practising nurses in the undertaking of a practice-based research project. Positive benefits of collaborative research became evident and are highlighted in this paper. No attempt was made to evaluate the 'experiment' objectively and so this is a subjective account, aimed at encouraging other efforts towards closer collaboration between researchers and practitioners in nursing.