Nursing students, you’re in luck! The field of nursing has a lot to offer when it comes to capstone projects. Nursing is a constantly evolving field with new discoveries being made every day. As such, there are many different topics that would make good capstone projects for nursing students. In this article we will outline some popular ideas for your capstone project as well as provide sources so that you can do further research on these topics and select one that interests you most!

capstone project ideas for nursing

1. Essay on patient safety, quality and performance improvement.

Patient safety, quality and performance improvement are all broad terms. In this essay you will define these three concepts and discuss their benefits. You can also list some challenges of each concept.

Patient safety is a “philosophy that emphasizes the protection of the health and well-being of patients from error, negligence or other unsafe health practices.” Quality is a measure used to assess how well something meets requirements or expectations; it is often associated with general satisfaction, but may be specific to a medical outcome or process (e.g., the percentage of patients who were correctly diagnosed). Performance improvement refers to efforts made by an organization to identify opportunities for better results in healthcare delivery (e.g., reducing mortality rates).

2. Nursing ethics and patient care.

Nursing ethics is the study of moral principles that guide the conduct of nurses. It includes the study of how nurses can provide safe, effective, compassionate patient care while maintaining their integrity in situations where ethical decisions may be difficult or ambiguous. In order to uphold ethical standards, nurses must understand and apply ethical principles to nursing practice.

The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) has identified 10 core values for nursing: caring, communication and collaboration, commitment to improvement and innovation, cultural competence/cultural humility/cultural safety (including respect for individual differences), diversity awareness/respect (including self-awareness), evidence-based practice with patients’ needs at the center; leadership for continuous quality improvement; life balance/wellness; respect for diversity; stewardship through advocacy .

3. The role of nursing in improving pain management.

The role of nursing in improving pain management.

Pain is a subjective experience that is often difficult to measure accurately, and it can be difficult for patients to describe their pain precisely. While some aspects of pain management may require medical intervention, nurses are the experts in patient comfort. As such, they’re able to help patients manage their own discomfort by providing them with tools like relaxation techniques or massage therapy.

4. The role of the nurse in improving health outcomes.

In this capstone project, you will consider the role of nurses in improving patient outcomes. You will compare and contrast two different healthcare systems, one with a high level of nurse autonomy and one with lower levels of autonomy. The goal is to explore how these differences affect patient outcomes.

5. International perspectives in nursing.

The global nursing profession is a fast-growing field that provides opportunities for nurse practitioners in a variety of settings. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “Nursing is a global profession with an extensive scope, ranging from direct patient care through research and development to leadership roles at all levels of policy, planning and management” [1]. This means that nurses are working across the globe in both developed countries such as the United States and developing nations like Africa. In addition, nurses are trained by various universities around the world to provide quality care based on their education and training.

6. Key elements of public health care.

Public health care is a focus on the well-being of a community. Public health nurses are part of the multidisciplinary team that works to improve the overall health of a community. The key elements of public health include:

• Health promotion – working to prevent disease and injury in order to improve well being
• Environmental assessment – identifying risks and hazards that may impact on public safety or harm human health
• Mental health promotion – working towards social justice for all people

7. Nursing students and stress management.

Stress is a normal part of life and can be beneficial for people. For example, stress can motivate you to study harder or get things done in a timely manner. However, stress that is not managed properly can lead to health issues such as headaches, anxiety or depression.

Nursing students are often expected to manage many different types of stressors while they complete their coursework and clinical training requirements. It is therefore important that nursing students develop coping skills that will help them manage their daily stresses effectively so they do not impact their academic performance negatively or put themselves at risk for experiencing other health problems due to the effects of unmanaged stress on their mental health (American Psychiatric Association (APA), 2013).

In addition, it’s important for nursing students to maintain good nutritional habits throughout the school year because poor eating habits may cause fatigue which will make it difficult for them perform well academically both inside and outside the classroom setting (Maughan & Marmot).

8. Analysis of effective interventions for caring for dementia patients.

• Identify dementia patients.
• Define treatment goals.
• Identify patient’s support system.
• Determine medical history of the patient.
• Collect social history of the patient.
• Assess mental status of the patient for signs of dementia, depression, and other factors that may affect caregiving decisions (eldercareamerica).

9. The role of nurses in alcohol and substance abuse programs.

In the United States, substance abuse is a major problem. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that nearly 23 million Americans suffer from an illicit drug use disorder, while 15 million have an alcohol use disorder.[7] As a nurse in this field, you are likely to encounter these issues regularly—and as an aspiring nurse, you can help change lives by providing education and support to patients.

Nurses are trained to treat all sorts of health conditions, but they also have unique skills that make them invaluable when it comes to helping people in recovery from substance abuse. For example:

10. Incidence and management of postpartum depression in women.

The incidence of postpartum depression and the risk factors for it are well-documented. However, there is little data on the management of this disorder, particularly in developing countries.

The long-term effects of postpartum depression on both mother and child are profound and can lead to severe consequences. Postpartum depression does not resolve spontaneously but requires treatment in order to prevent further harm to women and their families. The role of nurses in preventing or treating this condition should be considered in light of their extensive experience with mothers from all socioeconomic backgrounds, including those who may be at risk for developing postpartum depression because they lack access to adequate health care resources or have no one with whom they can discuss their feelings openly about being a new parent.

11. Methods to improve transition between hospitals and home setting.

• Methods to improve transition of care
• How to measure the effectiveness of the transition of care
• Importance of the transition of care

12. If you are looking for a capstone project on nursing, you have a lot to choose from!

Whether you are looking for a capstone project on nursing or not, the possibilities are endless. There are many different topics and formats available to choose from, giving you plenty of options when deciding what your future nursing career might look like.

Nursing Capstone Projects:

A Nursing Capstone Project is an independent research project that serves as a culminating experience in the nursing program. Students must complete and defend their capstone project before graduation from their program of study. This is often done through submission of a paper or poster presentation at an academic conference, publication in a peer-reviewed journal, or completion of another formative assessment method approved by faculty members at their school (such as presentation at an undergraduate research symposium).

Closing

Overall, there are a number of great ideas for nursing capstone projects. If you are looking for a capstone project on nursing, you have a lot to choose from!