nursing assignment examples

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Common Assignments: Writing in Nursing

Although there may be some differences in writing expectations between disciplines, all writers of scholarly work are required to follow basic writing standards such as writing clear, concise, and grammatically correct sentences; using proper punctuation; demonstrating critical thought; and, in all Walden programs, using APA style. When writing in nursing, however, students must also be familiar with the goals of the discipline and discipline-specific writing expectations.

Nurses are primarily concerned about providing quality care to patients and their families, and this demands both technical knowledge and the appropriate expression of ideas (“Writing in nursing,” n.d). As a result, nursing students are expected to learn how to present information succinctly, and even though they may often use technical medical terminology (“Writing in nursing,” n.d.), their work should be accessible to anyone who may read it. Among many goals, writers within this discipline are required to:

• Document knowledge/research
• Demonstrate critical thinking
• Express creative ideas
• Explore nursing literature
• Demonstrate understanding of learning activities. (Wagner, n.d., para. 2)

Given this broad set of objectives, nursing students would benefit from learning how to write diverse literature, including scholarly reports, reviews, articles, and so on. They should aim to write work that can be used in both the research and clinical aspects of the discipline. Walden instructors often ask nursing students to write position and reflective papers, critique articles, gather and analyze data, respond to case studies, and work collaboratively on a project. Although there may be differences between the writing expectations within the classroom and those in the workplace, the standards noted below, though more common in scholarly writing, require skills that are transferrable to the work setting.

Because one cannot say everything there is to say about a particular subject, writers present their work from a particular perspective. For instance, one might choose to examine the shortage of nurses from a public policy perspective. One’s particular contribution, position, argument, or viewpoint is commonly referred to as the thesis and, according to Gerring et al. (2004), a good thesis is one that is “new, true, and significant” (p. 2). To strengthen a thesis, one might consider presenting an argument that goes against what is currently accepted within the field while carefully addressing counterarguments and adequately explaining why the issue under consideration matters (Gerring et al., 2004). The thesis is particularly important because readers want to know whether the writer has something new or worthwhile to say about the topic. Thus, as you review the literature, before writing, it is important to find gaps and creative linkages between viewpoints with the goal of contributing innovative ideas to an ongoing discussion. For a contribution to be worthwhile you must read the literature carefully and without bias; doing this will enable you to identify some of the subtle differences in the viewpoints presented by different authors and help you to better identify the gaps in the literature. Because the thesis is essentially the heart of your discussion, it is important that it is argued objectively and persuasively.

With the goal of providing high quality care, the healthcare industry places a premium on rigorous research as the foundation for evidence-based practices. Thus, students are expected to keep up with the most current research in their field and support the assertions they make in their work with evidence from the literature. Nursing students also must learn how to evaluate evidence in nursing literature and identify the studies that answer specific clinical questions (Oermann & Hays, 2011). Writers are also expected to critically analyze and evaluate studies and assess whether findings can be used in clinical practice (Beyea & Slattery, 2006). (Some useful and credible sources include journal articles, other peer-reviewed sources, and authoritative sources that might be found on the web. If you need help finding credible sources contact a librarian.)

Like other APA style papers, research papers in nursing should follow the following format: title, abstract, introduction, literature review, method, results, discussion, references, and appendices (see APA 7, Sections 2.16-2.25). Note that the presentation follows a certain logic: In the introduction one presents the issue under consideration; in the literature review, one presents what is already known about the topic (thus providing a context for the discussion), identifies gaps, and presents one’s approach; in the methods section, one would then identify the method used to gather data; and in the results and discussion sections, one then presents and explains the results in an objective manner, noting the limitations of the study (Dartmouth Writing Program, 2005). Note that not all papers need to be written in this manner; for guidance on the formatting of a basic course paper, see the appropriate template on our website.

In their research, nursing researchers use quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods. In quantitative studies, researchers rely primarily on quantifiable data; in qualitative studies, they use data from interviews or other types of narrative analyses; and in mixed methods studies, they use both qualitative and quantitative approaches. A researcher should be able to pose a researchable question and identify an appropriate research method. Whatever method the researcher chooses, the research must be carried out in an objective and scientific manner, free from bias. Keep in mind that your method will have an impact on the credibility of your work, so it is important that your methods are rigorous. Walden offers a series of research methods courses to help students become familiar with the various research methods.

Instructors expect students to master the content of the discipline and use discipline- appropriate language in their writing. In practice, nurses may be required to become familiar with standardized nursing language as it has been found to lead to the following:

• better communication among nurses and other health care providers,
• increased visibility of nursing interventions,
• improved patient care,
• enhanced data collection to evaluate nursing care outcomes,
• greater adherence to standards of care, and
• facilitated assessment of nursing competency. (Rutherford, 2008)

Like successful writers in other disciplines and in preparation for diverse roles within their fields, in their writing nursing students should demonstrate that they (a) have cultivated the thinking skills that are useful in their discipline, (b) are able to communicate professionally, and (c) can incorporate the language of the field in their work appropriately (Colorado State University, 2011).

If you have content-specific questions, be sure to ask your instructor. The Writing Center is available to help you present your ideas as effectively as possible.

Beyea, S. C., & Slattery, M. J. (2006). Evidence-based practice in nursing: A guide to successful implementation . http://www.hcmarketplace.com/supplemental/3737_browse.pdf

Colorado State University. (2011). Why assign WID tasks? http://wac.colostate.edu/intro/com6a1.cfm

Dartmouth Writing Program. (2005). Writing in the social sciences . http://www.dartmouth.edu/~writing/materials/student/soc_sciences/write.shtml

Rutherford, M. (2008). Standardized nursing language: What does it mean for nursing practice? [Abstract]. Online Journal of Issues in Nursing , 13 (1). http://ojin.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/ThePracticeofProfessionalNursing/Health-IT/StandardizedNursingLanguage.html

Wagner, D. (n.d.). Why writing matters in nursing . https://www.svsu.edu/nursing/programs/bsn/programrequirements/whywritingmatters/

Writing in nursing: Examples. (n.d.). http://www.technorhetoric.net/7.2/sectionone/inman/examples.html

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The Ultimate Guide to Nursing Assignments: 7 Tips and Strategies

Nursing assignments are a critical component of every nursing student’s academic journey. They serve as opportunities to test your knowledge, apply theoretical concepts to real-world scenarios, and develop essential skills necessary for your future nursing career. However, tackling nursing assignments can often be overwhelming, particularly when you’re juggling multiple responsibilities. In this comprehensive guide, we provide valuable tips, strategies, and expert assignment help services to help you excel in your nursing assignments. Whether you’re struggling with research, structuring your assignment, or proofreading, we’re here to support you every step of the way.

Understanding the Nursing Assignments

To excel in nursing assignments , it’s crucial to start by thoroughly understanding the requirements. Take the time to carefully read the assignment prompt, paying close attention to the topic, word count, formatting guidelines, and any specific instructions provided by your instructor. Understanding these key components will ensure that you meet all the necessary criteria.

Conducting Thorough Research

Once you have a clear understanding of the assignment, it’s time to conduct thorough research. Solid research forms the foundation of any successful nursing assignment. Begin by gathering relevant and credible sources, such as nursing textbooks, scholarly articles, reputable websites , and academic databases specific to nursing. These resources will provide you with evidence-based information to support your arguments and demonstrate your understanding of the topic.

Creating a Well-Structured Outline

A well-structured outline is essential for organizing your thoughts and ensuring a logical flow in your nursing assignment. An effective outline acts as a roadmap, guiding you through the writing process and ensuring that you cover all the necessary points.

At [Your Service Name], our expert writers can assist you in creating a comprehensive outline tailored to your specific assignment. By collaborating with us, you can receive personalized guidance in organizing your ideas effectively and structuring your assignment in a logical manner. Our writers understand the nuances of nursing assignments and can help you identify the most important concepts and supporting evidence to include.

Using a Professional Tone

Maintaining a professional tone throughout your nursing assignment is crucial. As aspiring healthcare professionals, it’s essential to communicate your ideas with clarity, conciseness, and professionalism. Use clear and concise language, avoiding jargon or slang that may hinder the reader’s understanding. Present your arguments and supporting evidence in a logical and coherent manner, demonstrating your ability to think critically and apply nursing principles.

Our expert writers have extensive experience in academic writing within the field of nursing. They possess a deep understanding of the professional tone required for nursing assignments and can ensure that your assignment is written to the highest standards. By collaborating with us, you can receive guidance in maintaining a professional tone and effectively conveying your ideas.

Incorporating Practical Examples

In addition to a professional tone, incorporating practical examples into your nursing assignment can greatly enhance its quality. Practical examples bring theoretical concepts to life, illustrating their application in real-life scenarios. They demonstrate your understanding of nursing principles and showcase your ability to bridge the gap between theory and practice.

Our team consists of experienced nursing professionals who can assist you in incorporating relevant practical examples into your assignment. Drawing from their extensive knowledge and expertise, they can provide you with real-life scenarios or case studies that strengthen the impact and credibility of your work. By collaborating with us, you can elevate the quality of your assignment by demonstrating your ability to apply nursing concepts in practical settings.

Proofreading and Editing

Proofreading and editing are essential steps in the assignment writing process. They ensure that your nursing assignment is polished, error-free, and effectively communicates your ideas. After completing the initial draft, it’s crucial to take a break and return to your work with fresh eyes. During the proofreading stage, carefully review your assignment for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and sentence structure. Correct any errors and inconsistencies that may affect the clarity and professionalism of your writing.

At nursingresearchhelp.com , we have a dedicated team of proofreaders and editors who specialize in nursing assignments. They meticulously review your work, ensuring that it adheres to formatting guidelines and meets the highest standards of academic writing. Our proofreaders and editors will help you refine your assignment, ensuring that it is polished and error-free. By collaborating with us, you can rest assured that your assignment will be thoroughly reviewed and refined before submission.

Seeking Help When Needed

In addition to proofreading and editing, it’s important to seek help when needed. Nursing assignments can be challenging, and it’s perfectly normal to require assistance. Whether you’re facing difficulties in understanding the assignment prompt, need guidance in specific areas, or simply want a fresh perspective on your work, don’t hesitate to reach out for support.

Our friendly and knowledgeable support team is always available to address any questions or concerns you may have. We understand the unique challenges faced by nursing students and can provide you with the guidance and clarification you need. By seeking help when needed, you can overcome obstacles and ensure the successful completion of your nursing assignments.

Mastering nursing assignments is within your reach with the right tips, strategies, and expert assignment help services. At nursingresearchhelp.com we are committed to supporting nursing students in excelling in their academic pursuits. Our experienced writers, proofreaders, and editors can provide personalized assistance throughout the assignment writing process, ensuring that your assignments meet the highest standards of quality and professionalism.

With our help, you can confidently tackle your nursing assignments and overcome any challenges you may face. Visit our website nursingresearchhelp.com to learn more about our services and how we can support you in achieving academic excellence. Whether you need guidance in understanding the assignment, conducting thorough research, creating a well-structured outline, using a professional tone, incorporating practical examples, or ensuring a polished final product, we are here to assist you. Trust us for reliable and professional assignment help tailored to your needs.

Don’t let the challenges of nursing assignments hold you back—reach out to us for reliable and professional assignment help tailored to your needs.

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Nursing Care Plans (NCP) Ultimate Guide and List

Writing the  best   nursing care plan  requires a step-by-step approach to complete the parts needed for a care plan correctly. This tutorial will walk you through developing a care plan. This guide has the ultimate database and list of nursing care plans (NCP) and nursing diagnosis samples  for our student nurses and professional nurses to use—all for free! Care plan components, examples, objectives, and purposes are included with a detailed guide on writing an excellent nursing care plan or a template for your unit. 

Table of Contents

Standardized care plans, individualized care plans, purposes of a nursing care plan, three-column format, four-column format, student care plans, step 1: data collection or assessment, step 2: data analysis and organization, step 3: formulating your nursing diagnoses, step 4: setting priorities, short-term and long-term goals, components of goals and desired outcomes, types of nursing interventions, step 7: providing rationale, step 8: evaluation, step 9: putting it on paper, basic nursing and general care plans, surgery and perioperative care plans, cardiac care plans, endocrine and metabolic care plans, gastrointestinal, hematologic and lymphatic, infectious diseases, integumentary, maternal and newborn care plans, mental health and psychiatric, musculoskeletal, neurological, pediatric nursing care plans, reproductive, respiratory, recommended resources, references and sources, what is a nursing care plan.

A  nursing care plan (NCP)  is a formal process that correctly identifies existing needs and recognizes a client’s potential needs or risks. Care plans provide a way of communication among nurses, their patients, and other healthcare providers to achieve healthcare outcomes. Without the nursing care planning process, the quality and consistency of patient care would be lost.

Nursing care planning begins when the client is admitted to the agency and is continuously updated throughout in response to the client’s changes in condition and evaluation of goal achievement. Planning and delivering individualized or patient-centered care is the basis for excellence in nursing practice .

Types of Nursing Care Plans

Care plans can be informal or formal: An informal nursing care plan is a strategy of action that exists in the nurse ‘s mind. A  formal nursing care plan is a written or computerized guide that organizes the client’s care information.

Formal care plans are further subdivided into standardized care plans and individualized care plans:  Standardized care plans specify the nursing care for groups of clients with everyday needs.  Individualized care plans are tailored to meet a specific client’s unique needs or needs that are not addressed by the standardized care plan.

Standardized care plans are pre-developed guides by the nursing staff and health care agencies to ensure that patients with a particular condition receive consistent care. These care plans are used to ensure that minimally acceptable criteria are met and to promote the efficient use of the nurse’s time by removing the need to develop common activities that are done repeatedly for many of the clients on a nursing unit.

Standardized care plans are not tailored to a patient’s specific needs and goals and can provide a starting point for developing an individualized care plan .

Care plans listed in this guide are standard care plans which can serve as a framework or direction to develop an individualized care plan.

An individualized care plan care plan involves tailoring a standardized care plan to meet the specific needs and goals of the individual client and use approaches shown to be effective for a particular client. This approach allows more personalized and holistic care better suited to the client’s unique needs, strengths, and goals.

Additionally, individualized care plans can improve patient satisfaction . When patients feel that their care is tailored to their specific needs, they are more likely to feel heard and valued, leading to increased satisfaction with their care. This is particularly important in today’s healthcare environment , where patient satisfaction is increasingly used as a quality measure.

Tips on how to individualize a nursing care plan:

• Perform a comprehensive assessment of the patient’s health, history, health status, and desired goals.
• Involve the patient in the care planning process by asking them about their health goals and preferences. By involving the client, nurses can ensure that the care plan is aligned with the patient’s goals and preferences which can improve patient engagement and compliance with the care plan.
• Perform an ongoing assessment and evaluation as the patient’s health and goals can change. Adjust the care plan accordingly.

The following are the goals and objectives of writing a nursing care plan:

• Promote evidence-based nursing care and render pleasant and familiar conditions in hospitals or health centers.
• Support holistic care , which involves the whole person, including physical, psychological, social, and spiritual, with the management and prevention of the disease.
• Establish programs such as care pathways and care bundles. Care pathways involve a team effort to reach a consensus regarding standards of care and expected outcomes. In contrast, care bundles are related to best practices concerning care for a specific disease.
• Identify and distinguish goals and expected outcomes.
• Review communication and documentation of the care plan.
• Measure nursing care.

The following are the purposes and importance of writing a nursing care plan:

• Defines nurse’s role. Care plans help identify nurses’ unique and independent role in attending to clients’ overall health and well-being without relying entirely on a physician’s orders or interventions.
• Provides direction for individualized care of the client.  It serves as a roadmap for the care that will be provided to the patient and allows the nurse to think critically in developing interventions directly tailored to the individual.
• Continuity of care. Nurses from different shifts or departments can use the data to render the same quality and type of interventions to care for clients, therefore allowing clients to receive the most benefit from treatment.
• Coordinate care. Ensures that all members of the healthcare team are aware of the patient’s care needs and the actions that need to be taken to meet those needs preventing gaps in care.
• Documentation . It should accurately outline which observations to make, what nursing actions to carry out, and what instructions the client or family members require. If nursing care is not documented correctly in the care plan, there is no evidence the care was provided.
• Serves as a guide for assigning a specific staff to a specific client.  There are instances when a client’s care needs to be assigned to staff with particular and precise skills.
• Monitor progress. To help track the patient’s progress and make necessary adjustments to the care plan as the patient’s health status and goals change.
• Serves as a guide for reimbursement.  The insurance companies use the medical record to determine what they will pay concerning the hospital care received by the client.
• Defines client’s goals. It benefits nurses and clients by involving them in their treatment and care.

A nursing care plan (NCP) usually includes nursing diagnoses , client problems, expected outcomes, nursing interventions , and rationales . These components are elaborated on below:

• Client health assessment , medical results, and diagnostic reports are the first steps to developing a care plan. In particular, client assessment relates to the following areas and abilities: physical, emotional, sexual, psychosocial, cultural, spiritual/transpersonal, cognitive, functional, age-related, economic, and environmental. Information in this area can be subjective and objective.
• Nursing diagnosis . A nursing diagnosis is a statement that describes the patient’s health issue or concern. It is based on the information gathered about the patient’s health status during the assessment.
• Expected client outcomes. These are specific goals that will be achieved through nursing interventions . These may be long and short-term.
• Nursing interventions . These are specific actions that will be taken to address the nursing diagnosis and achieve expected outcomes . They should be based on best practices and evidence-based guidelines.
• Rationales. These are evidence-based explanations for the nursing interventions specified.
• Evaluation . These includes plans for monitoring and evaluating a patient’s progress and making necessary adjustments to the care plan as the patient’s health status and goals change.

Care Plan Formats

Nursing care plan formats are usually categorized or organized into four columns: (1) nursing diagnoses, (2) desired outcomes and goals, (3) nursing interventions, and (4) evaluation. Some agencies use a three-column plan where goals and evaluation are in the same column. Other agencies have a five-column plan that includes a column for assessment cues.

The three-column plan has a column for nursing diagnosis, outcomes and evaluation, and interventions.

This format includes columns for nursing diagnosis, goals and outcomes, interventions, and evaluation.

Below is a document containing sample templates for the different nursing care plan formats. Please feel free to edit, modify, and share the template.

Download: Printable Nursing Care Plan Templates and Formats

Student care plans are more lengthy and detailed than care plans used by working nurses because they serve as a learning activity for the student nurse.

Care plans by student nurses are usually required to be handwritten and have an additional column for “Rationale” or “Scientific Explanation” after the nursing interventions column. Rationales are scientific principles that explain the reasons for selecting a particular nursing intervention.

Writing a Nursing Care Plan

How do you write a nursing care plan (NCP)? Just follow the steps below to develop a care plan for your client.

The first step in writing a nursing care plan is to create a client database using assessment techniques and data collection methods ( physical assessment , health history , interview, medical records review, and diagnostic studies). A client database includes all the health information gathered . In this step, the nurse can identify the related or risk factors and defining characteristics that can be used to formulate a nursing diagnosis. Some agencies or nursing schools have specific assessment formats you can use.

Critical thinking is key in patient assessment, integrating knowledge across sciences and professional guidelines to inform evaluations. This process, crucial for complex clinical decision-making , aims to identify patients’ healthcare needs effectively, leveraging a supportive environment and reliable information

Now that you have information about the client’s health, analyze, cluster, and organize the data to formulate your nursing diagnosis, priorities, and desired outcomes.

Nursing diagnoses are a uniform way of identifying, focusing on and dealing with specific client needs and responses to actual and high-risk problems. Actual or potential health problems that can be prevented or resolved by independent nursing intervention are termed nursing diagnoses.

We’ve detailed the steps on how to formulate your nursing diagnoses in this guide:  Nursing Diagnosis (NDx): Complete Guide and List .

Setting priorities involves establishing a preferential sequence for addressing nursing diagnoses and interventions. In this step, the nurse and the client begin planning which of the identified problems requires attention first. Diagnoses can be ranked and grouped as having a high, medium, or low priority. Life-threatening problems should be given high priority.

A nursing diagnosis encompasses Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and helps to prioritize and plan care based on patient-centered outcomes. In 1943, Abraham Maslow developed a hierarchy based on basic fundamental needs innate to all individuals. Basic physiological needs/goals must be met before higher needs/goals can be achieved, such as self-esteem and self-actualization. Physiological and safety needs are the basis for implementing nursing care and interventions. Thus, they are at the base of Maslow’s pyramid, laying the foundation for physical and emotional health.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

• Basic Physiological Needs: Nutrition (water and food), elimination (Toileting), airway (suction)-breathing (oxygen)-circulation (pulse, cardiac monitor, blood pressure ) (ABCs), sleep , sex, shelter, and exercise.
• Safety and Security: Injury prevention ( side rails , call lights, hand hygiene , isolation , suicide precautions, fall precautions, car seats, helmets, seat belts), fostering a climate of trust and safety ( therapeutic relationship ), patient education (modifiable risk factors for stroke , heart disease).
• Love and Belonging: Foster supportive relationships, methods to avoid social isolation ( bullying ), employ active listening techniques, therapeutic communication , and sexual intimacy.
• Self-Esteem: Acceptance in the community, workforce, personal achievement, sense of control or empowerment, accepting one’s physical appearance or body habitus.
• Self-Actualization: Empowering environment, spiritual growth, ability to recognize the point of view of others, reaching one’s maximum potential.

The client’s health values and beliefs, priorities, resources available, and urgency are factors the nurse must consider when assigning priorities. Involve the client in the process to enhance cooperation.

Step 5: Establishing Client Goals and Desired Outcomes

After assigning priorities for your nursing diagnosis, the nurse and the client set goals for each determined priority. Goals or desired outcomes describe what the nurse hopes to achieve by implementing the nursing interventions derived from the client’s nursing diagnoses. Goals provide direction for planning interventions, serve as criteria for evaluating client progress, enable the client and nurse to determine which problems have been resolved, and help motivate the client and nurse by providing a sense of achievement.

One overall goal is determined for each nursing diagnosis. The terms “ goal outcomes “ and “expected outcome s” are often used interchangeably.

According to Hamilton and Price (2013), goals should be SMART . SMART stands for specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-oriented goals.

• Specific. It should be clear, significant, and sensible for a goal to be effective.
• Measurable or Meaningful. Making sure a goal is measurable makes it easier to monitor progress and know when it reaches the desired result.
• Attainable or Action-Oriented. Goals should be flexible but remain possible.
• Realistic or Results-Oriented. This is important to look forward to effective and successful outcomes by keeping in mind the available resources at hand.
• Timely or Time-Oriented. Every goal needs a designated time parameter, a deadline to focus on, and something to work toward.

Hogston (2011) suggests using the REEPIG standards to ensure that care is of the highest standards. By this means, nursing care plans should be:

• Realistic. Given available resources. 
• Explicitly stated. Be clear about precisely what must be done, so there is no room for misinterpretation of instructions.
• Evidence-based. That there is research that supports what is being proposed. 
• Prioritized. The most urgent problems are being dealt with first. 
• Involve. Involve both the patient and other members of the multidisciplinary team who are going to be involved in implementing the care.
• Goal-centered. That the care planned will meet and achieve the goal set.

Goals and expected outcomes must be measurable and client-centered.  Goals are constructed by focusing on problem prevention, resolution, and rehabilitation. Goals can be short-term or long-term . Most goals are short-term in an acute care setting since much of the nurse’s time is spent on the client’s immediate needs. Long-term goals are often used for clients who have chronic health problems or live at home, in nursing homes, or in extended-care facilities.

• Short-term goal . A statement distinguishing a shift in behavior that can be completed immediately, usually within a few hours or days.
• Long-term goal . Indicates an objective to be completed over a longer period, usually weeks or months.
• Discharge planning . Involves naming long-term goals, therefore promoting continued restorative care and problem resolution through home health, physical therapy, or various other referral sources.

Goals or desired outcome statements usually have four components: a subject, a verb, conditions or modifiers, and a criterion of desired performance.

• Subject. The subject is the client, any part of the client, or some attribute of the client (i.e., pulse, temperature, urinary output). That subject is often omitted in writing goals because it is assumed that the subject is the client unless indicated otherwise (family, significant other ).
• Verb. The verb specifies an action the client is to perform, for example, what the client is to do, learn, or experience.
• Conditions or modifiers. These are the “what, when, where, or how” that are added to the verb to explain the circumstances under which the behavior is to be performed.
• Criterion of desired performance. The criterion indicates the standard by which a performance is evaluated or the level at which the client will perform the specified behavior. These are optional.

When writing goals and desired outcomes, the nurse should follow these tips:

• Write goals and outcomes in terms of client responses and not as activities of the nurse. Begin each goal with “Client will […]” help focus the goal on client behavior and responses.
• Avoid writing goals on what the nurse hopes to accomplish, and focus on what the client will do.
• Use observable, measurable terms for outcomes. Avoid using vague words that require interpretation or judgment of the observer.
• Desired outcomes should be realistic for the client’s resources, capabilities, limitations, and on the designated time span of care.
• Ensure that goals are compatible with the therapies of other professionals.
• Ensure that each goal is derived from only one nursing diagnosis. Keeping it this way facilitates evaluation of care by ensuring that planned nursing interventions are clearly related to the diagnosis set.
• Lastly, make sure that the client considers the goals important and values them to ensure cooperation.

Step 6: Selecting Nursing Interventions

Nursing interventions are activities or actions that a nurse performs to achieve client goals. Interventions chosen should focus on eliminating or reducing the etiology of the priority nursing problem or diagnosis. As for risk nursing problems, interventions should focus on reducing the client’s risk factors. In this step, nursing interventions are identified and written during the planning step of the nursing process ; however, they are actually performed during the implementation step.

Nursing interventions can be independent, dependent, or collaborative:

• Independent nursing interventions are activities that nurses are licensed to initiate based on their sound judgement and skills. Includes: ongoing assessment, emotional support, providing comfort , teaching, physical care, and making referrals to other health care professionals.
• Dependent nursing interventions are activities carried out under the physician’s orders or supervision. Includes orders to direct the nurse to provide medications, intravenous therapy , diagnostic tests, treatments, diet, and activity or rest. Assessment and providing explanation while administering medical orders are also part of the dependent nursing interventions.
• Collaborative interventions are actions that the nurse carries out in collaboration with other health team members, such as physicians, social workers, dietitians, and therapists. These actions are developed in consultation with other health care professionals to gain their professional viewpoint.

Nursing interventions should be:

• Safe and appropriate for the client’s age, health, and condition.
• Achievable with the resources and time available.
• Inline with the client’s values, culture, and beliefs.
• Inline with other therapies.
• Based on nursing knowledge and experience or knowledge from relevant sciences.

When writing nursing interventions, follow these tips:

• Write the date and sign the plan. The date the plan is written is essential for evaluation, review, and future planning. The nurse’s signature demonstrates accountability.
• Nursing interventions should be specific and clearly stated, beginning with an action verb indicating what the nurse is expected to do. Action verb starts the intervention and must be precise. Qualifiers of how, when, where, time, frequency, and amount provide the content of the planned activity. For example: “ Educate parents on how to take temperature and notify of any changes,” or “ Assess urine for color, amount, odor, and turbidity.”
• Use only abbreviations accepted by the institution.

Rationales, also known as scientific explanations, explain why the nursing intervention was chosen for the NCP.

Rationales do not appear in regular care plans. They are included to assist nursing students in associating the pathophysiological and psychological principles with the selected nursing intervention.

Evaluation is a planned, ongoing, purposeful activity in which the client’s progress towards achieving goals or desired outcomes is assessed, and the effectiveness of the nursing care plan (NCP). Evaluation is an essential aspect of the nursing process because the conclusions drawn from this step determine whether the nursing intervention should be terminated, continued, or changed.

The client’s care plan is documented according to hospital policy and becomes part of the client’s permanent medical record, which may be reviewed by the oncoming nurse. Different nursing programs have different care plan formats. Most are designed so that the student systematically proceeds through the interrelated steps of the nursing process , and many use a five-column format.

Nursing Care Plan List

This section lists the sample nursing care plans (NCP) and nursing diagnoses for various diseases and health conditions. They are segmented into categories:

Miscellaneous nursing care plans examples that don’t fit other categories:

Care plans that involve surgical intervention .

Nursing care plans about the different diseases of the cardiovascular system :

Nursing care plans (NCP) related to the endocrine system and metabolism:

Care plans (NCP) covering the disorders of the gastrointestinal and digestive system :

Care plans related to the hematologic and lymphatic system:

NCPs for communicable and infectious diseases:

All about disorders and conditions affecting the integumentary system:

Nursing care plans about the care of the pregnant mother and her infant. See care plans for maternity and obstetric nursing:

Care plans for mental health and psychiatric nursing:

Care plans related to the musculoskeletal system:

Nursing care plans (NCP) for related to nervous system disorders:

Care plans relating to eye disorders:

Nursing care plans (NCP) for pediatric conditions and diseases:

Care plans related to the reproductive and sexual function disorders:

Care plans for respiratory system disorders:

Care plans related to the kidney and urinary system disorders:

Recommended nursing diagnosis and nursing care plan books and resources.

Disclosure: Included below are affiliate links from Amazon at no additional cost from you. We may earn a small commission from your purchase. For more information, check out our privacy policy .

Ackley and Ladwig’s Nursing Diagnosis Handbook: An Evidence-Based Guide to Planning Care We love this book because of its evidence-based approach to nursing interventions. This care plan handbook uses an easy, three-step system to guide you through client assessment, nursing diagnosis, and care planning. Includes step-by-step instructions showing how to implement care and evaluate outcomes, and help you build skills in diagnostic reasoning and critical thinking.

Nursing Care Plans – Nursing Diagnosis & Intervention (10th Edition) Includes over two hundred care plans that reflect the most recent evidence-based guidelines. New to this edition are ICNP diagnoses, care plans on LGBTQ health issues, and on electrolytes and acid-base balance.

Nurse’s Pocket Guide: Diagnoses, Prioritized Interventions, and Rationales Quick-reference tool includes all you need to identify the correct diagnoses for efficient patient care planning. The sixteenth edition includes the most recent nursing diagnoses and interventions and an alphabetized listing of nursing diagnoses covering more than 400 disorders.

Nursing Diagnosis Manual: Planning, Individualizing, and Documenting Client Care  Identify interventions to plan, individualize, and document care for more than 800 diseases and disorders. Only in the Nursing Diagnosis Manual will you find for each diagnosis subjectively and objectively – sample clinical applications, prioritized action/interventions with rationales – a documentation section, and much more!

All-in-One Nursing Care Planning Resource – E-Book: Medical-Surgical, Pediatric, Maternity, and Psychiatric-Mental Health   Includes over 100 care plans for medical-surgical, maternity/OB, pediatrics, and psychiatric and mental health. Interprofessional “patient problems” focus familiarizes you with how to speak to patients.

Recommended reading materials and sources for this NCP guide: 

• Björvell, C., Thorell-Ekstrand, I., & Wredling, R. (2000). Development of an audit instrument for nursing care plans in the patient record.   BMJ Quality & Safety ,  9 (1), 6-13. [ Link ]
• DeLaune, S. C., & Ladner, P. K. (2011).  Fundamentals of nursing: Standards and practice . Cengage learning .
• Freitas, F. A., & Leonard, L. J. (2011). Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and student academic success .  Teaching and learning in Nursing ,  6 (1), 9-13.
• Hamilton, P., & Price, T. (2007). The nursing process, holistic.  Foundations of Nursing Practice E-Book: Fundamentals of Holistic Care , 349.
• Lee, T. T. (2004). Evaluation of computerized nursing care plan: instrument development .  Journal of Professional Nursing ,  20 (4), 230-238.
• Lee, T. T. (2006). Nurses’ perceptions of their documentation experiences in a computerized nursing care planning system .  Journal of Clinical Nursing ,  15 (11), 1376-1382.
• Rn , B. O. C., Rn, H. M., Rn, D. T., & Rn, F. E. (2000). Documenting and communicating patient care : Are nursing care plans redundant?.  International Journal of Nursing Practice ,  6 (5), 276-280.
• Stonehouse, D. (2017). Understanding the nursing process .  British Journal of Healthcare Assistants ,  11 (8), 388-391.
• Yildirim, B., & Ozkahraman, S. (2011). Critical thinking in nursing process and education .  International journal of humanities and social science ,  1 (13), 257-262.

66 thoughts on “Nursing Care Plans (NCP) Ultimate Guide and List”

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What is a nursing care plan a mother in second stage of labour?

Please see: 36 Labor Stages, Induced and Augmented Labor Nursing Care Plans

What is the nursing care plan for pulmonary oedema?

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Matt, this page is very informative and I especially appreciate seeing care plans for patients with neurological disorders. I notice, though, that traumatic brain injury is not on your list. Might you add a care plan page for this?

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Hi Paul, on your browser go to File > Print > Save as PDF. Hope that helps and thanks for visiting Nurseslabs!

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Hello, please check out our guide on how to write nursing diagnoses here: https://nurseslabs.com/nursing-diagnosis/

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What is ncp for acute pain

For everything you need to know about managing acute pain, including a detailed nursing care plan (NCP), definitely check out our acute pain nursing care plan guide . It’s packed with insights on assessment, interventions, and patient education to effectively manage and alleviate acute pain.

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Writing Tips for Nursing School Students

• Nursing School Writing Types
• Writing a Nursing Essay
• Citations Guide
• Common Writing Mistakes
• Writing Resources

Are you ready to earn your online nursing degree?

Writing is an essential skill nurses should achieve proficiency in early in their career. It is a crucial part of the profession, as nurses need to be able to effectively communicate with patients, families, and other healthcare professionals.

While verbal communication also plays a vital role in nursing, being able to write well builds the nurse’s ability to provide better care.

Being able to accurately detail a patient’s personal history, symptoms, and diagnosis allows for the execution of a precise treatment plan that is clearly communicated to all parties involved, both professional and personal.

From registered nurses to clinical nurses and beyond, being able to communicate effectively and efficiently is a critical soft skill that will help nurses in any role increase their ability to treat their patients.

This guide provides an overview of the types of writing nurses will experience throughout their educational training. Utilize the following tips and tricks to help strengthen your writing skills, which will ultimately help in the development of transferable career skills .

Types of Writing Nurses Will Do in School

Personal statements for nursing school.

Nursing schools want candidates who meet academic and professional requirements. They also want a candidate who demonstrates a sincere passion for patient care and individual connections. You should always craft a personal statement, even when the application doesn’t explicitly require one. Personal statements allow you to describe your goals, characteristics, credentials, volunteer work, and meaningful life experiences. A well-crafted essay can help you stand out among other qualified applicants. And, as with any piece of writing, you must take the time to revise.

In your personal statement, you should portray yourself as determined and empathetic, with characteristics, goals, work ethic, and healthcare philosophy that align with a program’s values. Some nursing schools ask for a general personal statement, while others require a specific prompt. Colleges commonly ask students to describe a hardship they overcame, a difficult task they accomplished, or a professional goal they hope to achieve through the program. Many schools also ask students to detail previous experiences in healthcare. You may decide to write about how you connect with patients or how you provide practical and emotional support to loved ones.

You will also encounter writing prompts during examinations, including standardized tests like the GRE or MCAT, nursing school entrance exams , and course-specific evaluations. You may also take exams to get state licensure or professional certification. In most of these instances, you will need to write one or several long-form essays. Proper planning is key. Though you won’t know what specific prompt the test will require, you can expect certain common topics. You can search online or use study guides to determine which prompts usually appear on each test.

On test day, you should begin by creating an outline that lists three main points in response to the prompt. Using these points, work backwards to write a central thesis to guide the essay’s structure. Review what you’ve written to ensure that the essay actually responds to the prompt at hand. Be sure to leave time to correct spelling, grammar, and stylistic errors.

Research Papers

Like essays, research papers follow a long-form structure. Unlike an essay, which heavily relies on the writer’s point of view, a research paper presents an in-depth investigation of a topic using data, expert opinions, and insights. While an essay evaluates general critical thinking and writing skills, a research paper tests your knowledge, research skills, and original contributions. Research papers also allow you to prove you understand what has been argued and discovered about a topic. Research papers, especially at the graduate and doctoral levels, require independent research and analyses. These papers sometimes take months or years to complete.

To write a successful research paper, you should pick a topic relevant to your interests and the nursing field. Possibilities include elderly care challenges, patient safety and ethics, mental health treatment and regulations in the U.S., and nursing shortages and possible solutions. Whatever your choice, you must plan accordingly. Advanced papers such as dissertations may require funding or help from professors. Research papers often consist of the following sections: abstract, introduction, literature review, methods, results, discussion, conclusion, and references. You should keep this general structure in mind as you prepare notes and outlines.

How Do You Write a Nursing Essay?

In nursing school, essay writing includes academic papers, personal narratives, and professional compositions. You should become familiar with each of the five major forms below. There are many similarities between these essay types, such as an overarching thesis and a supportive, logical structure. You should support claims with factual, statistical, anecdotal, and rhetorical evidence. However, each form requires distinct skills to achieve specific results.

Comparative

Cause and effect, citations guide for nursing students.

Citations allow readers to know where information came from. By citing sources, you avoid plagiarizing or stealing another person’s ideas, research, language, and analyses. Whether intentional or unintentional, plagiarism is one of the most egregious errors one can make. Consequences for plagiarism include automatic course failure, disciplinary actions from the university, and even legal repercussions. You should take special care to ensure you properly cite sources.

American Psychological Association (APA) Style

APA is the most commonly used style among natural scientists, social scientists, educators, and nurses. Like other citation styles, APA emphasizes clarity of font style, font size, spacing, and paragraph structure. APA citations focus on publication date, and in most cases, the date comes right after the author’s name. This order makes the style particularly useful for scientists, who value new research and updates on current findings. For more information on APA style, visit this official website .

(Author and year of publication, page number) “Punishment, then, will tend to become the most hidden part of the penal process” (Foucault, 1977, p. 9).

Chicago Manual of Style (CMS)

CMS (also known as CMOS or, simply, Chicago) features two citation systems, the notes and bibliography, and the author and date. This style is used primarily by historians, who place high importance on a text’s origin. The notes and bibliography include a superscript number with a corresponding footnote or endnote. Scientific professionals use the author and date citation, a generic parenthetical system with similarities to other citation styles. The CMS official website provides additional information, including changes to citation systems in the current edition.

“Punishment, then, will tend to become the most hidden part of the penal process”. 1 1. Michel Foucault, trans. Alan Sheridan, Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison (New York: Pantheon Books, 1977), 9.

(Author and year of publication, page number) “Punishment, then, will tend to become the most hidden part of the penal process” (Foucault 1977, 9).

Modern Language Association (MLA) Format

MLA format traces its history to 1951 when it was first published as a thin booklet. Today, MLA is the primary format used by academics and professionals in humanities, English, literature, media studies, and cultural studies. To adapt to the rapid growth of new mediums over the past few decades, MLA updates its citation system. Visit the MLA Style Center for in-depth information on new guidelines and ongoing changes. In general, in text citations consist of author and page number, or just page number if the author’s name appears in the text.

(Author and page number) “Punishment, then, will tend to become the most hidden part of the penal process” (Foucault 9).

Associated Press (AP) Style

Published in 1952, the original AP Stylebook was marketed to journalists and other professionals related to the Associated Press. AP now stands as the go-to style for professionals in business, public relations, media, mass communications, and journalism. AP style prioritizes brevity and accuracy. The style includes specific guidelines regarding technological terms, titles, locations, and abbreviations and acronyms. Unlike the previous styles, AP does not use parenthetical or in-text citations. Rather, writers cite sources directly in the prose. For more information, including style-checking tools and quizzes, visit the Associated Press Stylebook .

In the book, “Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison,” first published in English in 1977, philosopher Michel Foucault argues that “Punishment, then, will tend to become the most hidden part of the penal process”.

Which Style Should Nursing Students Use?

Because nurses rely on scientific terms and information, professionals in the field usually use APA style. Regardless of the purpose and specific genre of your text, you should always strive for concise, objective, and evidenced-based writing. You can expect to learn APA style as soon as you enroll in a major course. However, you should also prepare to learn other styles as part of your academic training. For example, freshman composition classes tend to focus on MLA guidelines.

Common Writing Mistakes Students Make

Active vs. passive voice.

Active and passive voice represent two different ways to present the same piece of information. Active voice focuses on the subject performing an action. For example, the dog bites the boy. This format creates clear, concise, and engaging writing. Using active voice, nurses might write, I administered patient care at 11:00. Passive voice, on the other hand, focuses on the object of the sentence or the action being performed. For example, the boy was bitten by the dog. A passive sentence is usually one that contains the verb “to be.” Using passive voice, you might write, patient care was administered at 11:00.

Professionals in the sciences often use passive voice in their writing to create an objective tone and authorial distance. Passive voice can prioritize specific terms, actions, evidence, or research over the writer’s presence. Additionally, nurses use passive voice because it is usually clear that the reported thoughts, actions, and opinions come from them. However, you must also learn how to use active voice.

Punctuation

There are 14 punctuation marks in the English language, each with multiple and sometimes overlapping uses. Additionally, certain punctuation marks only make sense in highly specific and nuanced grammatical instances. To master punctuation, you must learn through practice, particularly by revising your own writing.

For example, colons and semicolons are often used interchangeably, when they actually serve distinct purposes. Generally used before itemized lists, colons stand in for the phrases “here is what I mean” or “that is to say.” For example, I am bringing three things to the picnic: applesauce, napkins, and lemonade. Semicolons separate two independent clauses connected through topic or meaning. For example, It was below zero; Ricardo wondered if he would freeze to death. Comma splices, which create run on sentences, are another common mistake. You can identify a comma splice by learning the differences between an independent and dependent clause.

Grammar refers to the rules of a particular language system. Grammar determines how users can structure words and form sentences with coherent meaning. Aspects include syntax (the arrangement of words to convey their mutual relations in a sentence) and semantics (how individual words and word groups are understood). Unless you major in writing, literature, etymology, or another related field, you generally won’t examine English grammar deeply. Through years of cognitive development and practice, native users implicitly understand how to effectively employ the language.

Distinct grammatical systems exist for each language and, sometimes, even within a single language. For example, African American Vernacular English uses different syntactic rules than General American English. You should learn grammatical terms and definitions. Common errors include subject/verb agreement, sentence fragments, dangling modifiers, and vague or incorrect pronoun usage. Hasty writers can also misuse phonetically similar words (your/you’re, its/it’s, and there/their/they’re).

Writing Resources for Nursing Students

Apa style central, reviewed by:.

Shrilekha Deshaies, MSN, RN

Shri Deshaies is a nurse educator with over 20 years of experience teaching in hospital, nursing school, and community settings. Deshaies’ clinical area of expertise is critical care nursing and she is a certified critical care nurse. She has worked in various surgical ICUs throughout her career, including cardiovascular, trauma, and neurosurgery.

Shri Deshaies is a paid member of our Healthcare Review Partner Network. Learn more about our review partners here .

Page last reviewed November 30, 2021

Whether you’re looking to get your pre-licensure degree or taking the next step in your career, the education you need could be more affordable than you think. Find the right nursing program for you.

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• Library Guides

Bachelor of Nursing and Midwifery

• Getting started on your assignment

Bachelor of Nursing and Midwifery: Getting started on your assignment

• Reading a Scholarly Article
• Books & eBooks
• Databases & journals
• Referencing

On this page

• Steps to a successful assignment 
• Getting ready for your nursing degree
• Identifying keywords
• Nursing writing online

Steps to a successful assignment

1.    Collect all your information about the assignment

• the handout on the assignment (due date, word limit, formatting, presentation, marking guide)
• the type of sources required for your Reference List e.g. books, journal articles
• notes from classes on how to complete the essay 

2.    Analyse and prepare

• read your notes and class readings for direction
• do a mind map on the topic- use questions to expand the ideas and knowledge you already have
• do some preliminary research to expand your ideas
• from your mind map write some points grouped under general headings
• where there are gaps in information (or more detail or examples needed) write down some questions that you can research
• identify keywords & search the Library for additional sources e.g. books, journal articles (see the box below for an example of how to break down a topic into Keywords, see the videos in this guide on searching for journal articles)
• write a plan for your essay, 
• what information do you already have? what further information do you need?

3.    Read for Information

• read Required Reading and make notes
• read the additional articles etc. for information not in the Required Reading
• prepare each Reference as you read it, ensure it is written in the APA referencing style. See the  APA referencing guide  for further assistance

4.    Start writing

• collect notes from your reading and start to build your essay
• write the correct References for each of your readings for your Reference

Identifying keywords for searching

Watch this video to learn how to identify keywords when searching for information on a topic

Keyword search strategies from Victoria University Library on Vimeo .

Example essay topic

Always check your  VU Collaborate unit space for information about assessment  requirements.

Once you have analysed your Essay topic and done some preliminary reading you are ready to break down the topic into areas for research. The next step is to identify keywords that you can use to search for academic sources of information  on your topic.

Select keywords from both the topic and your readings. Keywords can be single words or phrases. You will need to use different combinations  of keywords in a number of different searches  to ensure you cover all aspects of a topic.

Example Essay Topic

Caring is fundamental in nursing, and develops with therapeutic use of self, a process between the nurse and patient.  Outline characteristics of therapeutic nursing, and describe how these skills can be implemented to increase the therapeutic value of nursing care. 

Suggested keywords for searching Library Search and Library databases to find information on the above topic.

Example search 1:

("therapeutic relationship" OR "therapeutic nursing") AND "nurse-patient relation*"

Example search 2:

(caring OR therapeutic*) AND nurse AND patient

A list of relevant nursing databases can be found on the "Databases & journals" tab of this guide.

Getting Ready for your Nursing Degree

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Patient acuity tool on a medical-surgical unit

Use a tool for consistent, objective, and quantifiable patient assignments..

• Patient assignments can lead to dissatisfaction among nursing staff, especially when they’re not consistent, objective, and quantifiable.
• Dissatisfaction can create barriers to the adaptability and teamwork that are critical to good patient care.
• The patient acuity tool addresses the important issue of unbalanced nurse-patient assignments and helps nurses influence decision-making in their organizations.

Patient assignments can lead to dissatisfaction among nursing staff, especially when they’re not consistent, objective, and quantifiable. This dissatisfaction can create barriers to the adaptability and teamwork that are so critical to good patient care.

In 2016, three RNs on a complex 23-bed medical-surgical unit at Durham VA Health Care System identified a recurring complaint by nursing staff that patient assignments were inconsistent and unequal. An average of five RNs and one charge nurse were assigned five patients per nurse per shift. The nursing assignment system included placing patients in one of two categories: “standard patient” or “involved care” patient. The problem was the subjectivity of these terms; they had no supporting evidence. The result was frustrated nurses, which prompted the unit to develop a process improvement project.

Standardizing handoff communication

The Bedside Mobility Assessment Tool 2.0

Hours per patient day: Understanding this key measure of productivity

Purpose and goals

We used evidence-based information to create an objective acuity tool to establish patient assignments. The tool uses both clinical patient characteristics and workload indicators to score patients from 1 to 4 based on acuity level. This approach gives nurses the power to score their patient, then report to the charge nurse so that RN assignments for the oncoming shift are quantifiable and equitable. It also gives them the opportunity to assess the level of patient safety risk.

The goals of the tool are to:

• increase nurse satisfaction with their patient assignment
• increase nurse perception of patient safety by assigning patients with high acuity scores equitably.

The patient acuity tool

Each patient is scored on a 1-to-4 scale (1, stable patient; 2, moderate-risk patient; 3, complex patient; 4, high-risk patient) based on the clinical patient characteristics and the care involved (workload.) Each nurse scores his or her patients, based on acuity, for the upcoming shift and relays this information to the charge nurse, who then assigns patients before the shift change. The handoff report between RNs allows each to validate patients’ current acuity and care needs. (See Patient acuity tool .)

Methodology

Anecdotal reports by the RN staff and our observations prompted the collection of data from staff. Some of the staff comments about the current system included:

• “Why are my patient assignments so unfair?”
• “How will I care for all of my patients effectively?”
• “Involved care is a subjective term.”

We conducted a literature review and eventually combined two existing tools and restructured them to create our acuity tool. Before implementing the process improvement project, we used the newly created tool to assess the current average distribution of total acuity among nurse assignments, and we asked RNs to complete a 10-question survey to measure their satisfaction with patient assignments and perceptions of patient safety. We then taught the RNs how to use the tool and placed color-coded, laminated copies at every nursing computer.

The tool was pilot tested for 28 days. After the first 14 days, we conducted an audit to assess compliance, which revealed that average compliance among all four shifts was 35%. We then collected data on the average distribution of total acuity among nurse assignments. Progress e-mails were sent to staff, and individual follow-ups were held to promote compliance. At the end of the 28 days, we conducted another compliance audit, which revealed an average compliance among all four shifts of 77%, an increase of 220%.

At the end of the pilot study, we reviewed patient assignments before and after implementing the acuity tool to assess their equality, and we surveyed RNs about the two goals we set for the project: improve nurse satisfaction and increase nurse perception of patient safety.

Equality of patient assignments

To determine the equality of nurses’ assignments within a shift, the difference in total acuity between the highest and lowest scoring assignments was obtained. (See RN assignments using acuity tool .)

Before implementing the acuity tool, the average distribution of total acuity between highest and lowest nurse assignments for each shift was 4.83 (using a scale of 1 = lowest acuity and 4 = highest acuity). After implementation, the average distribution of total acuity between highest and lowest nurse assignments was 3.06, a 36.6% improvement in equality and accuracy.

Goal 1: Improve nurse satisfaction

Three of the 10 questions in the nurse survey were aimed at nurse satisfaction, including RN perception of patient assignment equality, having input into making assignments, and frequency of feeling overwhelmed with patient assignments. The most significant change occurred with the question “Please rate how frequently you feel overwhelmed with your patient assignment.” Response options were never (1), rarely (2), sometimes (3), frequently (4), and every shift (5). According to the survey, the weighted average of nurse satisfaction was 3.19 before implementing the acuity tool and 2.84 (11% improvement) after.

Goal 2: Increase nurse perception of patient safety 

When asked to respond to the statement “I feel like patient safety is a concern when I accept my patient assignment,” RN staff chose from the following options: never (1), rarely (2), sometimes (3), frequently (4), and every shift (5). The weighted average was 3.38 pre-implementation and 3.21 post-implementation, a 5% improvement in RNs’ perception of patient safety. After reviewing the annual performance improvement data, we found no direct correlation between using the acuity tool and patient safety measurements (rate of falls, medication errors, and restraint use). However, by distributing high-acuity patients among nurses, this tool, used in conjunction with other current actions, can reduce the need for patient safety measures such as using sitters and frequent rounding.

We attributed many of the challenges faced during the implementation of this project to staff assignment changes during some 24-hour periods. Sometimes patient assignments changed every 4 hours because of differences in nurse shift length, which left the staff with no consistent communication between shifts. The charge nurse would also occasionally take a patient assignment when patient acuity was high and RN census was low, resulting in outliers in data.

Another challenge included RN staff changes during the pilot study, leading to gaps in education about proper use of the tool, decreased feedback, and less data in post-implementation than pre-implementation. As part of our sustainment plan, we’ll incorporate education on the tool in new staff orientation, adapt it to other medical-surgical units in the hospital, and continue quarterly audits to assess compliance.

Given the original concern by staff that assignments were unequal, one of the strengths of this acuity tool is that it allows nurses to become stakeholders in making patient assignments. In addition, it also gives the charge nurse an objective way to justify assignment rationale. The tool costs no money to implement and requires no special technology. In addition, it’s noninvasive to the unit’s workflow, easy to implement, and easily adapted to different units and their specific needs. We’ve also found that the tool enhances the shift-to-shift handoff report and that it can be used to assign patients based on nurse competence (novice nurses, expert nurses, etc.).

Striking a balance

The patient acuity tool addresses the important issue of unbalanced nurse-patient assignments and helps nurses influence decision-making in their organizations. Our research found that an objective patient acuity tool on a medical-surgical floor could increase assignment equality, improve nurse satisfaction, and improve nurse perception of patient safety. The tool is now being piloted on other units at this facility, and we’ve received consults from other facilities in the Veterans Affairs Health Care System.

Andrea Ingram is a medical-surgical certified nurse at the VA Health Care System in Durham, North Carolina. Jennifer Powell is a neonatal intensive care unit nurse at Novant Health Hemby Children’s Hospital in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Selected references

Chiulli KA, Thompson J, Reguin-Hartman KL. Development and implementation of a patient acuity tool for a medical-surgical unit . Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses. 2014;23(2):1, 9-12.

Kidd M, Grove K, Kaiser M, Swoboda B, Taylor A. A new patient-acuity tool promotes equitable nurse-patient assignments . American Nurse Today. 2014;9(3):1-4.

24 Comments .

Hello, I am working on my DNP project and wondering if I could utilize the PAT here during my study citing it appropriately?

Thank you Nikki

would like to know more about this classification tool, is it still in use or has it been revised? can it be used without copywrite restrictions? is it electronically available

Yes, you can use it but must source the tool appropriately.

I am interested to know how to utilize this acuity tool. I have several nurses complain about assignments, this might be something that our unit could utilize to better assignments.

My name is Tijuana L Parker and we want to use your tool on our unit to see if we can balance the assignments better and improve nurse satisfaction.

Hi Mrs. Andrea Ingram, and Jennifer Powell,

I would like to ask if there is any educational material on how di you roll out your acuity tool.

Dear Mrs. Andrea Ingram, and Jennifer Powell

My name is Myriam Valdema, a DNP student. Thank you for such a fantastic study. I am writing my final project on a patient-acuity tool’s effect on job satisfaction in a medical-surgical Unit. We are currently using the block method to make assignments, and it is not working well for the nurses. With your permission, I would like to use the tool to provide better patient assignments while improving patients’ safety.

Sincerely, Myriam Valdema BSN, RN

Thank you for the great article Andrea Ingram and Jennifer Powell. I am writing to seek permission to reuse the tool for our tertiary hospital. Let me know the psychometric properties of the tool or Has it been tested for validity and reliability. Sincerely Dr.Asha Raj Sudha

Dear Mrs. Andrea Ingram, and Jennifer Powell, Thank you for a very intersting study. We are interested in implementing it in our hospital. May we ask : 1) Is it applicable to all types of patient population or restricted to medical surgical as the the title of the article suggests? 2) Has it been tested for validity and reliability and can be safely used to assess the patients acuity. 3) Has it been successfuly in other hospitals? 4) Is there a copyright if want to use?

We started a project on my unit about four years ago using EPIC to created a tool for our surgical trauma progressive care. Working with our EMR nurse team, we were able to customize the tool to fit our patient population. If you would like more information, please let me know.

Patrice, I would love to know how you utilized EPIC to create an acuity tool. I am currently working on finding or creating one for my department. I would love if you could reach out to me. My personal email is wiels1987 at gmail. Thank you.

Interesting article, thank you for acknowledging and taking action to help improve a system. It would be ideal to have a universal acutiy tool that all units can adapt to their speciality. I was wondering how you than use this tool to decide how many staff you require on the ward? If you have so many orange and red level patients, are you able to aquire more staff? Or are you only using this tool to allocate patients equitably between the 5 staff you have?

I was wondering if we would be able to reference the acuity tool in an EVB project we are doing?

This is an interesting article, but I think the use of quantitative measures such as means on ordinal scales is incorrect. First, the score (1, stable patient; 2, moderate-risk patient; 3, complex patient; 4, high-risk patient) is made to be ordinal, therefore, the interpretation “the average distribution of total acuity between highest and lowest nurse assignments for each shift was 4.83” is not appropriate and should not be used. The difference between “stable patient”, “moderate-risk patient” and “complex patient” are not equal. In other words, one cannot assume that the difference between responses is equidistant even though the numbers assigned to those responses are. The same interpretive problem is present for the question “Please rate how frequently you feel overwhelmed with your patient assignment”. The response options were never (1), rarely (2), sometimes (3), frequently (4), and every shift (5). The comment : “the weighted average of nurse satisfaction was 3.19 before implementing the acuity tool and 2.84 (11% improvement) after.”, is also incorrect. I would suggest reporting the percentage of each classes and the median (1). This would be transparent and avoid false interpretations if the answers were clustered at the high and low extremes.

Secondly, I understand the need to have an objective tool and I also chase this goal, but when I read the table “RN assignments using acuity tool”, I come to the conclusion that it is not at all objective and that the nurse’s classification is completely subjective. Either the tool needs to be less interpretation-free and have more quantitative criterias or the nurses need to have the same interpretation of each criteria before using the tool.

I want to thank you for your work as it is a great start and hope you continue to enhance this potentially powerful tool.

Vincent Morissette-Thomas, Statistician and Data Scientist

1. Sullivan, Gail M., and Anthony R. Artino Jr. “Analyzing and interpreting data from Likert-type scales.” Journal of graduate medical education 5.4 (2013): 541-542.

Nice article on acuity. Many years I developed numerous acuity systems from P.I.C.U., to ED and Psychiatric units.

I am interested in using a Patient Acuity tool for my DNP project. Can I use this tool? Thank you. Catherine Bell MSN RNC

Dear Mrs. Andrea Ingram, and Jennifer Powell, I am interested in using a Patient Acuity tool for my project. Can I use this tool? Thank you.

Thank you Great article. I was wanting to contact author about the possibility of using this tool.

I am writting in regards to “patient acuity tool on a medical surgical unit” I am currently connected with a regional hospital (government owned) here in the philippines with a bed capacity of 800 but in reality it is way more than that since we are not allowed to refuse a patient since we are the end refferal hospital in our region.. my hospital have not adapted any tool on patient assignment that most often led to nurse job unsatisfaction and burnt out. And i think your study will be of great help. But before my hospital can adapt this, it has to be grounded with a study and so I will be making a study on this and would like to use also your survey with some revisions that is applicable to us if you could allow me. Thank you in advance.

Thank you all for the responses to the article! I am sorry it has taken me this long to respond, but I would love to provide the survey used. Unfortunately, I’m only able to find 6 of the 10 questions (my account used for the online survey was deleted) but I hope these questions help you.

Re: Liz Doll, I’m so glad you would find this tool helpful. You are more than welcome to adapt our tool to fit your patient population. I hope it works out well for your staff!

1. How long have you been a nurse? 2. How long have you been a nurse on 6A? (the name of our unit) 3. In my opinion, I feel that patient assignments are equal between nursing staff. (Strongly agree, agree, neutral, disagree, strongly disagree.) 4. In my opinion, I feel like I have input into making the nursing assignments. (Strongly agree, agree, neutral, disagree, strongly disagree.) 5. Please rate how frequently you feel overwhelmed with your patient assignment. (Frequently, sometimes, rarely, never.) 6. I feel like patient safety is a concern when I accept my patient assignment. (Every shift, frequently, sometimes, rarely, never.)

Loved this study and was wondering if there’d be a way to get a copy of the survey used? Thank you!

Is there a way to get a copy of the survey questions used? This is a great article!

Thank you for this insightful article. Our hospital is expanding beds and we have been using this tool to ensure our new units are properly staffed. With your permission, our team would like to make slight modifications to this tool to better fit our unique patient population. Please let me know your thoughts!

I am writing in regards to “Patient acuity tool on a medical-surgical unit” (Morrow and Powell, 2018). I believe patient acuity is a critical aspect to take into consideration when looking at staffing and nursing assignments. I agree with method the article used, creating a tool to score patient acuity. It is important to have an objective way to determine the acuity and fairly assign patients to a nurse. Having a balanced assignment benefits not only nurses by decreasing their workload, but also extends to the patients by giving them better outcomes. As a bedside nurse I have experienced overwhelming, unbalanced patient assignments. Being stretched thin forces me to be more task-oriented rather than patient centered, as I would prefer. Several months ago the unit I work for started utilizing a tool similar to the one mentioned in the article. By giving us an objective way to rate the acuity of a patient it lead to more balanced the assignments. It gave us more of a say in the assignments, the charge nurses ask us our opinions on our patient group and if they need to be separated for the next shift. This makes us feel as though we have a voice and give the charge nurse an objective way to fairly make assignments (Morrow, 2018). Overall, RNs who rated their assignments as appropriate were more likely to be satisfied with their jobs, intend to stay on their current units, and deliver quality care to patients than those who rated their assignments as inappropriate. Registered nurses who said that their assignments were appropriate are more likely have higher job satisfaction and deliver higher quality care to patients as opposed to nurses who said their patient assignments were inappropriate and unbalanced (Choi, 2018). I find that in my own practice, a balanced mix of acuity within an assignment group I am able to spend more face-to-face time with each patient as opposed to having a group of patients who are all considered high acuity. Utilizing a patient classification system is a low cost tool that nurse leaders can ensure that nurses are receiving equal assignments.

Sincerely, Carrie Young, RN

References Choi, J (2018). Registered Nurse Perception of Patient Assignment Linking to Working Conditions and Outcomes. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 50(5). Retrieved from https://doi-org.liblink.uncw . edu/10.1111/jnu.12418

Morrow, A. & Powell, J. (2018). Patient acuity tool on a medical-surgical unit. American Nurse Today, 13(4). Retrieved from https://www.myamericannurse.com/patient-acuity-meidcal-surgical-unit

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Home / NCLEX-RN Exam Guide

NCLEX-RN Exam Guide

Welcome to RegisteredNursing.org's NCLEX-RN Review Guide. This guide gives you over 85 pages of expert-written guidance covering how and what you need to know to pass the NCLEX-RN exam successfully and become an RN.

Directly below is an accordion-style table of contents focusing now on the many topics and subcategories of the four main test categories. You can also use the navigation drop-down tool to the left to navigate the various sections of the guide. You’ll find test details, including how test questions are arranged, designed, and implemented. We also give expert advice on the day of experience, study tips, and tricks, as well as 200+ NCLEX-RN practice test questions with thorough rationales.

Passing this exam will allow RNs to advance in their career and enhance their education via programs such as RN to BSN or RN to MSN options.

1. The Safe & Effective Care Environment

A. the management of care.

• Advance Directives: NCLEX-RN
• Advocacy: NCLEX-RN
• Assignment, Delegation and Supervision: NCLEX-RN
• Case Management: NCLEX-RN
• Client Rights: NCLEX-RN
• Collaboration with Interdisciplinary Team: NCLEX-RN
• Concepts of Management: NCLEX-RN
• Confidentiality and Information Security: NCLEX-RN
• Continuity of Care: NCLEX-RN
• Establishing Priorities: NCLEX-RN
• Ethical Practice: NCLEX-RN
• Information Technology: NCLEX-RN
• Informed Consent: NCLEX-RN
• Legal Rights and Responsibilities: NCLEX-RN
• Performance Improvement & Risk Management: NCLEX-RN
• Referrals: NCLEX-RN

B. Safety & Infection Control

• Accident/Error and Incident Prevention: NCLEX-RN
• Emergency Response Plans: NCLEX-RN
• Ergonomic Principles: NCLEX-RN
• Handling Hazardous and Infectious Materials: NCLEX-RN
• Home Safety: NCLEX-RN
• Reporting Incident, Event, Irregular Occurrence, Variances: NCLEX-RN
• Safe Use of Equipment: NCLEX-RN
• Security Plans: NCLEX-RN
• Standard Precautions, Transmission Based, Surgical Asepsis: NCLEX-RN
• Use of Restraints and Safety Devices: NCLEX-RN

2. Health Promotion & Maintenance

A. aging process.

• Aging Process: NCLEX-RN

B. Anti/Intra/Postpartum & Newborn Care

• Anti/Intra/Postpartum and Newborn Care: NCLEX-RN

C. Developmental Stages and Transitions

• Developmental Stages and Transitions: NCLEX-RN

D. Health Promotion & Disease Prevention

• Health Promotion and Disease Prevention: NCLEX-RN

E. Health Screening

• Health Screening: NCLEX-RN

F. High Risk Behaviors

• High Risk Behaviors: NCLEX-RN

G. Lifestyle Choices

• Lifestyle Choices: NCLEX-RN

H. Self Care

• Self Care: NCLEX-RN

I. Techniques of Physical Assessment

• Techniques of Physical Assessment: NCLEX-RN

3. Psychosocial Integrity

A. abuse & neglect.

• Abuse and Neglect: NCLEX-RN

B. Behavioral Interventions

• Behavioral Interventions: NCLEX-RN

C. Chemical & Other Dependencies and Substance Abuse Disorders

• Chemical and Other Dependencies and Substance Abuse Disorders: NCELX-RN

D. Coping Mechanisms

• Coping Mechanisms: NCLEX-RN

E. Crisis Intervention

• Crisis Intervention: NCLEX-RN

F. Cultural Awareness & Influences on Health

• Cultural Awareness and Influences on Health: NCLEX-RN

G. End of Life Care

• End of Life Care: NCLEX-RN

H. Family Dynamics

• Family Dynamics: NCLEX-RN

I. Grief & Loss

• Grief and Loss: NCLEX-RN

J. Mental Health Concepts

• Mental Health Concepts: NCLEX-RN

K. Religious & Spiritual Influences on Health

• Religious and Spiritual Influences on Health: NCLEX-RN

L. Sensory & Perceptual Alterations

• Sensory and Perceptual Alterations: NCLEX-RN

M. Stress Management

• Stress Management: NCLEX-RN

N. Support Systems

• Support Systems: NCLEX-RN

O. Therapeutic Communication

• Therapeutic Communication: NCLEX-RN

P. The Therapeutic Environment

• The Therapeutic Environment: NCLEX-RN

4. Physiological Integrity

A. basic care & comfort.

• Assistive Devices: NCLEX-RN
• Elimination: NCLEX-RN
• Mobility and Immobility: NCLEX-RN
• Non Pharmacological Comfort Interventions: NCLEX-RN
• Nutrition and Oral Hydration: NCLEX-RN
• Personal Hygiene: NCLEX-RN
• Rest and Sleep: NCLEX-RN

B. Pharmacological & Parenteral Therapies

• Adverse Effects, Contradictions, Side Effects and Interactions of Medications: NCLEX-RN
• Blood and Blood Products: NCLEX-RN
• Central Venous Access Devices: NCLEX-RN
• Dosage Calculations: NCLEX-RN
• Expected Actions and Outcomes: NCLEX-RN
• Medication Administration: NCLEX-RN
• Parenteral and Intravenous Therapies: NCLEX-RN
• Pharmacological Pain Management: NCLEX-RN
• Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN): NCLEX-RN

C. Reduction of Risk Potential

• Changes and Abnormalities in Vital Signs: NCLEX-RN
• Diagnostic Tests: NCLEX-RN
• Laboratory Values: NCLEX-RN
• Potential for Alterations in Body Systems: NCLEX-RN
• Potential for Complications from Surgical Procedures and Health Alterations: NCLEX-RN
• Potential for Complications of Diagnostic Tests, Treatments, and Procedures: NCLEX-RN
• System Specific Assessments: NCLEX-RN
• Therapeutic Procedures: NCLEX-RN

D. Physiological Adaptation

• Alterations in Body Systems: NCLEX-RN
• Fluid and Electrolyte Imbalances: NCLEX-RN
• Hemodynamics: NCLEX-RN
• Illness Management: NCLEX-RN
• Medical Emergencies: NCLEX-RN
• Pathophysiology: NCLEX-RN
• Unexpected Responses to Therapies: NCLEX-RN

What Is the NCLEX-RN?

According to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing , "Beliefs about people and nursing underlie the NCLEX-RN Test Plan. People are finite beings with varying capacities to function in society. They are unique individuals who have defined systems of daily living reflecting their values, motives, and lifestyles. People have the right to make decisions regarding their healthcare needs and to participate in meeting those needs. The nursing profession makes a unique contribution to helping clients (individual, family, or group) achieve an optimal level of health in various settings. For the NCLEX examination, a client is defined as an individual, family, or group that includes significant others and the population.

Nursing is both an art and a science, founded on a professional body of knowledge that integrates concepts from the liberal arts and the biological, physical, psychological, and social sciences. It is a learned profession based on knowledge of the human condition across the lifespan and an individual’s relationships with others and within the environment. Nursing is a dynamic, continually evolving discipline that employs critical thinking to integrate increasingly complex knowledge, skills, technologies, and client care activities into evidence-based nursing practice. The goal of nursing for client care is preventing illness and potential complications, protecting, promoting, restoring, and facilitating comfort, health, and dignity in dying.

The RN provides a unique, comprehensive assessment of the client’s health status, applying principles of ethics, client safety, health promotion, and the nursing process. The nurse then develops and implements an explicit plan of care. The nurse assists clients in promoting health, coping with health problems, adapting to and/or recovering from the effects of disease or injury, and supporting the right to a dignified death. The RN is accountable for abiding by all applicable member board jurisdiction statutes related to nursing practice."

2023 NCLEX-RN Pass Rates

Source : https://www.ncsbn.org/public-files/NCLEX_Stats_2023-Q2-PassRates.pdf

Past Years NCLEX-RN Pass Rates (First Time, US Educated)

• 2022 – 188,005 Takers, 79.90% Pass
• 2021 – 185,062 Takers, 82.48% Pass
• 2020 – 177,407 Takers, 86.57% Pass
• 2019 – 171,387 Takers, 88.18% Pass
• 2018 – 163,238 Takers, 88.29% Pass
• 2017 – 157,720 Takers, 87.11% Pass
• 2016 – 157,073 Takers, 84.57% Pass
• 2015 – 157,882 Takers, 84.53% Pass
• 2014 – 157,372 Takers, 81.78% Pass
• 2013 – 155,098 Takers, 83.04% Pass
• 2012 – 150,226 Takers, 90.34% Pass

Please note : The above numbers reflect first-time test taker pass rates.

Source : https://www.ncsbn.org/exams/exam-statistics-and-publications.page

Additional NCLEX-RN Facts & Figures by NCSBN

• 2 022 NCLEX Fact Sheet
• 2021 NCLEX Fact Sheet
• 2 020 NCLEX Fact Sheet
• 2019 NCLEX Fact Sheet
• 2018 NCLEX Fact Sheet

Registering for the NCLEX-RN Test

According to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc., all those who wish to take the NCLEX-RN Examination must:

• Apply for their registered professional nursing license with the state board of nursing where the person wants their initial license. For example, if you went to school in Pennsylvania and want to get your registered nursing license in Pennsylvania, you would apply for your registered professional nursing license with the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing. On the other hand, if you went to school in Pennsylvania and want to get your registered professional nursing license in California, you would apply for your registered professional nursing license with the California State Board of Nursing. If, at a later date, you decide to work in another state after you get your initial registered professional nursing license, you can apply to that state for your registered professional nursing license without retaking the NCLEX-RN Examination because all states in our nation will give your registered professional nursing license with a process called reciprocity.
• You must meet the state's eligibility requirements to take the NCLEX-RN Examination.
• You then register for the NCLEX-RN Examination with Pearson VUE which is the official testing company. Your nursing school will give you this information and the necessary registration forms.
• You will then receive your NCLEX Registration Acknowledgement by email from Pearson VUE after the state board of nursing validates that you are eligible to take the NCLEX-RN Examination.
• The final step for registering for the NCLEX-RN Examination is scheduling the date and time of your examination with Pearson VUE and paying the fees for it.

If you have to change your testing appointment time for the NCLEX-RN Examination, you must change it by using the Pearson VUE website or by calling Pearson VUE but this must be done at least 24 hours before your scheduled test date and time.

For example, you must change your test time appointment by Friday at least 24 hours in advance of your appointment time, the local standard time when your examination is scheduled on a Saturday.

You can register for the NCLEX-RN Examination using a major credit card, such as VISA, MasterCard or American Express, by either registering at the Pearson VUE website or by contacting Pearson VUE by telephone. You MUST have an email address when you register regardless of whether you are registering by telephone or registering for the test at their website.

Please note that Pearson VUE will NOT send any information or registration acknowledgments via the US Postal Service. They only send this information by email so it is your responsibility to have access to the internet and your email.

The NCLEX-RN Examination Fees

The basic registration fee for the NCLEX-RN Examination is $200.00. Additional fees are required if you change the state board of nursing that you want to apply to after you have registered or change the language you choose for the examination.

There are NO refunds of these fees for any reason.

Source : https://www.nclex.com/fees-payment.page

How Long is the NCLEX-RN Examination?

The NCLEX-RN Examination is a variable-length computerized adaptive test. It is not offered in paper-and-pencil or oral examination formats.

You may have to take anywhere from 75 to 265 questions depending on how you are doing with answering the questions on the test.

Of the 75 to 265 questions on the test, 15 of these questions are pretest questions. These 15 pretest questions will not be scored and they will NOT be part of or included in your final test score on your NCLEX-RN Examination.

You will have up to a maximum of 6 hours to complete the NCLEX-RN Examination regardless of the number of questions that you will have to answer on this examination.

This total of 6 hours includes:

• A short instructional tutorial about the examination that you will be taking.
• Two pre-programmed optional breaks which you may or may not choose to take. One of these two optional breaks is pre-programmed 2 hours after the test began and the other optional break is pre-programmed for 3.5 hours after the test began. The computer will alert you went these pre-programmed breaks are due.
• Other breaks that you choose to take AND
• Answering all of the questions on your NCLEX-RN Examination regardless of the number of questions that you have to do up to 265 questions on the test.

After you have answered your minimum number of questions, as based on how you have done on the examination, the testing will stop because the test taker is either above or below the passing standard. In other words, the test will stop when you have passed and the test will also stop when it is certain, or almost certain, that you have not passed the NCLEX-RN Examination.

The test will also stop when all the questions are done and also when the 6-hour time limit for the entire examination is over and done.

Based on this information, it is in your best interest to maintain a reasonable pace during the test and take no more than one or two minutes on each question. Keep in mind that you may need the full 6 hours when you have to take all of the available questions for your examination which can number up to 265 questions.

How the Questions Will Appear on the NCLEX-RN Exam

You will get only one question at a time on your computer screen. You can read the question and think about it as long as you like but the question must be answered before you can go on to the next examination question. You must, therefore, answer the question even when you are not certain and not sure that your answer is correct or the test will not proceed to the next question.

Do not waste time on a question; give it your best try. Wild guessing is NOT advised. Select the answer that you believe is the best choice and then move on to your next question.

So, read the question carefully, think about it and then answer it with your best possible response even when you are not sure. Do not get stuck on it. Remember, you only have 6 hours to finish the entire test. Keep up a reasonable and consistent pace as you go through the NCLEX-RN Examination towards its completion.

Basic Terms and Definitions Used on the NCLEX-RN

Now you will learn how to define some of the basic terms and definitions that you will see on the NCLEX-RN Examination.

When you see the word "client", it is the same as the patient and the word client can also refer to an individual, a family, or a group.

A "group" is more than one client or patient. Groups can be defined as populations of people, age groups of people, and other groups of people.

NCLEX-RN Integrated Processes are those processes that are recurring themes in nursing and the nursing process. The integrated processes that you will see on your NCLEX-RN Examination are the Nursing Process , Caring , Communication and Documentation , and lastly Teaching and Learning . You will learn about all of these integrated processes during this NCLEX review course.

The word "prescription" is defined as an order, intervention, remedy, or treatment ordered or directed by an authorized health care provider such as a doctor, nurse practitioner, and a physician extender like a physician's assistant.

The term "exhibit" indicates that you will see some pictures or diagrams such as a client chart or medical record.

Helpful Hints for Success on the NCLEX-RN Exam

The most important thing that you must bring with you when you go to take your NCLEX-RN Examination is your self-confidence.

You would never have been able to complete your nursing program and graduate from your school if you did not have great good grades and deep knowledge and understanding of nursing and nursing care. You have the knowledge to pass and ace the NCLEX-RN Examination so take your test with confidence!

See our 10 tips for preparing for the NCLEX-RN and Top NCLEX review courses available.

What Will Happen on the Day You Take Your NCLEX-RN Examination?

In addition to your confidence and a well-rested body and mind, you must also bring personal identification that has your name which fully matches the name that you registered for the test, a recent photograph, AND your signature.

This personal identification can include your current driver's license, a state identification card, a military identification card, a passport, or a permanent resident card with your recent photo; your full name, and your signature. You will not be allowed to your the NCLEX-RN Examination if your personal identification does not fulfill these mandated requirements. Additionally, you will also have to begin and pay the fees for the application process all over again.

You should also bring no or as few as possible, personal items to your testing site. When you arrive at your testing site you will be told to put all of these personal items into a locker. No personal items at all are allowed to be brought into the testing area and the test administrators are not responsible for any lost items so bring as little as possible into the testing center. The only thing that you really need when you go to your testing site is your personal identification.

A formal check-in process is done by the test administrators when you arrive at your testing center. This formal check-in process requires that you:

• Give your valid and acceptable form of personal identification to the test administrator so that they can check and validate your identity.
• Provide your digital signature and your palm vein scan to the test administrator.
• Have your photograph taken by the testing site administrator.

You will be asked to remove any jewelry, watches, and outer clothing such as a coat or hat.

After this formal check-in process and identity validation, the testing site administrator will give you brief instructions and then bring you to your seat with your assigned computer that you will use for the entire test. You may not leave this seat for any reason unless you request and are granted permission to leave this seat for a break.

Arrive at least .5 hours before your scheduled testing time. Allow enough time for inclement weather and traffic jams. If you are not sure of how to get to your assigned testing center, do a practice drive several days before your test.

Your Assigned Seat in The Testing Room

The testing room will be comfortable with an environmental temperature that is regulated with heat during the colder winter months and air conditioning during warmer weather. The testing room will be sparse and quiet. NO talking and conversations are permitted, however, there may be sounds and noises that you may find distracting to you. For example, you may hear typing, coughs, and/or sneezes.

Not all the test-takers in the testing room are tasking the NCLEX RN examination; some of these other test-takers may have to type essay answers which you may find distracting.

Ask the test administrator for earplugs to block out these distracting noises if you think that you will be distracted by extraneous noises in the testing room.

Rules and Regulations of the NCLEX-RN Examination

You must be 100% aware of and compliant with all the rules and regulations relating to taking your NCLEX-RN Examination. A failure to comply with any rule is grounds for dismissal from the examination.

You may NOT :

• Attempt to take the NCLEX-RN Examination for someone else.
• Tamper with your assigned computer in any way.
• Jot down or write on anything except the erasable note board which was given to you by the test administrator at the testing site when you arrived.
• Get any personal items from your locker during the entire time of the examination and during your breaks.
• Talk about test questions with anyone.
• Attempt to mentally recall any test questions using your memory.
• Cheat, ask for the help of another or give help to another test taker.
• Use your computer for anything other than your NCLEX-RN Examination.

Other rules and regulations for the examination state that you MUST :

• Raise your hand to ask the test administrator for a clean note board if you need it.
• Raise your hand to ask the test administrator for a break and then only take the break when you have been given permission by the test administrator to do so. A palm vein scan will be taken when you leave the room for a break and, again, when you re-enter the testing room.
• Raise your hand to ask the test administrator for another computer when there is a problem with your assigned computer.
• Return the note board when you leave the testing room.
• Use the earphones that were given to you by the testing administrator. You may not use your own.
• Use the earplugs provided by the test administrator when you have requested them.
• Raise your hand to tell the test administrator that you are done with your examination.

What To Do When You are Done with Your NCLEX RN Examination?

When you are done with your NCLEX RN Examination, you will get a short survey questionnaire that will ask you about the experiences that you have had when checking into the testing site and during the entire time that you were in the testing center and the testing room.

Raise your hand when you are done with this brief questionnaire to let the test administrator know that you have completed your NCLEX RN Examination. The test administrator will collect all the things that you were given by a testing administrator such as your earphones and your note board.

RELATED : How Many Times Can You Take the NCLEX-RN Exam?

What Kind of Questions Can I Expect to See on the NCLEX-RN Test?

You will see different levels of questions on the NCLEX-RN Examination.

The levels of questions on the NCLEX-RN Examination include knowledge and recall, comprehension of the material, application of the material into nursing practice, and higher levels of the cognitive domain of nursing.

The practice of nursing requires the application of knowledge, skills, and abilities in all aspects of nursing care; therefore, the majority of items are written at the application or higher levels of cognitive ability.

Knowledge and recall questions are the simplest of all the types of questions that you will get on the NCLEX examination.

You should respond to the couple by stating that only unanticipated treatments and procedures that are not included in the advance directive can be made by the legally appointed durable power of attorney for healthcare decisions.

• You should be aware of the fact that the wife of the client has a knowledge deficit relating to advance directives and durable powers of attorney for healthcare decisions and plan an educational activity to meet this learning need.
• You should be aware of the fact that the client has a knowledge deficit relating to advance directives and durable powers of attorney for healthcare decisions and plan an educational activity to meet this learning need.
• You should reinforce the wife’s belief that legally married spouses automatically serve for the other spouse’s durable power of attorney for health care decisions and that others than the spouse cannot be legally appointed while people are married

Correct Response: A

Both the client and the client’s spouse have knowledge deficits relating to advance directives. Legally married spouses do not automatically serve for the other spouse’s durable power of attorney for health care decisions; others than the spouse can be legally appointed while people are married.

Now, here is another knowledge and recall question.

Who is a nurse who worked with the wounded during the Crimean War?

• Martha Washington
• Dolly Madison
• Dorothea Orem
• Florence Nightingale

The answer to this question is D, Florence Nightingale. Florence Nightingale cared for the wounded soldiers of the Crimean War. Again, this question is rather simple; it just tests your ability to remember facts that you have learned.

Comprehension questions test your ability to apply a principle to a situation. Now, let's try a comprehension-level question.

Proper handwashing ensures:

• Breaking the mode of transmission.
• Skin sterility.
• Surgical asepsis.
• Skin integrity.

The answer to this question is A, breaking the mode of transmission. In this question, you had to apply the principles of infection control to proper handwashing.

Now, here is another comprehension-level question.

What type of asepsis is used for the administration of topical medications?

• Medication asepsis
• Surgical asepsis
• Sterile asepsis
• Medical asepsis

The correct response is D, medical asepsis. Medical asepsis is used for the administration of topical medications. In this comprehension question, you are demonstrating your comprehension of the principles of medical and surgical asepsis and medication administration.

Application questions test your ability to apply your knowledge to practice.

You live in your home with your husband and two children. What is the first thing you should do when the smoke alarms in your house start to go off?

• Evacuate family members.
• Run from the home.
• Use an A type fire extinguisher.

The correct answer is A, the first thing that you should do is to evacuate all members of the family. This application question tests your ability to apply the principles of fire safety and RACE to a current situation.

Now, try this one.

You are caring for a seven-year-old boy in the hospital. You have noticed that the boy is wetting his pants during the daytime hours when he is awake. What should you do?

• Admonish the boy.
• Understand that the boy is regressing.
• Understand that the boy is repressing.

The correct answer is B, you should understand that this boy is regressing during this stressful hospitalization. With this question, you have applied the principles of mental health and defense mechanisms to a patient situation.

New Format NCLEX-RN Test Questions

In the past, all of the NCLEX-RN examination questions were only multiple-choice questions with only four choices from which the correct choice had to be selected. Now, these four choices multiple-choice questions are still on the examination, however, new format questions have been recently added.

Fortunately, the majority of the NCLEX-RN examination questions are still the traditional four-option multiple-choice questions but be prepared for alternate format questions.

All of the questions that I just discussed for the knowledge and recall, comprehension, and application levels were all traditional four-choice multiple-choice questions.

Most of the four-choice multiple-choice questions are narrative-type questions like the ones above, but others can consist of audio clips, tables, charts, graphs, patient medical records, and images or pictures. For example, you may get a four-choice multiple-choice question that asks you to select an anatomical body part from a graphic image of the body; you may also get a four-choice multiple-choice question that asks you to select a heart or breath sound that you hear with an audio clip by using your earphones. For example, you may hear a particular breath sound and you will then be asked the name of this abnormal breath sound.

The alternative and new format questions can also consist of tables, charts, graphs, audio clips, and images or pictures, in addition to narrative questions.

The alternative and new format questions are:

Multiple response questions that ask you to select ALL the responses or items in the question that are correct. With this type of alternative and new format question, you will have to select more than one correct answer.

You will not get any credit for a question if you do not answer with ALL of the possible correct answers. For example, you will not get any credit for the question if you only choose three of the four correct answers. There is NO partial credit for questions on the NCLEX examination. Each question is graded as correct or incorrect.

• Fill in the blank questions that ask you to fill in the correct answer to a calculation that you must mathematically calculate.
• Hot spot questions ask you to find and click on the "hot spot" or the specific area that shows the spot that the question is asking you to identify.
• Ordered response questions that ask you to use the computer mouse and then drag and drop items on a list in the correct sequential order.

All question types, including the traditional four-item multiple choice questions, and all of these alternatives, new format questions may include multimedia, such as charts, tables, graphics, sound, and video.

Now, let's do several multiple-response questions. Remember, you must select all the correct responses in order to get these questions correct. You will be graded incorrectly if you miss even one correct response.

Which of the following sports are NOT considered contact sports? Select all that apply.

The correct responses to this question are A, D, E, and F, tennis, golf, basketball, and diving are NOT contact sports. Football, boxing, and rugby are considered contact sports. If you only selected three responses instead of the correct four choices, you would not get any credit for this question; this question will be scored as incorrect because you missed one or more of the four correct responses.

Now let's do a couple more multiple-response questions.

You are working the evening shift and your hospital is alerted to the fact that a cyclone is possibly heading to your nursing home. What should you do? Select all that apply.

• Evacuate bedridden patients to a lower level using an elevator.
• Evacuate patients to a higher floor.
• Cover the patients with wet blankets.
• Move patients to a hallway area that is not near any windows.
• Lower the beds of bedridden patients to the lowest possible height.
• Close all of the window drapes and curtains.

The correct responses to this question are D, E, and F

These emergency interventions protect patients from flying glass and other debris that can occur with a cyclone. Again, if you only got two of these three responses, you will not get any credit for this question. It will be scored incorrectly because you missed one of the correct responses.

Now, let's try this multiple-response question:

Which of these are a role and responsibilities of a registered nurse in terms of an internal disaster? Select all that apply.

• Participating in all internal emergency preparedness disaster drills
• Using autocratic and authoritarian leadership skills
• Establishing those urgent clients is the greatest triage priority
• Communicating with family members about the patient's status

The correct responses to this question are A, B, C, and D

Again, if you only got three or fewer of these four responses, you would not get any credit for this question.

Fill in the blanks questions are used for calculations, such as the ones that you do for medication dosages and intravenous fluid flow rates.

For example:

How many mLs are there in 10 ounces? Fill in the blank.

The correct answer is 300 mLs. There are 30 mLs in one ounce so 30 x 10 = 300

Any answer other than 300 mLs is incorrect.

You are using an intravenous set that has a drop factor of fifteen drops per mL. How many drops per minute will you administer when the doctor has ordered 100 mLs per hour? Fill in the blank.

The correct response is 33 drops per minute.

All answers other than 33 drops per minute are incorrect.

Now, here is your last fill-in-the-blank practice question.

You have to administer 3,000 units of heparin subcutaneously and the label on the heparin bottle reads 4,000 units per mL. How many mLs will you administer? Fill in the blank:

The correct answer is 0.75 ccs or mLs. The answer is calculated by dividing 3,000 units of heparin by 4,000 which is 0.75.

Ordered response questions ask you to use the computer mouse and then drag and drop items on a list in correct sequential order.

Place the following phases of the Nursing Process in the correct sequential order:

• Nursing diagnosis
• Implementation

For this question on the NCLEX-PN examination, you would drag and drop assessment to the top of the list because the assessment is the first phase of the nursing process; you would then you would drag and drop the following other phases of the Nursing Process in this order:

Place these phases of the pharmacokinetic process in the correct sequential order:

• Distribution

For this question you would drag and drop absorption to the top of the list because this is the first phase of the pharmacokinetic process; you would then drag and drop the following in this sequential order:

Hot spots can include anatomical pictures which would require you to identify specific points in these pictures. Hot spot questions that could be included on your NCLEX-RN

An examination may be asked to identify:

• The umbilical vein
• The umbilical artery
• The correct placement of an ostomy pouch
• Parts of the brain
• Areas where you would place your stethoscope to hear a specific heart sound
• ECG lead placement spots
• Areas of the body where you would palpate for various pulses
• The male and female reproductive internal and external organs

Video questions on the NCLEX-PN Examination can include things like a patient scenario that you would view and then think about in order to answer a question. For example, a video may show you a nurse washing their hands. You may then be asked to identify the aspect of handwashing that the nurse did not do correctly.

When you watch a video, pay very close attention to all the details of what you see on the video.

Audio questions will instruct you to put your earphones on and listen to an audio segment. Breath and heart sounds as well as bowel sounds could be tested.

Some of the sounds that you may hear with these audio clips (COMING SOON!) are normal and abnormal breath sounds such as:

• Vesicular breath sounds
• Crackles or fine rales
• Crackles or coarse rales
• Bronchial breath sounds
• Pleural Rubs
• Bronchovesicular breath sounds

You may also hear audio clips of heart sounds such as:

• A regular sinus beat
• An irregular heart rate
• Tachycardia
• Bradycardia

Distribution of the Four NCLEX-RN Test Categories

The NCLEX-RN Test Plan is organized into four major Client Needs categories. Two of the four categories are divided into subcategories as shown below:

• Management of Care – 17% to 23%
• Safety and Infection Control – 9% to 15%
• Health Promotion and Maintenance – 6% to 12%
• Psychosocial Integrity – 6% to 12%
• Basic Care and Comfort – 6% to 12%
• Pharmacological and Parenteral Therapies – 12% to 18%
• Reduction of Risk Potential – 9% to 15%
• Physiological Adaptation – 11% to 17%

Category 1: Safe and Effective Care Environment

The Safe and Effective Care Environment consists of the Management of Care and the Safety and Infection Control subcategories.

Management of Care

The registered nurse provides and directs nursing care that enhances the care delivery setting to protect the client and health care personnel.

RNs must be able to:

• Integrate advance directives into client plan of care
• Assign and supervise the care provided by others (e.g., LPN/LVN, assistive personnel, other RNs)
• Organize workload to manage time effectively
• Participate in providing cost-effective care
• Initiate, evaluate, and update the plan of care (e.g., care map, clinical pathway)
• Provide education to clients and staff about client rights and responsibilities
• Advocate for client rights and needs
• Collaborate with health care members in other disciplines when providing client care
• Manage conflict among clients and health care staff
• Maintain client confidentiality and privacy
• Provide and receive a report on assigned clients (e.g., standardized handoff communication)
• Use approved abbreviations and standard terminology when documenting care
• Perform procedures necessary to safely admit, transfer or discharge a client
• Prioritize the delivery of client care
• Recognize ethical dilemmas and take appropriate action
• Practice in a manner consistent with a code of ethics for registered nurses
• Verify that the client comprehends and consents to care and procedures
• Receive and/or transcribe health care provider orders
• Utilize information resources to enhance the care provided to a client (e.g., evidenced-based research, information technology, policies, and procedures)
• Recognize the limitations of self/others and seek assistance
• Report client conditions as required by law (e.g., abuse/neglect, communicable disease, gunshot wound)
• Report unsafe practices of health care personnel and intervene as appropriate (e.g., substance abuse, improper care, staffing practices)
• Provide care within the legal scope of practice
• Participate in performance improvement/quality improvement process and
• Recognize the need for referrals and obtain necessary orders

Related content includes, but is not limited to:

• Advance Directives
• Assignment, Delegation, and Supervision
• Case Management
• Client Rights
• Collaboration with Interdisciplinary Team
• Concepts of Management
• Confidentiality/Information Security
• Continuity of Care
• Establishing Priorities
• Ethical Practice
• Informed Consent
• Information Technology
• Legal Rights and Responsibilities
• Performance Improvement & Risk Management (Quality Improvement)

Explore – Management of Care Practice Test Questions

All of these content areas will be reviewed above for the Management of Care portion of this NCLEX-RN review in a similar manner to how this review will cover all of the other NCLEX-RN examination content areas as established by the National Council of the State Boards of Nursing.

Safety and Infection Control

The registered nurse protects clients and health care personnel from health and environmental hazards.

They must be able to:

• Assess the client for allergies and intervene as needed (e.g., food, latex, environmental allergies)
• Protect client from injury (e.g., falls, electrical hazards)
• Ensure proper identification of client when providing care
• Verify the appropriateness and/or accuracy of a treatment order
• Implement emergency response plans (e.g., internal/external disaster)
• Use ergonomic principles when providing care (e.g., assistive devices, proper lifting)
• Follow procedures for handling biohazardous materials
• Educate client on home safety issues
• Acknowledge and document practice errors (e.g. incident report for medication error)
• Facilitate appropriate and safe use of equipment
• Participate in institution security plan (e.g., newborn nursery security, bomb threats)
• Apply principles of infection control (e.g., hand hygiene, surgical asepsis, isolation, sterile technique, universal/standard precautions)
• Educate client and staff regarding infection control measures
• Follow requirements for use of restraints and/or safety devices (e.g., least restrictive restraints, timed client monitoring)
• Accident/Error and Incident Prevention
• Emergency Response Plans
• Ergonomic Principles
• Handling Hazardous and Infectious Materials
• Home Safety
• Reporting Incident / Event / Irregular Occurrence / Variances
• Safe Use of Equipment
• Security Plans
• Standard Precautions/Transmission Based Precautions/Surgical Asepsis
• Use of Restraints/Safety Devices

Explore – Safety & Infection Control Practice Test Questions

Category 2: Health Promotion and Maintenance

In this section, the registered nurse provides and directs nursing care to the client that incorporates knowledge of expected growth and development principles; prevention and/or early detection of health problems; and strategies to achieve optimal health.

• Provide care and education for the newborn less than 1-month-old through the infant or toddler client through 2 years
• Provide care and education for the preschool, school-age and adolescent clients ages 3 through 17 years
• Provide care and education for the adult client aged 18 through 64 years
• Provide care and education for the adult client aged 65 through 85 years and over
• Provide prenatal care and education
• Provide care to the client in labor
• Provide post-partum care and education
• Assess and teach clients about health risks based on family, population, and/or community characteristics
• Assess the client's readiness to learn, learning preferences, and barriers to learning
• Plan and/or participate in community health education
• Provide information about health promotion and maintenance recommendations (e.g., physician visits, immunizations)
• Perform targeted screening assessments (e.g., vision, hearing, nutrition)
• Provide information for the prevention and treatment of high-risk health behaviors (e.g., smoking cessation, safe sexual practices, drug education)
• Assess the client’s ability to manage care in the home environment and plan care accordingly (e.g. equipment, community resources)
• Perform a comprehensive health assessment
• Aging Process
• Anti/Intra/Postpartum and Newborn Care
• Developmental Stages and Transitions
• Health Promotion/Disease Prevention
• Health Screening
• High-Risk Behaviors
• Lifestyle Choices
• Techniques of Physical Assessment

Explore – Health Promotion & Maintenance Practice Test Questions

Category 3: Psychosocial Integrity

In the Psychosocial Integrity part of your examination, you will be expected to demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to provide and direct nursing care that promotes and supports the emotional, mental and social well-being of the client experiencing stressful events, as well as clients with acute or chronic mental illness.

The nurse is expected to be able to:

• Assess the client for abuse or neglect and intervene as appropriate
• Incorporate behavioral management techniques when caring for a client (e.g., positive reinforcement, setting limits)
• Assess client for drug/alcohol dependencies, withdrawal, or toxicities and intervene as appropriate
• Assess client in coping with life changes and provide support
• Assess the potential for violence and use safety precautions (e.g., suicide, homicide, self-destructive behavior)
• Incorporate client cultural practices and beliefs when planning and providing care
• Provide end-of-life care and education to clients
• Assess family dynamics to determine the plan of care (e.g., structure, bonding, communication, boundaries, coping mechanisms)
• Provide care and education for acute and chronic behavioral health issues (e.g., anxiety, depression, dementia, eating disorders)
• Assess psychosocial, spiritual, and occupational factors affecting care, and plan interventions
• Provide care for a client experiencing visual, auditory, or cognitive distortions (e.g., hallucinations)
• Recognize non-verbal cues to physical and/or psychological stressors
• Use therapeutic communication techniques to provide client support
• Provide a therapeutic environment for clients with emotional/behavioral issues

The term mental health can have many definitions. For example, mental health can be defined as successful adjustments and coping with the stressors of everyday life in a manner that is acceptable to society and healthy for the client. On the other hand, mental illness can be defined as a lack of a person's adhering to society's norms and acting in a way that is not appropriate in terms of the client's behavior.

Some of the factors that impact the development of mental health include our inherited genetic make of one's life circumstances, such as good physical health, economic security, social support networks and friends, and nurturing during the early years of life as well as those described below.

Populations at Risk For Psychological Disorders Along the Life Span

Older adults may be at risk for a lack of psychological integrity as the result of social isolation, grief/loss after the death of a spouse, friend, or another loved one, fear of declining physical and mental abilities, actual physical and mental declines, and reduced income, for example.

Adolescents and young adults are often adversely affected by sexual identity issues, an eating disorder, peer pressure, illicit drug use, and bullying.

New parents often experience stressors relating to the transition from being a couple to being parents with great responsibilities, a possible loss of financial income, anxiety regarding the child's wellbeing, concerns that they are not adequate parents, coping with the baby's constant demands and needs, as well as some conflicts and ambivalence about accepting the pregnancy and the newborn.

Gender-Related Risk Factors

Women are at risk for mental illness as the result of domestic violence, hormonal changes as occur after pregnancy and menopause, internal, and intrapersonal conflicts about the multiple and challenging roles they wish, or have, to fulfill, including that of a full-time career person, homemaker, single parent, and the caregiver for the elderly parents.

Males may be adversely affected by economic and income concerns, the loss of sexual functioning, and declining muscular strength and stamina.

Risk Factors Secondary to Physical and Cognitive Illnesses and Disorders

The physically and cognitively impaired are at risk for mental illness because they are often affected by poor quality of life, impaired self-image, social isolation, a decreasing lack of independence, societal stigma, and a lack of meaningful relationships.

Social Risk Factors

The homeless, the indigent, and refugees have stressors such as financial uncertainty, poverty, poor social status, the loss of self-esteem and self-worth, and other stressors.

Commonly occurring signs and symptoms of mental illness are not always as clear, unambiguous, and objective as the signs and symptoms of a physiological disorder. Generally speaking, the signs and symptoms of mental disease can include social withdrawal, changes in personal habits like grooming and hygiene, abnormal changes in mood, changes in thought processes, and other behaviors.

The American Psychiatric Association's (APA) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) contains four major categories of mental illness. Each of these four major categories contains many mental health disorders.

The APA's four major categories of mental health disorders are:

• Thought disorders : Thought disorders are characterized by disordered thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
• Mood disorders : Mood disorders, also referred to as mood affective disorders, have an effect on the client's mood and affect. For example, the patient's mood can be happy, elated, somber, sad, depressed, or flat and without any emotion whatsoever.
• Behavioral disorders: Behavioral disorders can manifest with hostility, aggression, self-harm, harm to others, and defiance.
• Mixed disorders : Mixed disorders have to define characteristics, signs, and symptoms of more than one of the above APA categories of mental health disorders.

Mental health disorders can also be categorized and described as:

• Sexual disorders
• Gender identity disorders
• Cognitive disorders like delirium, dementia, and Alzheimer's disease
• Poor impulse control disorders
• Substance abuse disorders such as alcohol and illicit drug abuse, dependency, and addiction
• Anxiety disorders, such as obsessive disorders, phobias, and panic disorders
• Sleep disorders
• Eating disorders like anorexia nervosa
• Mood disorders like depression and bipolar disease
• Schizophrenia includes paranoid or catatonic-type schizophrenia
• Personality disorders like a dependent personality and an antisocial personality
• Abuse and Neglect
• Behavioral Interventions
• Chemical and Other Dependencies and Substance Abuse Disorders
• Coping Mechanisms
• Crisis Intervention
• Cultural Awareness and Influences on Health
• End of Life Care
• Family Dynamics
• Grief and Loss
• Mental Health Concepts
• Religious and Spiritual Influences on Health
• Sensory/Perceptual Alterations
• Stress Management
• Support Systems
• Therapeutic Communication
• The Therapeutic Environment

Explore – Psychosocial Integrity Practice Test Questions

Category 4: Physiological Integrity

In the Physiological Integrity part of your examination, you will be expected to demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to promote physical health and wellness by providing care and comfort, reducing client risk potential, and managing health alterations.

The four subsections under Physiological Integrity are Basic Care and Comfort, Pharmacological Therapies, the Reduction of Risk Potential, and Physiological Adaptation.

Basic Care and Comfort

In the Basic Care and Comfort questions, the nurse will be required to demonstrate that they can provide comfort and assistance in the performance of activities of daily living.

The nurse must be competent to:

• Assist the client to compensate for a physical or sensory impairment (e.g., assistive devices, positioning, compensatory techniques)
• Assess and manage a client with an alteration in elimination (e.g., bowel, urinary)
• Perform irrigations (e.g., of the bladder, ear, eye)
• Perform skin assessment and implement measures to maintain skin integrity and prevent skin breakdown (e.g., turning, repositioning, pressure-relieving support surfaces)
• Apply, maintain or remove orthopedic devices (e.g., traction, splints, braces, casts)
• Apply and maintain devices used to promote venous return (e.g., anti-embolic stockings, sequential compression devices)
• Implement measures to promote circulation (e.g., active or passive range of motion, positioning, and mobilization)
• Assess client need for pain management
• Provide non-pharmacological comfort measures
• Manage the client's nutritional intake (e.g., adjust diet, monitor height, and weight)
• Provide client nutrition through continuous or intermittent tube feedings
• Evaluate client intake and output and intervene as needed
• Assess and intervene in client performance of activities of daily living
• Perform post-mortem care
• Assess the client’s need for sleep/rest and intervene as needed

Related content includes but is not limited to:

• Assistive Devices
• Elimination
• Mobility/Immobility
• Non-Pharmacological Comfort Interventions
• Nutrition and Oral Hydration
• Personal Hygiene
• Rest and Sleep

Explore – Basic Care & Comfort Practice Test Questions

Pharmacological and Parenteral Therapies

The registered nurse provides care related to the administration of medications and parenteral therapies.

Registered nurses must be able to:

• Administer blood products and evaluate client response
• Access venous access devices, including tunneled, implanted, and central lines
• Perform calculations needed for medication administration
• Evaluate client response to medication (e.g., therapeutic effects, side effects, adverse reactions)
• Educate the client about medications
• Prepare and administer medications, using rights of medication administration
• Review pertinent data prior to medication administration (e.g., contraindications, lab results, allergies, potential interactions)
• Participate in the medication reconciliation process
• Titrate the dosage of medication based on assessment and ordered parameters (e.g., giving insulin according to blood glucose levels, titrating medication to maintain specific blood pressure)
• Evaluate appropriateness and accuracy of medication order for the client
• Monitor intravenous infusion and maintain the site (e.g., central, PICC, epidural, and venous access devices)
• Administer pharmacological measures for pain management
• Administer controlled substances within regulatory guidelines (e.g., witness, waste)
• Administer parenteral nutrition and evaluate client response (e.g., TPN)

Some of the commonly used terms and terminology relating to pharmacological and parenteral treatments that you must be aware of and knowledgeable about include those briefly described below:

• Pharmacokinetics : Pharmacokinetics is the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of drugs.
• Pharmacodynamics : Pharmacodynamics refers to the actions of medications in the body. Drug concentrations, receptor and binding activities, antagonistic actions, and agonist actions are pharmacodynamic principles.
• Drug absorption: Drug absorption is the pharmacokinetic process by which the medication moves through the body to the bloodstream. Because intravenous medications are delivered directly into the bloodstream, they are not absorbed. The rates of absorption for oral medications vary according to the acidity of the stomach's fluids, the presence of food, and other factors.
• Drug distribution: Drug distribution, the second phase of the pharmacokinetic process, is the movement of the medication through the bloodstream to its target. Fat-soluble medications are attracted to fatty tissue targets.
• Drug metabolism or biotransformation: Drug metabolism, also referred to as biotransformation, is the third phase of the pharmacokinetic process. Drug metabolism is defined as the detoxification and breaking down of drugs in the liver.
• Excretion: Excretion, the final stage of pharmacokinetics, is defined as the elimination of active and inactive drug metabolites from the body. The vast majority of medications are excreted by the kidney and the urinary tract but some may be excreted via the respiratory and gastrointestinal tract.
• Indications for medications: The indications for medications are those diseases, disorders, illnesses, and conditions that are appropriate uses for a particular medication. For example, the indications for the use of phenobarbital include the control of seizures, the prevention of seizures, decrease anxiety and withdrawal from a barbiturate. The indications for medications are established by the United States Food and Drug Administration. When a medication is used for any other than these established and approved uses, this usage is referred to as an "off-label use".
• Contraindications of medications: Virtually all medications are not indicated for, and thus, contraindicated for certain clients, based on one or more conditions. For example, medications classified as Categories C, D, and X are contraindicated for women who are pregnant. Many drugs are contraindicated during pregnancy, during lactation, and when the client has a history of renal or hepatic disease, for example.
• The cautious use of medications: Like contraindications, many medications have published precautions that indicate the cautious use of medication based on the status of the client; although the cautious use of a medication is often done, it is done when there are no suitable alternatives to it with the provision that the client will be closely monitored and assessed for any adverse effects.
• Therapeutic effects of medication: A therapeutic effect is the desired effect of the specific medication. For example, the therapeutic and desired effects of anti-anxiety medications are to decrease the client's level of anxiety and the therapeutic effects of anti-hypertensive medications are to decrease the client's blood pressure.
• Side effects of medication: A side effect of a medication is any effect(s) other than the therapeutic and intended effect(s) of a medication. Some side effects adversely affect a client, other side effects can be harmless to the client, and still, more may be desirable side effect that is therapeutic for the client. These kinds of side effects can include damage to the 8th cranial nerve, minor oral dryness, and sleepiness after taking an antihistamine such as diphenhydramine which is taken by many people, particularly the elderly, to induce sleep rather than for its antihistamine actions.
• Idiosyncratic effects of medication: Idiosyncratic effects of the medication include those side effects that are rare, unusual, and unexpected. These effects can include things like a client experiencing hyperactivity after having taken a sedating medication. These effects tend to be individual rather than common to a group or population of clients affected with a certain risk factor of disorder, for example.
• Cumulative effects of medication: The cumulative effects of a medication are those effects that result from the accumulation of a medication. Cumulative effects of medications can occur as the result of several impaired pharmacokinetic processes including the impaired biotransformation and excretion of drugs, as often occurs among elderly clients because of some of the normal changes in the aging process. At times, the cumulative effects of a medication can be a life-threatening overdose of the medication; therefore, caution must be exercised when a client is at risk for the accumulation of a medication and its cumulative effects.
• Adverse effects of medication: The adverse effect of a medication is highly serious and far more troublesome than the side effects of medications. For example, an anaphylactic response to an antibiotic is an adverse effect of that medication. Except under highly unusual circumstances, medications that lead to adverse effects are immediately discontinued.
• Drug interactions: Drug interactions occur when drugs and foods interact, when drugs and herbs or supplements interact, and when drugs and other drugs interact. Some of these drug interactions are synergistic and potentiating and others may be inhibiting.
• Potentiating effects of medication: A potentiating effect of a medication is the synergistic, additive effect that occurs when drugs and foods interact, when drugs and herbs or supplements interact, and when drugs and other drugs interact. The former two interactions will make the medication more powerful in its effects, and the latter will have an increased effect by one or more of the medications that are interacting.
• Inhibiting effects of medication: An inhibiting effect of a medication is a decreased effect that occurs when drugs and foods interact, when drugs and herbs or supplements interact, and when drugs and other drugs interact. The former two interactions will weaken the effects of the medication, and the latter will have a decreased and inhibiting effect on one or more of the medications that are interacting.
• Drug toxicity: Drug toxicity is defined as overdosage of a medication that occurs when the dose that is administered exceeds the client's ability to metabolize and/or excrete the medication.
• Drug allergy: A drug allergy is the result of an antigen-antibody immunologic response to a medication. All clients must be assessed for any drug sensitivities and allergies.
• Drug tolerance: Drug tolerance occurs when a client has been receiving a particular medication, such as an opioid drug, for a prolonged period of time and, as a result of this prolonged administration, the client needs increasing doses of the medication to produce the therapeutic effect.
• The chemical name of a drug: The chemical name of a drug is the chemical composition of the drug.
• The trade or brand name of a drug: The trade or brand name of a drug is the manufacturer's name for the drug. Trade name drugs are more expensive than generic drugs.
• The generic name of a drug: The generic name of a drug is the name of a drug that is given to it by the United States Adopted Names Council. This name remains the same over time. A generic medication can have a number of different trade names, but a trade name is the exclusive property of the drug manufacturer, therefore, there is no more than one trade name. For example, the generic name of metoprolol can have multiple trade names such as Metoprolol Succinate and Lopressor, both of which are capitalized, unlike generic names.
• Adverse Effects/Contraindications/Side Effects/Interactions
• Blood and Blood Products
• Central Venous Access Devices
• Dosage Calculations
• Expected Actions/Outcomes
• Medication Administration
• Parenteral/Intravenous Therapies
• Pharmacological Pain Management
• Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN)

Explore – Pharmacological & Parenteral Therapies Practice Test Questions

Reduction of Risk Potential

The Reduction of Risk Potential questions will test the ability of the nurse to reduce the likelihood that clients will develop complications or health problems related to existing conditions, treatments, or procedures.

The nurse must be able to:

• Assess and respond to changes in the client’s vital signs
• Perform diagnostic testing (e.g., electrocardiogram, oxygen saturation, glucose monitoring)
• Monitor the results of diagnostic testing and intervene as needed
• Obtain blood specimens peripherally or through the central line
• Obtain specimens other than blood for diagnostic testing (e.g., wound, stool, urine)
• Insert, maintain and remove a gastric tube
• Insert, maintain and remove a urinary catheter
• Insert, maintain and remove a peripheral intravenous line
• Use precautions to prevent injury and/or complications associated with a procedure or diagnosis
• Evaluate responses to procedures and treatments
• Recognize trends and changes in client condition and intervene as needed
• Perform focused assessment
• Educate the client about treatments and procedures
• Provide preoperative and postoperative education
• Provide preoperative care
• Provide intraoperative care
• Manage client during and following a procedure with moderate sedation
• Changes/Abnormalities in Vital Signs
• Diagnostic Tests
• Laboratory Values
• Potential For Alterations in Body Systems
• Potential for Complications of Diagnostic Tests/Treatments/ Procedures
• Potential for Complications from Surgical Procedures and Health Alterations
• System Specific Assessments
• Therapeutic Procedures

Explore – Reduction of Risk Potential Practice Test Questions

Physiological Adaptation

The Physiological Adaptation questions will test the ability of the nurse to manage and provide care for clients with acute, chronic, or life-threatening physical health conditions.

• Assist with invasive procedures (e.g., central line, thoracentesis, bronchoscopy)
• Implement and monitor phototherapy
• Maintain an optimal temperature for the client (e.g., cooling and/or warming blanket)
• Monitor and care for clients on a ventilator
• Monitor and maintain devices and equipment used for drainage (e.g., surgical wound drains, chest tube suction, negative pressure wound therapy)
• Perform and manage the care of clients receiving peritoneal dialysis
• Perform suctioning (e.g. oral, nasopharyngeal, endotracheal, tracheal)
• Provide wound care or dressing change
• Provide ostomy care and education (e.g. tracheal, enteral)
• Provide pulmonary hygiene (e.g., chest physiotherapy, incentive spirometry)
• Provide postoperative care
• Manage the care of a client with a fluid and electrolyte imbalance
• Monitor and maintain arterial lines
• Manage the care of a client with a pacing device (e.g., pacemaker)
• Manage the care of a client on telemetry
• Manage the care of a client receiving hemodialysis
• Manage the care of a client with alteration in hemodynamics, tissue perfusion, and hemostasis (e.g., cerebral, cardiac, peripheral)
• Educate the client regarding an acute or chronic condition
• Manage the care of a client with impaired ventilation/oxygenation
• Evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment regimen for a client with an acute or chronic diagnosis
• Perform emergency care procedures (e.g., cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, respiratory support, automated external defibrillator)
• Identify pathophysiology related to an acute or chronic condition (e.g., signs and symptoms)
• Recognize the signs and symptoms of complications and intervene appropriately when providing client care
• Alterations in Body Systems
• Fluid and Electrolyte Imbalances
• Hemodynamics
• Illness Management
• Medical Emergencies
• Pathophysiology
• Unexpected Responses to Therapies

Explore – Physiological Adaptation Practice Test Questions

PLEASE NOTE : National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN®) is a registered trademark of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc. None of the trademark holders are affiliated with RegisteredNursing.org.

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How to Write a Nursing Essay with a Quick Guide

Ever felt the blank-page panic when assigned a nursing essay? Wondering where to start or if your words will measure up to the weight of your experiences? Fear not, because today, we're here to guide you through this process.

Imagine you're at your favorite coffee spot, armed with a cup of motivation (and maybe a sneaky treat). Got it? Great! Now, let's spill the secrets on how to spin your nursing tales into words that not only get you that A+ but also tug at the heartstrings of anyone reading. We've got your back with nursing essay examples that'll be your inspiration, an outline to keep you on the right path, and more!

What Is a Nursing Essay

Let's start by dissecting the concept. A nursing essay serves as a focused exploration of a specific aspect of nursing, providing an opportunity for students to demonstrate their theoretical knowledge and its practical application in patient care settings.

Picture it as a journey through the challenges and victories of a budding nurse. These essays go beyond the classroom, tackling everything from tricky ethical dilemmas to the impact of healthcare policies on the front lines. It's not just about grades; it's about proving, 'I'm ready for the real deal.'

So, when you read or write a nursing essay, it's not just words on paper. It's like looking into the world of someone who's about to start their nursing career – someone who's really thought about the ins and outs of being a nurse. And before you kick off your nursing career, don't shy away from asking - write my essay for me - we're ready to land a professional helping hand.

How to Start a Nursing Essay

When you start writing a nursing essay, it is like gearing up for a crucial mission. Here's your quick guide from our nursing essay writing service :

Choosing Your Topic: Select a topic that sparks your interest and relates to real-world nursing challenges. Consider areas like patient care, ethical dilemmas, or the impact of technology on healthcare.

Outline Your Route : Plan your essay's journey. Create a roadmap with key points you want to cover. This keeps you on track and your essay on point.

Craft a Strong Thesis: Assuming you already know how to write a hook , kick off your writing with a surprising fact, a thought-provoking quote, or a brief anecdote. Then, state your main argument or perspective in one sentence. This thesis will serve as the compass for your essay, guiding both you and your reader through the rest of your writing.

How to Structure a Nursing Essay

Every great essay is like a well-orchestrated performance – it needs a script, a narrative that flows seamlessly, capturing the audience's attention from start to finish. In our case, this script takes the form of a well-organized structure. Let's delve into the elements that teach you how to write a nursing essay, from a mere collection of words to a compelling journey of insights.

Nursing Essay Introduction

Begin your nursing essay with a spark. Knowing how to write essay introduction effectively means sharing a real-life scenario or a striking fact related to your topic. For instance, if exploring patient care, narrate a personal experience that made a lasting impression. Then, crisply state your thesis – a clear roadmap indicating the direction your essay will take. Think of it as a teaser that leaves the reader eager to explore the insights you're about to unfold.

In the main body, dive into the heart of your essay. Each paragraph should explore a specific aspect of your topic. Back your thoughts with examples – maybe a scenario from your clinical experience, a relevant case study, or findings from credible sources. Imagine it as a puzzle coming together; each paragraph adds a piece, forming a complete picture. Keep it focused and let each idea flow naturally into the next.

Nursing Essay Conclusion

As writing a nursing essay nears the end, resist the urge to introduce new elements. Summarize your main points concisely. Remind the reader of the real-world significance of your thesis – why it matters in the broader context of nursing. Conclude with a thought-provoking statement or a call to reflection, leaving your reader with a lasting impression. It's like the final scene of a movie that leaves you thinking long after the credits roll.

Nursing Essay Outline

Before diving into the essay, craft a roadmap – your outline. This isn't a rigid skeleton but a flexible guide that ensures your ideas flow logically. Consider the following template from our research paper writing service :

Introduction

• Opening Hook: Share a brief, impactful patient care scenario.
• Relevance Statement: Explain why the chosen topic is crucial in nursing.
• Thesis: Clearly state the main argument or perspective.

Patient-Centered Care:

• Definition: Clarify what patient-centered care means in nursing.
• Personal Experience: Share a relevant encounter from clinical practice.
• Evidence: Integrate findings from reputable nursing literature.

Ethical Dilemmas in Nursing Practice

• Scenario Presentation: Describe a specific ethical challenge faced by nurses.
• Decision-Making Process: Outline steps taken to address the dilemma.
• Ethical Frameworks: Discuss any ethical theories guiding the decision.

Impact of Technology on Nursing

• Current Trends: Highlight technological advancements in nursing.
• Case Study: Share an example of technology enhancing patient care.
• Challenges and Benefits: Discuss the pros and cons of technology in nursing.
• Summary of Key Points: Recap the main ideas from each section.
• Real-world Implications: Emphasize the practical significance in nursing practice.
• Closing Thought: End with a reflective statement or call to action.

A+ in Nursing Essays Await You!

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Nursing Essay Examples

Here are the nursing Essay Examples for you to read.

Writing a Nursing Essay: Essential Tips

When it comes to crafting a stellar nursing essay, a few key strategies can elevate your work from ordinary to exceptional. Here are some valuable tips from our medical school personal statement writer :

Connect with Personal Experiences:

• Approach: Weave personal encounters seamlessly into your narrative.
• Reasoning: This not only adds authenticity to your essay but also serves as a powerful testament to your firsthand understanding of the challenges and triumphs in the nursing field.

Emphasize Critical Thinking:

• Approach: Go beyond describing situations; delve into their analysis.
• Reasoning: Nursing essays are the perfect platform to showcase your critical thinking skills – an essential attribute in making informed decisions in real-world healthcare scenarios.

Incorporate Patient Perspectives:

• Approach: Integrate patient stories or feedback into your discussion.
• Reasoning: By bringing in the human element, you demonstrate empathy and an understanding of the patient's experience, a core aspect of nursing care.

Integrate Evidence-Based Practice:

• Approach: Support your arguments with the latest evidence-based literature.
• Reasoning: Highlighting your commitment to staying informed and applying current research underscores your dedication to evidence-based practice – a cornerstone in modern nursing.

Address Ethical Considerations:

• Approach: Explicitly discuss the ethical dimensions of your topic.
• Reasoning: Nursing essays provide a platform to delve into the ethical complexities inherent in healthcare, showcasing your ability to navigate and analyze these challenges.

Balance Theory and Practice:

• Approach: Connect theoretical concepts to real-world applications.
• Reasoning: By bridging the gap between theory and practice, you illustrate your capacity to apply academic knowledge effectively in the dynamic realm of nursing.

Highlight Interdisciplinary Collaboration:

• Approach: Discuss collaborative efforts with other healthcare professionals.
• Reasoning: Acknowledging the interdisciplinary nature of healthcare underscores your understanding of the importance of teamwork – a vital aspect of successful nursing practice.

Reflect on Lessons Learned:

• Approach: Conclude with a thoughtful reflection on personal growth or lessons from your exploration.
• Reasoning: This not only provides a satisfying conclusion but also demonstrates your self-awareness and commitment to continuous improvement as a nursing professional.

As we wrap up, think of your essay as a story about your journey into nursing. It's not just about getting a grade; it's a way to share what you've been through and why you want to be a nurse.

Imagine the person reading it – maybe a teacher, a future coworker, or someone starting their nursing journey. They're trying to understand your passion and why you care about nursing.

So, when you write, remember it's more than just an assignment. It's your chance to show why nursing matters to you. And if you ever need help – there's always support from our essay writer online .

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How to Write a Nursing Essay?

How can a nursing essay effectively address ethical considerations, what are some examples of evidence-based practices in nursing essays.

Daniel Parker

is a seasoned educational writer focusing on scholarship guidance, research papers, and various forms of academic essays including reflective and narrative essays. His expertise also extends to detailed case studies. A scholar with a background in English Literature and Education, Daniel’s work on EssayPro blog aims to support students in achieving academic excellence and securing scholarships. His hobbies include reading classic literature and participating in academic forums.

is an expert in nursing and healthcare, with a strong background in history, law, and literature. Holding advanced degrees in nursing and public health, his analytical approach and comprehensive knowledge help students navigate complex topics. On EssayPro blog, Adam provides insightful articles on everything from historical analysis to the intricacies of healthcare policies. In his downtime, he enjoys historical documentaries and volunteering at local clinics.

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An assignment examples on nursing s is a prosaic composition of a small volume and free composition, expressing individual impressions and thoughts on a specific occasion or issue and obviously not claiming a definitive or exhaustive interpretation of the subject.

Some signs of nursing s assignment:

• the presence of a specific topic or question. A work devoted to the analysis of a wide range of problems in biology, by definition, cannot be performed in the genre of nursing s assignment topic.
• The assignment expresses individual impressions and thoughts on a specific occasion or issue, in this case, on nursing s and does not knowingly pretend to a definitive or exhaustive interpretation of the subject.
• As a rule, an essay suggests a new, subjectively colored word about something, such a work may have a philosophical, historical, biographical, journalistic, literary, critical, popular scientific or purely fiction character.
• in the content of an assignment samples on nursing s, first of all, the author’s personality is assessed - his worldview, thoughts and feelings.

The goal of an assignment in nursing s is to develop such skills as independent creative thinking and writing out your own thoughts.

Writing an assignment is extremely useful, because it allows the author to learn to clearly and correctly formulate thoughts, structure information, use basic concepts, highlight causal relationships, illustrate experience with relevant examples, and substantiate his conclusions.

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How to Write a Nursing Essay Introduction

by ella | Feb 11, 2024 | Medical and Health

Writing an essay starts with making a good introduction. The introduction helps grab the reader’s attention and explains what the essay will be about. In nursing, it’s important to make your introduction clear, interesting, and related to healthcare. This article will guide you on how to write a nursing essay introduction step by step, making it easier to create a good start to your essay. Through simple tips and explanations, you’ll learn how to catch your reader’s interest and prepare them for what you will discuss in your essay. Introductory Paragraph Definition The introductory paragraph is the first part of your essay that readers see. It’s like a door to your essay. When readers go through it, they get to know what topic you’ll be talking about. This paragraph helps catch readers’ attention and gives them a reason to keep reading. It often starts with something interesting, like a surprising fact or a short story. Then, it briefly explains the topic of your essay. Finally, it states your main point or argument, a thesis statement. The introductory paragraph sets the ground for everything else in your essay, making it crucial for getting your readers interested and understanding what to expect as they read on. How Long Should an Introduction Be? When you write an essay, the introduction is the starting point where you tell your readers what the essay is about. Now, how long should this introduction be? A good rule is to make it about 8% to 9% of your essay’s total words. So, if your essay is 1000 words, the introduction would be around 80 to 90 words long. Why this length? Well, it’s long enough to give your readers a clear idea about your topic and get them interested, but not too long that it gets boring or gives away too much information. It’s just the right length to introduce your topic, grab the reader’s attention, and tell them your main argument, the thesis statement, without diving into the main points you’ll discuss in the rest of the essay. What Makes a Good Introduction A good introduction acts like a map that guides your readers into the main part of your essay. Here’s what makes an introduction good:

Catches Attention: A good introduction starts with something interesting to catch your reader’s attention, like a surprising fact, a question, or a short story.

Introduces the Topic: It tells your readers what the essay is about clearly and simply.

Has a Thesis Statement: A good introduction includes a thesis statement and a clear and strong point or argument you will make in your essay. It tells the reader what to expect as they read on.

Not Too Long or Short: It should be just the right essay length, not too long to lose interest, and not too short to miss important information.

Engaging: It should make your readers want to read more. It’s like inviting them into your essay, making them curious about what comes next.

Clear and to the Point: It should be clear, straightforward, and concise so readers can easily understand what the essay will discuss.

Previews What’s Coming: A good introduction previews what topics or points will be covered in the essay without giving away too much.

What Are the 3 Parts of an Introduction Paragraph? The introduction paragraph is important as it helps the reader understand what your essay will be about. It’s made up of three main parts: Part 1: Essay Hook The essay hook in the introduction of a nursing essay acts as a catalyst to ignite the reader’s curiosity and ensure they continue reading. In nursing, this initial hook carries a particular significance as it provides a window into a field that is as emotionally charged as it is technical.  For instance, in a nursing essay focused on patient care, the hook might take the form of a compelling narrative of a nurse’s experience on a hectic night shift. The activities in a ward, the emotions of patients and their families, and amidst it all, the steadfast presence of a nurse could be the scene set as the hook. This imagery captures the essence of nursing and resonates with the reader, drawing them into the narrative. Similarly, if the essay is geared towards exploring the evolving role of nurses in modern healthcare, the hook could present a stark statistic highlighting the growing responsibilities shouldered by nurses. Through the hook, the readers are not merely observers but become emotionally invested, making the subsequent exploration of the nursing profession deeply engaging and insightful. The 5 Types of Hooks for Writing Here are some simple ways to create a hook in your essay:

A Common Misconception: This is about sharing many people’s false beliefs or misunderstandings and correcting them. Example: “Many believe that nurses only follow doctors’ orders, but they make crucial decisions that impact patient care daily.”

Statistics: Sharing a surprising or interesting number or data related to your topic. Example: “Research shows that nurses spend up to 60% of their time on paperwork, taking them away from patient care.”

Personal Story: Telling a brief story from real life or your own experience that connects to your essay topic. Example: “My sister’s caring nature as a nurse brought comfort to fearful patients, making me realize the emotional impact nurses have.”

Scenes: Painting a picture with words about a certain scene or situation related to your topic. Example: “Imagine a busy hospital ward, nurses swiftly moving from one patient to another, showcasing their ability to multitask and provide personalized care.”

Thesis Statement: Stating the main point or argument of your essay in a clear and precise way. Example: “This essay will delve into the indispensable role of nurses in improving the patient experience and healthcare outcomes.”

Part 2: Connections “Connections” in an introduction represent the bridge between the initial hook and the main topic or thesis of the essay. This section further draws the reader into the central theme by establishing context, relevance, and the importance of the subject. It ensures the reader isn’t left hanging after the hook, making the transition smoother. In nursing essays, connections might explore why a particular misconception, statistic, or story (from the hook) is significant to the broader world of nursing or healthcare. For example, suppose the hook was a statistic about the number of hours nurses spend with patients. In that case, the connection might discuss the significance of nurse-patient interactions, how they are at the heart of patient care, or how they can significantly influence a patient’s recovery and overall hospital experience. In essence, the “connections” part links the specific instance or fact from the hook to the broader implications or themes you’re about to explore in your essay, ensuring the reader understands why what they’re about to read matters. Part 3: The Thesis Statement The thesis statement is the most important part of an introduction paragraph. It is usually the last sentence of the introduction. The thesis statement clearly states the main idea or argument of the entire essay in one concise sentence. It answers the prompt or question asked in the assignment.  The thesis sets up the entire essay by establishing the focus and purpose of the writing. A good thesis statement is clear, focused, take a stand or position, and can be supported by evidence. The rest of the essay will provide details, facts, arguments, and evidence that support the thesis statement.  The thesis gives the essay direction and focus. The thesis statement must be narrow enough to fully cover the essay but broad enough for analysis and discussion. The reader should finish the introduction paragraph understanding exactly what the essay will be about based on the thesis statement. Steps to Write an Essay Introduction Here are the steps to write an effective nursing essay introduction: Step 1. Engage Your Reader The opening sentence or “hook” of an introduction paragraph grabs the reader’s attention. A strong hook makes the reader interested and want to keep reading. Here are some tips for engaging the reader right from the start:

Ask a thought-provoking question

Use an interesting, shocking, or intriguing statistic

Open with a relevant quotation, anecdote, fact, news story, vivid description, or definition

Create a conversation, scenario, or narrative to draw the reader in

Use humor, irony, or an unusual perspective to surprise the reader

The goal is to create curiosity, emotion, and connection immediately so the reader feels invested. An engaging hook gives a reason to care about the topic and hooks the reader into wanting to read more. After an attention-grabbing beginning sentence, the introduction can provide context and background to transition smoothly into the essay’s main argument. But a strong, thoughtful hook comes first to capture interest and attention. Step 2. Give Background Information After grabbing the reader’s attention with an opening hook, the next step is to give some context and background information about the essay’s topic. The background should be brief but informative, helping the reader understand the topic and its significance.  The background information should be connected to and help frame the essay’s main argument. It allows the writer to define key terms, frame the scope, provide historical context, or share social/political background before transitioning to the essay’s thesis.  The goal is to orient the reader without overloading them with too many details at the start. A few concise but meaningful sentences of background can set the stage before delivering the essay’s central argument in the thesis statement. Step 3. Expose Your Thesis Statement The thesis statement is the most integral part of an introduction. It comes at the end of the intro paragraph and establishes the essay’s central argument or main point. The thesis directly responds to the prompt or question posed in the assignment. It lays out the essay’s key position and focus in one concise, declarative statement. All the background information should lead up to and frame this thesis. This thesis takes a clear stand while summarizing the main argument. The rest of the essay will provide evidence and analysis to support and develop this position. The thesis statement gives the reader insight into the essay’s purpose and direction. It must be argumentative, focused, and thoughtful – a signpost for the essay’s content. With an engaging hook, informative background, and clear thesis statement, an introduction orients readers and sets an essay up for success. Step 4. Draft Your Essay Structure After writing a solid thesis statement, the next step is to map out the main points supporting and developing that central argument throughout the essay. Planning the basic structure gives the writer a logical progression and flow for the essay’s body paragraphs. For example, each body paragraph could contain a major reason why the thesis is true. Drafting a basic outline ensures the essay will thoroughly explain the thesis. The structure provides organization and direction. While the outline may change as the essay develops, having a planned structure guides the writer. The introduction doesn’t need to preview the full outline, but the thesis should directly lead to the topics of the body paragraphs. This continuity reinforces the central argument and establishes the logical support and analysis to validate the essay’s claim. Step 5. Revise After drafting the introduction paragraph, including an opening hook, background information, thesis statement, and outline, the next step is to revise. Revising allows the writer to strengthen and refine the introduction. Here are tips for revising an essay introduction:

Make sure the hook immediately draws in the reader.

Check that background info is brief but informative. Cut unimportant details.

Read the thesis statement carefully. Is it clear, focused, arguable, and well-written?

Ensure the thesis directly answers the prompt or assignment question.

Review that the essay outline logically flows from the thesis.

Check for varied sentence structure and smooth transitions between sentences.

Ensure the introduction is written in the student’s original, unique voice.

Ask – does this intro give the reader essential context and clearly state the essay’s central argument?

Revising the introduction allows the writer to catch any underdeveloped, awkward, or unclear areas. Refining the intro before writing the full essay ensures the foundation is established to convince readers of the thesis logically. Catchy Introductions for Different Essay Types Here are some examples of writing catchy introductions tailored to different essay types: Narrative Introduction The lights were bright and the room was freezing. I could hear the muffled cries of the two-day-old infant in the incubator beside me as I carefully calculated the dosage. This was my first time administering medication on the job as a nursing student in the NICU. I knew neonatal nursing would be challenging, but I realized in that moment it would also reshape my perspective.

The fragility of life was tangible, yet amidst wires and monitors, there was hope. This experience taught me that something as small as an injection has the power to heal and comfort. My nursing journey began with that first nervous med pass late one night in the NICU, starting me on a path I could not yet fully envision. This introduction establishes the narrative scene while hinting at the insights explored in the essay. The hook places the reader in the story while introducing the reflective tone and theme. The background about starting nursing school and working in the intensive care unit provides context. The thesis hints at a transformative experience that led to a new understanding, setting up the reflective narrative about this memory’s significance. The introduction draws readers into the moment while establishing the personal growth narrative to come. Analytical Introduction The current nursing shortage in the United States has reached critical levels, with the deficit of registered nurses projected to exceed 500,000 by 2025. This shortage impacts healthcare facilities nationwide, diminishing the quality of care and patient outcomes. While an aging workforce and increased healthcare demands contribute to the problem, the root causes are unsatisfactory working environments, leading to high turnover rates.

Inadequate staffing ratios, lack of leadership support, workplace violence, and burnout exacerbate nurse shortages. However, developing effective retention strategies to improve modifiable workplace factors could help healthcare organizations recruit and retain qualified nurses. Targeted interventions to empower nurses and cultivate supportive, collaborative environments will be essential to overcoming the nursing shortage crisis. This introduction establishes the nursing shortage problem and notes some surface-level contributing factors. The thesis then points to underlying workplace environment issues as the root causes. This analytical stance sets the essay to examine these modifiable factors and the solutions they highlight rather than just describing the problem. The introduction primes readers for an analytical discussion on empowering nursing workplace improvements. Persuasive Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed cracks in the foundation of the United States healthcare system. Addressing the longstanding nurse staffing crisis has become urgent as nurses comprise the largest segment of the health workforce. For decades, research has shown inadequate nurse staffing increases patient and nurse risks. However, hospitals and legislators have delayed mandating minimum nurse-to-patient ratios. With recent data revealing up to 20% of nurses plan to leave their positions, safe staffing levels are imperative.

Implementing minimum staffing ratios in every unit, improving work environments, and increasing wages can retain experienced nurses, attract new nurses, and ensure safe patient care. Now is the time to persuade lawmakers and healthcare administrators to enact evidence-based nurse staffing ratio legislation. Doing so will strengthen nursing, prevent future gaps in care, and ultimately save lives. This introduction uses the COVID-19 pandemic context to establish the urgent need for minimum staffing ratios. It references past research and alarming turnover data to highlight the significance of the problem. This leads to the thesis advocating minimum ratio legislation to improve staffing conditions and nurse retention. The intro generates urgency while summarizing the persuasive argument to come – that evidence shows implementing specific nurse staffing reforms will strengthen healthcare. Personal Introduction I remember the sterile smell of the hospital hallway as I walked into my patient’s room for the first time. As a nursing student, I had prepared extensively for this initial clinical rotation. I had memorized lab values, medications, and procedures. Yet textbook knowledge could not prepare me for the wave of nerves I felt seeing my patient lying in the stark, white hospital bed. She looked weary and frail. This was no rubber dummy I had practiced on. This was a living, breathing human who needed my care.

My textbook training came second to forging a true human connection at that moment. Sitting beside her, I listened as she shared her story, goals, and worries. The beeping monitors faded, and I saw her as so much more than a diagnosis. My first clinical rotation taught me that treating patients extends beyond treating their illnesses. In nursing, empathy and compassion for humanity manifest as acts of care. This personal nursing essay introduction draws readers into a poignant clinical scene. It sets up the student’s transition from textbook knowledge to human understanding. The vivid details and reflections establish the introspective tone and theme focused on compassion in nursing care. Tips for Writing a Winning Introduction Paragraph Here are some tips for writing an effective introduction paragraph that grabs attention and sets the stage for the essay:

Start with a strong, thought-provoking hook. Open with an interesting fact, statistic, question, an essay quote, anecdote, vivid description, etc.

Provide brief but valuable context and background on the topic. Define key terms and give relevant historical or social framing.

Build a smooth transition from the background to the specific focus of the essay. Use transitional phrases like “In light of this…”

State the thesis clearly and directly. Present the central argument or position in a concise, one-sentence statement.

Ensure the thesis responds to the prompt and launches the essay’s body.

Structure the introduction logically, moving from a broad to an increasingly narrow focus.

Engage the reader’s interest while also communicating the essay’s purpose.

Revise thoroughly to refine language, improve flow, and bolster impact.

An effective introduction grabs attention, provides a framework, presents a compelling thesis, and primes readers for future discussion. Crafting a thoughtful, polished introduction can get any essay off to a winning start. Final Thoughts The introduction of your nursing essay is your chance to grab the reader’s attention, provide insight into your chosen topic, and set the stage for the following discussion. It’s crucial to nail this part to make a compelling first impression. However, it’s a common struggle for many nursing students to pen down an engaging introduction amidst demanding academic and practical schedules. Struggling to Start Your Nursing Essay? Kickstart your nursing essay with an introduction that resonates. Click Here to Secure a Strong Start with Our Expert Assistance! Let us pave the way for your academic achievements.

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How to Write a Great Nursing Personal Philosophy Paper

Are you finding it difficult to write a brilliant nursing philosophy paper? If yes, you are in the right corner of the internet. In this post, you will discover everything you need to know to write a brilliant personal nursing philosophy. Let's jump right in!

What is a personal nursing philosophy statement?

A personal nursing philosophy statement is a statement that shows a nurse's values, ethics, and beliefs about patient care and nursing in general. In other words, it is a statement that clarifies a nurse's thoughts, ideas, and principles regarding patient care and nursing.

The statement is often between four to five sentences long. When you write it, you are supposed to put it somewhere where you can read it from time to time to remember your goals and objectives and to motivate yourself.

An extended personal nursing philosophy statement is called a personal nursing philosophy paper . The paper is usually between five to six paragraphs long. It is longer than a typical nursing philosophy statement because it is more detailed.

How does one create a personal nursing philosophy statement?

What drives you as a nurse? What makes you wake up daily to go to your nursing duty station? Is it your belief that every patient should receive holistic care? Is it your belief that patients deserve the highest level of care? Whatever drives or motivates you as a nurse is your nursing philosophy . Thus, to create a personal nursing philosophy, all you need to do is write down what motivates you as a nurse.

In a few moments, you will discover how to create a personal nursing philosophy statement in a step-by-step guide.

Personal nursing philosophy vs. personal leadership philosophy

A personal nursing philosophy is a statement that shows a nurse's beliefs, values, and ethics regarding the nursing profession. It is specific to the nursing profession because it is only written by nurses or those training to be nurses.

In contrast, a personal leadership philosophy is a statement that shows a leader's values, principles, and beliefs regarding leadership (influencing or leading people). It can be written by just about anybody in a serious leadership position.

The two definitions above reveal significant differences between the two types of personal philosophies. The first difference is in the definition. The two philosophies are two different things by definition.

The second difference is in the author. Personal nursing philosophy can only be written by a nurse. In contrast, anyone in a serious leadership position can write a personal leadership philosophy.

Who writes a nursing philosophy statement?

A nursing student or a practicing nurse can write a nursing philosophy statement.

A personal nursing philosophy statement written by a nursing student is typically written for motivation. Nursing courses and practice can be challenging, which is an accepted fact worldwide. Because of this, instructors usually encourage students to write a nursing philosophy statement that they can refer to from time to time to motivate themselves and to remind themselves why they are pursuing a nursing profession.

A personal nursing philosophy statement written by a practicing nurse is typically written for motivation and as a career guide. Nursing is a challenging profession that is both physically and mentally demanding. Therefore, practicing nurses are encouraged to write and have a personal nursing philosophy for motivation. They are also encouraged to do so to clarify their career goals.

Why it is essential to have a personal nursing philosophy statement

There are 5 key reasons why having a personal nursing philosophy as a nursing student or nurse is crucial.

• It helps you to set standards for your nursing practice. This is good, especially if your nursing job involves handling serious or challenging situations.
• It helps you to set a standard for interacting with patients and colleagues regardless of the situation.
• It helps you adopt a mindset that can improve your service delivery or how you work in your current posting.
• It helps you to stay motivated even when facing enormous challenges by showing you the bigger picture (why you are in nursing).
• It assists you in capturing your goals and beliefs and actualizing them in your day-to-day nursing work.

What goes into my nursing philosophy paper?

A personal nursing philosophy paper is an extended version of a personal philosophy statement. It is more detailed. To write one, you first must create an outline. You cannot write an excellent logical nursing philosophy paper without first creating a nursing philosophy paper outline .

While it is ideal for creating an outline for your nursing personal philosophy paper , it is essential to remember that a personal philosophy is personal (based on your thoughts, principles, and beliefs). Therefore, there is always a freehand element when writing a personal philosophy paper.

Even if there is a freehand element when writing a personal philosophy paper, following an outline must ensure your paper has excellent structure and organization.

Personal nursing philosophy paper outline

1. Introduction

• Attention-grabbing statement
• Background information
• Thesis statement

2. Body Paragraph 1

• Opening statement
• Supporting information
• Closing statement

3. Body Paragraph 2

4. Body Paragraph 3

5. Conclusion

• Thesis restatement
• Restatement of main points
• Show that research supports the thesis statement

Steps for writing a brilliant personal nursing philosophy

In this section, you will discover the steps you must follow to create a brilliant personal nursing philosophy for motivation or to prepare yourself for nursing job interviews.

You must take a significant pre-writing step before you start writing your nursing philosophy . The step involves answering a set of questions related to the nursing profession. By answering the questions, you will make it easier for yourself to define your philosophy.

The questions are:

• What exactly is nursing?
• Why is nursing important to you?
• Why is nursing important to society?
• What are the attributes of a good nurse?
• What skills and qualities are vital for nurses?
• What values do you think every nurse should have?
• What errors should you never make as a nurse?

By thinking about these questions and answering them as honestly as you can, you will find it relatively easy to define your personal nursing philosophy .

Your answers to the questions above will help reveal your personal nursing philosophy . And it is by expanding these answers that you can write a detailed personal nursing philosophy. You can expand the answers by following the steps below.

1. Define what exactly nursing means to you

The first thing you should put in your nursing personal philosophy statement after your introduction is your personal definition of nursing. Use your answers to questions 1, 2, and 3 above to offer your own definition of nursing. This will help the reader quickly determine how you conceptualize and understand nursing and how you approach it.

2. Describe how you embody the attributes of a good nurse

After describing what nursing means to you in the first body paragraph, you should use the second body paragraph to describe how you embody a good nurse's attributes (skills, traits, & values). If you do not want to describe how you embody the attributes of a good nurse, you should share a story or an incident that shows how you embody them (or some of them). Writing this section in your nursing philosophy paper will tell the reader what nursing qualities you value the most.

3. Discuss how you want to impact your community or society through nursing

In the third body paragraph of your nursing philosophy paper, you should discuss how you intend to impact your community or society through nursing. This will help you to set your goals nicely for your nursing profession. Reading this part of your nursing philosophy will also help to motivate you, especially when you face challenges at your workplace.

4. Discuss the nursing qualities and traits that mean a lot to you

This is the fourth and last paragraph of your personal nursing philosophy . You should use it to reiterate the critical nursing skills, traits, principles, and values you believe define you the best. Ensure you have comprehensively yet briefly described your nursing experience, principles, and beliefs.

Using the steps above plus the outline shared earlier, you should be able to write a brilliant and well-structured personal philosophy of nursing paper.

Nursing Philosophy Example Paper

The nursing philosophy example below shows a detailed version of a personal nursing philosophy:

My personal nursing philosophy is all about trying to see art and beauty in the nursing profession. One of the pioneer nurses in the modern-day world, Florence Nightingale , once likened the nursing profession to art and argued that there is a need to ensure nurses, just like artists, are well-prepared and given the time and space to do their work. I agree with her, which is why I sometimes consider myself an artist. Like every experienced artist, I know I must pay attention to every little detail in my work to ensure I deliver exemplary services. Every little detail means the patient's emotional, psychological, and physical conditions. And I know that the only way I can stay at the top of my game is through preparation and constant training and learning. I believe the most important aspect of nursing is that we, as nurses, are at the core of patient treatment. They are given the training and the tools to help deliver treatment to patients. As a nurse who believes nursing is an art, I think of the training and tools we have been given as the tools of an artist. And I strive to use these tools effectively to help improve the patient's environment and condition. I use them to help deliver comfort and healing. Nursing, like most science-based professions, is a constantly changing profession. New information, new studies, and new ways of doing things are constantly being published in credible publications. Therefore, I believe that I must continually improve myself to continue delivering top-notch evidence-based nursing services. And this can only be done by continually reading new research, participating in training, and getting new certifications in the field. Only then can I continue administering medication and keeping conditions sterile according to the latest industry standards. I love the fact that ethics are an integral part of nursing education and nursing work. When dealing with patients, I always remember that while they are under my care, they need to feel that they are protected and that all their rights are observed. They need to access to the right to nutrition, oxygenation, safety, acceptance, and rest. They also need to be listened to and to have their thoughts and opinions considered. In closing, I believe nursing is one of the best professions in the world! It might not be the highest-paying profession, but to me, it is engaging, intricate, exciting, and highly satisfying work. Of course, it has its challenges, but I believe that by approaching it as an artist, I know everything is within my hands. I can use my training and tools to keep calm and continue delivering exemplary nursing services.

Five things to keep in mind when writing a personal nursing philosophy

You now know the steps to follow to write a personal nursing philosophy. You have also seen a personal nursing philosophy example paper above. It is almost certain that you feel confident about your ability to write a brilliant nursing philosophy paper. However, you need to know a few more things before you start writing your personal philosophy of nursing . These things will help you to write a brilliant personal nursing philosophy.

• Keep your paper short and precise. Your personal nursing philosophy is something that can be expressed in four to five sentences. It is called a personal nursing philosophy statement when it is short. It is called a personal nursing philosophy paper when it is long and detailed. And even when it is long and detailed, it is never too long; it usually does not exceed 500 words.
• Show you are ready for action. It is essential to ensure your personal nursing philosophy has action verbs that show you are ready to work. You should never say anything to the effect that you are a laidback person in your philosophy. This could be interpreted negatively and cause you to miss the opportunity.
• Be original. When you write your own personal philosophy of nursing , you should try to be yourself. Do not try to impress anyone or to express thoughts that are not your own. You should be genuine as possible. If you are, you will find yourself drawn to your philosophy, and it will have a natural motivating effect on you. If you are not, you really will not believe in the philosophy, and it will have no motivating or inspiring effect on you.
• Be ready for change. The nursing profession is a constantly changing profession. Thousands of new research studies are published annually, revealing new information on how to treat patients, care for patients, administer medicine, sterilize environments, and so on. Therefore, what you believe or hold true in your philosophy might hold true in a few months or years. Thus, you must be ready for change. You must be prepared to adjust your philosophy if you feel there is a need to.
• Keep a copy of your philosophy close to you. This is important to ensure that you have something to remind you of why you are in nursing, especially when the going gets tough. Many practicing nurses print and stick their personal philosophies somewhere in their work station to help them to keep going, especially when they want to give up.

Final thoughts

The personal philosophy of nursing is an important thing to have as a nursing student or as a practicing nurse. It is an important thing to have as a nursing student because it will remind you why you wanted to become a nurse. This will motivate you to keep going, especially if you constantly face academic challenges. A personal nursing philosophy is important for a practicing nurse for motivation and career direction.

Related Reading:

• Inspirational nursing topics for nursing papers.
• How to write a nursing diagnosis assignment.
• Inspiring topics for nursing debates
• Steps and tips for writing a nursing change project report.
• List of borrowed or non-nursing theories
• Nursing theories to inspire your nursing philosophy statement

You can write your nursing philosophy as a statement or an essay/paper. Writing a personal nursing philosophy statement is easy because it is usually just about five sentences long. In contrast, it is much harder to write a personal nursing philosophy paper because it is much longer and must be very detailed. However, using the information we have provided in this post, you should be able to write a decent nursing philosophy paper.

If you do not have the time to write one or are not confident you can write a good one, you should order it from us. We have dozens of experienced writers ready to help you quickly complete any academic assignment. You can pay the nursing writers to write your papers and assignments from scratch. All you must do is to put an order, and one of them will soon be working on your paper.

Personal Nursing Philosophy FAQs

What is a good example of a personal philosophy statement.

My personal nursing philosophy is that the e must use their training and their experience to ensure every patient gets the highest level of care regardless of their social status. I strongly believe nursing is about gaining knowledge, caring, and persistence. I use this philosophy to guide my day day-to-day decisions.

What was Florence Nightingale�s personal nursing philosophy?

Nightingale believed that the nursing profession was a spiritual calling. She also believed that every patient had a spiritual dimension that needed to be comforted and healed in the same way the physical dimension needs to be comforted and healed.

How long should my personal nursing philosophy statement be?

It should be no more than five sentences long. The shorter it is, the better. This is because a personal philosophy statement should simply be a short statement that states your motivations and helps you stay on track.

How long should my personal nursing philosophy paper be?

It should be no more than 500 words long. A personal nursing philosophy paper is a longer and more detailed version of a personal philosophy statement. It is unnecessary to be longer than 500 words unless you have been specifically instructed to make it longer than 500 words.

Do nursing organizations have nursing philosophies?

Yes, they do. However, most of them do not call them nursing philosophies. They call them a statement of purpose.

What was Florence Nightingale's nursing theory?

Florence Nightingale's nursing theory emphasizes that a nurse must use their brain, hands, and heart to create a healing environment for the patient's body, mind, and spirit. It is one of the most famous nursing theories .

How to start a nursing philosophy paper?

You should start the paper with a robust and attention-grabbing sentence. This will hook the reader and make them want to read your philosophy paper.

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Nursing Reflective Essay: Examples + Useful Writing Tips [2024]

Do you need to write a reflective nursing essay? Whether you are a nursing student or already working, we know that you may be too busy writing papers. We’ve prepared information for you about reflection models and nursing reflective essay examples, writing instructions, and templates for the outline. This article will teach everything you need to make writing your essay easier.

So, how do you write an academic reflective essay?

What Is a Reflective Essay?

15 best reflective essay topics: nursing, nursing reflective essay examples, reflective tools and models, reflective essay writing tips, reflective essay body paragraphs, how to conclude a reflective essay.

In a reflective essay, you express your thoughts based on your knowledge, beliefs, reflections, and experiences. A reflective essay is best described as an exceptional and personal essay: you will have a lot to think about, comprehend, and explain. You have to demonstrate the feelings that you have experienced before. It should be honest. If you have any opposing thoughts and feelings about the topic, you should write them.

The peculiarity of a reflective essay, unlike an analytical one, is in the expression of thoughts based on personal experience.

How long does a reflective essay last? It’s simple. It depends on your topic and how you express your thoughts. But you have to remember that this is a highly brief type of essay, and you can do it with a few pages.

You can check out the 100% free essay samples to see it all.

What Is a Reflection in Nursing Essay?

Nursing involves many aspects of work, and reflection is one of the critical tools for developing professional competence and personal skills. In nursing, reflection is important because it provides all the prerequisites for further personal growth. It is a reflection that will allow you to take a broader look at your strengths and weaknesses and assess your prospects.

Think of your nursing reflective essay as a chance to reflect on your career, skills, and personality, which will lead to further improvement.

• Empathy and support in nursing.
• Communication with patients is one of a nurse’s most important tasks.
• Nursing is the art of caring for the patient during illness.
• The key is not to cause harm but to help afterward.
• Time management in nursing.
• The Patient’s Interests Come First.
• Why did I become a nurse?
• Doctor- patient confidentiality in nursing.
• The importance of enhancing soft skills for the nurse.
• Nursing knowledge should not be limited to narrowly professional information.
• Reflective essay on the internship .
• Nursing culture and ethics .
• Deontology of nursing and its synthesis with my personal experience.
• Nursing clinical reflection essay.
• Nursing issues for the elderly.

To better understand what reflexivity is, let’s look at examples based on these articles:

Scientists from different fields of science invented many models to simplify the process of reflection. Below are reflection models you can use in your essay nursing writing practice.

Gibbs’ Reflective Model

In 1998, Graham Gibbs introduced his reflexive model to the world. Gibbs’ model is a cycle and, therefore, excellent for analyzing repetitive experience.

It covers 6 stages:

• Description. What happened? Don’t judge or try to conclude yet; just describe.
• Feelings. What were your reactions and emotions? Again, don’t begin to analyze them yet.
• Evaluation. What was good or bad about the experience? Make value judgments.
• Analysis. Were different people’s experiences similar or different in importance?
• Conclusions. What conclusions can you draw in a general sense from this experience and your analysis? What conclusions can you draw about your particular, unique personal situation or way of working?
• Personal action plans. What steps are you going to take based on what you have learned? What are you going to do differently in this situation next time?

Dewey’s Reflective Thinking Model

John Dewey believed that reflective thinking is the active, persistent, and careful evaluation of a belief or assumed form of knowledge, the grounds for that knowledge, and the additional conclusions to which knowledge leads.

John Dewey’s Reflective Model was one of the first and has been the foundation for many other models. He identified five steps of reflective thinking:

• Step 1: Identify the problem.
• Step 2: Investigate the issue.
• Step 3: Generate several possible solutions.
• Step 4: Evaluate the options and select the best answer from the combination of solutions.
• Step 5: Test and implement the solution.

Kolb Reflective Model

The Kolb Reflective Model or “Kolb cycle” focuses on transforming information into knowledge. The basic four steps of the Kolb model are as follows:

• Concrete experience. Anyone should already have experience in the field or area they want to learn.
• Observation and reflection . This stage implies analyzing the person’s experience and knowledge .
• Forming abstract concepts . A model describing the information and expertise is built at this stage . Ideas are generated, interrelations are made, and new information is added concerning how everything works and is arranged.
• Testing in new situations . The last stage implies experimentation and testing the model’s applicability and concept . The result of this stage is a direct unique experience. Then the circle closes.

Schön Reflective Model

Donald Schön’s reflexive model was described in the book ‘ The Reflexive Practitioner .’ He explained how professionals solve problems with a kind of improvisation that is perfected through practice.

Schön’s reflective model , like his writings, is based in many ways on the Dewey we already know

• Action reflection involves reflecting on an experience you have already had or an action you have already taken. It involves considering what could have been done differently and the positive aspects of that interaction.
• Reflection in action involves reflecting on your efforts as you make them and considering issues such as best practices throughout the process.

Bouds Reflective Model

David Bouds paired with Schön to explore the limits of reflective practice. This model is based on learning by doing. By analyzing his own experience, the practitioner begins to understand better how to improve certain things.

Bouds suggests that by reflecting, a person may be unconsciously learning. In reassessing the events of his life, he systematizes and classifies emotions, ideas, and results, as well as results, and compares past goals with results.

Past experiences, experiences, and ideas require constant analysis attention to feelings. This leads to new perspectives, commitment to action overall positive changes in behavior.

Driscoll Reflective Model

John Driskoll proposed a simple model of reflection at the beginning of the 21st century. It involves reflection through extended answers to questions we are already familiar with. The scholar linked the three basic questions to the stages of the experiential learning cycle and then added trigger questions that must be answered to complete the process of reflection.

Step 1: What? Sets out to recall what happened as objectively as possible, without criticizing anything that happened

• What exactly happened?
• What exactly did you do?
• Was anyone else involved?
• Was it a good experience? Or a bad experience? Or both? And why?

Step 2: So what? It requires you to slow down and start looking for patterns or meaningful moments. The key here is to bring in concepts that help shed light on what is going on.

• How did you feel at that particular moment?
• How did you react?
• Why did you react that way?
• Did you feel the same way about the situation then as you do now?
• Did you experience conflict with your values?
• Do you think past cases influenced your experiences in this situation?
• Who else was involved in the situation? How did they feel? And how did they react? And why did they react that way?

Step 3: Now what? Encourages beginning to transfer new knowledge into future situations and other contexts.

• What did you learn from reflecting on this situation/experience/incident?
• Could you have prevented the negative consequences?
• And how might you have done so?
• What would you have done differently if a similar situation arose in the future?
• What could you have done to better prepare for it?
• Where did things go wrong last time, and what would you focus on now?

5R Framework

The 5R Framework was developed in 2002 by a group of scientists as a universal system of reflection, later modified.

It focuses on five basic steps, each addressing one aspect of reflection. Thinking through the five stages, an individual will engage all of the major reflection components, allowing you to create a critically meaningful review based on your experience.

• Report. What do you see and hear? Write it all down.
• React. What do you think is happening? What works well and what doesn’t? How do you feel about the situation you are reflecting on? What is it about this situation that makes you feel this way?
• Relate. How do my perceptions of this situation relate to my personal and professional experiences? How do they relate to my knowledge and skills? Through what “lens” do you view this situation? From the perspective of classroom management or collaborative learning? Do you need professional development in terms of content knowledge?
• Reason. Do you relate your point of view to someone else’s and how it affects the situation? Does sound practice support your strategies, or do you use different approaches? How does your point of view affect how you understand the problem? Could another point of view be helpful?
• Reconstruct. What did you learn from this observation, and how will it affect your practice?

CARL framework

The CARL framework of reflection involves going through four stages: context, action, results, and learning. The vastness of this model gives a lot of information, and even at the first stage, you can already get a lot of valuable data. But this is also its main disadvantage because it makes the model more complex.

The framework has four steps:

• Context : Description of the context of the experience.
• Action : Explanation of the action taken.
• Results : Explanation of what your actions led to.
• Learning : Identification of the experience and knowledge gained.

Now that we’ve covered the basic concepts let’s write a reflective nursing essay.

Reflective Essay Outline

How to make a reflective essay? First, write an outline.

Any reflective essay is a statement of thoughts about something, and the outline acts as a sketch in which you write them down. Creating it is the first step to creating high quality and vivid essay.

What would make a good outline structure for a reflection essay? Structure all your knowledge. Write what you want to see in the introduction, body, and conclusion.

Here is the reflective essay outline template:

• Hook: Use a catchy statement to set the tone and introduce the article.
• Mention the main points.
• Thesis statement: Include all the important points and ideas in one statement.
• Topic sentence: Carefully explain the first idea in one sentence.
• Proof of topic or idea: Use authoritative sources to support the idea.
• Idea analysis: Apply logic and rational thought to the idea and information from the source.
• Topic sentence: Carefully explain the second idea in one sentence.
• Topic sentence: Carefully explain the third idea in one sentence.
• Repeat the statement of the thesis.
• Review the main ideas
• Final, concluding sentence

Reflective Essay Thesis

A thesis statement is a condensed version of the paper in which you must briefly explain your position. The point is for your audience to read it and understand your work.

To make a good thesis statement for a reflective essay, you need to formulate your thought on paper. To begin with, think well about the problem, and develop your attitude toward it. That’s why the thesis statement should be created after writing the outline. It is unnecessary to give everything out in advance to the reader because later, you will unfold this thought more broadly.

After successfully developing the thesis statement, you can proceed to the actual writing.

And so, below, you can see examples of the reflective essay introduction and conclusion. Learn what its body of it is.

How to Start a Reflective Essay? Examples

You need to start any paper in the right way. How to write a reflective essay introduction? Check these examples:

• Practice and theory do not always agree. Not all of the medical reference books that I have been able to study are fully applicable in practice. John Kimble’s case is a testament that it is often necessary to rely on them and consider the specific situation. He complained of dizziness, and the doctors advised him to get a blood iron test. The test showed that there was nothing wrong. But as it turned out later, this was an erroneous result because Kimble had eaten redfish rich in iron the day before, which temporarily raised the iron in his blood.
• I had always dreamed of becoming a nurse, but my fear of blood robbed me of all desire to study. But still, my passion and ambition made me pull my will into a fist. I had to change and forget what fear of blood was. I lived my dream, which helped me overcome one of my fears.
• A few years ago, I went through a severe emotional crisis. I had always dreamed of going to the University of California, as it is one of the most prestigious medical universities in the United States. But unfortunately, I failed my entrance exams, so I had to study at the university in my hometown. My failure seemed like a disaster, but now I realize it was a real blessing.

The essay’s body carries arguments, explanations of the topic, and the main body of information.

Each paragraph should begin with short introductory sentences, and the body of the sections should be divided into several parts. This will help you better structure what you have written and help the reader navigate through the text.

It is worth remembering about argumentation. There should be several things that you rely on in your position. Describe each of them in detail in a separate paragraph. Observe the semantic sequence. A mistake, in this case, will be to repeat twice the same argument in different words. It will give the reader the impression that there is nothing to say.

You should also remember about transitions in a reflective essay. Move smoothly from one aspect to another and take your time.

How to end a reflective essay? In conclusion, you should focus on pulling together all of the material, summarizing all of the points made and what you have learned. Try to include a few moments about why and how your attitudes and behaviors changed. Here are some examples:

• Was the practice of volunteer nursing helpful to me? Absolutely! I was grateful for these weeks because I learned a lot. But most of all, I have learned my Soft skills, which will help me get used to my professional activities.
• At that moment, I thought about who would be the priority in that situation, and I still believe it was the patient. If the same problem were to arise again, I think I would do nothing but speak up and justify my decisions. I recognize and know that time management and prioritization are essential skills in nursing, and I hope that my skills will improve with practice.
• I reflected on how personal values can affect professional practice from the incident. Still, it is crucial to consider that the organization has its own set of values to follow, regardless of personal values. Finally, in reflecting on the incident, I was able to discuss the importance of quality assurance monitoring and health care evaluation both in general and during the incident, which allowed me to consider what conclusions were drawn from the incident and how to prevent similar situations occurring again.

So, now you have examples and an idea for writing a reflective nursing essay. Writing your paper will become many times easier and faster.

If this article was helpful, share it with your friends and colleagues!

❓ What Is the Purpose of Writing a Reflective Essay?

A reflective essay aims to express one’s thoughts about a previous experience, including how one changed in the process and what one learned. It is often described in a diary entry; they are intended to demonstrate how the author’s thoughts have changed over time.

❓ What Makes a Good Reflective Essay?

A reflective essay is a combination of both objective and subjective elements. We mix scholarly analysis with personal experiences. This type of paper should explain to readers how our experience influences our behavior and what lessons we learned.

❓ What Are the 3 Basic Parts of Reflection Paper?

An essay should have a clear structure and must contain three parts. It should have a clear introduction reflecting the problem, then the central part with an analysis of the causes, and the conclusion with possible solutions to the problem or how it affected the author.

❓ What Is the Best Reflective Model to Use in Nursing?

One of the best options for nurses is the Gibbs model. The model is accessible and extremely simple. Therefore it can be operated without any problems in any situation.

• Reflection toolkit: The University of Edinburgh
• Essay Conclusions: University of Maryland
• Thesis Statements: UNC Writing Center
• A short guide to reflective writing: University of Birmingham
• Outlining: Harvard College Writing Center
• Reflective Practice in Nursing: ZU
• Critical self-reflection for nurse education: NCBI
• Essay Structure: Harvard College Writing Center
• Essay Structure: UAGC Writing Center
• General tips for academic reflections: The University Of Edinburgh
• Reflective essays – ANU
• Writing An Essay Title – Illinois Valley Community College
• Nursing Essay Help: Medical Essay Writing Service in UK
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June 04, 2024

King, Cramer Request VA Study “Potential Harmful Effects” of New Staffing Rule on Long Term Care Facilities

Letter comes as long term care facilities in maine face workforce challenges, making new staffing requirements difficult to meet.

WASHINGTON, D.C . — U.S. Senators Angus King (I-ME) and Kevin Cramer (R-ND) — members of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC) — are requesting the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) produce a report on the impact of the recently finalized Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) rule on staffing levels. This rule will require increased minimum staffing levels at long term care (LTC) facilities that receive funding from CMS, including facilities that serve veterans. In a letter to Secretary Denis McDonough, King and Cramer highlight the anticipated negative effects of the rule on long term care facilities, especially those in rural areas serving veterans.

King and Cramer previously introduced a bipartisan bill that would require the VA to study the risks to elderly veterans of the then-proposed rule that would unsustainably change staffing ratios at nursing homes. The bill requires an assessment of the VA’s ability to continue meeting the LTC needs of veterans at VA and VA affiliated nursing homes, with a focus on rural areas, if the rule were to be implemented as proposed. It would require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit a report on the VA’s findings to Congress within 60 days of the bill becoming law. Now that this staffing rule has been finalized, understanding the potential impact on veterans is even more critical.

“We write to express concerns about the potential harmful impact on veterans resulting from  the recently finalized Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) rule, entitled ‘Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting’ (RIN: 0938-AV25). [1] Our healthcare system is grappling with a severe shortage of qualified nurses and caregivers, spurred in part by challenges exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic,” the Senators wrote. “Long-term care facilities in Maine, North Dakota, and across the country have struggled to recover post-pandemic — we cannot simply will a new pipeline of healthcare workers into existence, and without staff to fill the required positions, many facilities face imminent closure. Given the impact CMS’ rule will have on the entire long-term care industry and access to services, we write to request a report from VA to better understand the impact of the Rule on veterans nationwide and in VA facilities.”

“Simply put — we are concerned long-term care facilities, including those serving veterans, may not be able to meet the new staffing requirements. Less than one in five nursing facilities nationwide currently meet all staffing requirements prescribed by the Rule. [2] This is particularly concerning given the ongoing struggles of the long-term care industry to adequately hire staff. A recent survey indicated that 89% of nursing homes are actively trying to hire Registered Nurses, and 67% cite a lack of interest or qualified candidates as an obstacle towards hiring. [3] An industry analysis estimates nursing facilities will have to hire an additional 102,000 nurses and nurse aides, which is 14,000 higher than CMS’ estimate,” the Senators continued.

The Senators concluded, “We all want our veterans, older adults, and disabled populations served by long-term care facilities to have adequate staffing to meet their needs.  Considering the majority of long-term care facilities nationwide would currently be deemed out of compliance with this rule, and are already struggling to hire and retain staff while on the precipice collectively of needing to spend billions of dollars more per year, we have serious concerns the industry will realistically be able to meet the goals of the Rule, let alone prevent massive widespread closures.”

Senator King has previously raised concerns about the broad impact of this rule on the ability of LTC facilities to continue providing necessary care to aging veterans. In an October 2023  letter to the head administrator of CMS , he noted that the proposed staffing mandate may inadvertently cause the widespread shutdown of rural nursing facilities, both in Maine and across the country.

A member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Senator King is committed to ensuring veterans and their families receive their earned benefits and support from the VA. Senator King has  repeatedly pressed the VA  on the need to hire and retain more staff in order to meet the demand for veteran care. He also spearheaded the passage of  legislation to better track and study servicemember suicides  by job assignment. Senator King has also worked to  properly honor and recognize the sacrifices of Purple Heart medal recipients ,  protect veterans from fraud , and  expand veteran assisted living services .

The full letter can be found here and below.

Dear Secretary McDonough,

We write to express concerns about the potential harmful impact on veterans resulting from  the recently finalized Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) rule, entitled ‘Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting’ (RIN: 0938-AV25). [4] Our healthcare system is grappling with a severe shortage of qualified nurses and caregivers, spurred in part by challenges exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Long-term care facilities in Maine, North Dakota, and across the country have struggled to recover post-pandemic — we cannot simply will a new pipeline of healthcare workers into existence, and without staff to fill the required positions, many facilities face imminent closure. Given the impact CMS’ rule will have on the entire long-term care industry and access to services, we write to request a report from VA to better understand the impact of the Rule on veterans nationwide and in VA facilities.

In light of the anticipated impact of the CMS rule on the long-term care facilities serving our veterans, we introduced the VA Report on Proposed CMS Staffing Ratios Act (S. 3841), which would require VA to submit a report to Congress on the effect of the then-proposed minimum staffing ratios rule on access to VA long-term care facilities. The final rule covers a wide-ranging cross section of nursing and long-term care facilities nationwide, but we write with particular concern regarding its impact on the tens of thousands of veterans residing in 163 State Veterans Homes, over 130 Community Living Centers (CLC), and numerous Community Nursing Homes contracting with VA to provide care for our veterans.

As you know, veterans may receive long-term care services at VA CLCs, State Veterans Homes, or Community Nursing Homes. The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) may pay for the services depending on the care, but many of our veterans are covered by a combination of VHA, Medicare, and Medicaid – meaning these long-term care facilities providing care to veterans accept payment from Medicare and Medicaid too and thus are subject to CMS’ conditions of participation and the Rule. [5]

Regardless of the payer, it is critical our veterans and those served by long-term care facilities have access to adequate staffing levels to ensure patient safety. While we acknowledge the Rule’s good intent—to improve patient safety through increased staffing levels — we are concerned it ultimately may lead to reduced access and worse health outcomes for veterans. If facilities are not able to hire nurses to meet the requirements of the Rule, we fear they will be forced to close their doors. The nursing home and long-term care industry struggled with adequate staffing levels before the pandemic, and continues to recover from staffing shortages that occurred during the pandemic. For example, in North Dakota, 50% of nursing facilities halted admissions in 2022 due to lack of staff and over the pandemic, these facilities lost over 15% of their staff, many of which have not returned. Similarly, between February 2020 and December 2022, Maine’s nursing industry saw a significant decrease in employment levels, with nursing facilities seeing a 14.2% drop to their staffing levels. In Maine alone, four nursing homes have already announced plans to close this year, with one specifically indicating the inability to hire healthcare staff was one of the primary reasons they were forced to finally close. This situation is not unique to our states — 66% of facilities across the country believe they may have to close if their workforce challenges persist. [6]

Simply put – we are concerned long-term care facilities, including those serving veterans, may not be able to meet the new staffing requirements. Less than one in five nursing facilities nationwide currently meet all staffing requirements prescribed by the Rule. [7] This is particularly concerning given the ongoing struggles of the long-term care industry to adequately hire staff. A recent survey indicated that 89% of nursing homes are actively trying to hire Registered Nurses, and 67% cite a lack of interest or qualified candidates as an obstacle towards hiring. [8] An industry analysis estimates nursing facilities will have to hire an additional 102,000 nurses and nurse aides, which is 14,000 higher than CMS’ estimate. [9]

We all want our veterans, older adults, and disabled populations served by long-term care facilities to have adequate staffing to meet their needs.  Considering the majority of long-term care facilities nationwide would currently be deemed out of compliance with this rule, and are already struggling to hire and retain staff while on the precipice collectively of needing to spend billions of dollars more per year, we have serious concerns the industry will realistically be able to meet the goals of the Rule, let alone prevent massive widespread closures.

We are especially concerned about the direct effect on veterans, given that VA/VHA will need to pay for new hires and related costs at a time when the Department has already proposed to cut 10,000 employees. These proposed cuts were made before the CMS Rule was finalized, which is even more concerning for the potential impact of the Rule on veterans’ care. Therefore, we request a report by July 15, 2024 on the impact of the recently finalized CMS rule on VA, including responses to the following questions:

• What are the projections in terms of hiring needs for Registered Nurses (RNs), Certified Nurse Assistants (CNAs), licensed practical nurse/licensed vocational nurse (LPN/LVN), and other staff in long-term care facilities supported by the Department as a result of this finalized rule?
• What is the projected budgetary impact on the Department as a result of this finalized rule?
• Since January 2022, how many CNAs and LPN/LVNs have similarly been hired?
• How many facilities serving veterans does VA anticipate needing to apply for exemptions discussed in the final rule?
• Does VA have any concerns with the exemptions process in the final rule towards demonstrating a hardship exemption?
• How many State homes would not meet the threshold for minimum staffing outlined in the final rule? How many veterans who live in such State homes would be affected?
• How many community nursing homes currently contracted with the Department of Veterans Affairs would not meet the threshold for minimum staffing? How many veterans residing in community nursing home would be affected?
• Will the final rule have any impact on community living centers of the Department? How many veterans would be affected?
• rural and highly rural areas;
• medically underserved areas;
• territories of the United States; or
• Tribal areas?
• How would the proposed staffing reductions, combined with the final rule, impact veterans’ long-term care?

Thank you for your attention to this matter, and we look forward to hearing from the Department regarding our request.

[1] https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2024-08273.pdf

[2] https://www.kff.org/medicaid/issue-brief/a-closer-look-at-the-final-nursing-facility-rule-and-which-facilities-might-meet-new-staffing-requirements/

[3] ibid at 3

[4] https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2024-08273.pdf

[5] https://www.veterans.senate.gov/services/files/4BB4DA3C-2C5A-4D34-A89A-CF560343B302 , page 4.

[6] https://www.ahcancal.org/News-and-Communications/Press-Releases/Pages/State-Of-The-Sector-Nursing-Home-Staffing-Shortages-Persist-Despite-Unprecedented-Efforts-To-Attract-More-Staff-.aspx

[7] https://www.kff.org/medicaid/issue-brief/a-closer-look-at-the-final-nursing-facility-rule-and-which-facilities-might-meet-new-staffing-requirements/

[8] ibid at 3

[9] https://www.ahcancal.org/News-and-Communications/Press-Releases/Pages/Analysis-Final-Nursing-Home-Staffing-Rule-Would-Require-102,000-Additional-Caregivers-Cost-$6.5-Billion-Per-Year.aspx