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Nursing Theses and Dissertations

Theses/dissertations from 2023 2023.

Psychological Distress, Resilience, and the Impact on Quality of Life in Breast Cancer Survivors With Taxane-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy , Lauren Schwab

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

Medication-Assisted Treatment Versus 12-Step Group Therapy: A Comparative Analysis of Adherence and Abstinence In Patients With Opioid Use Disorder , Derrick C. Glymph

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

Quality of Life of Older Adults with Complicated Grief Receiving Accelerated Resolution Therapy: A Mixed Methods Study , Tina M. Mason

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

In Post-Extubated Patients What are the Preferred Methods of Communication During Their Experience of Endotracheal Intubation with Mechanical Ventilation , Lanette Dumas

The Effect of Hope on the Relationship between Personal and Disease Characteristics and Anxiety and Depression in Adolescents and Young Adults with Cancer , Sharon B. McNeil

Predictors of Nonadherence to Radiation Therapy Schedules Among Head and Neck Cancer Patients , Jennifer Lynn Miller

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

Perceived Discrimination and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Blacks: A Secondary Data Analysis of the Heart SCORE Study , Marilyn Aluoch

Exploration of Gratitude in Cardiovascular Health: Mediators, Medication Adherence and Psychometrics , Lakeshia A. Cousin

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

Fatigue-related Symptom Clusters and their Relationship with Depression, and Functional Status in Older Adults Hospice Patients with Cancer. , Suzan Fouad Abduljawad

Genetic Moderation of Pain and Fatigue Symptoms Resulting from the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Breast Cancer Program , Carissa Bea Alinat

The Moderating Effect of Religion on Death Distress and Quality of Life between Christian Cancer patients in the United States with Muslim cancer patients in Saudi Arabia , Doaa Almostadi

Prevention of Post Intensive Care Syndrome-Family with Sensation Awareness Focused Training Intervention: A Randomized Controlled Trial Pilot Study , Paula L. Cairns

Assessing Abstinence in Infants Greater Than 28 Days Old , Genieveve J. Cline

The Relationship Between Sleep Quality and Motor Function in Hospitalized Older Adult Survivors of Critical Illness , Maya N. Elías

The Role of Migration-Related Stress in Depression Among Haitian Immigrants in Florida: A Mixed Method Sequential Explanatory Approach , Dany Amanda C. Fanfan

The Effect of Depression, Inflammation and Sleep Quality on Risk for Cardiovascular Disease , Catherine L. O'Neil

Adapting SafeMedicate (Medication Dosage Calculation Skills software) For Use In Brazil , Samia Valeria Ozorio Dutra

Theses/Dissertations from 2017 2017

The Relationship Between Total Neuropathy Score-reduced, Neuropathy Symptoms and Function. , Ashraf Abulhaija

Validation of the Electronic Kids Dietary Index (E-KINDEX) Screening Tool for Early Identification of Risk for Overweight/Obesity (OW/OB) in a Pediatric Population: Associations with Quality of Life Perceptions , Patricia A. Hall

Theses/Dissertations from 2016 2016

The Effectiveness of an Intervention Designed to Improve Chlorhexidine (CHG) Bathing Technique in Adults Hospitalized in Medical Surgical Units , Janette Echemendia Denny

Levels of Distress Among Women Veterans Attending a Women’s Health Specialty Clinic in the VA Healthcare System , Debbie T. Devine

Examination of the Use of Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) in the Treatment of Symptoms of PTSD and Sleep Dysfunction in Veterans and Civilians , Marian Jevone Hardwick

Investigating the Mutual Effects of Depression and Spiritual Well-being on Quality of Life in Hospice Patients with Cancer and Family Caregivers Using the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model , Li-Ting Huang

The Change in Nutritional Status in Traumatic Brain Injury Patients: A Retrospective Descriptive A Retrospective Descriptive Study , Dina A. Masha'al

Exploring the Relationship Between Severity of Illness and Human Milk Volume in Very Low Birth Weight and Extremely Low Birth Weight Infants Over Six Weeks , Shannon Leigh Morse

Cardiovascular Disease Risk Scores and Novel Risk Factors in Relation to Race and Gender , Johanna Wilson

Theses/Dissertations from 2015 2015

A Comparative Evaluation of the Learner Centered Grading Debriefing Method in Nursing Education , Marisa J. Belote

Sleep, Depressive Symptoms and Cognition in Older Adults and Caregivers of Persons with Dementia , Glenna Shemida Brewster

The Relationship between Hearing Status and Cognitive Performance and the Influence of Depressive Symptoms in the Older Adult , Julie A. Daugherty

Basal Salivary Oxytocin and Skin to Skin Contact among Lactating Mothers of Premature Infants , Jessica Marie Gordon

The Relationship Between Nurses' Emotional Intelligence and Patient Outcomes , Mary Kutash

Sexual Functioning and Body Image in Younger Breast Cancer Survivors , Carly Lynn Paterson

Cognitive Load of Registered Nurses During Medication Administration , Sarah Faith Perron

A Comparison of Quality of Life between Intense and Non-Intense Treatment for Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia and High-Risk Myelodysplastic Syndrome , Sara Marie Tinsley

Theses/Dissertations from 2014 2014

Acculturation, Self-Efficacy and Breastfeeding Behavior in a Sample of Hispanic Women , Ivonne F. Hernandez

Knowledge and Acceptance of HPV and the HPV Vaccine in Young Men and Their Intention to be Vaccinated , Brenda Renee Jasper

The Relationships Between Sleep Disturbances, Depression, Inflammatory Markers, and Sexual Trauma in Female Veterans , Ellen Marcolongo

Examination of Possible Protective Effect of Rhesus D Positive Blood Factor on Toxoplasma-related Depressive Symptoms in Pregnancy , Lisa Lynn Parnell

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practice of Primary Care Nurse Practitioners Regarding Skin Cancer Assessmnets: Validity and Reliability of a New Instrument , Debra Michelle Shelby

Theses/Dissertations from 2013 2013

Knowledge and Practice of Reproductive Health among Mothers and their Impact on Fetal Birth Outcomes: A Case of Eritrea , Winta Negusse Araya

Race/Ethnicity, Subjective and Objective Sleep Quality, Physical and Psychological Symptoms in Breast Cancer Survivors , Pinky H. Budhrani

Factors Predicting Pap Smear Adherence in HIV-infected Women: Using the Health Belief Model , Crystal L. Chapman Lambert

The Relationship Between Socioeconomic Status and Body Mass Index on Vitamin D Levels in African American Women with and without Diabetes Living in Areas with Abundant Sunshine , Shani Vann Davis

Predictors of Quality of Life in Patients with Cutaneous T cell Lymphoma , Darcie Marie Deaver

Relationship between dysphoric moods, risk-taking behaviors, and Toxoplasma gondii antibody titers in female veterans , Allyson Radford Duffy

Prenatal Stress, Depression, and Herpes Viral Titers , Pao-Chu Hsu

Factors Associated with Fear of Breast Cancer Recurrence Among Survivors , Jean Marie Lucas

Sickle Cell Disease: The Role of Self-Care Management , Nadine Matthie

Factors Influencing Vaccination Decisions in African American Mothers of Preschool Age Children , Chauntel Mckenzie Mcnair

The Strong Black Woman, Depression, and Emotional Eating , Michelle Renee Offutt

Development of an Investigator-designed Questionnaire Concerning Childbirth Delivery Options based on the Theory of Planned Behavior , Chun-Yi Tai

Theses/Dissertations from 2012 2012

The Mediating Effect of Distress Caused by Constipation on Predictors of Quality of Life of Hospice Patients with Cancer. , Abdel Alkhalouf

Testing a Model of Bacterial Vaginosis among Black Women , Jessica Brumley

The Effect of Tight Glycemic Control on Surgical Site Infection Rates in Patients Undergoing Open Heart Surgery , Sierra Gower

Development of a Tool for Pressure Ulcer Risk Assessment and Preventive Interventions in Ancillary Services Patients , Monica Shutts Messer

Hospice Nurses- Attitudes and Knowledge about Pain Management , Amie Jacqueline Miller

Theses/Dissertations from 2011 2011

Literacy and Hazard Communication Comprehension of Employees Presenting to an Occupational Health Clinic , Christine Bouchard

A Meta-Analysis of Cultural Competence Education in Professional Nurses and Nursing Students , Ruth Wilmer Gallagher

Relationship Between Cancer-Related Fatigue and Depression: A Pilot Study , Gloria Michelle Guess

A Comparison of Oncology and Non-Oncology Nurses in Their Knowledge of Cancer Pain Management , Nicole Houle

Evaluating Knowledge and Attitudes of Graduate Nursing Students Regarding Pain , Eric Bartholomew Jackson

Bone Marrow Transplant Nurses' Attitudes about Caring for Patients Who are Near the End of Life: A Quality Improvement Project , Leslie Lauersdorf

Translation and Adaptation of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression (CES-D) Scale Into Tigrigna Language for Tigrigna Speaking Eritrean Immigrants in the United States , Mulubrhan Fisseha Mogos

Nurse Manager Emotional Intelligence as a Predictor to Registered Nurse Job Satisfaction and RN Perceptions of the Practice Environment and the Relationship to Patient, Nursing and Hospital Outcomes , Jacqueline Cecilia Munro

The Relationship of Mid-Pregnancy Levels of Cytokines, Stress, and Depression with Gestational Age at Delivery , Melissa Molinari Shelton

Prophylactic, Risk-Reducing Surgery in Unaffected BRCA-Positive Women: Quality Of Life, Sexual Functioning and Psychological Well-Being , Sharon Tollin

Theses/Dissertations from 2010 2010

The Relationship Between FAM5C SNP (rs10920501) Variability, Metabolic Syndrome, and Inflammation, in Women with Coronary Heart Disease , Jennifer L. Cline

Women’s Perceptions of Postpartum Stress: A Narrative Analysis , Nancy Gilbert Crist

Lived Experience: Near-Fatal Adolescent Suicide Attempt , Phyllis Ann Dougherty

Exploring the Relationships among Work-Related Stress, Quality of Life, Job Satisfaction, and Anticipated Turnover on Nursing Units with Clinical Nurse Leaders , Mary Kohler

A Comparative Study of Knowledge of Pain Management in Certified and Non-Certified Oncology Nurses , Sherrie A. LaLande

Evaluating Knowledge and Attitudes of Undergraduate Nursing Students Regarding Pain Management , Jessica Latchman

Evaluation of Oncology Nurses' Knowledge, Practice Behaviors, and Confidence Specific to Chemotherapy Induced Peripheral Neuropathy , Rebecca Denise McAllister

Moderating the Effectiveness of Messages to Promote Physical Activity in Type 2 Diabetes , Rachel E. Myers

Factors Affecting the Process of Clinical Decision-Making in Pediatric Pain Management by Emergency Department Nurses , Teresa A. Russo

The Correlation Between Neuropathy Limitations and Depression in Chemotherapy Patients , Melissa Thebeau

Theses/Dissertations from 2009 2009

Fatigue Symptom Distress and Its Relationship with Quality Of Life in Adult Stem Cell Transplant Survivors , Suzan Fouad Abduljawad R.N., B.S.N.

Nursing Advocacy and the Accuracy of Intravenous to Oral Opioid Conversion at Discharge in the Cancer Patient , Maria L. Gallo R.N., O.C.N.

Transitional Care for Adolescents with HIV: Characteristics and Current Practices of the Adolescent Trials Network Systems of Care , Patricia Gilliam

The Effect of Ethical Ideology and Professional Values on Registered Nurses’ Intentions to Act Accountably , Susan R. Hartranft

Falls in Bone Marrow Transplant Patients: A Retrospective Study , Lura Henderson R.N., B.S.N.

Predictors of cancer caregiver depression symptomatology , Henry R. Rivera

Psychosocial outcomes of weight stigma among college students , Sabrina Joann Robinson

The Experience of Fatigue and Quality of Life in Patients with Advanced Lung Cancer , Andrea Shaffer

The Relationship Between Uncertainty in Illness and Anxiety in Patients With Cancer , Naima Vera

Shifting Paradigms: The Development of Nursing Identity in Foreign-Educated Physicians Retrained as Nurses Practicing in the United States , Liwliwa Reyes Villagomeza

Theses/Dissertations from 2008 2008

Prostate Cancer Screening Intention Among African American Men: An Instrument Development Study , Susan Anita Baker

The Geriatric Cancer Experience in End of Life: Model Adaptation and Testing , Harleah G. Buck

Communication Systems and HIV/AIDS Sexual Decision Making in Older Adolescent and Young Adult Females , Rasheeta D. Chandler MS, ARNP, FNP-BC

Relationship of Anger Trait and Anger Expression to C-Reactive Protein in Post-Menopausal Women , Rosalyn Gross

Identifying Patients with Cancer at Risk of Experiencing a Fall While Hospitalized , Joann M. Heaton

Modulation of Monocyte-Derived Dendritic Cell Maturation and Function by Cigarette Smoke Condensate in a Bronchial Epithelial Cell Co-Culture Model , Alison J. Montpetit

Cancer Patients with Pain: Examination of the Role of the Spouse/Partner Relationship In Mediating Quality of Life Outcomes for the Couple , Mary Ann Morgan

Development of an Ecological Model to Predict Risk for Acquisition of Clostridium difficile -Associated Diarrhea During Acute Care Hospitalization , Susan Elaine Steele

Development and Psychometric Evaluation of the Chemotherapy Induced Peripheral Neuropathy Assessment Tool , Cindy S. Tofthagen

Health Decision Behaviors: Appropriateness of Dietary Choice , Daryle Hermelin Wane

Theses/Dissertations from 2007 2007

The Relationship Between Sleep-Wake Disturbance and Pain in Cancer Patients Admitted to Hospice Home Care , Marjorie Acierno

Wheelchair Positioning and Pulmonary Function in Children with Cerebral Palsy , Lee Barks

Structural Equation Model of Exercise in Women Utilizing the Theory of Unpleasant Symptoms and Social Cognitive Variables , Sarah Elizabeth Cobb

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Writing a Thesis for Nursing School

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Writing a thesis presents an opportunity for graduate students to conduct scholarly inquiry, with the potential of publishing their finished paper. A thesis requires nursing students to identify a problem in nursing, and review academic literature while developing advanced research skills. Thesis advisors and committees guide students from the proposal phase to the final oral defense, a process that spans about two semesters.

Not every nursing student is required to complete a thesis. Some nursing programs offer a non-thesis option, in which candidates complete a final capstone project or oral examination on topics such as nursing theories and clinical practices.

The thesis process and requirements vary by school. Ohio State University’s master of science in nursing program’s final examination includes oral and written portions.

Want to know what to expect during the thesis process? Read on to learn how you can choose a thesis topic and orally defend your paper.

Choosing Your Nursing Thesis Topic

Nursing students must choose a thesis topic before they begin the research and writing process, typically within the first two terms of nursing school. A solid thesis must present an original argument, manageable research scope, and worthy academic pursuit. A thesis advisor or research professor will help to guide each student through the process of choosing a topic.

In the conceptual phase, candidates research potential thesis topics based on their interests within their nursing specialty. Students may start with a broad topic such as obesity and weight management, depression, or cardiovascular disease. To narrow their thesis argument, graduate students might focus on racial or ethnic groups, socio-economic issues, or current events.

After settling on a topic, students draft and submit a thesis proposal to an advisor or committee chair. Once this proposal has been approved, students can begin the formal work on his or her approved thesis topic.

While graduate students must complete a thesis to fulfill the requirements of a master’s degree in nursing, the thesis process also offers a chance for future nurses to immerse themselves in current academic literature and collaborate with fellow graduate students, faculty, and professors. A thesis can also serve as the foundation for doctoral studies. A thesis at the doctoral (PhD) level is called a dissertation.

Completing Your Nursing Thesis

Brainstorming a thesis topic begins as early as the first semester of a master’s in nursing program. The formal thesis process, which typically spans multiple terms, does not take place until the student’s final year, usually during the last term.

Thesis requirements vary by school, and students must meet specific deadlines and take prerequisite courses beforehand. At the University of Texas-Houston’s School of Nursing , candidates take a public health class before they submit a thesis proposal.

Future nurses work under the guidance of a thesis committee and advisor. The experience of writing a thesis trains students in original investigation, data collection, implementing research design, and public speaking. Candidates also learn to flex their analytical thinking skills and master a specific area of nursing as they develop the ability to analyze and draw conclusions through data.

At a program’s conclusion, students submit their thesis as a bound manuscript or electronic file. In addition to submitting a written report, students orally defend their final thesis in front of the committee. Many graduates also submit their manuscripts for publication.

Presenting Your Nursing Thesis

Graduate students generally orally defend their proposal and present their completed thesis in front of their committee. This committee also includes the thesis mentor, a faculty member specializing in the nursing discipline of their scholarly inquiry. There are generally 3 total committee members on a thesis committee.

Fellow graduate students or consultants outside of the college may attend presentations, if the process is open to the public. Otherwise, the thesis defense remains a private session, with students presenting their findings. The oral examination of the thesis takes up to one hour, but can last longer depending on how many questions the committee has for the student.

During that time, the committee evaluates the thesis based on how the research experience has shaped the student’s graduate education and the findings’ significance to the nursing field. When the exam concludes, the committee either accepts or rejects the thesis defense.

How is a Nursing Thesis Graded?

Nursing schools rely on each committee to formally grade each product in the thesis process. Some graduate nursing students may receive a letter grade, while other nursing schools adhere to a “pass” or “fail” policy.

To determine a grade, the committee assesses the thesis based on set criteria. Committee members look at the project’s key components, including the statement of purpose, literature review, research methodology, analysis, findings, and implications. The process and grading criteria for the thesis process can be found in the school’s graduate handbook. Most of these handbooks are published online for student review.

The thesis must identify significant issues or service gaps in nursing and present them in a concise and coherent fashion. Candidates must support all findings and analysis by research and explain the implications for healthcare.

The oral defense also factors into the grade. The committee grades the defense based on the quality of the student’s presentation, taking into consideration if the student spoke clearly and presented a logical and well-organized argument.

What is the Difference Between a Nursing Thesis and a Capstone?

A nursing thesis and a capstone demonstrate the student’s comprehensive knowledge and educational journey. Graduate students in a non-research track may have the choice of completing a clinical project. Doctoral of Nursing ( DNP ) students complete a capstone project.

Graduate-level nursing students work on an original scholarly inquiry during their thesis, while undergraduates recap their cumulative learning experience. The thesis process, which includes completing nursing courses and writing a proposal, takes place over the entire program.

Learn more about the difference between a thesis and capstone project on this page .

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Nursing essay thesis statement [+how to & examples], dr. wilson mn.

• August 11, 2022
• Essay Topics and Ideas , Samples

This article provides information on thesis statement , structure, and style, as well as tips on how to write an effective nursing essay thesis statement and nursing essay thesis statement examples.

There are many different formats that you can use when writing nursing essays. Thesis statements, for example, will be at the beginning of your essay, while the body of your essay will contain details and examples supporting your thesis statement.

In order to ensure that your essay is well organized and flows from point to point, it is important to follow a specific structure.

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How to write a Thesis Statement in a nursing essay

Nursing essay writing format [Thesis, Structure]

A thesis statement is the most important part of your nursing essay . It should be a clear, concise, and compelling statement that outlines your main argument. It should also be based on research you have done and reflect your personal opinion. Follow these tips to help create a strong thesis statement for your nursing essay:

1. Start by identifying the problem you want to address. What problem do you think needs to be addressed in the nursing profession? For example, do nurses need more training in preventative care ? Do they need more support when caring for patients ? When writing about a problem that you haven’t personally experienced, it’s important to cite reliable sources that will help support your argument.

Read more on How to Start a Nursing Essay [Nursing Essay Introduction]

2. Be specific about the impact of this problem on nurses and patients . State how this problem has harmed nurses and patients in specific ways . For example, do nurses feel overloaded with work? Do they lack adequate resources to care for their patients effectively ? Be clear about the magnitude of the issue and how it impacts both nurses and patients.

3. Use evidence to back up your argument. Cite reliable sources that supports your thesis statement . For example, if you’re arguing that nurses need more training in preventative care , you can use research studies to back up this claim. Be sure to cite your sources so that readers can verify the information you are presenting.

4. Write in a clear and concise manner. Use specific examples and language to help illustrate your point. For example, rather than saying “Nurses need more support,” say “Nurses need more assistance from their superiors when caring for patients.” This will make your argument more clear and easier to understand.

5. Don’t be afraid to state your opinion. In fact, it’s important to do so. However, make sure that your opinion is based on evidence and research. Don’t simply state what you believe without backing it up with evidence or analysis.

here’s How to Conclude a nursing essay [Nursing Essay Conclusion + Examples]

Nursing Essay Thesis Statement Examples

A thesis statement is a concise, compelling statement of your argument. When writing an essay , you should choose a thesis statement that reflects your main arguments and supports your analysis. A good thesis statement will summarize the main points of your essay and introduce new ideas . The following are examples of effective thesis statements for nursing essays:nnNurses are in constant need of updated education in order to provide quality care to their patients .

There are three main types of thesis statements in nursing: descriptive, explanatory, and persuasive. Descriptive statements describe what has been observed or what is known about a certain subject. Explanatory statements explain how something works or why it exists. Persuasive statements engage the reader in your argument by showing how what you are saying is related to their own situation or experience.

Besides, you can use these 100+ Strong Persuasive Nursing Essay Topics Ideas [+Outline]

The following are examples of descriptive, explanatory, and persuasive thesis statements:

Descriptive Thesis Statement: Nursing is an important profession that helps people to maintain their health and extend their lives.

Explanatory Thesis Statement: Nursing plays an important role in the care of patients who are critically ill or who have serious injuries.

Persuasive Thesis Statement: Becoming a nurse is an excellent way to gain valuable experience that will help you to become a successful

Here are 210+ Current Nursing Essay Topics to write about [+Outline]

Nursing Essay Thesis Statement Examples 1

In this essay, I will discuss the importance of nursing , identify the essential skills and qualities necessary for success as a nurse, and provide an example of a powerful nursing thesis statement.

Here are four example thesis statements for nursing essays:

Nursing is an important career choice for those who want to make a difference in the lives of others. Nursing provides unique opportunities to develop personal relationships with patients and their families. Nursing is critically important to the health and well-being of the population . The nursing profession faces many challenges , but it has the potential to make a significant impact on society

Find out more on  How to write DNP capstone project Methodology Chapter ,  How to write a DNP Capstone Project Literature Review ,  How to write a DNP capstone project chapter 1 – Introduction , and  DNP Capstone project Abstract Examples [Outline & How-to]

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Home > USC Columbia > Nursing, College of > Nursing Theses and Dissertations

Nursing Theses and Dissertations

Theses/dissertations from 2023 2023.

Is There a Relationship Between Direct Patient Care Registered Nurses Emotional Intelligence and Patient Satisfaction? , James J. Leach

The Impact of Shift Work on Women’s Neurological Health , Kathy Nelson

Nurse Perceptions of Caring and Professional Governance , Lan Angela Nguyen

Unlocking Population-Specific Treatments to Render Equitable Approaches and Management in Cardiovascular Disease (UPSTREAM CVD): African American Emerging Adults , Shannon Bright Smith

Substance Use Disorder Treatment Among African American Men Living in the Rural South of the United States , Serge Raoul Wandji

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

Unintended Consequences of the Electronic Health Record And Cognitive Load in Emergency Department Nurses , Carolyn S. Harmon

Physical Activity and Breast Cancer Prevention Among Asian American Women , Jingxi Sheng

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

Early Premature Infant Physiologic and Behavioral Indicators of ANS Instability , Karen Popp Becker

Nurses’ and Patients’ Perceptions of the Availability of Post-hospital Instrumental Support as a Predictor of 30- And 60-Day Acute Care Utilization , Beth E. Schultz

Race Is Not a Risk Factor: Examining the Influence of Models Of Care, Race, and Discrimination on Racial Disparities in Maternal Outcomes , Curisa Mae Tucker

Advancing Knowledge of Exercise as a Therapeutic Management Strategy for Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome , Pamela J. Wright

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

Examining Caregiver Vigilance for Child Sexual Abuse , Kate K. Chappell

Exploring Turnover Among Nurse Managers, Directors, and Executives in Acute Care Hospitals , Deborah Hughes Warden

Psychometric Evaluation of Lung Cancer Stigma Among Lung Cancer Survivors in South Carolina , Lisa A. Webb

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

Utilization Of The USDA Supertracker System In High Schools: A Quality Improvement Project , Twanda D. Addison

Online Risks, Sexual Behaviors, And Mobile Technology Use In Early Adolescent Children: Parental Awareness, Protective Practices, And Mediation , Kendra Allison

Implementation of a Depression Screening Tool for Cardiovascular Patients in the Primary Care Setting , Amber Nicole Ballentine

Forensic Patient Flow: An Imbalance Between Capacity And Demand , Versie J. Bellamy

An Evidence-Based Evaluation Tool To Assist Healthcare Providers In Their Assessment Of Effective mhealth Applications For The Management Of Chronic Health Conditions , Sara Belle Donevant

The Effect of a Compassion Fatigue Awareness and Self-Care Skills Educational Program on Retention Among Certified Nursing Assistants Working in a Veterans Nursing Home , Michele M. Dreher

Efficiency Of Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring Vs. 5-Day Serial Monitoring In A Military Treatment Facility , Kadijatu Kakay

Initiating the Loeb Criteria in Long-term Care , Janice Khauslender

High Fidelity Simulation Experience and Development of Clinical Judgment: Recent Graduate Nurses’ Reflections , Martha Kay Lawrence

Implementing a Surgical Pathway to Reduce Operating Room Cancellation Rates , Demerise Ott Minor

Home Exercise Therapy For The Treatment Of Knee Osteoarthritis , Kezia Nixon

Assessment Of An Educational Intervention To Increase Knowledge And Intention To Take HPV Vaccine And Cervical Cancer Screening In Nigeria , Chigozie Anastacia Nkwonta

Chemotherapy Knowledge And Health Literacy Among Women With Breast Cancer , Pearman deTreville Parker

Using Ultrasound Guided Peripheral Intravenous Catheters In Difficult Access Patients , Courtney Prince

Initiating a Peer Support Program for Parents of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder in Richland and Lexington Counties , Danielle P. Simmons

Implementation Of Provider And Workflow Strategies To Increase Adherence To Tqip Guidelines In Traumatic Brain Injury , Regina Thompson

Theses/Dissertations from 2017 2017

Best Practice for Screening Adult Patients with Psoriasis for Polyautoimmunity: Celiac Disease, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Crohn’s Disease , Susan Danielle Ashbaugh

Adherence of Nurse Practitioners to JNC 8 Guidelines , Stephanie E. Averette

Losing Weight with Five A’s (5 A’s): Assess, Advise, Agree, Assist, Arrange framework and Motivational Interviewing (MI) for health behavior change counseling , Jacqueline Baer

A Quality Improvement Project to Reduce the Incidence of Clostridium difficile Infection through Implementation of Evidence-Based Terminal Clean Procedures , Tamara Cook

Tuberculosis Screening in New Healthcare Employees: A Comparison of QuantiFERON®-TB Gold In-Tube Test and Tuberculin Skin Test , Mary C. Giovannetti

Utility of the Modified Early Warning System Score in Early Sepsis Identification , Lisa E. Hart

Picturing Rest: A Photovoice Study Of African American Women’s Perceptions And Practices Of Rest , Eboni T. Herbert Harris

Developing And Implementing A Quality Assurance Strategy For Electroconvulsive Therapy , Jessa Hollingsworth

Improving Leadership Communication In Nurse-Physician Dyad Teams , Lisa James

Assessment of Providers’ Perception and Knowledge of Overactive Bladder in Women: A Quality Improvement Project , Helen Wambui Ngigi

Simulation-Based Interprofessional Education in a Rural Setting , Ann D. Scott

An Evidence-Based Process Change to Improve Mammography Adherence , Tara E. Smalls

Evaluation, Treatment, and Education In The Hospice Setting By Initiating a Formalized Pain Card , Alyssa M. Soprano

Scribes Impact On Patient And Provider Experience In The Outpatient Setting , Kimberly A. Taylor

Barriers to the Use of Guardrails On IV Smart Pumps , Ivory Williams

Theses/Dissertations from 2016 2016

Nursing Attitudes towards Suicidal Patients in the Emergency Department: Assessment Interview Training , Belinda Beaver

MySleep101©: An Educational Mobile Medical Application for Sleep Health in Primary Care , Sonya Cook

Effects Of Sepsis Protocols On Health Outcomes Of Adult Patients With Sepsis , Monika U. Mróz

Multi-Symptom Management in Hospice Patients during End-of-Life Transition , Ashley N. B. Sirianni

Theses/Dissertations from 2015 2015

Best Practice for a Standardized and Safe Registered Nurse Shift Handoff , Nancy Rankin Ewing

An Evidence-Based Approach to Prepare Interdisciplinary Team Members for Implementation of the ABCDE Bundle , Jessica Murner Hamilton

Nurses Utilizing the V.O.I.C.E.S. HIV Prevention Intervention in the Black Church Community , Jason Richard

Unexpected and Interrupted Transitions Among Newly Licensed Registered Nurses: Perspectives of Nurse Managers and Preceptors , Sheri S. Webster

Theses/Dissertations from 2014 2014

Best Practice for Antipsychotic Medication Management in Community Dwelling Older Adults with Schizophrenia , Estelle Marie Brown

The Effects of Multiple Gratitude Interventions Among Informal Caregivers of Persons with Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease , Cristy DeGregory

An Analysis of Interpreter-Mediated Healthcare Interactions , Robin Dawson Estrada

Quality Improvement Project: A Comparison of Daily Routine Chest Radiography Versus Clinically-Indicated Chest Radiography in Preventing Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia in Adult ICU Patients on Ventilators: An Evidenced Based Practice Project , Kimberly McKenney

Best Practices in High Fidelity Patient Simulation to Enhance Higher Order Thinking Skills , Kathryn S. Mock

Best Practices in the Management of Pediatric Obesity in Primary Care Clinics , Lori Moseley

Early Screening and Identification of Preschool Children Affected by Serious Emotional Disorders , Cathy Renee Robey-Williams

Theses/Dissertations from 2013 2013

Improving the Diagnostic Accuracy of Failure-to-Rescue , Amelia Marie Joseph

Best Practice Guideline For Managing Interstitial Cystitis In Adult Women , Amanda Thomas Langford

The Use of Ultrasound as an Adjunct to X-Ray For the Localization and Removal of Soft Tissue Foreign Bodies in an Urgent Care Setting , Stacy Lane Merritt

Prevention of Skin Breakdown In the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit , Lydia H. Palmer

A Pilot Intervention To Engage Nurses To Lead Transformation of The Workplace , Molly Patton

Foot Assessment In the Dialysis Unit , Karen Robertson

Emergency Department Triage Acuity Ratings: Embedding Esi Into the Electronic Medical Record , Candace Whitfield

Theses/Dissertations from 2012 2012

Best Practice to Promote Bone Health in Post-menopausal Women through Adequate Intake of Calcium and Vitamin D , Ellen Soley Adkins

Developing A Facilitated Pathway For Associate Degree Nursing Graduates to Enroll In An Rn-Bsn Program , Christy Vansant Cimineri

Pursuing Improved Quality of Life In the Atrial Fibrillation Population: Evidence-Based Practice , Jamie Hayes Cunningham

Continuous Subcutaneous Insulin Infusion in Comparison to Subcutaneous Insulin Injections in the Preschooler with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus , Meredith D'Agostino

Transition to Motherhood-A Qualitative Study of Low Income Women's First Term Pregnancy Experiences , Lisa Bennett Duggan

Vitamin D and Calcium Supplementation For Prevention of Falls and Fractures In Older Adults , Cynthia Hartman

The Best Practice Guideline for Early Detection and Treatment of Heart Disease In Asymptomatic Adults with a Family History of Premature Coronary Artery Disease , Stephanie Brooke Huston

Best Practice Protocol for Patients with Schizophrenia and Co-Occurring Substance Use Disorders , Shauna Rae Jones

Transcultural Nursing Clinical Education: A Systematic Review of the Literature Since 2005 With Recommendations for International Immersion Clinical Courses , Deborah J. McQuilkin

Using a Consensus Process to Develop an Evidence-Based Practice Guideline for School Exclusion For Head Lice (Pediculosis Capitis) , Michelle Lorraine Myer

Using Therapeutic Writing to Deconstruct Recovery from Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) , Pamela Phillips

Improving Outcomes by Improving Practice: Evidence-Based Assessment, Prevention and Documentation of Pressure Ulcers In the ICU. , Kristy Fry Speronis

Increasing Awareness of Fertility Preservation Options in Cancer Patients & Survivors , Norma Sweet

Identification, Prevention and Treatment of Children with Decreased Bone Density , Laura Lee Szadek

Assessment and Strategic Planning to Determine the Growth Feasibility of a Distance-Based Rural Baccalaureate Nursing Program , Amber Proctor Williams

Theses/Dissertations from 2011 2011

A Research Utilization Project: Implementation of an Evidence-Based Behavioral Treatment for Students At-Risk of Dropout at Richland Northeast High School , Kathrene Carter Berger

The Impact of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 On the Evidence Based Practice of Distributive Justice Via Comfort Care In Elderly Burn Trauma Victims , Christina Pacileo Blottner

Parenting Interventions For Children Exposed to Intimate Partner Violence , Christie Michelle Furr-Roeske

Nurse State Legislators: The Journey to State Capitols , Debbie Whitman Herman

Autonomous Nurse Practitioner Practice: A Position Paper and Action Plan for Change , Patricia Susan Noser

Best Practices in The Use of Vena Cava Filters oo Prevent Pulmonary Emboli in Trauma Patients , Dennis Absher Taylor

Theses/Dissertations from 2010 2010

Assessment and Identification of Deliberate Self-Harm in the Adolescent and Young Adult Patient in the Primary Care Population , Courtney Brooks Catledge

A Best Practice Guideline for Screening and Treating Vitamin D Deficiency in a Primary Care Setting: Moving Beyond the Bones , Amy Jeanette Clark

Best Faculty Practice Plan Model for a Small College of Nursing , Sharyn Neiman Conrad

Impact of A Primary Care-Based Organ Donation Practice Initiative On Individual Willingness to Donate , Cyndi B. Faudree

Substance Abuse Treatment Avoidance, Length of Stay, and Criminal Justice Referral For Women of Reproductive Age In South Carolina Prior to and After theWhitner Decision (1993 to 2007) , Sarah J. Gareau

Childhood Obesity and School-Based Interventions: An Evidence-Based Best Practice Guideline , Jessica Guyton

The Best Practice Guideline For theTreatment of Pediatric Diaper Dermatitis , Kate Hansson Mack

A Church-Based Health Promotion Program for Older Adults: Impacts on Participants' Religiosity, Spirituality, and Social Support , Katherine Holland Pope

Dedicated Education Units: Dothey Improve Student Satisfaction? , Eileene Elizabeth Shake

Recommendation For A Best Practice Model of Hiv Management by Advanced Practice Registered Nurses In Primary Care Settings , Sabra Smith

Exploration of the Evidence to Support Clinical Practice to Decrease Hospital Readmission Rates For Patients With Chronic Pancreatitis , Shannon Bright Smith

Best Practices: Retaining Registered Nurses , Jessica Epps Wilkes

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6.11: Writing a Thesis Statement

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• Ryerson University (Daphne Cockwell School of Nursing) via Ryerson University Library

Readers always want to know “What is the big idea?” Every type of non-fiction writing – from a short essay to a 10-page term paper to a lengthy thesis or dissertation– needs a controlling idea as a “spine” that holds the paper together (see Figure 6.6 ). Look at Table 6.3 : Topics and Thesis Statements for a comparison of topics and thesis statements.

Table 6.3: Topics and thesis statements: A comparison

Figure 6.6: Thesis skeleton

Begin by writing a working thesis statement. You will need this working thesis statement when you begin to outline and organize your assignment. As you continue to develop your paper, you can limit the working thesis statement if it is too broad or expand it if it proves too narrow for what you want to say. Each draft of the thesis statement will bring you closer to the exact wording that expresses your controlling idea.

Student Tip

The Controlling Idea

The controlling idea should be broader for a longer piece of writing than for a shorter piece of writing. Make sure the controlling idea is appropriate for the length of the assignment. How many pages it will take to explain and explore the controlling or main idea in detail? Be reasonable with your estimate. Then expand or trim the controlling or main idea to match the required length.

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Content from this page was remixed with our own original contented and adapted, with editorial changes, from:

Writing for Success 1st Canadian Edition by Tara Horkoff is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted. Download for free at: https://opentextbc.ca/writingforsuccess/

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Home > Nursing > dissertations and theses

College of Nursing Dissertations and Theses

The College of Nursing Dissertations and Theses Series is comprised of dissertations theses authored by Marquette University's College of Nursing doctoral and master's students.

Theses/Dissertations from 2023 2023

Why We Work: Exploring the Relationships Between Work Rewards, Burnout, and Intention to Leave for Professional Nurses , Jacqueline Christianson

Examining Relationships Among Nursing Students' Views of Suffering, Positive Thinking, and Professional Quality of Life , Ruth Anne Engbers

THE IMPACT OF PEDAGOGY AND PROGRAM ON PSYCHIATRIC-MENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION FOR PRE-LICENSURE NURSING STUDENTS , Virginia F. Riggs

APPLICATION OF THE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH TO GERIATRIC PATIENTS BY NURSE PRACTITIONER STUDENTS , Theresa Marie Gruenke Schnable

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

Mediating Effects of Positive Thinking on Compassion Fatigue, Compassion Satisfaction, and Resilience in Nurse Leaders , Jay Randall Gottschalk

Exploring Relationships Between Depression Self-stigma and Trust in Primary Care Provider on Willingness to Seek Help , Tana Karenke

The Impact of Nutrition Literacy and Neighborhood on Diet Quality in the Mexican Origin Population , Sylvia Pena

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

Experiences of Exclusively Expressing Breast Milk for Term Infants: A Qualitative Analysis , Lisa Anders

Examining the Relationship of Physical Activity, Inflammation & Adiposity on Physical Function with Gender Differences , Jeanne Hlebichuk

Securing Nasogastric Tubes in Children , Julie Ann Lavoie

Exploring Culture of Safety and Failure to Rescue , Holly Lynn Losurdo

Processes Used by Mothers in Opioid Recovery to Manage the Needs of the Maternal-Infant Dyad: A Grounded Theory Study , Nicole M. Mattson

Pregnant Women's Experiences with Gastrointestinal Discomforts and Strategies They Use to Cope , Heidi Jo Paquette

Examining Social Factors in Self-Management for Older Adults Living Alone , Margaret Salinas

Effectiveness of a Postpartum Breastfeeding Protocol for Avoiding Pregnancy and Descriptive Analysis of the Physiology of the Postpartum Transition , Mary Schneider

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

Modeling Heart Failure Predictive Mortality in Skilled Nursing Facilities , Stephen Charles Biondi

Understanding the Requisite Content for Interprofessional Education on Sentinel Injuries, A Qualitative Study , Elizabeth A. Cleek

Leading Rural Nurse Academic Progression , Cynthia Jean Larsen

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

The Influence of Continuity of Nursing Care in the Acute Care Setting on Readiness for Discharge and Post-Discharge Return to Hospital , Sarah J. Bahr

Understanding Baccalaureate Nursing Education Progression from the Student Perspective Using a Grounded Theory Approach , Jennifer Jean Dahlman

Identifying a History of Nonfatal Strangulation: What Impacts Screening by Healthcare, Law Enforcement and Advocates? , Jennifer Delwiche

Healthcare Provider Influence on Health Behavior Modification in Gestational Diabetics , Denise K. Fryzelka

Measuring Polyvictimization Among Vulnerable Children: A Confirmatory Factor Analysis , Kelli J. Jones

Toward Quality Preceptorship: A Dyad Sudy , Laurie Ann Kunkel-Jordan

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

Qualitative Exploration of the Perceptions of Nursing Undergraduates Regarding Family Care at End-of-Life , Penny A. Alt-Gehrman

Evaluation of Clinical Growth and Nursing Student Motivation in the Traditional Clinical Learning Environment , Jessica Barkimer

United States Born Mexican Origin Women's Descriptions About Their Eating Patterns , Juanita Teresa Garcia

Comparing Interprofessional Socialization in Mixed Discipline and Nursing Student only Cohorts , Kara Groom

Chronic Stress and Reproductive Function in Female Childhood Cancer Survivors , Theresa Marie Hardy

Understanding Relationships Between Early Life Toxic Stress, Childhood Socioeconomic Disadvantage, and Allostatic Load in Adolescence , Amanda King

Pre-Death Grief, Resourcefulness and Perceived Stress Among Care Givers of Partners with Young Onset Dementia , Karie Kobiske

Home Health Care Effect in Post-Discharge Return to Hospital , Danielle M. Siclovan

The Impact of Advance Directives on the Intensity of Care Received in the Acute Care Setting in Older Adults , Marsha Helen Tyacke

Theses/Dissertations from 2017 2017

The Mediating Effects of Positive Thinking and Social Support on Suicide Resilience Among Undergraduate Students , Denise Marie Matel-Anderson

The Development and Psychometric Analysis of the MU- Fertility Knowledge Assessment Scale , Qiyan Mu

Pediatric Oncology Nurses' Experiences with Prognosis-Related Communication , Amy Rose Newman

Relationship of Exposure to Heart Failure Discharge Teaching to Readmission Within 30 Days , Becky Ann Pogacar

Theses/Dissertations from 2016 2016

Effect of Sequence of Simulated and Clinical Practicum Learning Experiences on Clinical Competency , Jamie Hansen

Experiences of Registered Nurses Who Were Not Initially Successful on the NCLEX-RN, Then Subsequently Passed , Tammy L. Kasprovich

Racially and Ethnically Underrepresented Students’ Completion of RN BSN Program: Factors Affecting Success , Patricia Ann Varga

Theses/Dissertations from 2015 2015

Role of Shared Care in the Relationship between Depressive Symptoms and Self-Care in Patients with Heart Failure , Susan Cole

Diffusion of Inclusion: Measuring Willingness , Janet A. Levey

Effects of Spiritual Care Education on Pediatric Nurses' Knowledge, Attitudes, and Competence , Cheryl Lynn Petersen

Theses/Dissertations from 2014 2014

Relationships among Uncertainty, Coping, and Psychological Distress in Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment , Jennifer Sjostedt Avery

Spirituality And Religiosity In Adolescents With Sickle Cell Disease: A Descriptive Qualitative Study , Dora L. Clayton-Jones

A Feminist Perspective On Listening To Women: Birth Stories Of Vaginal Birth Following Previous Cesarean Delivery , Elizabeth Hill-Karbowski

The Influence Of Patient Activation And Social Facilitation On Engagement In Postpartum Weight Self-Management Behaviors , Jennifer Marie Ohlendorf

Hispanic Mothers' Normative Beliefs and Intentions about the Discussion of Sex-Related Topics with Their Adolescent Daughters , Dana M. Rodriguez

Antecedents of Regular Exercise among Women Who Do and Do Not Achieve Weight Loss Over Six Months , Heather Vartanian

Theses/Dissertations from 2013 2013

The Relationships Between Nurse Attributes, Site Characteristics, And Labor Support Attitudes And Behaviors Among Intrapartum Nurses , Ann Prenger Aschenbrenner

Patient Perceptions of Patient-Empowering Nurse Behaviors, Patient Activation, and Functional Health Status After Surgery , Teresa Arline Jerofke

Self-Care Behaviors of African Americans with Heart Failure: A Photovoice Project , Aimee A. Woda

Theses/Dissertations from 2012 2012

Academic Success Factors Influencing Linguistically Diverse and Native English Speaking Associate Degree Nursing Students , Josie Lynn Veal

Theses/Dissertations from 2010 2010

Associate Degree Nursing Students' Thoughts, Feelings, and Experiences of Short Study Abroad in a Low-Income Country , Cynthia Foronda

A Narrative Analysis of Perinatal Hospice Stories , Anthony Adams Lathrop

The Transition from Hospital to Home in Parents of Pediatric Solid Organ Transplant Recipients , Stacee M. Lerret

The Lived Experience of Hispanic new Graduate Nurses in the United States , Esther Morales

Pushing Techniques Used by Midwives When Providing Second Stage Labor Care , Kathryn Osborne

The Association of Spirituality, Religiosity, Depression, Anxiety, and Drug Use Among Persons Undergoing Methadone Maintenance Therapy , Linda B. Piacentine

Parenting Behaviors and Their Relationship with a Child's Weight Status , Michele L. Polfuss

African American Women's Infant Feeding Choices: Analyzing Self-Efficacy and Narratives from a Black Feminist Perspective , Karen Marie Robinson

More than S.K.I.N. Deep: Decreasing Pressure Ulcer Development in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit , Christine A. Schindler

Theses/Dissertations from 2009 2009

Efficacy of a behavioral intervention to decrease medication transcription errors among professional nurses , Kathleen Ann Becker

Quality of Life: The Humanbecoming Perspective, A Descriptive Exploratory Study , Barbara J. Johnson Farmer

Factors Associated with Nurses' Perceptions of Patient Safety Culture in One University Hospital in China , Xianqiong Feng

The Meaning of Spirituality in Elders with Dementia , Lesley Boaz Gardiner

Understanding Relationships in Health Related Quality of Life for Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder , Norah Louise Johnson

Loneliness, Self-Esteem, Cognition, Physical Functioning, and Nursing Home Satisfaction As Predictors of Depression , Lynn Rose Maloney

The Impact of Health Literacy and Patient Trust Glycemic Control , Josephine M. Mancuso

Investigating Relationships Among Collaborative Behavior, RN Experience and Perceptions of Discharge Teaching Quality , Jane Morgan Nosbusch

Is a School Based Educational Program Effective in Changing Knowledge Regarding the Prevention of Shaken Baby Syndrome? , Margaret Kay Stelzel

Effects of Beta Blockade on Physiologic Regulation, Depressive Symptoms and Heart Failure Severity , Kimberly A. Udlis

Theses/Dissertations from 2008 2008

Self-Efficacy, Outcome Expectation, Self-Care Behavior and Glycosylated Hemoglobin Level in Persons with Type 2 Diabetes , Kathryn B. Kott

Oppression in 21st Century Nursing , Linda K. Matheson

Predictors of success and failure on the NCLEX-RN for Baccalaureate graduates , Christine L Vandenhouten

Predictors of Success and Failure on the NCLEX-RN for Baccalaureate Graduates , Christine L. Vandenhouten

Theses/Dissertations from 2007 2007

Being-With Dying: Tacit Wisdom Embedded in the Experiences of Nurses Who Attend to Dying , Virginia L. Burton

Theses/Dissertations from 1999 1999

An Organizational Case Study of Shared Leadership Development in Nursing , Vicki George

Submissions from 1971 1971

NURSES' PERCEPTIONS OF THEIR HOSPITAL'S ORGANIZATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS , AUDREY MABEL STENVALL DE BLOCK

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Home > College of Nursing > Nursing Student Scholarship and Creative Works > Nursing Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Nursing Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A collection of Nursing Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations.

Theses/Dissertations from 2023 2023

Racial Discrimination, Social Support and Psychological Distress among Black Pregnant Women , Camilla Carey

The Associations Among Racial Discrimination, Perceived Stress and Birth Satisfaction Among Black Women , Amanda de la Serna

A Digitally Enhanced Virtual Cognitive Behavior Skill Building Intervention to Reduce Parent Stress and Family Obesogenic Behaviors , Sharlene Smith

Mother-Father Relationship and Perceived Stress among Black Pregnant Women: A Mixed Methods Approach , Jenna Wheeler

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

Nurse Managers' Patient Safety Communication , Christine Deatrick

Exploration of the Oral Microbiome in Non-Ventilated Hospitalized Patients , Kimberly Emery

Social Support and Empowerment Among Caregivers of Children with Asthma , Lauren Lebo

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

Factors Associated with Resilience and Sense of Coherence in Adult Transgender Persons: Identifying Predictors to Reduce Health Disparities in a Vulnerable Population , Jake Bush

Cognitive Rehearsal, Self-efficacy, and Workplace Incivility Among Baccalaureate Nursing Students , Alina Diaz-Cruz

Survivors of Human Trafficking: Reintegration into the Community and Society , Charrita Ernewein

Remembering to Resume: Using Simulation-based Education to Teach Nursing Students to Manage Interruptions , Peggy Hill

First Impressions of the Bedside Nurse From the Patient Perspective , Sharon Imes

The Influences of Generational Membership and Practice Environment on Nurse Manager Job Satisfaction , Angela Keith

Knowledge and Attitudes of Nurse Practitioner's Assessment of Adults with Signs and Symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder , Kelli Lipscomb

Ethical Decision Making Among Nurses Participating in Social Media , Melissa Lynn

Hospital Readmission After Major Abdominal/Colorectal Surgeries: A Mixed-Methods Study , Ansu Sebastian

The Effect of the Medilepsy Mobile App on Medication Adherence and Transition Readiness in Adolescents and Young Adults with Epilepsy , Michelle Tall

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

Access and Utilization of Prenatal Care in Florida and its Effects on Preterm Birth , Corinne Audette

Nurse-Physician Collaboration during Bedside Rounding: What is the Impact on the Nurse? , Martha Decesere

The Relationship of Cognitive Load and Different Participant Roles on Knowledge Retention in Simulation-based Learning Among Undergraduate Nursing Students , Amanda Houston

Undergraduate Nursing Students' Depth of Reflection and Perceptions of Self-Debriefing Following Virtual Simulation: A Multi-method Descriptive Study , Valorie MacKenna

Patients with a Left Ventricular Device and Factors Affecting Readmission , Diana Pitcher

Geographic Access to Community Mental Healthcare and Adherence to Treatment Among Patients with Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders , Marie Smith-East

The Effect of Acuity-based Nurse Staffing on Nursing Medication Errors , Egidius Maria Eugene Waterval

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

Persistence of Physical Activity Among Veterans , Jean Davis

Factors Influencing Nurse Practitioners' Weight Management Practices in Primary Care , Suzanne Hyer

Evaluation of Postoperative Air Leak and Chest Tube Drainage Systems after Pulmonary Resection , Kristina Jacobsen

Stress, Coping, and Quality of Life Among Parental Caregivers of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder , Dawn Turnage

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

Understanding the Perceived Experiences of Goal Setting of Mothers of Preschool Children: A Narrative Analysis , Dawn Eckhoff

Theses/Dissertations from 2017 2017

The Influences of Mindfulness and Neuromotor Exercise Mode on Balance in Healthy Older Adults , Maxine Hicks

Theses/Dissertations from 2016 2016

An Evaluation of Anxiety Following Substance Abuse Withdrawal and Assessment of Somatic Treatments presently Available with a Focus on Cranial Electrotherapy Stimulation , Janet Hutchison

Perceived readiness to transition to adult health care for youth with cystic fibrosis and congruence with their caregivers' views , Valerie Lapp

Evaluating Moral Distress, Moral Distress Residue and Moral Courage in Oncology Nurses , Lolita Melhado

Preschool Attendance: A Parental and Teacher Perspective of Barriers and Behaviors using Grounded Theory Research , Anne Meoli

Prehabilitation (Prehab): Prevention in Motion , Billie Russell

Theses/Dissertations from 2015 2015

Impact of Interruption Frequency on Nurses' Performance, Satisfaction, and Cognition During Patient-Controlled Analgesia Use in the Simulated Setting , Kristi Campoe

Perceived Social Support and Self-care in Patients Hospitalized with Heart Failure , Lyne Chamberlain

Rapid Response Teams versus Critical Care Outreach Teams: Unplanned Escalations in Care and Associated Outcomes , Valerie Danesh

The Impact of Relational Coordination and the Nurse on Patient Outcomes , Fanya DeJesus

Family Care Giver Knowledge, Patient Illness Characteristics, and Unplanned Hospital Admissions in Older Adults with Cancer , Patricia Geddie

Helping Mothers Defend their Decision to Breastfeed , Kandis Natoli

Nurse Managers, Work Environment Factors and Workplace Bullying , Joy Parchment

A Faith-Based Primary Diabetes Prevention Intervention for At-Risk Puerto Rican Adults: A Feasibility Study , Sylvia Torres-Thomas

Pre and Post Implementation Evaluation of an Emergency Department Severe Sepsis Alert and Practice Protocol , Darleen Williams

Theses/Dissertations from 2014 2014

Factors Associated With Information Literacy Competencies Of The Traditional Baccalaureate Nursing Student , Patricia Lafferty

Mobile Phone Short Message Service (SMS) to Improve Malaria Pharmacoadherence in Zambia , Elinda Steury

Theses/Dissertations from 2013 2013

Evaluation Of A Mind-body Website By Women With Breast Cancer , Laura Beck

Nutrition Literacy And Demographic Variables As Predictors Of Adolescent Weight Status In A Florida County , Leslee D'Amato-Kubiet

Ventilator-associated Complications In The Mechanically Ventilated Veteran , Joan Grano

The Early Postpartum Experience Of Previously Infertile Mothers , Sigrid Ladores

Early And Intermediate Hospital-to-home Transition Outcomes Of Older Adults Diagnosed With Diabetes , Jacqueline Lamanna

Improving Chronic Kidney Disease Care With Group Visits , Vicki Montoya

Theses/Dissertations from 2012 2012

An Exploratory Study Of Physiologic Responses To A Passive Exercise Intervention In Mechanically-ventilated Critically Ill Adults , Christina M. Amidei

The Self-described Experience Of Coping And Adaptation Associated With Workplace Stress Of Registered Nurses In The Acute Care Setting In Florida: An Ethnographic Study , Joyce Burr

Predictors Of Immunosuppressant Adherence In Long-term Renal Transplant Recipients , Sandra J. Galura

Stressors Experienced By Emergency Department Registered Nurses At The Bedside: A Phenomenological Study , Stephen D. Heglund

Noncardiac Chest Pain: The Use Of High Resolution Manometry As A Diagnostic Tool , Iman Hilal

Infection Control And Health Care Associated Infection (hcai) In The Nursing Home: A Study To Determine The Impact Of An Educational Video And Pamphlet About Infection Control On Knowledge And Perception Of Hand Hygiene In Certified Nurse Assistants , Kathe Hypes

Barriers To Timely Administration Of Thrombolytics In Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients , Elizabeth Joseph

Development And Evaluation Of An Instrument To Measure Mother-infant Togetherness After Childbirth , Carol Lawrence

Perceptions Influencing School Nurse Practices To Prevent Childhood Obesity , Susan Quelly

Front-line Registered Nurse Job Satisfaction And Predictors: A Meta-analysis From 1980 - 2009 , Deborah Anne Saber

Impact Of Cancer-specific Advance Care Planning On Anxiety, Decisional Conflict, And Surrogate Understanding Of Patient Treatment Preferences , Lynn Waser

Theses/Dissertations from 2011 2011

Duplicated Laboratory Tests : A Hospital Audit And Evaluation Of A Computerized Alert Intervention , Sharon Bridges

Exploring Women's Life Course Experiences With Weight Using Story Theory , Poff Allison Edmonds

Adherence Practices Of Caucasian Women With Hypertension Residing In Rural Florida An Exploratory Study , Jeanne M. Hopple

The Lived Experience Of Young-onset Dementia , Debra A. Hunt

Identifying Patients At Risk For Obstructive Sleep Apnea In Primary Health Care : Can Obesity In Combination With Other High-risk Diagnoses Be Used For Screening Purposes? , Clelia Lima

Clopidogrel Provision For Indigent Patients With St-elevation Myocardial Infarction , Sita S. Price

Comparative Retrospective Analysis Assessment Of Extracellular Volume Excess In Hypertensive Hemodialysis Patients , Amma Serwaah-Bonsu

Spirituality And Expectations Of Care Providers Of Older Patients With Chronic Illnes In North Central Florida , Myra Sherman

Factors Related To Birth Transition Success Of Late-preterm Infants , Karen L. Wright

Theses/Dissertations from 2010 2010

The Experiences Of Health Care Providers Providing Comfort For Nursing Home Patients At The End Of Life , Herma Baker

Comparison Of Arnp And Physician Malpractice In States With And Without Controlled Substance Prescribing Authority , Deborah Chandler

A New Measure Of Parental Self-efficacy For Enacting Healthy Lifestyles In Their Children , Jonathan W. Decker

Effectiveness Of Probiotics In Preventing Antibiotic Associated Diarrhea And Clostridium Difficile In Long Term Care , Marva Edwards-Marshall

The Effect Of Combat Exercises On Cardiovascular Response: An Exploratory Study , MeLisa Gantt

The Impact Of Pre-operative Mupirocin Prophylaxis On Surgical Site Infections In Same-day Admission Open Heart Patients , Joanna Gerry

Evaluation Of A Simulation-enhanced Obstetric Clinical Experience On Learning Outcomes For Knowledge, Self-efficacy, And Transfer , Mary Elizabeth Guimond

The Incidence And Epidemiologic Factors Of Community-acquired Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Skin And Soft Tissue I , Ivonne Johnson

The Impact Of An Interdependent Conferencing Activity In An Online Rn-bsn Practicum Clinical Conference On Psychologocial Sense Of Community , Barbara Lange

Advanced Practice Nursing In The Faith Community Setting: A Case Study , Chianta Lindsey

Prevalence Of And Risk Factors For Intraoperative Non-euglycemia Events In Premature Neonates >2500 Grams , Zulay Ritrosky

Retrospective Analysis Of Screening Patterns In Cirrhotic Patients With Heptocellular Carcinoma , Shelly-Ann Scott-Castell

A Phenomenological Description Of The Lived Experience Of Creating Art For Women With Breast Cancer , Laurie Stark

Assessing Adult Attitudes Toward End-of-life Issues And Advanced Directives After Implementing An Educational Intervention In A , Marchina Tolbert-Jones

Theses/Dissertations from 2009 2009

Cohort Study Of Pain Behaviors In The Elderly Residing In Skilled Nursing Care , Allison Burfield

Effects Of An Evidence-based Intervention On Stress And Coping Of Families Of Critically Ill Trauma Patients , Sandra Knapp

Awareness Of Increased Risk For Heart Disease And Cardiovascular Risk Factors In Women With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus , Patricia Weinstein

Consumer Perspectives Of Health During Prenatal Care In The Usa And Iceland: An Exploratory Study , Claudia Wiseman

Theses/Dissertations from 2008 2008

A Comparison Of Computer And Traditional Face-to-face Classroom Orientation For Beginning Critical Care Nurses , Patricia Anzalone

Health-care Seeking Behaviors Of Puerto Ricans With Diabetes Mellitus Who Live In South Florida: An Exploratory Study , Laura Gonzalez

Evaluation Of The Antecedents Of Cultural Competence , Mary Harper

The Impact Of A Nurse-driven Evidence-based Discharge Planning Protocol On Organizational Efficiency And Patient Satisfaction In , Tracey King

Theses/Dissertations from 2007 2007

Resiliency In Adolescent College Students , Nancy Ahern

The Impact Of Music On Postoperative Pain And Anxiety , Kelly Dixon Allred

Evaluation Of An Education Intervention For The Staff On The Head Of The Bed Elevation In The Pediatric Intensive Care Unit , Randall Johnson

Quality Of Life In Older Breast Cancer Survivors , Victoria Loerzel

Evaluating Neonatal Facial Pain Expression: Is There A Primal Face Of Pain? , Martin Schiavenato

Theses/Dissertations from 2003 2003

The Effect of Parent Education on Maternal Self-efficacy and Preference for Pain Control During Labor , Aubrey Willard

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Writing a Nursing Research Paper that Meets Professor's Requirements

As a nursing student, you will spend much time researching, reading, and writing papers. Many students find the entire process of writing research papers challenging.

Imagine on top of spending many hours in clinical practice shifts only to find yourself sparing more time researching and writing, not to mention the overwhelming information condensed in a few hours of in-class lecture sessions. Working shifts and studying while having family duties and obligations worsens it, and when done in a rush, you end up with subpar papers and average grades.

Even though many student nurses find writing research papers tricky and daunting, you can write a perfect paper that ticks all the checkboxes your professor uses to mark them and be sure to get an A+ grade on your nursing paper.

Our expert nursing research writers, who have written thousands of BSN, MSN, DNP, and Ph.D. papers, have compiled this comprehensive guide to help you write a strong nursing research paper that leaves a lasting impression on your professor.

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What is a Nursing Research Paper?

A nursing research paper is a scholarly and thesis-driven paper that a nursing student (at ADN, BSN, MSN, DNP, or Ph.D. level) writes to comprehensively explore a specific nursing research topic either of their choice or one that the professor assigns.

To write a perfect research paper, the student has to provide concrete, reliable, and trustworthy evidence. In most cases, even professionals such as RNs undertaking clinical practice, nursing education training, clinical studies and evaluations, and nursing research can also write research papers published in journals or conferences to advance and disseminate nursing knowledge. The typical length of most nursing papers ranges from 5 pages to 20 pages, depending mainly on the complexity of the subject, the word count limits, and the requirements. Nurses and nursing students write research papers to share their insights as they learn more about nursing processes and practices. Nursing research papers are used to: document research, organize information, advance nursing scholarship, and improve the writing skills of nurses. Students in the USA, Australia, Japan, and Canada write their research papers in the American Psychological Association (APA) format, while those in Australia and the UK write them in Harvard formats. The research papers fall under three main categories:

• Analytical research papers. These papers present an analysis of the topic using evidence, facts, and examples.
• Argumentative research papers. These research papers are analytical but with a twist where the writer uses evidence to reinforce their opinion and persuade the reader.
• Expository research papers. This category of nursing research papers explains the subject matter using credible evidence such as examples, facts, statistics, and other pieces of evidence.

Structure and Format of a Nursing Research Paper

A simple nursing research paper, especially an expository or informative type, can have 5 paragraphs, like a typical essay. However, longer research papers have additional sections.

Scientific Nursing Research Paper Structure

Here is a breakdown of how a well-formatted and scientific nursing research paper should look like.

• Title Page. The title page comprises the research paper title, details of the student or professional writer, course details, details of the school or institution, and the date. The cover page is the first contact point with the reader. It is brief.
• Abstract. The abstract summarizes the nursing research paper. It is 200-250 words long and should be focused on what the reader expects. It is a condensed version of the paper, which is critical to help professors know what your paper is about. It should not have acronyms. Note that the word count of the abstract is not considered part of the research paper.
• The Introduction. The introduction should have an attention-getter or a hook that can be a statement, statistic, or fact. It should be 10% of the entire word count. It also has background information that details the nursing issue or topic you are exploring. It also comprises a well-thought-out thesis statement related to the topic. If you have a long paper, ensure that your problem and purpose statements are part of the introduction. It should also list your PICOT question .
• Literature Review. This is a critical section of the research paper. Here, you should explore other nursing scholars' thoughts and scholarly findings. Focus on peer-reviewed scholarly articles that address the same issue as your thesis statement or topic. Explore your topic's theories, theoretical frameworks, and other facts. Do it so well that your professor marvels at your research, organization, and writing prowess. Consider the levels of evidence as you choose selection criteria for the papers to include in your nursing literature review.
• Research Methodology. This section of the research paper details the data collection methods, such as ethnographic studies, secondary data collection, literature review, quasi-experimental research, correlational studies, descriptive research, ethnography, phenomenology, grounded theory, meta-analyses, systematic reviews, or experiments. Ensure that you state and give a rationale for your research design (qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-methods). If you are writing a quantitative paper, explain how you tested the hypotheses. Also, report the sampling frame and the sampling strategy.
• Results and Discussion. This section of the paper presents the findings. You can use visual aids such as charts and graphs for a quantitative research paper. If you are writing a qualitative research paper, present the evidence chronologically. When presenting the findings, avoid making definitive facts. Instead, ensure that the results suggest something is true or false, even when testing a hypothesis.
• Conclusion and Recommendations. The conclusion should be 10% of the entire word count. You should restate the thesis and give a summary of your entire paper. Explore the recommendations for future research on the topic.
• Ensure that your reference list is arranged alphabetically. The list should adhere to the formatting requirements (Harvard, ASA, or APA formats). Only use scholarly peer-reviewed references.

Format for a General Nursing Research Paper

If you are writing a non-scientific nursing research paper, you will only have three sections as follows:

• Introduction. The introduction paragraph should introduce the topic by providing an attention-getter, background information, and a thesis statement.
• Body of the paper . The body paragraphs should have strong topic sentences, supporting details (examples, evidence, and explanation), and concluding sentences. It should also portray a good use of transition words. You should analyze the topic and use evidence to support the arguments, and give enough explanation. Use in-text citations within the body paragraphs.
• Conclusion. End the paper by recapping the main points, reasserting the thesis statement, and signaling the end of the paper to give your readers good closure.

An excellent nursing research paper follows this structure as long as it is not research-based. The three-part approach is super recommended if you did not conduct any study. In most cases, when assigned to write those 5-12 pages of nursing school research papers, you will be using this format.

So, what are the steps for writing a good nursing research paper? Let’s find out in the next section.

The 6 Main Steps for Writing a Nursing Research Paper

Writing assignments are an essential training aspect for nursing students. No wonder professors will stress that you write essays, discussion posts, responses, or proposals well. They are doing so to prepare you for research roles somewhere in your nursing career.

According to our most successful research paper writers, writing a top-grade research paper involves decoding the instructions, selecting a good topic, planning, researching, writing, and polishing the paper.

Here is a breakdown of each step for clarity and deeper understanding.

Step #1: Understand the Prompt or Instructions

You can only perfect what you know! Therefore, you can begin the research writing process by reading, analyzing, and understanding the instructions. It is an essential pre-writing stage process where you carefully read the instructions.

Although it sounds obvious, most nursing students who write off-topic and subpar research papers jump into writing without reading to understand the instructions.

You need to skim through the instructions on the first attempt, then read keenly and critically as you take note of the scope of the assignment, the topic, and other things you must fulfill in the paper. Take note of the:

• The number of words.
• Type of research paper (argumentative, analytical, exploratory, or persuasive).
• The structure of the paper (thesis-driven or research/study-based (scientific) research paper.
• The deadline.
• Whether you need to draft an outline.
• Reading materials.
• Whether you need external sources.
• Which sources to use and how many?
• The theoretical constructions or conceptual frameworks.
• The age limit of the scholarly sources.

If you need further clarification, ensure that you ask your peers, professor, or a professional writer in time.

Step #2: Select a Good Nursing Research Topic

Compared to average students, top nursing students always remember to select a research topic they are comfortable handling. When you are confident with a topic, you can develop it without procrastinating.

Sometimes you are given a list of nursing research paper topics, issues, and ideas to consider. Other times, you come up with the topic and consult your professor/educator for approval.  

Choose topics related to patient safety, nursing processes, nurse staffing, nursing policies, nurse privileges, nursing legislations, nursing ethics, mental health, health promotion, chronic disease management, healthcare systems, health informatics, changes in healthcare, and working conditions.

Choose any nursing topic that resonates with your specialization interests. It should be manageable, relevant, and explorable.

Related Readings:

• Nursing informatics research topics
• Capstone project ideas and topics for BSN, MSN, and DNP students
• Mental health nursing topics
• Epidemiology nursing topics
• List of the best nursing research paper topics
• Evidence-based nursing topics and ideas
• Nursing ethical dilemmas

Step #3: Plan your Paper

Create a thesis statement for your research paper if it is thesis-driven rather than study-based or scientific (experimental). After writing the thesis, like any of our nursing assignment slayers, write a good outline using Roman numbers and numbers.

List the ideas you wish to have in your paper in chronological order, starting with the introduction, body, and concluding paragraphs. As you outline, do some preliminary research so that you develop arguments the right way.

Include the in-text citations in your nursing research paper outline to simplify the writing process.

Step #4: Research and Organize Resources

Doing in-depth research as you refine the draft would be appropriate because you know what you want the paper to look like. Use scholarly nursing databases for research and limit yourself to topic-related scholarly articles published within the last 5 years.

You can read the abstracts of the articles to determine if they are fit to use in your paper. If you find the best articles, list them using online citation management tools such as RefWorks, Zotero, EndNote, Citefast, or any of your choice.

Ensure to list them in the most appropriate formatting styles. Take notes and list the points and ideas in your outline. Do your research meticulously and ensure that you organize the process to avoid any confusion.

Step #5: Write the First Draft

With the research, synthesis, and outline, you are now left with the chance to put rubber on the road. Use the Pomodoro technique, where you spend stretches of 25 minutes of focused work and have minor 5-minute breaks.

Ensure you cover as much ground in your research paper as possible before three-quarters of the deadline. When writing the paper, and considering that you have the outline, you can start chronologically from the introduction to the appendices.

Most research paper writing pros prefer working on the body section and conclusion before writing the introduction and finalizing the abstract. Whatever works best for you, adopt it. When writing the first draft, focus on piecing together the information rather than perfection.

Ensure you research lightly as you write and assert your voice while giving the right in-text citations for every idea you paraphrase from a source to avoid plagiarism. Each body paragraph should only have one idea.

Step #6: Edit, Proofread, and Polish the Paper

The final step towards completing your nursing research paper is ensuring everything is in its rightful place. A polished research paper scores 90% and above, which is an A. Begin by reading the paper aloud to identify areas that do not make sense.

If there is a need, do not hesitate to rewrite an entire section so that you have the right flow of information.

Check the grammatical, spelling, and syntax errors and make necessary corrections. You should also check the tenses used in the paper. If you feel like polishing the essay is too much work, you are better off hiring a nursing paper proofreader/editor.

When you receive feedback from your educator or professor, address the changes and resend the paper for grading.

Related Reading: How to write an evidence-based nursing paper.

Valuable Tips to Consider as You Write Your Nursing Research Paper

Nursing schools and educators have their standards and guidelines for writing a research paper. Therefore, ensure that before everything else, you familiarize yourself and adhere to these instructions, which include word count and citation styles.

Do not assume anything when writing a paper. You should also access and understand suggestions from your school’s writing lab. Apart from these essential tips, also ensure that you follow the insights we give below:

• Write your paper using a formal tone. Do not use passive voice when writing the paper. Instead, use active voice.
• Your paper should have a good organization from the introduction to the conclusion.
• Whenever you borrow ideas from a scholarly source, ensure you cite them correctly.
• Have a well-thought-out thesis statement that clarifies your arguments.
• Create a complete outline during the early stages of writing. It gives you a roadmap to follow as you write the paper. Organize the ideas chronologically based on their strength and weaknesses.
• Have a plan and schedule to trace your progress with the paper.
• If you have a more extended deadline, contribute to your research paper daily.
• When writing the paper, start with the body, the conclusion, and the introduction last.
• If you are writing a study-based research paper, include the literature review, methodology, discussion, and conclusion sections per the IMRAD format. A general nursing research paper follows the essay structure: introduction, body section, and conclusion.
• Use peer-reviewed scholarly sources from CINAHL, PubMed, Nursing Reference Center, Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, and other nursing research databases with peer-reviewed articles. Credible sources mean your research paper has rigor since you have strong points.
• Proofread and edit the paper thoroughly to remove any mistakes to signal your seriousness to your professor. If possible, use professional editing services.
• Have a compelling conclusion that is elaborate, clear, and concise.
• Read your paper aloud to identify mistakes.
• Revise the paper, and do not fear rewriting an entire section.

When writing a research paper, adhere to the writing conventions. You should also read well and understand how to communicate through academic writing effectively. Your paper should document evidence that supports your arguments and topic.

Write concisely, coherently, and accurately. It is not all in vain; you are training for your future role as a nurse when you will write conference papers, white papers, essays, policy documents, letters, blog posts, and professional nursing articles.

Checklist for a Great Research Paper in Nursing

Now that you have written your paper, you must align a few things to make it the best your professor will read. Most nursing classes, especially at the graduate levels (MSN, DNP, and Ph.D. levels), have small class sizes, and the professors spend time reading the papers from start to end. This means that you should leave nothing to chance.

Nursing research asserts professional identity, ensures accountability in nursing decision-making, and expands nursing practice. You have to be meticulous when writing a research paper in nursing.

A good research paper demonstrates a complete understanding of nursing knowledge, topic exploration, advanced organization, proper formatting, and mature academic writing skills. The following checklist enlists some main aspects to countercheck before hitting the submit button.

• Have I followed all the instructions outlined in the assignment prompt or rubric?
• Does my paper have the right title page?
• Does the paper have a written title that resonates with the thesis and the research question?
• Is the introduction presenting an attention grabber, background information, and a signpost of the ideas in the paper?
• Is the thesis statement well-thought-out, clear, concise, and elaborate?
• Is the problem statement clearly stated?
• If it is a PICOT-based research paper, is the PICO question well-outlined?
• Does the paper touch well on the nursing issue that the topic needs it to address?
• Is there a logical flow of the paragraphs?
• Are the words in each paragraph balanced?
• Does the paper have correctly formatted headings and subheadings?
• Are the in-text citations done correctly and consistently?
• Does every paragraph in the body of the paper build on the thesis?
• Does the paper demonstrate a mature choice of words and uses nursing lingo?
• Is the literature review section comprehensive? Does it have a theoretical and conceptual framework or constructs?
• Are the data and information presented in the literature review current?
• Has the methodology section listed the sample, sampling strategy, data collection and analyses, and rationale for each?
• Does the discussion section interlink the concepts from the literature review with the findings?
• Does the conclusion offer good closure to the readers? Does it restate the thesis? Does it summarize the recommendations?
• Is the entire paper formatted correctly? Does it follow the formatting guidelines?
• Is the paper devoid of spelling, syntax, and mechanical mistakes?

If your answer to all these questions is a resounding YES, you are sure it will fetch your professor a good grade. Our nursing writers, most of whom are alumni from top nursing universities and colleges such as Chamberlain, Capella, Herzing, Vanderbilt, SFU, Rutgers, Yale, Duke, NYU, UCLA, University of Pennsylvania, University of Toronto, McGill, Ottawa, Queens, and other best colleges in the USA, UK, Canada, and many other places. Besides, they are nursing educators in different capacities, and a couple are nursing professors with big titles; you can trust the checklist to guarantee you an excellent grade.

Where to Get Help When Writing Research Paper

As a nursing student, writing a research paper is something you will most likely enjoy doing. However, unforeseen things happen, prompting you to search the internet for sites to help you do your nursing research paper. NurseMyGrade.com is one such place to pay a nursing writer to do your paper.

Expect a paper that meets all the requirements, is written by a human rather than AI software, and is uniquely tailored to your requirements.  Our rates are affordable, and our writers cover diverse fields. Apart from offering advice about research, writing, and formatting papers, we have resourceful writers whom we allow you to communicate directly with via our platform.

We also maintain high levels of secrecy because we care more about your privacy and confidentiality of your details. Not even your professor can tell you got help from our website because we advise on specific strategies to use the paper. We have assisted students in various levels of nursing education with their writing, and we can do yours too.

Get affordable, well-researched, formatted, and organized nursing research papers done for you today by filling out the order form. Nursing research papers are a chance to stand out. Let our professionals help you achieve your nursing school goals.

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Nursing Theses and Dissertations

Theses/dissertations from 2023 2023.

THE PERCEPTIONS OF PEOPLE WITH DEMENTIA, CARE PARTNERS, CNAs/SITTERS, AND PROVIDERS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC UP TO NOW: A MULTIPLE CASE STUDY , Gaudensia Awuor

Commitment to Collaboration: Development of a School Nursing Collaboration Instrument , Jodi S. Bullard

A Mixed Methods Feasibility Study Comparing Rural and Nonrural Critical Illness Survivors , Rebecca Greene

Resilience, Moral Courage, and Leadership Self-Efficacy Among Nurses , Deborah V. Haney

THE IMPACT OF RACE/ETHNICITY ON OCCUPATIONAL STRESS IN EAST TEXAS CERTIFIED NURSING ASSISTANTS , Jackie Schniederjan McDonald

Modifiable health disparities and cardiovascular disease risk factors in Latino migrant seasonal farmworkers: A meta-analysis , Cindy Mendez

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PERCEIVED STRESS AND ACADEMIC SELF-EFFICACY TO THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF UNDERGRADUATE NURSING STUDENTS , Ashley J. Pierre

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

IMPACT OF EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE ON INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAMWORK, INTERPROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION, AND INTERPROFESSIONAL LEADERSHIP , Kathleen M. Cox

TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE IN NURSING CURRICULA: DEVELOPMENT OF A SIMULATION-BASED EDUCATIONAL FRAMEWORK TO GUIDE HEALTH PROFESSIONS , Heather Guest

Nursing Students' Moral Courage Development Through Incivility Simulation Education , Melissa Madden

A Mixed Methods Study of Cultural Competence Among Nursing Students in Kenya , Sylvia Waweru

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

INFLUENCE OF RESILIENCE, EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE, AND TEAMWORK ON REGISTERED NURSE CIRCULATOR INTENT TO LEAVE , Mary Alice Anderson

Focused Ethnography: Storytelling for Hispanics with Low Health Literacy and Diabetes , Virginia H. Cadenhead

Relationship of Undergraduate Nursing Students' Emotional Intelligence and other Factors to ATI-NCLEX-RN Comprehensive Predictor Examination Performance , Sarah Y. Jimenez

DEVELOPMENT OF CULTURAL HUMILITY AND ETHNOCULTURAL EMPATHY IN NURSING STUDENTS , Claudia Keck

ASPECTS OF THE PHYSICAL WORK ENVIRONMENT AND NURSING WORK , Yolanda Keys

Birth Practice Beliefs of Undergraduate Nursing Students , Cassandra Sharelle Land

ASSESSING TRANSGENDER INCLUSION WITHIN A VETERANS HEALTHCARE SYSTEM: A DELPHI STUDY , Kathy-Jo B. Lee

Use of Standardized Test Results by Faculty and Students for Advanced Practice Nurse Certification Success , Dinorah Martinez-Anderson

Impact of Theory-Based Interventions on Meaningfulness of Undergraduate Nursing Pharmacology Student Learning , Betsy L. Mauldin

A Mixed-Methods Approach to Investigating the Influence of Education on Nurses’ Attitudes toward Sex Trafficking Victims , Tabitha McDaniel

Predicting Infection-Related Organ Failure: Expansion of SOFA Algorithm to Include Nursing Documentation , Tanna L. Nelson

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

UNDERSTANDING END-OF-LIFE CARE EXPERIENCES OF BACCALAUREATE MEXICAN AMERICAN NURSING STUDENTS: AN INTERPRETIVE PHENOMENOLOGY STUDY , Shalla M. Copeland

Patients' Disclosure of Sexual and Gender Minority Status: A Comparative, Multiple Case Study , Damon B. Cottrell

Effects of an Online Mindfulness Program on Depression, Anxiety, Stress, and Coping among Undergraduate Second-Year Nursing Students , Hollis Franco

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Writing a Thesis Statement

Nursing School Theses, Dissertations, and Doctoral Papers

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How to write a successful nursing thesis.

Most nursing students find it difficult to write a successful nursing thesis. Read this article to find out how to write a successful nursing thesis by using a 7 steps process that we designed for creating a successful nursing thesis.

Summary of how to write a successful nursing thesis.

A nursing thesis is a written document that outlines the nursing student’s original research findings on a certain topic. It is similar to a research paper but with a more specific focus on the nursing profession. To write a successful nursing thesis, the student must first choose a topic that is both interesting and relevant to the nursing profession. Once the topic has been selected, the student must then conduct a literature review to identify the existing research on the topic. After the literature review has been completed, the student can then begin writing the thesis itself. The nursing thesis should be well-organized and well-written, and it must include a clear and concise research question.

What is a nursing thesis?

A nursing thesis is a written document that outlines the research that a nursing student has conducted. Thesis topics can vary, but usually center around a specific area of nursing practice or theory. For example, a student might choose to research the effectiveness of a new nursing intervention in the treatment of postpartum depression. Thesis projects can be completed as part of a degree program, such as a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), or as an independent research project. Nursing students typically work with a faculty advisor to complete their thesis.

How to write a successful nursing thesis in 7 steps.

Do you want to write a successful nursing thesis? We have designed a 7 steps process to help you write a top-notch nursing thesis. These steps include:

Start with a clear research question in mind

Review the literature to find gaps in current knowledge, develop a clear research methodology, collect and analyse your data, write up your findings, discuss your results in relation to the literature, draw conclusions and make recommendations for future research.

When it comes to writing a nursing essay, it is important to start with a clear research question in mind. This will help to focus your research and ensure that you are able to find relevant and up-to-date sources to support your argument. Once you have a research question, try to narrow it down to a specific topic that you can explore in more depth. This will make it easier to plan and structure your essay. When you are conducting your research, be sure to take careful notes and keep track of the sources that you consult. This will make it easier to reference them in your essay and avoid plagiarism.

There is a lot of nursing research out there, but it can be difficult to keep up with everything. Instead of trying to read and remember everything, it can be helpful to focus on finding gaps in current knowledge. This can be done by reviewing the literature and looking for studies that contradict each other or that raise new questions. By keeping up with these gaps, you can be sure that you are always up-to-date on the latest research.

When developing a clear research methodology, it is important to consider the following: what research question(s) you are trying to answer, what type of data you will need to answer these question(s), and what methods you will use to collect this data. Additionally, you will need to think about how you will analyze the data you collect and what type of conclusions you can draw from your analysis. By carefully considering each of these elements, you can develop a clear and concise research methodology that will help guide your nursing research project.

In order to write a good nursing essay, you need to first collect and then analyse your data. This can be done in a number of ways, but the most important thing is to be organized and to have a plan. Once you have your data, you can then start to look for patterns and trends. This will help you to write a more effective essay.

Findings from nursing research are vital to improving patient outcomes and developing new, evidence-based practices. When writing up your findings, it is important to be clear, concise, and accurate. Be sure to include all relevant information, such as demographics, interventions, and results. Be sure to also discuss any limitations of your study and future directions for research. By sharing your findings, you can help contribute to the body of evidence-based knowledge and make a positive impact on the nursing profession.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of nursing interventions on patient outcomes. The results of the study showed that nursing interventions had a significant impact on patient outcomes. The literature review showed that there is a lack of research on the effects of nursing interventions on patient outcomes. The results of this study suggest that nursing interventions can improve patient outcomes.

Nursing research is essential to the advancement of the profession and the improvement of patient care. The conclusions and recommendations of nursing research studies are important for future research and for the development of clinical practice guidelines. The findings of nursing research can help to improve patient outcomes and to make nursing practice more evidence-based.

Conclusion.

Writing a successful nursing thesis is no easy task. By using these 7 steps to write a successful nursing thesis, you will be able to write a top-notch nursing thesis without must struggle.

If you need expert assistance with your nursing thesis, get help from our reliable nursing writers at affordable rates right now.

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Online Help for a Great Thesis Statement

• Writer's Handbook - UW Madison
• Creating a Thesis Statement - Purdue
• Thesis Statements - UNC Chapel Hill A short tutorial dealing with what a thesis statement is, how to make a thesis statement, and how to know if a thesis statement is strong. It also includes several examples.
• Developing a Thesis - Harvard Detailed tips about constructing a good thesis, with annotated examples of good and bad thesis statements.

Why the Thesis Statement Is Backwards

Why the thesis statement is backwards.

by Natalya Zielnicki at windyconditions.net

I used to hate the phrase, “thesis statement.” In English and writing classes, it was a vague, overly-emphasized concept that stuck out in my humanities education like a sore thumb. I loathed assignments bidding my classmates and me to, “write a thesis statement,” and answer “what’s your paper’s thesis?” before setting out to do any research on the topic!

And for whatever reason, in spite of all the weight placed on this holy grail entrusted to young writers, I simply did not understand its importance. I would try to find a thesis — set out to prove that “Wilbur was highly humble until Charlotte wrote on her web, ‘Some Pig’” before finishing Charlotte’s Web . After “finding” my thesis I would sit in front of my computer, straining from word constipation until last minute panic hit me and I would write some awful paragraphs “supporting” my statement at the end of the first paragraph in an essay. This method was great at scraping me A-s, with occasional As or B+s on most papers…but it left me resenting writing. Drained of any creativity in the confines of writing a “thesis statement” every few weeks, I tried to avoid as many humanities classes as I could by taking more math classes.

Then, a wonderful kick in the face occurred during a few upper level math classes, which invariably taught me to write. Once you hit a few upper level math classes such as Analysis, a student will be asked to write a math proof. Sometimes the question is not put in the easiest way; assignments usually read, “is this statement true or false? Either find a counterexample or give a proof of this statement.” Oh, how I loathed such questions, where there was no black-and-white way to solve something!

But then, after many hours and sleepless nights, proof-writing started clicking , and my mind was molded into way of thinking that started trickling into many applications. Proof-writing is a wonderfully fulfilling process; it involves the creative steps of exploring, questioning, and then — once all the steps are laid out nicely in front of you — you neatly summarize it in plain English.

Consider, for example, the following proof from an old Number Theory homework set. Notice how no sentence is wasted; each explored step takes me closer and closer to the conclusion we make in our “proof” statement:

And this is how I learned how to write. I learned that writing is a logical proof: you explore, experiment, and each sentence becomes one step closer to the insightful conclusion you are about to make. That conclusion is your thesis. Don’t set out to prove a thesis first; as you think, experiment until you prove your newfound thesis. Similar to the above proof, the thesis statement isn’t meant to be some clean sentence at the end of the first paragraph of your five-paragraph paper. Instead, it is this polished result that you obtain by getting your hands dirty, and then unraveling it out until finally — you have it, in one beautiful statement or two. As you explore your topic, you venture into the unknown, and with each logical step and creative measure, you have pulled from the dredges of the unknown something that you and your readers will love and appreciate for all its glory. I guarantee it.

Sure, this method takes a little more research and thought than a nicely packaged handout that your teachers would like to show. But trust me, if you prod it, if you polish and polish some more, if you really put some thought into each paper and sentence you write, that thesis will shine. And you will soar in all your writing assignments from hereon out.

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Home > College of Health and Human Sciences > Valley Foundation School of Nursing > Master's Theses

Master’s Theses and Graduate Research

Master's projects from 2023 2023.

Pet Loss and Grieving Strategies: A Systematic Review of Literature , Ruth E. Cervantes

A Systematic Review: Relationship Between Medication Adherence and Hypertension , Monica Chan

CABG vs. PCI: Greater Outcomes for Severe Coronary Artery Disease , Haejin Cho

Resilience Training for Healthcare Professionals: A Literature Review , Michelle Dictor

Efficacy of Gabapentin versus Benzodiazepines in the Management of Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome , Douglas R. Fredona

Standardizing Patient Transfer Process Among Nurses From Labor & Delivery to Mother-Baby Unit: A Quality Improvement Project , Kiratraj Kaur Grewal

Effectiveness of Standardized vs. Individualized Cancer Treatment Education , Jija Issac

Reducing Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection Rates by Educating Staff on Bundle Interventions , Tirath Kaur

Cultural Perspectives in Pain and Palliative Care , Loan LaGué

Efficacy of Utilizing a Discharge Checklist at a Northern California Hospital , Becky Le

A Roadmap to Safer Hyaluronic Acid Injections , Mandi Lonergan

The Effect of Providing End of Life Care on the Mental Health of Critical Care Nurses , Christy Nelson

The Impact of Utilizing the Eat, Sleep, Console Model on Pharmacologic Interventions and Length of Stay , Kareena Parks

The Effects of Nursing Bedside Shift Report on Patient Safety and Satisfaction: A Systematic Review of the Literature , Alyssa Wong

Master's Projects from 2009 2009

Evaluation of Strategies to Enhance NCLEX-RN Success , Joyce Barnby

Self-Directed Learning Readiness of Baccalaureate of Science in Nursing (BSN) Students , Saba Bayanzai

The Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Menopausal Symptoms among Chinese-American Women , Rebecca Kwai-Ying Chung

Views About Health of Russian-Americans Living in Central California , Mark Fiterman

Student Perceptions of Their Learning Experience in the Clinical Setting: A Pilot Study , Peggy Gnehm

The Use of the "Get Up and Go Test" as the Initial Screening Measure for Fall Risk With Community Dwelling Seniors , Margaret E. Hermoso

Class Size and Nursing Students' Perception of Empowerment , Cynthia T. Keane

Depression Among the Elderly: Screening Practices and Attitudes Among Nurse Practitioners , Grace Le

Role Strain of Nursing Students in Obstetrical Clinical Rotations: Is Role Strain Greater for Male Students? , Teri A. Lind

English Language Acculturation and Academic Achievement Among Junior Year Nursing Students , Leah Lukrich

Productivity Environmental Preference Survey (PEPS) of Undergraduate Nursing Students - A Generational Perspective , Susana Machado

Self Perceptions of Clinical Performance of Accelerated First Degree and Accelerated Second-Degree Graduates , Neelam N. Murthi

Postpartum Patients Reports of Satisfaction with a Welcome Meal after a Vaginal Delivery , Jessica R. Pinilla

What is the Perception of Preparedness amongst Accelerated BSN students compared to Traditional BSN students? , Sheetal Raman-Love

Student Nurses' Perceptions About Caring In Early Nursing Courses , Rosa Roman

Nursing Student Perceptions of Clinical Simulation During a Maternity Nursing Scenario , Maria B. Ronquillo

Faculty Perceptions of Interactions Between Students and Registered Nurses in the Clinical Learning Envirorunent , Laurie M. Rosa

Perceptions Among Students in Online Health Related Courses - A Pilot Study , Kathy Sullivan

Perceptions of Nursing Students Regarding Evidence-Based Practice , Sheleen Tolentino

Assessing Culture Competence Among Nurses in an Acute Care Setting , Maleka Virani

Master's Projects from 2007 2007

Morbidity and Mortality ofVery Low Birth Weight Infant Graduates of a Level Three Neonatal Intensive Care Unit , Maria Cortes

Cultural Self-Efficacy of Graduating Baccalaureate Nursing Students in a State Funded University in the Silicon Valley , Lihua Liu

Screening for Postpartum Depression at Well-Baby Visits , Suzanne Mello

Barriers to Mammograms Among Women Who are Homeless , Lucinda M. Ramirez

Evaluation of Student Perceived Self-Efficacy With the Implementation of a Problem-Based Learning Module , Joel David Romero

Parental Perceptions of the Management of Childern with Type 1 Diabetes at School: A Broader Perspective , Claudia Wilde

Master's Projects from 2006 2006

Does Culture Influence the Needs of Critical Care Families? , Naomi Alston

Addressing Student Nurses' Concerns in End of Life Care , Tami Boroughf

The Relationship Between Parental Physical Activity Levels and Their Child's Body Mass Index , Juracia Carbajal

Academic Motivation: A Comparative Study of Entry Level Baccaslaureate Nursing Students , Sharon Helene Davis

Nurse Practitioners' Attitudes Toward Obesity , Teresa Cueba Dionne

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of a Humor Workshop on the Perceived Stress of Nurse Practitioner Students , Stephanie A. Emerson

Identifying Catholic School Teachers Attitudes and Perceptions about Death and Grief , Stephania Ann Higdon

Stress Reduction: A neighborhood introduction , Barbara D. Johnson

Minority Adolescents at Risk for Obesity: Health Behaviors and Perceptions , Linda D. Jones

The Relationship Between Health Beliefs and Adherence to Treatment of Russian Immigrants with Hypertension , Michael R. Kolesnikov

A Study of Adolescent Depression Among Middle School Students , Cristina Lee

Evaluation of a School Based Disaster Preparedness Program , Sandra Linebarger

The Influence of Staff Nurse Ethnicity on Perceptions of the Work Environment , Silvia Helena Martins

Factors Affecting Nursing Students' Attitudes Towards Older Adults , Tracy McCammon

Self-Efficacy and Grade Point Average in Relationship to Academic Success in Baccalaureate Nursing Students , Cynthia Miller

A Survey of Perceived Job satisfaction Among School Nurses , Warren Nelson

The Relationship Between Perceived and Ideal Body Size and Body Mass Index Among 9th Grade Students in an Urban High School , Irma Orozco

How Special Education Teachers of High School-Aged Students Address Sex Education , Amelia Owen-Casillas

The Cost of Negative Perceptions of the Work Environment Among Intermediate Intensive Care Unit Nurses , Joselyn Peralta

An Added Dimension to the Faculty Role: The Accelerated Student , Lisa Rauch and Deborah Nelson

Cultural Identity of Labor and Delivery Nurses In the Assessment of Pregnant Patients For Interpersonal Violence , Ramona Nichols Smith

Multigenerational Nurses' Perceptions of their Work Environment , Rukhsana Syed

Student Demographics with Changing Admission Criteria: Is Nursing Diversity at Risk? , Jung Yoon and Kimlin McDaniel Keith

Master's Projects from 2005 2005

Practice Patterns Contributing to Positive Patient Outcomes by Nurse Practitioners , Kandice Bandy

The Relationship Between Student Perceptions of Faculty Support and Student Perceptions of Clinical Competency , Linda Clark

Quality of Life and Medical Compliance in the Adolescent Kidney Transplant Population ---A Pilot Study , Catherine Costaglio

Evaluation of an oral health training program for school nurses , Linda Drengler

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of a Diabetes Managment Training Program for Unlicensed Assistive Personnel in Schools , Elaine M. Gomer

Evaluation of an Oral Health Training Program for School Nurses , Kelley Haines-Kolostian

Perceptions of High Risk Behaviors Among Culturally Diverse Adolescents and the Role of Parental Influence and Parent Communication , Sharlene E. Junio

Job Satisfaction Among Staff Nurses in Mental Health Units in a VA facility , Edith R. Lombard

A Pilot Study: The Effects of Group Exercise On Fatigue and Quality of Life During Cancer Treatment , Joanna M. Losito

Self-Efficacy and Sexual Transmitted Disease Prevention Among College Women , Dominique M. Ly

A Survey of California Nurse Practitioners' Health Practices and Counseling Habits , Jessica Malone

Nurses' Perception of Family Presence During Resuscitation , Josephine Njoku

Analysis of Contraceptive Self-Efficacy in Clients Requesting Emergency Contraception , Jennifer L. Nordeen

Nurses Perceptions of Barriers and Facilitators to Research Utilization in their Nursing Practice , David Ray Renfro

Sexuality and the Aging Adult: The Attitude and Practice of Physicians and Nurse Practitioners , Susan Runsvold

Nurse's Perceptions of Causes of Medication Errors and Barriers to Reporting , Virginia M. Ulanimo

Perceived Social Support among Chinese American Hemodialysis Patients , Kaklam Wong

Screening of Postpartum Depression Among Chinese Immigrants , Beahwa Yeoh

Master's Projects from 2004 2004

Maternal-fetal attachment among Vietnamese mothers in the first, second, and third trimesters of pregnancy: A pilot study. , Barbara Choo

Staff Perceptions of Workload and Care Requirements for Incontinent Patients in Long-term Care Settings , Amy M. Crickmer

Assessing Health Beliefs about Colonoscopy , Katherine Gipsh

A Survey of California's Nurse Practitioners' Regarding Practice, Knowledge and Atitudes of the National Asthma Management Guidelines , Colleen M. Hughes

Pain Management through Music Therapy , Dereck H. Ko

Knowledge of Type II Diabetes and its Complications Among Adult Vietnamese Immigrants , Thao Phuong Le

Fostering Clinical Judgment During Preceptorship , Susan McNiesh

The Prevalence of Dental Caries in a Central Coast of California Middle School , Belen R. Mojica

The Effect of Body Position and Mattress Type on Interface Pressure in Quadriplegic Adults-a Pilot Study , Parivash Moody

Nursing Students' Self-Efficacy and Attitude: Examining the Influence ofthe Omaha System In Nurse Managed Centers , Cherie Mooy

Pet Therapy Use in Pediatric Hospitals: an Internet Based Pilot Study , Kara Potter

Investigating the Correlation Between Nurses' Spiritual Well-Being and Spiritual Care Perspectives , Marion Lieber Reyes

Demographics and Perceptions of Work Environment for Registered Nurses , Pamela Brotherton Sedano

Quality of Life after Heart Transplantation , Jacqueline Trammell

Nurse Practitioners' Characteristics and Job Satisfaction , Priscilla Wild

Master's Projects from 2003 2003

Attitudes of Mexican American Women Regarding Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Its Management , Ofelia M. Bustos

Stories of Mothers of Medically Vulnerable Infants , Sarah E. Davis

Nurses' work environment perceptions: Key elements to retention , Karen de la Cuesta

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of an Anaphylaxis Training Program for Unlicensed Assistive Personnel , Jean A. Litarowsky

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What’s Really Behind the Nursing Shortage? 1,500 Nurses Share Their Stories

• Survey Results
• What Is the Nursing Shortage?
• Reasons Nurses Quit
• Hope For the Future
• What Nurses Need Now
• How to Take Action

Winner of the Gold Award for the Digital Health Awards, Best Media/Publications Article, Spring 2022

Update 10/10/2022

The findings of  Nurse.org's 2021 State of Nursing Survey revealed some harsh truths about the profession but also spoke to the strength, perseverance, and passion that nurses have for their work. Nurse.org has relaunched the State of Nursing survey in 2022 with the aim to capture a complete picture of the true state of the profession - from how nurses feel about work, how nurses are being treated, how nurses feel about the future of nursing, nurse's mental wellbeing and what nurses think needs to change within the profession. Take the survey now (it takes less than 10 minutes.)

>> Take Nurse.org's NEW 2022 "State of Nursing Survey" and let your voice be heard about issues in nursing that matter most. 

January 26, 2022

If the past two years have taught the world anything, it's that nurses are NOT okay. The truth is that despite the 7 pm cheers, the commercials thanking nurses for their dedication and selflessness, and the free food from major retailers – the overwhelming majority of nurses are burnt out, underpaid, overworked, and underappreciated.  

With millions of nurses worldwide, Nurse.org wanted to truly understand the current state of nursing and give nurses a voice to share their thoughts, feelings, and apprehensions about the nursing profession. We surveyed nearly 1,500 nurses to find out how they felt about the past year and get to the real reasons behind the nursing shortage . The responses were heartbreaking, but not without hope.  

What We Found: Nurses Are Struggling

Nurses are struggling. Regardless of practice specialty, age, or state of practice – the answers were all the same. Nurses, NPs, and APRNs are all struggling and need help.  

Only 12% of the nurses surveyed are happy where they are and interestingly, 36% would like to stay in their current positions but changes would need to be made for that to happen. Nurses report wanting safe staffing, safer patient ratio assignments, and increased pay in order to stay in their current roles.  

Nurses didn’t hold back when discussing their feelings regarding the current state of nursing:  

• 87% feel burnt out 
• 84% are frustrated with administrators 
• 84% feel they are underpaid 
• 83% feel their mental health has suffered 
• 77% feel unsupported at work 
• 61% feel unappreciated 
• 60% have felt uncomfortable having to work outside of their comfort zone in the past year 
• 58% of nurses have felt frustrated with their patients 
• 58% of nurses have felt unsafe at work in the past year 

The numbers don’t lie. It’s astounding that a profession continually recognized for its compassion, strength, and resilience is suffering . And the suffering is universal.  

One nurse responded with the following, “I have been an RN for 34 years and in my specialty of nursing for 31 years and I am burned out.” 

What Is the Nursing Shortage and Why is it Happening?

You’ve likely heard about the nursing shortage, but what does that mean and why is it happening? 

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) , the employment of registered nurses is projected to grow 9% from 2020 to 2030.  Approximately 194,500 openings for registered nurses are projected each year, on average, over the decade. However, this number was projected prior to the pandemic, and before the mass exodus of bedside clinical nurses. As a result, it’s likely substantially lower than what the real demand for nurses will look like.

The American Nurses Association (ANA) reports that the increased need for nurses spans beyond the current pandemic. In fact, they sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on September 1, 2021, urging the country to declare the current and unsustainable nurse staffing shortage to be a national crisis. 

The ANA attributes the needs for thousands of nurses to the following:  

• The Affordable Care Act made access to health care services possible for more people
• Increased focus “primary care, prevention, wellness, and chronic disease management” 
• Aging baby-boomer population
• Growing interest in community-based care

Why Are Nurses Really Leaving The Bedside? 

However, those stats don’t address some of the systemic issues nurses face every day, particularly in the midst of a pandemic. That’s why we asked nurses why they are really leaving the bedside.

What we heard is that, overwhelmingly, the number one reason nurses want to leave the bedside is because of unsafe staffing ratios. This leads to a never-ending cycle of shortages: nurses face unsafe staffing ratios so they decide to leave the bedside, this results in even fewer nurses available to care for patients, so the downward cycle continues.

Essentially, nurses are dealing with an increased workload with fewer resources. Typically, pre-covid ICU nurses would experience a 1:1 or 2:1 patient-to-nurse ratio. Now ICU nurses throughout the country are experiencing a 3:1 or 4:1 patient-to-nurse ratio which exacerbates staff burnout and unsafe nursing practices.  

One nurse reported, “With increased patient census, staffing ratios are very unsafe especially with high acuity patients. Having 4+ critically ill patients not only puts licenses at risk but the patients do not benefit at all. We’re just running around doing tasks, not providing adequate care.”

Unsafe Staffing Ratios Are Just Part of the Problem

While a big piece of the puzzle, unsafe staffing issues are, unfortunately, one part of a long list of issues plaguing nurses today. 

 Nurses are leaving the bedside because of issues like: 

• Inadequate staffing ratios 
• Not getting equal pay for equal experience 
• Not receiving hazard pay during a pandemic 
• Not having adequate back up 
• An inability to take breaks, sick days, or even turn down extra shifts 

To learn more about the nursing shortage and learn ways you can get involved, check out the full report here . 

Despite All This, Nurses Still Have Hope

70% of nurses still think that nursing is a great career and 64% still think that new nurses should join the profession. 

“If you’re a student considering becoming a nurse, please know that you are not walking into a doomed profession. You will never meet anyone who is more determined, more resourceful, or more ready to jump in and lend a helping hand than a nurse." 

--– Nurse Alice Benjamin, MSN, APRN, ACNS-BC, FNP-C, CCRN, CEN, CV-BC, Chief Nursing Officer and Correspondent at Nurse.org

If you’re a nurse, you know that nursing isn’t just a profession, it’s a calling. It’s devastating to see that so many nurses are suffering in their quest to heal and give care, but it’s heartening to know they are not without hope. 

What Nurses Need Now 

If you’re a nurse, know that your job is simply to put yourself first. If we want to solve the nursing shortage (and we do!), it can't happen without nurses recognizing that they are NOT the problem. 

"The problem is not with nurses or nursing; the problem is that nurses have been so busy taking care of others that no one has taken care of them. And we’re here to change that--and by entering the nursing profession, you will be part of the solution too”

 – Nurse Alice Benjamin, MSN, APRN, ACNS-BC, FNP-C, CCRN, CEN, CV-BC, Chief Nursing Officer and Correspondent at Nurse.org 

The truth is nurses need a lot more to be incentivized to stay practicing clinically at the bedside. Nurses reported needing:  

• Higher pay 
• Safe nurse-to-patient ratios 
• Hazard pay 
• REAL mental health resources 
• Adequate staff support 
• Support programs for new nurses

4 Ways to Support Nurses and Take Action

While we may not be able to make this change at an individual level, collectively, we can amplify the voice of nurses and shed some light on the issues that they are facing every day. Together, we have the power to create meaningful, lasting change for current and future nurses.  Here's how to get involved: 

1. Sign the Pledge

Sign the pledge seen below and encourage your friends & colleagues to do the same. While you’re at it, print it out and post it in your break room. 

2. Spread the Word 

Change can’t happen unless we get the word out about what’s really going on. Share what you’ve heard and what you’ve experienced, and encourage others to do the same. 

3. Contact Your Elected Officials 

It’s time for elected officials to stand up for nurses. Write them a letter. Call their office. Demand change for nurses. Click here to get the contact information for your local and state Officials. 

4. Download and Share the Report

Get even more in-depth insights into what’s going on with the state of nursing and the issues that nurses face today, click here to download the full State of Nursing report or read about the best and worst specialties for nurses during COVID . 

“If you are a current nurse considering leaving the profession, be assured that you are not alone in your struggles. If all you’ve had the energy for is keeping your head down and getting through your shifts, sleeping, and getting up to do it all over again, know that you are doing enough. It’s not your responsibility to solve the nursing shortage.” 

– Nurse Alice Benjamin, MSN, APRN, ACNS-BC, FNP-C, CCRN, CEN, CV-BC, Chief Nursing Officer and Correspondent at Nurse.org 

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Kathleen Gaines (nee Colduvell) is a nationally published writer turned Pediatric ICU nurse from Philadelphia with over 13 years of ICU experience. She has an extensive ICU background having formerly worked in the CICU and NICU at several major hospitals in the Philadelphia region. After earning her MSN in Education from Loyola University of New Orleans, she currently also teaches for several prominent Universities making sure the next generation is ready for the bedside. As a certified breastfeeding counselor and trauma certified nurse, she is always ready for the next nursing challenge.

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What is nursing professionalism? a concept analysis

1 Nursing College of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001 Shanxi People’s Republic of China

2 Linfen Hospital Affiliated to Shanxi Medical University (Linfen People’s Hospital), Linfen, 041000 Shanxi People’s Republic of China

3 The Third Peoples Hospital of Taiyuan, Taiyuan, 030001 Shanxi People’s Republic of China

Yangjie Chen

4 The First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001 Shanxi People’s Republic of China

Qiaohong Wang

Associated data.

Data used to support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon request.

Nursing professionalism plays an important role in clinical nursing. However, a clear conceptual understanding of nursing professionalism is lacking.

Walker and Avant’s strategy was used to analyse the concept of nursing professionalism. We searched electronic databases, including PubMed, Scopus, and CINAHL, for studies published from 1965 to 2021. Quantitative or qualitative studies published in English that focused on nursing professionalism were included in the study.

The three attributes of nursing professionalism are multidimensional, dynamic, and culture oriented. Based on the analysis, nursing professionalism is defined as providing individuals care based on the principles of professionalism, caring, and altruism.

Conclusions

This study offers a theoretical definition and conceptual model of nursing professionalism that may be applied to develop standardized assessment tools or nursing professionalism training programs.

Introduction

The COVID-19 outbreak has exposed deficiencies in the underinvestment of the global health system, including the shortage in nursing resources and nursing staff, and a similar situation is noted in China ( https://www.icn.ch/news/investing-nursing-and-respecting-nurses-rights-key-themes-international-nurses-day-2022 ). An unbalanced number of nurses and patients, high work pressure, lack of social occupational identity and other reasons have led to job burnout, low job satisfaction, and even the resignation of many nurses. Research has also shown that the lack of nursing professionalism adversely affects patient care and patient outcomes [ 1 ]. Ohman [ 2 ] pointed out that lower levels of professionalism may cause negative outcomes, such as turnover and attrition and lower productivity.

In recent years, researchers have tried to solve the above problems through professionalism.

However, nursing professionalism plays a more important role in clinical nursing. Some studies have shown that professionalism can improve the professional knowledge and skills of nurses and ameliorate reductions in institutional productivity and quality [ 3 ]. Higher levels of professionalism can improve nurses’ autonomy and empowerment, increase their recognition and facilitate organizational citizenship behaviours, establish nursing care standards and even improve quality services [ 4 , 5 ].

Nursing professionalism has been discussed for several decades. Hall (1968) developed the Professionalism Inventory Scale [ 6 ]. Miller et al [ 7 ] (1993) first specified the 9 standards criteria of nursing professionalism (educational background; adherence to the code of ethics; participation in the professional organization; continuing education and competency; communication and publication; autonomy and self-regulation; community service; theory use, development, and evaluation; and research involvement.). Yeun et al. (2005) summarized five themes regarding nurses’ perceptions of nursing professionalism: self-concept of the profession, social awareness, professionalism of nursing, the roles of nursing services, and originality of nursing [ 8 ]. Yoder defined nursing professionalism based on six components: acting in the patients’ interests; showing humanism; practising social responsibility; demonstrating sensitivity to people’s cultures and beliefs; having high standards of competence and knowledge; and demonstrating high ethical standards [ 9 ]. Although some researchers have explored the concept of professionalism. How can professionalism be evaluated in nursing clinical practice? Few studies have shown a clear conceptualization of nurses’ professionalism [ 10 , 11 ]. To nurture nursing professionalism, the concept of professionalism must be clarified.

Given that the meaning of professionalism varies across time, contexts, or cultures, it is difficult to define, quantify or measure professionalism [ 12 , 13 ]. The operational definition of nursing professionalism in studies has shortcomings. Sullivan et al. [ 14 ] found professionalism to be a multidimensional concept, but some papers have addressed only one dimension, such as values [ 15 ] or behaviours [ 16 ]. Moreover, professionalism is considered a complex concept. The links and dynamic processes between these different inner characteristics have not been included in the concept. Thus, a comprehensive definition of nursing professionalism, including its characteristics and the relations between them, is necessary.

Recognizing and understanding the concept of nursing professionalism may be an essential step towards providing quality care for people. It may also provide more information for further developing nursing professionalism for nurses.

Method of concept analysis

Walker and Avant’s method used linguistic philosophy techniques to contribute to the philosophical understanding of a concept [ 17 ]. The W & A method is considered a mark of the positivist paradigm, which views the concept as a stable factor that can be reduced or extracted from its context of application [ 18 ]. This study used Walker and Avant’s method, which assumes that nursing professionalism is a relatively mature and stable concept (numerous studies on nursing professionalism have been published to date). This approach to conceptual analysis, although not perfect, is helpful in clarifying the concept of nursing professionalism.

Using the structured method of Walker and Avant enables conceptual clarity to be obtained based on an inductive identification of the concept’s attributes, antecedents and consequences. The concept analysis helps to clarify meanings and develop operational definitions, considering evidence from a wide range of information resources for further research or clinical practice [ 17 , 19 ]. These features make this method particularly useful for the analysis of the concept of ‘nursing professionalism’. The conceptual attributes as well as antecedents and consequences are based on the research team's analysis of the literature using Walker and Avant’s strategy and are not the product of a priori theoretical categories.

Walker and Avant’s [ 17 ] eight-step method includes the following: 1) selecting a concept; 2) determining the aims or purposes of analysis; 3) identifying all uses of the concept; 4) determining the defining attributes of the concept; 5) constructing a model case; 6) constructing borderline, contrary, invented, and illegitimate cases; 7) identifying antecedents and consequences; and 8) defining empirical references.

Selection criteria

The inclusion criteria were as follows: related to the concept of nursing professionalism; included nurse professionalism, nursing spirit, or nurse spirit; written in the English language; qualitative, quantitative, mixed methods or systematic reviews; published between 1965 and 2021 (when professionalism was first introduced by nursing in 1965); and published in books or dictionaries. We excluded articles published in nonpeer reviewed journals, editorials and letters to the editor.

Data sources

We searched several online databases, including PubMed, Scopus, and CINAHL, for articles published from 1965 to 2021. We searched the words that appear in the title, abstract, and keyword section of the studies.

(((((((((Nursing professionalism[Title]) OR (Nursing professionalism[Title/Abstract])) OR (Nurse professionalism[Title])) OR (Nurse professionalism[Title/Abstract])) OR (Nursing spirit[Title])) OR (Nursing spirit[Title/Abstract])) OR (Nurse spirit[Title])) OR (Nurse spirit[Title/Abstract])).

TI Nursing professionalism OR AB Nursing professionalism OR TI Nurse professionalism OR AB Nurse professionalism OR TI Nursing spirit OR AB Nursing spirit OR TI Nurse spirit OR AB Nurse spirit.

TITLE-ABS-KEY (Nursing professionalism) OR TITLE-ABS-KEY (Nurse professionalism) OR TITLE-ABS-KEY (Nursing spirit) OR TITLE-ABS-KEY (Nurse spirit).

Any quantitative or qualitative studies published in English focusing on nursing professionalism were included in the study. Two researchers independently screened titles and abstracts to determine the selection criteria for electronic retrieval and application. The study was included only when both researchers agreed that the study met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. If the two researchers’ judgements were different, a third person was consulted to resolve the issue. Researchers identified the different usages of the concept and systematically recorded the characteristics of the concept that appeared repeatedly [ 17 ].

We used definitions and examples in the systematic record (Table ​ (Table2) 2 ) to define a cluster of antecedents, attributes and consequences (Figs. ​ (Figs.1 1 and  2 ) frequently associated with the concept [ 20 ].

Flowchart of the study selection process of the concept analysis

The connotations of nursing professionalism

Antecedents, attributes, and consequences of nursing professionalism

We identified 6013 studies on nursing professionalism. After excluding duplicates, irrelevant studies, studies that were not original scientific studies or articles, and studies published in languages other than English, 138 studies were selected for analysis. Tables 1 and ​ and2 2 show some typical literatures used in this study.

The attributes of the nursing professionalism

Uses of the concept

Dictionary definitions of the concept.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines professionalism as ‘the conduct, aims, or qualities that characterize or mark a profession or a professional person’ [ 48 ], whereas the Cambridge Dictionary [ 49 ] defines professionalism as ‘the combination of all the qualities that are connected with trained and skilled people’. These definitions are generic and difficult to use to clarify the factors involved in nursing professionalism.

Definitions of the concept reported in the literature

Hwang et al. [ 50 ] defined professionalism as commitment to a profession and professional identity level. Health-care workers demonstrate professionalism through attitudes, knowledge, and behaviours, which reflect approaches to the regulations, principles, and standards underlying successful clinical practices [ 33 ]. Nursing professionalism reflects the value orientation, concepts of nursing, work attitude and standards of clinical nurses [ 51 ].

Subconcepts

The Nightingale Spirit, named in honour of the founder of professional nursing, refers to the spirit of altruism, caring, and honesty [ 52 ]. In the past, the Nightingale Spirit advocated that nurses are willing to dedicate themselves, but the term currently encompasses more innovation [ 53 ]. E-professionalism is defined as evidence provided by digital means, attitudes and behaviours reflects the traditional models of professionalism [ 54 ]. Nurses use the internet to communicate about work or daily life, blurring the boundaries between individuals and professions; thus, e-professionalism applies to nurses [ 55 ].

The defining attributes of nursing professionalism

The defining attributes of the concept aim to understand its meaning and differentiate it from other related concepts [ 17 ]. The key defining attributes are as follows.

Nursing professionalism is multidimensional

Nursing professionalism is a three-dimensional concept based on the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours that underlie successful clinical practice [ 33 ].

Professionalism can be conceptualized as a ‘systematic body of knowledge’ with complex configurations of work expertise [ 21 ].

Professionalism refers to the attitude that represents levels of recognition and commitment to a particular profession [ 22 ]. Hall [ 6 ] noted that nurses’ attitudes have a high correspondence with the behaviours of the respondent. Measuring professionalism at the cognitive level can be thought of as measuring potential professionalism at the behavioural level. Researchers noted that given the reduced restrictions of environmental constraints, measuring professionalism at the cognitive level may be more precise than measuring it at the behavioural level [ 23 ].

Nursing professionalism is often described as a set of professional behaviours [ 11 ]. Some researchers judge whether nurses exhibit professionalism through their behaviours. Miller [ 24 ] (1988) developed the Wheel of Professionalism in Nursing Model. The model is considered a framework for understanding professional behaviours among nurses. Kramer [ 56 ] (1975) quantified professionalism by assessing the number of professional books purchased, subscriptions to journals, and the number of articles published.

In addition, the perspective of professional identity formation complements the behaviour-based and attitude-based perspectives on professionalism [ 57 ].

The formation and development of professionalism are dynamic processes

Nursing professionalism is an inevitable, complex, varied, and dynamic process [ 58 ].The professionalism concept is considered ever-changing, replacing static or definitive views [ 59 ].

Socialization process

Nursing professionalism is instilled through a process of socialization in formal nursing education [ 25 ]. Nurses’ socialization process begins with formal, entry-level education to acquire knowledge and skills.

Yeun et al. [ 8 ] (2005) discussed the developmental process of nursing professionalism in which the individual’s thoughts and beliefs are formed by socialization factors through perception. These thoughts and beliefs may in turn influence the individual’s professional image or self-concept, thereby influencing nurses’ actions and performance.

Process of interaction

The dynamic of professionalism is also reflected in the process of interaction. Dehghani et al. [ 26 ]noted that nursing professionalism means the appropriate interaction of the individual and the workplace and the maintenance of interpersonal communication.

Culture oriented

One study showed that altruism is an essential element of medical professionalism in Asia or North America but not Europe [ 27 ]. In China, medical professionalism was influenced by its longstanding Confucian traditions [ 28 ]. Therefore, any definitions of professionalism should match its rooted culture and be validated with respect to the culture and context in which it is applied [ 60 ].

The connotation of nursing professionalism

Professional, having a systematic nursing knowledge system.

The nursing process is considered a method for solving problems or dilemmas in a logical and scientific manner [ 11 ]. Freidson [ 29 ] (2001) noted that professionals perform their specialized work only with the required training and experience. Professionals have specific, tacit, almost esoteric knowledge to do their work [ 61 ]. Miller et al. [ 7 ] considered that a formal university education with a scientific background is critical for professionalism in nursing.

Professional certification

Nurses actively seek specialty certification given their personal commitment to the nursing profession [ 30 ]. Specialty certification promotes nursing professionalism. When attaining the highest levels of clinical knowledge, nursing professionalism also indicates personal responsibility and dedication to best practices [ 31 ].

Lifelong learning and participation in continuing education

Due to professional and ethical obligations, nurses should sustain continuous professional growth and development to maintain individual competence. Professional growth in nursing requires lifelong learning. Lifelong learning includes continuing education and self‐study, seeking advanced degrees, etc. [ 62 ].

Continuing education is one of the indicators of professionalism. Professionals keep up with the latest developments in the field and partake in continuing education. Additionally, continuing education is as important as other criteria for increasing professionalism in nursing [ 7 , 32 ]. Ongoing education brings fresh knowledge to health care, consequently leading to more efficient and quality service for people.

Evidence-based practice

Evidence-based practice (EBP) is a hallmark of professionalism [ 33 ]. Dollaghan [ 63 ] (2004) reported that we identify and use the highest quality scientific evidence as an integral part of our efforts to provide the best patient care; EBP is a knowledge base that responds to specific clinical issues in a clear, intelligent, and serious manner while considering clinical practice in the context of the highest-quality scientific evidence available.

Innovation in nursing helps to improve patient care quality and improve nurses’ job performance [ 64 ]. Shen et al. [ 34 ] noted that innovative education plays an important role in the professional quality of undergraduate nursing students.

Striving for excellence

Striving for excellence is a requirement and attribute of nursing professionalism. There is a growing need in nursing practice to possess knowledge and skills in quality improvement science, translational research, and implementation science [ 35 ]. Clinical nurses have the same responsibilities as nursing scientists.

Caring is considered the core attribute of nursing professionalism

The practice of caring is central to nursing [ 65 ]. Caring is defined as the moral ideal of nursing [ 36 ]. Therefore, caring is an important core attribute of nursing professionalism.

Creating a caring-healing environment

Nurses devoted to creating a caring-healing environment embody professionalism. Caring means nurses should create a healing environment at all levels by providing a supportive, protective environment as well as a corrective mental, physical, societal, and spiritual environment for patients. People’s basic needs include a clean environment, comfort measures, safety concerns, and feeling safe or protected [ 65 ].

Displaying kindness/concern/empathy for others

A nurse is defined as someone caring for the ill within the hospital setting [ 66 ]. Caring means showing or having compassion, concern and empathy for others [ 37 ]. Caring behaviours are an interactive and mental process between patients and nurses [ 38 ]. Displaying kindness and concern for others is shown by love, compassion, support and involvement [ 39 ].

Using all methods of knowing support and involvement

‘Human problems reside in ambiguity, paradox, and impermanence’. Therefore, suffering, healing, miraculous cures, and synchronicity are all part of knowing support and involvement.

Researchers suggest that nursing comprises Caritas Nursing, Energy Nursing, Transpersonal Nursing, Holistic Nursing, or Contemplative Nursing…… It goes beyond ordinary nursing. Nursing should have higher standards with excellence for caring, healing, and peace in the world. Therefore, caring means using all methods of knowing support and involvement [ 65 ].

Embracing the unknowns and miracles in life and practising loving

Nursing is a special profession. Nurses confront special circumstances daily and witness people’s struggles with life and death. Everyone has his or her own specific story about his or her experiences and predicaments. Each person seeks his or her own meanings to find inner peace and balance in the midst of fear, doubts, despair, and unknowns. Therefore, the care of nurses is not to blindly sacrifice their own needs but to be a real nurse, embracing the unknowns and miracles in life and caring for patients [ 65 ].

The central tenet of professionalism is to put the needs and best interest of others over self-interests. Altruism is an engagement in caring acts towards others without expecting something in return [ 67 ].

Patients first

To be altruistic means to put others’ needs before your own. Altruism is the selfless concern for others and doing things with the other person’s well-being in mind [ 40 ].

During pandemics, nurses were considered to have a high sense of duty and dedication to patient care [ 41 ]. Front-line nurses perceive high work engagement, especially in self-dedication [ 42 ]. Grøthe et al. [ 43 ] showed that cancer patients in a palliative unit appreciate nurses who have the most dedication and expertise characteristics.

• Public service

Due to a strong sense of civic and social responsibility, nurses participate in public service. Nurses volunteer as participants in summer camps, schools, or health-care teams. Nurses are also committed to responding to large-scale crises, such as the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York, as well as national and international relief efforts, such as tsunamis and Hurricane Katrina [ 44 ].

• Disaster and infectious disease rescue

Individuals involved in providing disaster relief face many challenges, experience fatigue and personal suffering, and encounter numerous personal stories of life and death [ 45 ]. Nurses have played a significant role in the fight against infectious diseases such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic [ 68 ]. Nurses are closest with patients. Nurses provide intensive care, regularly assessing and monitoring airways, tubes, medications, and physical therapy. Nurses are also devoted to reducing complications. Nurses assist with daily living activities when patients are unable to care for themselves [ 46 ].

• Community service

In addition, emphasizing professionalism means respecting values and commitment to community service delivery [ 69 ].

According to Walker and Avant [ 17 ], cases help further clarify concepts.

Model cases (a real case example)

Model cases help demonstrate all the defining attributes of a concept and helps to better articulate its meaning [ 17 ].

MS A is a 63-year-old nursing director. She worked in clinical nursing and management for 42 years. As she progressed from a new nurse to a nursing expert, she gradually poured her enthusiasm (Multidimensional: Attitudes) into nursing work (Dynamic). She believes that the core of nursing professionalism in China is dedication and responsibility (Culture oriented). In 2020, COVID-19 broke out in Wuhan, China. She led a team to Wuhan to provide support (Multidimensional: Behaviours), reflecting the spirit of altruism (Altruism). She actively promoted exchanges and cooperation among disciplines and the development of academic conferences. She guided students to pay attention to practical innovation and develop evidence-based innovations (Professional). Although she is retired, she still imparts knowledge and experience to students everywhere (Multidimensional: Behaviours). She stated that the development of nursing professionalism is very difficult and requires nursing education and role models. (Multidimensional: Knowledge). The role of a nurse is like that of a mother, bringing care to the people (Caring).

Borderline cases (a real case example)

Borderline cases provide the examples that contain the most defining attributes of the concept [ 17 ].

B is a novice nurse. When working in the infection ward, she was so worried about being infected. She was reluctant to care for patients and wanted to escape from the ward environment. Fortunately, her nurse manager fully understood her situation and helped her adapt to work and reduce her anxiety. B observed that her nurse manager had been helping patients solve problems and giving them comfort and hope. This prompted her to think about what nursing truly means. In 2020, she volunteered to help COVID-19 patients (Altruism).

Related cases (a real case example)

Related cases are related to the concept but do not contain all its defining attributes [ 17 ].

C is a novice nurse. After graduating from nursing school, he became a nurse in the emergency department. He saw many patients who died or recovered, which made him realize the importance of caring (Caring). He said that emergency nurses need strong professionalism (Multidimensional: Attitudes). He participated in social service activities (Multidimensional: Behaviours), for example, promoting knowledge of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (Altruism) in the community. After working for five years, he returned to school for a master’s degree to help the head nurse conduct nursing research or evidence-based practice (Professional). In his Asian cultural milieu, his is embarrassed about his identity as a male nurse (Culture oriented), but he believes he can do well.

Contrary cases (a fictional case example)

A contrary case does not include any defined attributes of the concept [ 17 ].

D is a nurse in paediatrics. She disliked nursing when she was a nursing student and even did enjoy communicating with patients (poor dynamics). She was exhausted after work and felt her life was out of balance. One of the values of the hospital where she worked was dedication, which confused her (Poor culture orientation). She considers it unrealistic to require professionalism (Poor nursing professionalism knowledge) and thinks that taking care of new-borns is particularly troublesome (Poor nursing professionalism attitudes), so she is always careless in her work (Multidimensional: poor attitude). D’s child felt ill last week, so she secretly reduced a patient’s medicine (Poor nursing professionalism behaviours) and took the remaining medicine home for her child (lack of altruism). She stopped doing so after her colleagues sensed something strange. One day, a baby kept crying; D reported it to the doctor and did not make further observations (Poor professional). When the shift nurse took over, she observed abnormal limb activity on one side of the child. The child’s family asked the nurse to bear legal responsibility. D said it was no big deal; she no longer wanted to be a nurse (Poor dynamic, professionalism not established).

Antecedents

Antecedents are events that occur before the intended concept [ 17 ].

Macro antecedents

Jin [ 28 ] suggested that the conceptualization of professionalism is influenced by culture. Employees defined organizational culture underlies an organization’s values and beliefs [ 70 ]. Nursing professionalism may be supported by a variety of cultures, so a firm understanding of and personal congruence with each particular culture is essential [ 71 ].

Religious beliefs

Religiosity is another contributing factor in the cultivation of altruism [ 72 ]. Taylor noted that nurses’ job motivation and views of the patient and nursing services are affected by their religious beliefs [ 73 ].

Micro antecedents

Snizek [ 74 ] (1972) reported that devotion to work is a professional value originating from a sense of calling to the field. Liaw et al. [ 75 ] (2016) found that nursing students who had caring and compassionate qualities as the most common personal characteristics strongly believed that they were called to nursing.

Individuals who pursue excellence in the workplace may be described as motivated and devoted to their work. Attree [ 76 ] (2005) noted that nurses’ perceived lack of autonomy over their practice could impact quality of care.

Personal characteristics

Nursing professionalism is influenced by various factors, such as educational background, personal interests, professional satisfaction, and professional values [ 77 , 78 , 79 ]. In each country, nurses with higher educational levels may have a higher level of professionalism [ 22 ]. Professionalism is thus a trait related to personal character and upbringing [ 80 ]. Researchers [ 81 ] have demonstrated that professionalism is positively associated with female gender, striving for professional goals, and acceptability. One study found that people’s values tend to shift to emphasize altruism over personal gain as they age [ 79 ]. Nursing professionalism is closely associated with personality traits (extraversion, conscientiousness, and agreeableness) [ 82 ].

Consequences of nursing professionalism

Consequences are events or incidents that are the result of the occurrence of a concept [ 17 ].

Consequences for patients 

Professionalism is one of the decisive factors that critically influences patient satisfaction [ 50 ]. Professionalism can also improve practising nurse career development and the quality of service [ 81 ].

Consequences for nurses

Studies have shown that professionalism and a sense of belonging with colleagues and managers affect the satisfaction [ 83 ] and retention rate of nursing students in academic institutions [ 84 ]. Izumi et al. [ 85 ] (2006) found that good nurses felt pride and happiness in caring for patients closely related to their professionalism.

Empirical references

As the last step to concept analysis, empirical references can further clarify the concept and facilitate its measurement [ 17 ].

Hall’s professionalism inventory scale

Hall’s Professionalism Inventory Scale [ 6 ] identified five attitudinal attributes of professionalism: (a) use of professional organizations as major referents, (b) belief in public service, (c) self-regulation, (d) a sense of calling to the field, and (e) autonomy. Nursing researchers used Hall’s Professionalism Inventory Scale to measure professionalism in nursing [ 22 , 47 ]. Snizek [ 74 ] (1972) modified the professionalism scale to more closely match the clinical context of nursing and better reflect the professionalism of nursing staff.

Kramer’s index of professionalism

Kramer (1974) [ 86 ] constructed an index of professionalism that includes indicators of behaviours, such as the number of professional books published, subscriptions to professional journals, hours spent on professional reading, continuing education, participation in professional organizations, number of professional publications, speeches given, committee activity, and participation in research.

The behavioural inventory for professionalism in nursing (BIPN)

The Behavioural Inventory for Professionalism in Nursing [ 7 ] (BIPN) identifies professional behaviours and values among nurses. The nine categories in the BIPN are (1) educational background; (2) adherence to the code of ethics; (3) participation in the professional organization; (4) continuing education and competency; (5) communication and publication; (6) autonomy and self-regulation; (7) community service; (8) theory use, development, and evaluation; and (9) research involvement.

Definition of the concept

Based on the present analysis, we define nursing professionalism as follows: ‘Nursing professionalism is a multidimensional concept manifested by the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours that underlie successful clinical practice. Nursing professionalism is dynamicized through a process of socialization in formal nursing education. This feature is also reflected in the process of interaction. Therefore, nursing professionalism should match its rooted culture.

The connotations of nursing professionalism include professional, caring, and altruism. These connotations are detailed as follows:

• Possesses a systematic nursing knowledge system; professional certification
• Exhibits lifelong learning and participation
• Participates in evidence-based practice
• Demonstrates innovation
• Strives for excellence
• Creates a caring-healing environment
• Displays kindness/concern/empathy for others
• Uses various methods of knowing support and involvement
• Embraces the unknowns and miracles in life and practices loving
• Patient-first

A conceptual model of nursing professionalism is shown in Fig.  2 .

Defining the connotation of nursing professionalism

Nursing professionalism has been defined as professional, caring, and altruistic.

Professional values are characteristic of nursing professionalism. Nursing work requires rich knowledge and scientific evidence-based work to improve the quality of nursing services for patients. Nurses need lifelong learning, qualification certification, and participation in academic and practical activities.

Caring is regarded as the core of professionalism. This study suggests creating a caring-healing environment, displaying kindness/concern/empathy for others, employing all methods of knowing support and involvement, embracing the unknowns and miracles in life and practising loving to care for people to obtain high professionalism. This study notes that nursing professionalism emphasizes care for the individual patient and that the nurse does everything possible to create a caring and healing environment for patients. In different health systems worldwide, nurses have incorporated caring about nursing professionalism into everything they do. This characteristic is consistent with Nightingale's view that “Nurses need to be sensitive. A nurse must use her brain, heart and hands to create healing environments to care for the patient’s body, mind and spirit” [ 87 , 88 ].

Nursing has an altruistic nature, and people interested in helping patients are attracted to this profession [ 89 ]. However, some studies have shown that altruistic care is equated with self-sacrifice, self-denial, and unidirectional and unconditional care [ 90 ]. Care for a nurse’s own needs is equally important, but nurses should be able to put aside their own needs when required to focus on the needs of others [ 91 ]. Nurses should view self-care and altruism as dialectical. Self-realization and providing care for others are not conflicting concepts [ 92 ].

Defining the attributes of nursing professionalism

In this study, we defined nursing professionalism as multidimensional, dynamic, and culture oriented.

Nursing professionalism is a multidimensional concept that includes knowledge, attitudes, and behaviour. Previous studies have defined professionalism as the degree of commitment by individuals to the values and behavioural characteristics of a specific career identity [ 6 , 7 ]. However, current research on nursing professionalism is mostly single dimensional. The Behavioural Inventory for Professionalism in Nursing (BIPN) is based on Miller’s model and is used to measure professional behaviours among nurses [ 7 ]. Hall’s Professionalism Inventory Scale [ 6 ] identified five attitudinal attributes of professionalism. This study highlights that it is also necessary to focus on the knowledge dimension of professionalism. Nursing students and nurses should first understand the nursing professionalism that is necessary to become a nurse, which may be the first step in developing professionalism. Nursing students and nurses need to know the values that are necessary to practice the nursing and not have vague impressions. Some studies have shown that nursing students or nurses learn values and norms in informal trainings [ 93 ]. Therefore, this study suggests that the development of assessment tools for the knowledge dimension of professionalism is also necessary. Multidimensional evaluation tools are not available for nursing professionalism. Thus, clarifying the multidimensional nature of nursing professionalism will contribute to the development of multidimensional evaluation tools.

Moreover, understanding the dynamics of professionalism is helpful for cultivating nursing professionalism in stages and steps. Inquiries into medical professionalism should be integrated into the culture of social media interaction [ 94 ]. Nursing educators and managers should dynamically cultivate nursing professionalism in their interactions.

Differences in the connotation of nursing professionalism are noted in different cultures. This study suggests that the cultivation and evaluation of nursing professionalism need to consider the cultural attributes of different regions and countries.

Future research directions

• Exploring the antecedents of nursing professionalism can help schools or hospitals cultivate nursing professionalism and develop courses and specific measures.

The macro antecedents of nursing professionalism include culture and religion, and the micro antecedents include calling, autonomy, and personal characteristics. Some researchers have explored methods to cultivate nursing professionalism; for example, role modelling, feedback, group discussions, case-based discussions, reflection, holding ethical rounds, and reports potentially represent more effective methods [ 95 ]. Some researchers have tried to enhance professionalism through social media [ 96 ]. One of the findings this study is that nursing professionalism is complex and its cultivation difficult. Studies have shown that didactic lectures are ineffective for teaching professionalism [ 97 ]. The development of true nursing professionalism requires national advocacy and the immersion of a good professional environment that incorporates professionalism into daily nursing practice. Role modelling is considered an effective method for developing professionalism in nursing [ 98 ]. Therefore, this study suggest that studies should be actively conducted to deeply discuss the causes and processes affecting professionalism and to cultivate and intervene at macro and micro levels as well as the key time periods and populations that form professionalism to truly shape the formation of professionalism. Moreover, an environment for building professionalism [ 99 ] is very important. Williams [ 100 ] (2015) considered that the development of professionalism should begin as early as the first semester of an undergraduate nursing course. One of the themes of nursing students’ professional identity development is ‘doing-learning-knowing-speaking’. Students should develop professionalism in all these areas of nursing practice.

• The relationship between nursing professionalism and health outcomes or nurses’ human resources needs to be further studied.

Our research suggests that the ultimate goal of nursing professionalism is to serve patients with professional knowledge and special professional quality. The public has become increasingly aware of certain possibilities, limitations, and consequences of professionalism. COVID-19 significantly increased the discussion of professionalism and patient outcomes.

Improving professionalism has a positive impact on job satisfaction, professional quality of life, and the willingness to continue in the profession [ 101 , 102 , 103 ]. Therefore, it is important to improve support for nurses, create a good environment for professionalism, and establish a training system for professionalism, thus paving the way to enhance training in professionalism and create opportunities for nurses.

Implications for nursing management

In April 2020, the World Health Organization (2020) issued the First State of the World’s Nursing 2020 [ 104 ]. The report highlighted that nursing professionals are the largest occupational group in the health sector, numbering 27.9 million worldwide. Nurses spend more time with patients than any other health care professionals [ 105 ].

Worldwide, nursing professionalism is considered important and associated with expectations. This study clarifies the concept of nursing professionalism and contributes to a framework for developing a theoretical model as well as instruments to measure the concept. A conceptual model of nursing professionalism may increase nurse managers’ insight into nurses’ behaviours and values, creating a good working environment.

Nurse managers should integrate nursing professionalism into their philosophy, mission, and objectives and provide necessary resources, tools, and projects to develop professionalism among nurses. Nurses should cultivate professionalism to provide good nursing services to patients. Further research should explore the relationship between nursing professionalism and patient health outcomes and formulate effective training programs for professionalism.

Limitations

This conceptual analysis has some limitations. First, research on nursing professionalism published in English may be conducted in different countries and cultures. However, it is also necessary to obtain a more comprehensive and mature concept of the study of different national languages. Second, the lack of research on the combination of all elements of professionalism may lead to overestimation of the impact of these subelements on professionalism. Third, the concept analysis focused on the research process and the researchers’ perspectives, possibly reflecting a lack of other professional understandings of nursing professionalism in medical groups. In addition, the concept analysis included a risk of selection bias, extraction bias, and analysis bias because the study selection process, data extraction, and analysis were all conducted by two researchers. Despite these risk, the studies were all described accurately and systematically.

Nursing professionalism is one of the important foundations of clinical nursing. It is multidimensional, dynamic, and culture oriented. Based on the analysis, nursing professionalism has been defined as providing people care based on principles of professionalism, caring, and altruism. The definition, attributes, antecedents, consequences, and reference analysis of the experience of nursing professionalism determined in this study provide a theoretical basis for future research. This information can be used to evaluate nursing professionalism, develop assessment tools, or generate theory-based training courses and interventions.

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Hui Yang for the great efforts made in designing the research. We would like to thank linbo Li for providing valuable suggestions for this study.

Author’s contributions

Hl C and HY made substantial contributions to conception and design. HL C, YJ S, YM W, YF D Collectioned and analysis the data. Hl C was a major contributor in writing the manuscript. XY H, YJ C, QH W revised it critically for important intellectual content. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Postgraduate Education Innovation Program of Shanxi Province in China (No. 2020BY067).

Availability of data and materials

Declarations.

Our study was approved by the ethical committee of The First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University,Shanxi, China,(approval no. 2020K061).

Not applicable.

There is no conflict of interest in this study.

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• Volume 24, Issue 1
• Producing a successful PhD thesis
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• http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4308-4219 David Barrett 1 ,
• http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9104-1999 Alison Rodriguez 2 ,
• Joanna Smith 3
• 1 Faculty of Health Sciences , University of Hull , Hull , UK
• 2 School of Healthcare , University of Leeds , Leeds , West Yorkshire , UK
• 3 School of Healthcare , University of Leeds , Leedss , West Yorkshire , UK
• Correspondence to Dr David Barrett, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Hull, Hull HU6 7RX, UK; D.I.Barrett{at}hull.ac.uk

https://doi.org/10.1136/ebnurs-2020-103376

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• statistics & research methods
• nurse education
• qualitative research

All doctoral students strive for the day—after years of often all-consuming study—that their thesis is ready to submit. For both doctoral students and supervisors there is often trepidation about whether the thesis will meet the criteria to merit the award of a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). As anxieties increase, doctoral students often ask what makes a good PhD, something we explored in a recent ‘Research Made Simple’ article, 1 but perhaps the more important question is ‘what makes a PhD student successful?’ In this article we outline the core criteria on which PhD theses are judged and offer suggestions for achieving success.

How are PhDs assessed

Traditionally, a PhD involves 3 to 4 years of full-time study (or a longer part-time programme), which is assessed by the student submitting the work they have undertaken as a thesis or—less commonly—a portfolio of published papers and an associated narrative (sometimes referred to as ‘PhD by publication’). In addition, the student must undertake an oral defence of their work through a discussion (the ‘viva’) with examiners, who are deemed to be experts in the field of study or with related methodological expertise. 2

Sets out the problem and context of the research, including theoretical perspectives.

Outlines existing approaches that have addressed the problem or related issues before, typically by undertaking a thorough critical analysis of literature and identifying a gap in the evidence.

Justifies and critically evaluates the research methodologies and methods chosen to address the problem.

Presents the finding of the research and how they add to existing knowledge.

Makes recommendations as to how the findings can advance the discipline and improve practice, and/or suggest further research directions.

What criteria are used to assess a PhD thesis?

The core criteria for PhD success—ubiquitous to all disciplines and universities—are that the student;

Has made an original and significant contribution to knowledge of the topic under investigation;

Draws on a well-argued and cohesive conceptual/theoretical framework;

Demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate and justify the research methodology and methods adopted;

Can convey information (written and verbally) succinctly;

Produces a thesis is of sufficient rigour that the work is evaluated as publishable in relevant discipline-specific journal(s).

Table 1 highlights some of the key ingredients of PhD success, in terms of the study, thesis and viva.

• View inline

Key principles to PhD study success

Justifying methods

The justification of methodological choices is usually presented in a distinct chapter that typically has two components: first, a ‘big picture’ description of the theoretical perspective and methodological justification (sometimes called the research approach), followed by an account of procedure (methods) of how the research was undertaken.

Critical writing

An essential criterion expected from examiners is that students demonstrate criticality in the way they present and defend information. This can be a challenge, and many PhD students perceive that there is little guidance about how to develop effective arguments and few opportunities to develop critical writing skills. 2 3 Similar to developing knowledge and understanding of research methods, students need the knowledge and skills for effective oral communication of ideas and writing. 3

The student must be able to write succinctly and critically to produce a robust and coherent thesis. 2 4 A thesis should open with a clear outline of the problem, informing the reader what the thesis about and why the topic is important. It should detail what contexts and perspectives are relevant and offer an outline to the layout of the thesis. In all chapters, students should consider the following:

Use of ‘signposts’ to tell the reader where they are going to go, summarising afterwards and providing appropriate links throughout.

Meaningful headings: the content of chapters and sections need to reflect the heading.

Avoidance of vague terms or superfluous words, keeping sentences clear and focussed.

Paragraphs that are distinct enough to explore and evaluate a clear issue but linked well enough to enhance the flow of the thesis. A general rule of thumb is that a paragraph should be about half a page: any less and there is limited criticality, any longer and there is a tendency to ramble, lose focus and cause the reader to become disengaged.

A PhD is not about how much the student can write: it is about how well they articulate and critically analyse information.

Critical writing at Doctoral level is essential to establish the quality of the research and the credibility of the researcher. A good thesis creates a portrait of an authoritative and competent researcher, and critical writing is crucial for building the examiners’ confidence in the research undertaken.

Publishable standard of the work

Publishing in refereed journals and conferences is the traditional way in which the research community disseminates findings and builds knowledge, although there is increasing recognition of the role of social media platforms as a means of rapidly sharing knowledge. Refereed journals use recognised standards (such as the CONSORT (Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials) guidelines for trials) 5 and rigorous review processes to assess the quality of a research paper, which must be met for successful publication. It is therefore unsurprising that many examiners view a thesis more favourably if a student provides evidence of having published elements of their work. 6

Summary of key considerations

Unlike undergraduate assessment, there is a paucity of research exploring the assessment of PhDs. However, a study that explored the process and judgements of experienced examiners, 6 provided a valuable summary of the characteristics of a poor and excellent thesis ( table 2 ).

Characteristics of a poor and excellent thesis 6

This article has outlined some of the steps that a PhD student should consider in order to produce a high-quality thesis and ensure a successful viva. We have considered how it is important that decision-making is transparent in the thesis, and defendable in the oral defence/viva. A PhD thesis should show evidence of originality and theoretical/conceptual cohesiveness, communicated via the student’s critical writing ability. The thesis and defence provide students with the opportunity to share their knowledge and expertise in the field, offers them a methodological stage and gives the platform to share their critical perceptions, experiences and expertise.

• Rodriguez A ,
• McKenna C , et al
• Wellington J
• Campbell MK ,
• Elbourne DR ,
• Altman DG , et al
• Mullins G ,

Twitter @barrett1972, @ARodriguez339, @josmith175

Competing interests None declared.

Provenance and peer review Commissioned; internally peer reviewed.

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• Published: 17 April 2024

Deciphering the influence: academic stress and its role in shaping learning approaches among nursing students: a cross-sectional study

• Rawhia Salah Dogham 1 ,
• Heba Fakieh Mansy Ali 1 ,
• Asmaa Saber Ghaly 3 ,
• Nermine M. Elcokany 2 ,
• Mohamed Mahmoud Seweid 4 &
• Ayman Mohamed El-Ashry   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-7718-4942 5  

BMC Nursing volume  23 , Article number:  249 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

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Nursing education presents unique challenges, including high levels of academic stress and varied learning approaches among students. Understanding the relationship between academic stress and learning approaches is crucial for enhancing nursing education effectiveness and student well-being.

This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of academic stress and its correlation with learning approaches among nursing students.

Design and Method

A cross-sectional descriptive correlation research design was employed. A convenient sample of 1010 nursing students participated, completing socio-demographic data, the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and the Revised Study Process Questionnaire (R-SPQ-2 F).

Most nursing students experienced moderate academic stress (56.3%) and exhibited moderate levels of deep learning approaches (55.0%). Stress from a lack of professional knowledge and skills negatively correlates with deep learning approaches (r = -0.392) and positively correlates with surface learning approaches (r = 0.365). Female students showed higher deep learning approach scores, while male students exhibited higher surface learning approach scores. Age, gender, educational level, and academic stress significantly influenced learning approaches.

Academic stress significantly impacts learning approaches among nursing students. Strategies addressing stressors and promoting healthy learning approaches are essential for enhancing nursing education and student well-being.

Nursing implication

Understanding academic stress’s impact on nursing students’ learning approaches enables tailored interventions. Recognizing stressors informs strategies for promoting adaptive coping, fostering deep learning, and creating supportive environments. Integrating stress management, mentorship, and counseling enhances student well-being and nursing education quality.

Peer Review reports

Introduction

Nursing education is a demanding field that requires students to acquire extensive knowledge and skills to provide competent and compassionate care. Nursing education curriculum involves high-stress environments that can significantly impact students’ learning approaches and academic performance [ 1 , 2 ]. Numerous studies have investigated learning approaches in nursing education, highlighting the importance of identifying individual students’ preferred approaches. The most studied learning approaches include deep, surface, and strategic approaches. Deep learning approaches involve students actively seeking meaning, making connections, and critically analyzing information. Surface learning approaches focus on memorization and reproducing information without a more profound understanding. Strategic learning approaches aim to achieve high grades by adopting specific strategies, such as memorization techniques or time management skills [ 3 , 4 , 5 ].

Nursing education stands out due to its focus on practical training, where the blend of academic and clinical coursework becomes a significant stressor for students, despite academic stress being shared among all university students [ 6 , 7 , 8 ]. Consequently, nursing students are recognized as prone to high-stress levels. Stress is the physiological and psychological response that occurs when a biological control system identifies a deviation between the desired (target) state and the actual state of a fitness-critical variable, whether that discrepancy arises internally or externally to the human [ 9 ]. Stress levels can vary from objective threats to subjective appraisals, making it a highly personalized response to circumstances. Failure to manage these demands leads to stress imbalance [ 10 ].

Nursing students face three primary stressors during their education: academic, clinical, and personal/social stress. Academic stress is caused by the fear of failure in exams, assessments, and training, as well as workload concerns [ 11 ]. Clinical stress, on the other hand, arises from work-related difficulties such as coping with death, fear of failure, and interpersonal dynamics within the organization. Personal and social stressors are caused by an imbalance between home and school, financial hardships, and other factors. Throughout their education, nursing students have to deal with heavy workloads, time constraints, clinical placements, and high academic expectations. Multiple studies have shown that nursing students experience higher stress levels compared to students in other fields [ 12 , 13 , 14 ].

Research has examined the relationship between academic stress and coping strategies among nursing students, but no studies focus specifically on the learning approach and academic stress. However, existing literature suggests that students interested in nursing tend to experience lower levels of academic stress [ 7 ]. Therefore, interest in nursing can lead to deep learning approaches, which promote a comprehensive understanding of the subject matter, allowing students to feel more confident and less overwhelmed by coursework and exams. Conversely, students employing surface learning approaches may experience higher stress levels due to the reliance on memorization [ 3 ].

Understanding the interplay between academic stress and learning approaches among nursing students is essential for designing effective educational interventions. Nursing educators can foster deep learning approaches by incorporating active learning strategies, critical thinking exercises, and reflection activities into the curriculum [ 15 ]. Creating supportive learning environments encouraging collaboration, self-care, and stress management techniques can help alleviate academic stress. Additionally, providing mentorship and counselling services tailored to nursing students’ unique challenges can contribute to their overall well-being and academic success [ 16 , 17 , 18 ].

Despite the scarcity of research focusing on the link between academic stress and learning methods in nursing students, it’s crucial to identify the unique stressors they encounter. The intensity of these stressors can be connected to the learning strategies employed by these students. Academic stress and learning approach are intertwined aspects of the student experience. While academic stress can influence learning approaches, the choice of learning approach can also impact the level of academic stress experienced. By understanding this relationship and implementing strategies to promote healthy learning approaches and manage academic stress, educators and institutions can foster an environment conducive to deep learning and student well-being.

Hence, this study aims to investigate the correlation between academic stress and learning approaches experienced by nursing students.

Study objectives

Assess the levels of academic stress among nursing students.

Assess the learning approaches among nursing students.

Identify the relationship between academic stress and learning approach among nursing students.

Identify the effect of academic stress and related factors on learning approach and among nursing students.

Materials and methods

Research design.

A cross-sectional descriptive correlation research design adhering to the STROBE guidelines was used for this study.

A research project was conducted at Alexandria Nursing College, situated in Egypt. The college adheres to the national standards for nursing education and functions under the jurisdiction of the Egyptian Ministry of Higher Education. Alexandria Nursing College comprises nine specialized nursing departments that offer various nursing specializations. These departments include Nursing Administration, Community Health Nursing, Gerontological Nursing, Medical-Surgical Nursing, Critical Care Nursing, Pediatric Nursing, Obstetric and Gynecological Nursing, Nursing Education, and Psychiatric Nursing and Mental Health. The credit hour system is the fundamental basis of both undergraduate and graduate programs. This framework guarantees a thorough evaluation of academic outcomes by providing an organized structure for tracking academic progress and conducting analyses.

Participants and sample size calculation

The researchers used the Epi Info 7 program to calculate the sample size. The calculations were based on specific parameters such as a population size of 9886 students for the academic year 2022–2023, an expected frequency of 50%, a maximum margin of error of 5%, and a confidence coefficient of 99.9%. Based on these parameters, the program indicated that a minimum sample size of 976 students was required. As a result, the researchers recruited a convenient sample of 1010 nursing students from different academic levels during the 2022–2023 academic year [ 19 ]. This sample size was larger than the minimum required, which could help to increase the accuracy and reliability of the study results. Participation in the study required enrollment in a nursing program and voluntary agreement to take part. The exclusion criteria included individuals with mental illnesses based on their response and those who failed to complete the questionnaires.

socio-demographic data that include students’ age, sex, educational level, hours of sleep at night, hours spent studying, and GPA from the previous semester.

Tool two: the perceived stress scale (PSS)

It was initially created by Sheu et al. (1997) to gauge the level and nature of stress perceived by nursing students attending Taiwanese universities [ 20 ]. It comprises 29 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale, where (0 = never, 1 = rarely, 2 = sometimes, 3 = reasonably often, and 4 = very often), with a total score ranging from 0 to 116. The cut-off points of levels of perceived stress scale according to score percentage were low < 33.33%, moderate 33.33–66.66%, and high more than 66.66%. Higher scores indicate higher stress levels. The items are categorized into six subscales reflecting different sources of stress. The first subscale assesses “stress stemming from lack of professional knowledge and skills” and includes 3 items. The second subscale evaluates “stress from caring for patients” with 8 items. The third subscale measures “stress from assignments and workload” with 5 items. The fourth subscale focuses on “stress from interactions with teachers and nursing staff” with 6 items. The fifth subscale gauges “stress from the clinical environment” with 3 items. The sixth subscale addresses “stress from peers and daily life” with 4 items. El-Ashry et al. (2022) reported an excellent internal consistency reliability of 0.83 [ 21 ]. Two bilingual translators translated the English version of the scale into Arabic and then back-translated it into English by two other independent translators to verify its accuracy. The suitability of the translated version was confirmed through a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), which yielded goodness-of-fit indices such as a comparative fit index (CFI) of 0.712, a Tucker-Lewis index (TLI) of 0.812, and a root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) of 0.100.

Tool three: revised study process questionnaire (R-SPQ-2 F)

It was developed by Biggs et al. (2001). It examines deep and surface learning approaches using only 20 questions; each subscale contains 10 questions [ 22 ]. On a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 0 (never or only rarely true of me) to 4 (always or almost always accurate of me). The total score ranged from 0 to 80, with a higher score reflecting more deep or surface learning approaches. The cut-off points of levels of revised study process questionnaire according to score percentage were low < 33%, moderate 33–66%, and high more than 66%. Biggs et al. (2001) found that Cronbach alpha value was 0.73 for deep learning approach and 0.64 for the surface learning approach, which was considered acceptable. Two translators fluent in English and Arabic initially translated a scale from English to Arabic. To ensure the accuracy of the translation, they translated it back into English. The translated version’s appropriateness was evaluated using a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The CFA produced several goodness-of-fit indices, including a Comparative Fit Index (CFI) of 0.790, a Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI) of 0.912, and a Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) of 0.100. Comparative Fit Index (CFI) of 0.790, a Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI) of 0.912, and a Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) of 0.100.

Ethical considerations

The Alexandria University College of Nursing’s Research Ethics Committee provided ethical permission before the study’s implementation. Furthermore, pertinent authorities acquired ethical approval at participating nursing institutions. The vice deans of the participating institutions provided written informed consent attesting to institutional support and authority. By giving written informed consent, participants confirmed they were taking part voluntarily. Strict protocols were followed to protect participants’ privacy during the whole investigation. The obtained personal data was kept private and available only to the study team. Ensuring participants’ privacy and anonymity was of utmost importance.

Tools validity

The researchers created tool one after reviewing pertinent literature. Two bilingual translators independently translated the English version into Arabic to evaluate the applicability of the academic stress and learning approach tools for Arabic-speaking populations. To assure accuracy, two additional impartial translators back-translated the translation into English. They were also assessed by a five-person jury of professionals from the education and psychiatric nursing departments. The scales were found to have sufficiently evaluated the intended structures by the jury.

Pilot study

A preliminary investigation involved 100 nursing student applicants, distinct from the final sample, to gauge the efficacy, clarity, and potential obstacles in utilizing the research instruments. The pilot findings indicated that the instruments were accurate, comprehensible, and suitable for the target demographic. Additionally, Cronbach’s Alpha was utilized to further assess the instruments’ reliability, demonstrating internal solid consistency for both the learning approaches and academic stress tools, with values of 0.91 and 0.85, respectively.

Data collection

The researchers convened with each qualified student in a relaxed, unoccupied classroom in their respective college settings. Following a briefing on the study’s objectives, the students filled out the datasheet. The interviews typically lasted 15 to 20 min.

Data analysis

The data collected were analyzed using IBM SPSS software version 26.0. Following data entry, a thorough examination and verification were undertaken to ensure accuracy. The normality of quantitative data distributions was assessed using Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests. Cronbach’s Alpha was employed to evaluate the reliability and internal consistency of the study instruments. Descriptive statistics, including means (M), standard deviations (SD), and frequencies/percentages, were computed to summarize academic stress and learning approaches for categorical data. Student’s t-tests compared scores between two groups for normally distributed variables, while One-way ANOVA compared scores across more than two categories of a categorical variable. Pearson’s correlation coefficient determined the strength and direction of associations between customarily distributed quantitative variables. Hierarchical regression analysis identified the primary independent factors influencing learning approaches. Statistical significance was determined at the 5% (p < 0.05).

Table  1 presents socio-demographic data for a group of 1010 nursing students. The age distribution shows that 38.8% of the students were between 18 and 21 years old, 32.9% were between 21 and 24 years old, and 28.3% were between 24 and 28 years old, with an average age of approximately 22.79. Regarding gender, most of the students were female (77%), while 23% were male. The students were distributed across different educational years, a majority of 34.4% in the second year, followed by 29.4% in the fourth year. The students’ hours spent studying were found to be approximately two-thirds (67%) of the students who studied between 3 and 6 h. Similarly, sleep patterns differ among the students; more than three-quarters (77.3%) of students sleep between 5- to more than 7 h, and only 2.4% sleep less than 2 h per night. Finally, the student’s Grade Point Average (GPA) from the previous semester was also provided. 21% of the students had a GPA between 2 and 2.5, 40.9% had a GPA between 2.5 and 3, and 38.1% had a GPA between 3 and 3.5.

Figure  1 provides the learning approach level among nursing students. In terms of learning approach, most students (55.0%) exhibited a moderate level of deep learning approach, followed by 25.9% with a high level and 19.1% with a low level. The surface learning approach was more prevalent, with 47.8% of students showing a moderate level, 41.7% showing a low level, and only 10.5% exhibiting a high level.

Nursing students? levels of learning approach (N=1010)

Figure  2 provides the types of academic stress levels among nursing students. Among nursing students, various stressors significantly impact their academic experiences. Foremost among these stressors are the pressure and demands associated with academic assignments and workload, with 30.8% of students attributing their high stress levels to these factors. Challenges within the clinical environment are closely behind, contributing significantly to high stress levels among 25.7% of nursing students. Interactions with peers and daily life stressors also weigh heavily on students, ranking third among sources of high stress, with 21.5% of students citing this as a significant factor. Similarly, interaction with teachers and nursing staff closely follow, contributing to high-stress levels for 20.3% of nursing students. While still significant, stress from taking care of patients ranks slightly lower, with 16.7% of students reporting it as a significant factor contributing to their academic stress. At the lowest end of the ranking, but still notable, is stress from a perceived lack of professional knowledge and skills, with 15.9% of students experiencing high stress in this area.

Nursing students? levels of academic stress subtypes (N=1010)

Figure  3 provides the total levels of academic stress among nursing students. The majority of students experienced moderate academic stress (56.3%), followed by those experiencing low academic stress (29.9%), and a minority experienced high academic stress (13.8%).

Nursing students? levels of total academic stress (N=1010)

Table  2 displays the correlation between academic stress subscales and deep and surface learning approaches among 1010 nursing students. All stress subscales exhibited a negative correlation regarding the deep learning approach, indicating that the inclination toward deep learning decreases with increasing stress levels. The most significant negative correlation was observed with stress stemming from the lack of professional knowledge and skills (r=-0.392, p < 0.001), followed by stress from the clinical environment (r=-0.109, p = 0.001), stress from assignments and workload (r=-0.103, p = 0.001), stress from peers and daily life (r=-0.095, p = 0.002), and stress from patient care responsibilities (r=-0.093, p = 0.003). The weakest negative correlation was found with stress from interactions with teachers and nursing staff (r=-0.083, p = 0.009). Conversely, concerning the surface learning approach, all stress subscales displayed a positive correlation, indicating that heightened stress levels corresponded with an increased tendency toward superficial learning. The most substantial positive correlation was observed with stress related to the lack of professional knowledge and skills (r = 0.365, p < 0.001), followed by stress from patient care responsibilities (r = 0.334, p < 0.001), overall stress (r = 0.355, p < 0.001), stress from interactions with teachers and nursing staff (r = 0.262, p < 0.001), stress from assignments and workload (r = 0.262, p < 0.001), and stress from the clinical environment (r = 0.254, p < 0.001). The weakest positive correlation was noted with stress stemming from peers and daily life (r = 0.186, p < 0.001).

Table  3 outlines the association between the socio-demographic characteristics of nursing students and their deep and surface learning approaches. Concerning age, statistically significant differences were observed in deep and surface learning approaches (F = 3.661, p = 0.003 and F = 7.983, p < 0.001, respectively). Gender also demonstrated significant differences in deep and surface learning approaches (t = 3.290, p = 0.001 and t = 8.638, p < 0.001, respectively). Female students exhibited higher scores in the deep learning approach (31.59 ± 8.28) compared to male students (29.59 ± 7.73), while male students had higher scores in the surface learning approach (29.97 ± 7.36) compared to female students (24.90 ± 7.97). Educational level exhibited statistically significant differences in deep and surface learning approaches (F = 5.599, p = 0.001 and F = 17.284, p < 0.001, respectively). Both deep and surface learning approach scores increased with higher educational levels. The duration of study hours demonstrated significant differences only in the surface learning approach (F = 3.550, p = 0.014), with scores increasing as study hours increased. However, no significant difference was observed in the deep learning approach (F = 0.861, p = 0.461). Hours of sleep per night and GPA from the previous semester did not exhibit statistically significant differences in deep or surface learning approaches.

Table  4 presents a multivariate linear regression analysis examining the factors influencing the learning approach among 1110 nursing students. The deep learning approach was positively influenced by age, gender (being female), educational year level, and stress from teachers and nursing staff, as indicated by their positive coefficients and significant p-values (p < 0.05). However, it was negatively influenced by stress from a lack of professional knowledge and skills. The other factors do not significantly influence the deep learning approach. On the other hand, the surface learning approach was positively influenced by gender (being female), educational year level, stress from lack of professional knowledge and skills, stress from assignments and workload, and stress from taking care of patients, as indicated by their positive coefficients and significant p-values (p < 0.05). However, it was negatively influenced by gender (being male). The other factors do not significantly influence the surface learning approach. The adjusted R-squared values indicated that the variables in the model explain 17.8% of the variance in the deep learning approach and 25.5% in the surface learning approach. Both models were statistically significant (p < 0.001).

Nursing students’ academic stress and learning approaches are essential to planning for effective and efficient learning. Nursing education also aims to develop knowledgeable and competent students with problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.

The study’s findings highlight the significant presence of stress among nursing students, with a majority experiencing moderate to severe levels of academic stress. This aligns with previous research indicating that academic stress is prevalent among nursing students. For instance, Zheng et al. (2022) observed moderated stress levels in nursing students during clinical placements [ 23 ], while El-Ashry et al. (2022) found that nearly all first-year nursing students in Egypt experienced severe academic stress [ 21 ]. Conversely, Ali and El-Sherbini (2018) reported that over three-quarters of nursing students faced high academic stress. The complexity of the nursing program likely contributes to these stress levels [ 24 ].

The current study revealed that nursing students identified the highest sources of academic stress as workload from assignments and the stress of caring for patients. This aligns with Banu et al.‘s (2015) findings, where academic demands, assignments, examinations, high workload, and combining clinical work with patient interaction were cited as everyday stressors [ 25 ]. Additionally, Anaman-Torgbor et al. (2021) identified lectures, assignments, and examinations as predictors of academic stress through logistic regression analysis. These stressors may stem from nursing programs emphasizing the development of highly qualified graduates who acquire knowledge, values, and skills through classroom and clinical experiences [ 26 ].

The results regarding learning approaches indicate that most nursing students predominantly employed the deep learning approach. Despite acknowledging a surface learning approach among the participants in the present study, the prevalence of deep learning was higher. This inclination toward the deep learning approach is anticipated in nursing students due to their engagement with advanced courses, requiring retention, integration, and transfer of information at elevated levels. The deep learning approach correlates with a gratifying learning experience and contributes to higher academic achievements [ 3 ]. Moreover, the nursing program’s emphasis on active learning strategies fosters critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills. These findings align with Mahmoud et al.‘s (2019) study, reporting a significant presence (83.31%) of the deep learning approach among undergraduate nursing students at King Khalid University’s Faculty of Nursing [ 27 ]. Additionally, Mohamed &Morsi (2019) found that most nursing students at Benha University’s Faculty of Nursing embraced the deep learning approach (65.4%) compared to the surface learning approach [ 28 ].

The study observed a negative correlation between the deep learning approach and the overall mean stress score, contrasting with a positive correlation between surface learning approaches and overall stress levels. Elevated academic stress levels may diminish motivation and engagement in the learning process, potentially leading students to feel overwhelmed, disinterested, or burned out, prompting a shift toward a surface learning approach. This finding resonates with previous research indicating that nursing students who actively seek positive academic support strategies during academic stress have better prospects for success than those who do not [ 29 ]. Nebhinani et al. (2020) identified interface concerns and academic workload as significant stress-related factors. Notably, only an interest in nursing demonstrated a significant association with stress levels, with participants interested in nursing primarily employing adaptive coping strategies compared to non-interested students.

The current research reveals a statistically significant inverse relationship between different dimensions of academic stress and adopting the deep learning approach. The most substantial negative correlation was observed with stress arising from a lack of professional knowledge and skills, succeeded by stress associated with the clinical environment, assignments, and workload. Nursing students encounter diverse stressors, including delivering patient care, handling assignments and workloads, navigating challenging interactions with staff and faculty, perceived inadequacies in clinical proficiency, and facing examinations [ 30 ].

In the current study, the multivariate linear regression analysis reveals that various factors positively influence the deep learning approach, including age, female gender, educational year level, and stress from teachers and nursing staff. In contrast, stress from a lack of professional knowledge and skills exert a negative influence. Conversely, the surface learning approach is positively influenced by female gender, educational year level, stress from lack of professional knowledge and skills, stress from assignments and workload, and stress from taking care of patients, but negatively affected by male gender. The models explain 17.8% and 25.5% of the variance in the deep and surface learning approaches, respectively, and both are statistically significant. These findings underscore the intricate interplay of demographic and stress-related factors in shaping nursing students’ learning approaches. High workloads and patient care responsibilities may compel students to prioritize completing tasks over deep comprehension. This pressure could lead to a surface learning approach as students focus on meeting immediate demands rather than engaging deeply with course material. This observation aligns with the findings of Alsayed et al. (2021), who identified age, gender, and study year as significant factors influencing students’ learning approaches.

Deep learners often demonstrate better self-regulation skills, such as effective time management, goal setting, and seeking support when needed. These skills can help manage academic stress and maintain a balanced learning approach. These are supported by studies that studied the effect of coping strategies on stress levels [ 6 , 31 , 32 ]. On the contrary, Pacheco-Castillo et al. study (2021) found a strong significant relationship between academic stressors and students’ level of performance. That study also proved that the more academic stress a student faces, the lower their academic achievement.

Strengths and limitations of the study

This study has lots of advantages. It provides insightful information about the educational experiences of Egyptian nursing students, a demographic that has yet to receive much research. The study’s limited generalizability to other people or nations stems from its concentration on this particular group. This might be addressed in future studies by using a more varied sample. Another drawback is the dependence on self-reported metrics, which may contain biases and mistakes. Although the cross-sectional design offers a moment-in-time view of the problem, it cannot determine causation or evaluate changes over time. To address this, longitudinal research may be carried out.

Notwithstanding these drawbacks, the study substantially contributes to the expanding knowledge of academic stress and nursing students’ learning styles. Additional research is needed to determine teaching strategies that improve deep-learning approaches among nursing students. A qualitative study is required to analyze learning approaches and factors that may influence nursing students’ selection of learning approaches.

According to the present study’s findings, nursing students encounter considerable academic stress, primarily stemming from heavy assignments and workload, as well as interactions with teachers and nursing staff. Additionally, it was observed that students who experience lower levels of academic stress typically adopt a deep learning approach, whereas those facing higher stress levels tend to resort to a surface learning approach. Demographic factors such as age, gender, and educational level influence nursing students’ choice of learning approach. Specifically, female students are more inclined towards deep learning, whereas male students prefer surface learning. Moreover, deep and surface learning approach scores show an upward trend with increasing educational levels and study hours. Academic stress emerges as a significant determinant shaping the adoption of learning approaches among nursing students.

Implications in nursing practice

Nursing programs should consider integrating stress management techniques into their curriculum. Providing students with resources and skills to cope with academic stress can improve their well-being and academic performance. Educators can incorporate teaching strategies that promote deep learning approaches, such as problem-based learning, critical thinking exercises, and active learning methods. These approaches help students engage more deeply with course material and reduce reliance on surface learning techniques. Recognizing the gender differences in learning approaches, nursing programs can offer gender-specific support services and resources. For example, providing targeted workshops or counseling services that address male and female nursing students’ unique stressors and learning needs. Implementing mentorship programs and peer support groups can create a supportive environment where students can share experiences, seek advice, and receive encouragement from their peers and faculty members. Encouraging students to reflect on their learning processes and identify effective study strategies can help them develop metacognitive skills and become more self-directed learners. Faculty members can facilitate this process by incorporating reflective exercises into the curriculum. Nursing faculty and staff should receive training on recognizing signs of academic stress among students and providing appropriate support and resources. Additionally, professional development opportunities can help educators stay updated on evidence-based teaching strategies and practical interventions for addressing student stress.

Data availability

The datasets generated and/or analysed during the current study are not publicly available due to restrictions imposed by the institutional review board to protect participant confidentiality, but are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

Our sincere thanks go to all the nursing students in the study. We also want to thank Dr/ Rasha Badry for their statistical analysis help and contribution to this study.

The research was not funded by public, commercial, or non-profit organizations.

Open access funding provided by The Science, Technology & Innovation Funding Authority (STDF) in cooperation with The Egyptian Knowledge Bank (EKB).

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Nursing Education, Faculty of Nursing, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt

Rawhia Salah Dogham & Heba Fakieh Mansy Ali

Critical Care & Emergency Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt

Nermine M. Elcokany

Obstetrics and Gynecology Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt

Asmaa Saber Ghaly

Faculty of Nursing, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, Egypt

Mohamed Mahmoud Seweid

Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt

Ayman Mohamed El-Ashry

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Contributions

Ayman M. El-Ashry & Rawhia S. Dogham: conceptualization, preparation, and data collection; methodology; investigation; formal analysis; data analysis; writing-original draft; writing-manuscript; and editing. Heba F. Mansy Ali & Asmaa S. Ghaly: conceptualization, preparation, methodology, investigation, writing-original draft, writing-review, and editing. Nermine M. Elcokany & Mohamed M. Seweid: Methodology, investigation, formal analysis, data collection, writing-manuscript & editing. All authors reviewed the manuscript and accept for publication.

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Correspondence to Ayman Mohamed El-Ashry .

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The research adhered to the guidelines and regulations outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki (DoH-Oct2008). The Faculty of Nursing’s Research Ethical Committee (REC) at Alexandria University approved data collection in this study (IRB00013620/95/9/2022). Participants were required to sign an informed written consent form, which included an explanation of the research and an assessment of their understanding.

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Dogham, R.S., Ali, H.F.M., Ghaly, A.S. et al. Deciphering the influence: academic stress and its role in shaping learning approaches among nursing students: a cross-sectional study. BMC Nurs 23 , 249 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-024-01885-1

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Received : 31 January 2024

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Published : 17 April 2024

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-024-01885-1

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The nursing field has no shortage of opportunities for professionals who want a flexible career with wide-ranging options for advancement. However, as a registered nurse with an associate degree, you may find it challenging to pursue leadership or specialty roles that require additional education

Not only that, more hospitals are requiring bachelor’s-level degree nurses in their facilities. According to the latest AACN survey on the Employment of New Nurse Graduates , 28 percent of employers require a bachelor's degree among new hires, while 72 percent strongly prefer it.

But what can you do with a bachelor's in nursing, and will the investment offer professional benefits? Here’s an overview of rewarding career paths you can pursue with a bachelor’s degree in nursing and the impact of this education.

Download our guide to discover which nursing degree is right for you.

What Is a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing?

A bachelor’s (BS) degree in nursing is a four-year undergraduate degree that provides the skills and knowledge to work as a registered nurse (RN).

“A bachelor's degree in nursing gives nurses a more well-rounded education as they move forward in their career,” says Deborah Roy, Director of Regis College’s RN-to-BS in Nursing degree program.

Students can pursue this degree after earning a high school diploma or through a bridge program after obtaining a two-year Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN).

While an associate degree is the minimum requirement to become a licensed RN, a bachelor's degree program develops clinical skills with a focus on:

• Critical thinking
• Public health

“This allows them to address more complex issues within the healthcare arena,” Roy continues.

A BS in nursing also makes nurses eligible for more career advancement opportunities down the line. This is because healthcare facilities require staff to hold a four-year degree for nursing leadership positions and specialized fields.

If you’re committed to the nursing field and want to continue growing in your career, consider these seven advanced nursing roles that are available to professionals with a BS in nursing degree.

What Can You Do With a Bachelor's in Nursing?

1. nurse manager.

Nurse managers coordinate the nursing operations of a healthcare facility.

This can include:

• Staff management
• Resource allocation
• Regulatory compliance

Nurse managers are an integral part of the leadership team at a healthcare facility, responsible for implementing policies that improve patient care and create a safe environment. As a result, nurse managers earn an average annual salary of $104,830 .

Nurse managers need a BS in nursing to develop the leadership skills needed to effectively manage nursing teams. The curriculum covers critical areas of healthcare management that are essential for this role.

2. Nursing Research

Nurse research is an exciting field that offers many career opportunities. For example, a nurse researcher conducts studies, collects data, and investigates healthcare issues to continually improve and optimize best practices in nursing. These findings are published in scholarly journals and academic publications like the Journal of Advanced Nursing and the American Journal of Nursing .

This particular role requires extensive education though. Nurse researchers often hold a doctoral degree—either a PhD or DNP. However, if you’re interested in entering the research field, you will need to gain additional education with at least a bachelor’s degree.

Research topics can cover a variety of topics in nursing care, such as:

• Clinical interventions
• Patient outcomes
• Aging populations
• Nursing education

Nurse researchers can expect to earn a rewarding annual average salary of $97,088 , while assistant positions earn an average wage of $70,000 per year.

3. Telemedicine Nurse

With such a steep rise in telehealth visits , there’s a greater need for more effective coordinated virtual care. As a result, telemedicine nurses are becoming more in-demand over the years .

A telemedicine nurse collaborates with healthcare providers to deliver remote patient care. By communicating with patients online and by phone, nurses can assess symptoms, provide treatment recommendations, and offer assistance with tasks like managing medication and accessing medical services.

The average salary of a telemedicine nurse is $93,248 a year, but this often depends on your work experience.

Telemedicine nurses need a BS in nursing to navigate the complexities of delivering healthcare remotely. The curriculum ensures nurses are comfortable working with digital health tools and methods in providing high-quality, virtual care.

4. Quality Assurance Manager

Hospitals are increasingly adopting quality assurance methods focused on improving patient safety. This is why quality assurance managers are becoming a common role among nursing staff.

A quality assurance manager helps to maintain optimal patient care in a healthcare facility. They monitor the quality standards and adherence to safety protocols in the healthcare environment. The goal of quality assurance is to address care deficiencies, performance issues, and regulatory risks in a timely manner.

As a result, the role offers a competitive average annual salary of $88,469 .

Nurses aspiring to become quality assurance managers need a BS in nursing to understand the various healthcare policies, standards, and practices essential to the role. This is because BS in nursing coursework explores evidence-based practices and patient safety protocols, which are essential to effectively leading quality improvement initiatives.

5. Nurse Educator

Nurse educators provide training and mentorship for prospective nurses and continuing education for experienced professionals. After working in hands-on roles in clinical settings, nurse educators have the insight to develop curriculum, monitor student progress, and give lectures that encourage other nurses to think critically about best practices in patient care.

Professionals in nursing education careers typically earn an average salary of $84,180 a year.

Since many seasoned nurses transition into this role, it might be puzzling why a BS in nursing degree is needed. However, nurse educators need at least a BS in nursing to gain the academic knowledge and methodologies needed to effectively teach nursing. In addition, nurses need to earn a BS in nursing before enrolling in an MSN program—the educational requirement for most nurse educator positions.

6. Clinic Manager

A clinic manager is in charge of a healthcare facility’s daily operations, such as patient appointments, staff schedules, and budgeting. They also make sure the facility meets all required standards of cleanliness and safety and oversee administrative tasks, such as communicating with other healthcare providers.

A clinic manager’s average salary is $80,442 per year, depending on factors like the size, location, and specialization of the facility.

Clinic managers need a bachelor’s degree in nursing to acquire the comprehensive healthcare management skills and in-depth knowledge of nursing practice required to efficiently oversee clinic operations and ensure high-quality patient care.

7. Nurse Informaticist

Nurse informaticist roles combine health science with information technology and data analytics. Using a variety of software and databases, they design efficient systems for managing health records, create tools to support decision-making, and analyze data sets to identify trends or areas of improvement.

As gatekeepers of patient data, these skilled professionals are also responsible for protecting sensitive health data security, which earns them an average annual salary of $58,250 .

Since this role moves away from clinical work, it isn’t surprising that nurses need a BS in nursing to obtain this position. As a result, the BS in nursing curriculum aims to help students understand the integration of nursing science with information management and analytical sciences.

The Impact of a Bachelor’s Degree on Career Advancement

Working as an RN can be an incredibly satisfying career that never runs out of opportunities to make a difference in the lives of patients. However, associate-level nurses are often barred from exciting opportunities to take their careers to the next level.

Earning a bachelor's degree, on the other hand, can increase your earning potential and open up a world of new career pathways that allow you to combine nursing experience with other professional interests. Even if you’re unsure what specialization interests you, this degree program can help you discover subject areas you’re passionate about.

“In a bachelor's degree program, we go into more detail as to, what are we doing this for?” Roy continues. “How do we interpret this data? How do we apply that to how we're going to care for our patients? Nurses learn critical leadership behaviors on how to build teams, how to communicate, and how to deal with things like instability in the workplace.”

No matter what roles interest you, getting an advanced education makes it possible to compete for jobs in specialized departments and at top-tier, magnet-status healthcare facilities.

Choosing the Right Bachelor’s in Nursing Program

Choosing the right bachelor’s degree in nursing program ensures you develop the right skills for your professional goals. As you compare programs, consider factors like student services, job placement rates, and opportunities for internships or research experience since these directly impact your ability to succeed both in and outside the classroom.

The online RN-to-BS program at Regis College is designed for current RNs with an associate degree who want to develop their existing knowledge and skills. The curriculum emphasizes emerging trends in healthcare, leadership, and advanced health assessment methods to equip you for the next phase of your nursing career.

To learn more about what you can do with a bachelor's in nursing, consult an admissions counselor and find out how Regis faculty members work with students to create a personalized curriculum plan.

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