sample nursing capstone research paper

Nursing Capstone Paper for BSN, MSN, and DNP Students

All students taking BSN, MSN, or DNP nursing education programs must complete a capstone paper at the end of their program as a partial requirement to attain a nursing degree. After completion, you will present the paper before a committee that will ask questions and rate you.

The evidenced-based paper proves that you are ready to put what you have learned into real-world healthcare settings. This is to say that, by the time you write a capstone paper, you will have developed and learned the essential skills needed to write it, such as time management, research design, knowledge of evidence-based practice, literature searches, writing, and critical thinking.

Even though the paper relies on what has been taught throughout school sessions, many students complain about it being challenging. This is true for those who did not master the required skills.

A nursing capstone paper needs adequate research, critical thinking, and good writing skills to demonstrate your knowledge and provide a solution to the raised healthcare problem. This is probably why you may have doubts about your skills.

So, if you have no idea where to start, this article will give you helpful insights into writing a good nursing capstone paper.

What is a Nursing Capstone Paper?

You are probably wondering what a capstone project is like in nursing school. Some call it a capstone or senior/final project, others a capstone. It is a culminating paper that promotes and advances career development for student nurses at different levels BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing), MSN (Master of Science in Nursing), Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP).

A nursing capstone paper is a culminating academic research project written mainly by nursing students in their final or senior year of nursing studies. It entails the application of nursing theories and concepts in solving practical healthcare problems or issues.

It is an evidence-based practice (EBP) research paper that informs the methods used to deliver care and educate others in the community or selected population. It is meant to show the ability of a student to lead and practice at any level of clinical nursing practice.

Schools like West Govners University , Capella University, Liberty University, Devry, Duke University, Grand Canyon University, Regis University, Emory university, and other top nursing colleges and universities accept nursing capstone projects for one to graduate with nursing degrees. Therefore, understanding how to write a capstone proposal, choose a capstone project topic, and write one comes in handy. 

Purpose of Writing Nursing Capstone

Whatever specialization and program allow a capstone pathway, all nursing students must write a capstone paper that acts as a bridge to their nursing career. The paper is no different from the usual academic assignments. In most cases, a capstone paper can be a research paper, outcome-based evaluation, ethnographic study, case study, survey, and more.

A nursing capstone is a chance to demonstrate that you can solve real-world issues related to healthcare and healthcare systems. In most cases, you must address a practice problem that requires change, and you can only do this by demonstrating prowess in evidence-based practice.

There are limitless ideas that you can choose to focus your nursing capstone on. For instance, you can develop strategies to recruit student nurses in their final year to solve the nursing staffing issues currently rocking the global healthcare systems, focusing on the UK or USA. Likewise, you can develop strategies to improve patient satisfaction or new ways to reduce drug errors.

We have a comprehensive list of capstone project topics and ideas for your BSN, ADN, LPN, MSN, or DNP studies project.

A capstone project paper answers questions and deeply understands the project area. In addition, you will be required to conduct independent research and present a detailed analysis of the problem and potential solutions.

A good nursing capstone paper should integrate a few things, including:

• Outcomes and evaluation process
• Plan for sustainability
• Implement the appropriate area of practice
• Focus on the change impacting healthcare outcomes directly or indirectly
• Address the population's needs
• Have micro-, meso-, or macro-level systems

When designing a capstone project, ensure that the processes or the outcomes can be assessed to guide policy and practice. It should also be a foundation for future nursing practice scholarship.

Basic Structure for Nursing Capstone Paper

All nursing programs set their format for capstone paper, meaning that the format will vary depending on the program you are taking. However, since capstone paper is a formal evidence-based practice, there is a standard format structure they must all follow to impart a positive and impressive impression to the reader and assessor.

A title page, also known as a cover page, essentially aims to introduce the main topic to readers. Readers check the title first to see whether they will continue reading; if it doesn't interest them, they won't proceed any further. Therefore, you must carefully choose the words that will make the title. To come up with a good title, consider what you would search for in, for example, a PubMed journal. The title should be accurate, complete, and specific. Use the following to guide you:

• Use a few words, but not too few, to describe the message of your paper
• Don't use words like Studies on," "Investigations on," etc.
• Be specific
• Use keywords similar to those in the paper
• Don't use abbreviations or jargon
• Be careful with word order and syntax

You can write the title page in either APA or Harvard format. While Harvard is in Australia and the UK, APA is mostly preferred in nursing schools in the USA.

The abstract is a preview of your content. It is usually brief, containing between 200 and 250 words explaining the paper's aims and goals. In other words, it answers the paper's What, how, and why.

When writing an abstract, you should aim to be specific and selective and summarize each part of the paper in short sentences.

You can write the abstract after finalizing the paper so that you capture every important detail. These tips can guide you when writing the abstract:

• Use a well-developed paragraph
• Introduce the purpose, results, conclusions, and recommendations
• Ensure its easy to understand

Introduction

The introduction part of your capstone project should be captivating, engaging, and attractive to grab the readers' attention (markers or supervisors) off the bat. This means integrating a good hook sentence, which can be a shocking statistic, research facts, or a statement related to the topic you are exploring. For example, if you are looking at the impacts of covid-19 on the rising trends of childhood obesity, quote the figures indicating the percentage rise. Such epidemiological data breathes life into your introduction and makes your readers see the importance of your topic and further anticipate reading the entire capstone project paper.

After the hook, you should have a background statement where you lay bare the importance of your capstone project topic. Explain why you selected it, your interest in it, and why you prioritized the issue.

The introduction reveals your writing aim and provides sufficient background information to help readers understand and evaluate the paper. The background should also include information about the change agents or stakeholders.

The length of the introduction is capped at 10% of your capstone.

The introduction should have a thesis statement and an outline of the paper , and the thesis statement is the main idea of your paper.

Depending on what you selected for a capstone topic, you will need to introduce your PICOT question to your readers. It comprehensively helps them identify your capstone's scope and your approach to solving a given healthcare issue. You can then develop a nursing research question that guides the entire paper based on the PICOT statement or question.

Your introduction should also have a problem statement section, which can be a few lines where you describe the healthcare issue of interest and explain why it should be addressed. When exploring the problem, state the affected populations and your approach to solving it. This is followed by a statement of purpose where you highlight the aims and objectives of the capstone paper as you strive to address the identified problem. You should provide a rationale for the issue or problem you are addressing from the nursing point of view, using professional nursing literature sources and peer-reviewed nursing journals. You can use sources such as QSEN, CDC, NCHS, AHRQ, ANA, AHA, IOM, CMS, AMA, TJC, etc.

Keep in mind that an introduction is different from an abstract. Whereas an abstract summarizes your paper, an introduction shows its justification and what readers should expect. Use the following tips to write a better introduction for your nursing capstone:

• Be brief, clear, and organized
• Read some of the capstone samples for inspiration
• Always use present tense throughout the paper
• Ensure the information flows from the introduction throughout the paper

Literature Review

The literature review shows the summary of your findings. This is where you provide the theme of the articles and their common conclusions, not your own. It is a summary of the context of your problem. You have to show the connection between the reference material, your field area, and the topic of the capstone paper. All this information should be backed with relevant sources from reliable journals and articles.

The literature review shows readers that you:

• Are well informed, and you have expertise in that field
• Have found a gap in the literature, and the research will contribute to the conversation
• Can show the composition of the issues, and the trends surrounding your research

The review doesn't provide a comprehensive history of the topic in discussion but rather provides another research context so the reader can understand. When writing the drafts, you will come across new themes, forcing you to go back and do more research to understand and then incorporate them in the review.

When reviewing the literature, go for peer-reviewed journal articles published in the last five years. In some cases, your supervisor might direct you to search the scholarly sources, write an annotated bibliography, complete a literature search table where you summarize everything, and then proceed to write the literature review before moving to the following sections of your capstone. Remember, since a nursing capstone is an evidence-based paper, ensure that you use the strongest levels of evidence .

You can get articles from journals such as:

• American Journal of Critical Care
• American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy
• American Journal of Nursing
• Annals of Internal Medicine
• Health Affairs
• Critical Care Nurse
• BMC health services
• Critical care medicine
• Hospital topics
• Infection control and hospital epidemiology
• Intensive care medicine
• Journal of advanced nursing
• Journal of American medical association
• Journal of nursing management
• Medsurg nursing
• Nephrology nursing journal
• Journal of Clinical Nursing
• Nursing forum
• International Journal of Nursing Studies
• Nursing Standard
• British Journal of Cardiac Nursing
• Emergency Nurse
• The British Journal of Nursing
• Urologic nursing
• Journal of the American Medical Association
• Journal of Mental Health
• Journal of Wound Care
• Nursing Children and Young People
• British Journal of Community Nursing
• Australasian Emergency Nursing Journal
• Medical Journal of Australia
• The Australian Journal of Advanced Nursing
• The Australian Nursing Journal
• Australian Nursing & Midwifery Journal
• Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing
• Australian Journal of Primary Health
• Canadian Journal of Nursing Research

You can also find country-specific nursing journals to make your capstone more focused and evidence-based with appropriate evidence from your country. For instance, the OMICS Online website lists nursing journals in Canada .

Methods and Material

This section shows how you conducted your research. Nursing is a science that entails inquiry into different topics and subjects, and you will apply qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-methods research as you write the capstone paper.

In this section, you should discuss the materials you used to research for your capstone. For instance, if you are taking the qualitative approach path, detail your search strategy and complete the PRISMA diagram elaborating the search terms, keywords, inclusion and elimination criteria, and how you arrived at a specific number of articles.

If you are doing a quantitative study for your nursing capstone, you must detail how you collected data, the population, sampling strategies, and assumptions. As you do so, provide rationale and support your arguments with proper citations from scholarly nursing journals.

If you have used data analysis programs to analyze collected data, ensure that you explain that too. As well, focus on how you met ethical requirements before researching. Besides listing the methods used, also state their strengths and weaknesses.

You have to discuss why one form of data collection differs. This section aims to provide all the scientific methods used so that if another researcher wanted to conduct a similar study, they could produce similar results.

When writing methodology and research, you should:

• Use past tense
• Describe all equipment, method, chemical compound, or statistical analysis that are not standard.
• Write the subheading using the write formatting style

In this section, you will provide what the finding are. If an experiment was involved, show the results and analysis. Don't make any assumptions or conclusions at this point. Just illustrate the results using graphs, tables, and images. All the data provided should be able to answer all the questions and hypotheses introduced in the beginning. You should show the following:

• Representative data and avoid redundant data.
• Discussion of variables but only if they showed any effect
• Meaningful statistics
• Description of statistical analyses you used to run the data.
• Use the findings from the literature to support or refute your findings.

The discussion section analyzes what your results were. You must be critical and attentive in the discussion and show patterns in the findings.

Show what previous studies say about your research. Also, show the implications and significance of your study and whether it adds anything new to the nursing field.

Don't forget to show the finding's limitations and what can be done to make the research more reliable. Then, add that an additional investigation should be conducted. Make sure you use relevant sources from reputable journals, articles, etc.

This is the last part of the structure of the capstone paper, and it summarizes everything you have discussed from the beginning till the discussion part.

The conclusion also shows what knowledge you have gained from the capstone research and the most appropriate and promising problem-solving methods.

You should also provide future recommendations and real-life application suggestions.

After your conclusion, include your references in your capstone paper. You can then put everything else (diagrams, tables, figures, etc.) in the appendices section.

Steps for Writing a Capstone Paper for Nursing School

A capstone paper is a significant project in your academic life that will prepare you for your career.

It equips you with hands-on experience to tackle challenges and shape you into a well-rounded nursing graduate.

Because of this, you should know how to write a good capstone paper using the following steps:

Choose a Relevant Topic

Since a nursing capstone topic is essential, you must choose the right one. The topic should be interesting, relevant, explorative, specific, original, and meaningful.

You should be able to think of the topic right from the beginning of your nursing program. When choosing a topic, you should evaluate your interest, strengths, weaknesses, and specialty area. Also, consider the manageable topics and consult with your peers, professor, and supervisors.

If you have high GPAs, consider topics that fall under emergency or intensive care. If your grades aren't so excellent, consider essential topics. But no topic is a preserve of anyone.

You can ask for help from your professor, classmates, and other faculty members with similar experiences. Remember that the project's goal is to highlight all the knowledge and skills you obtained during the program.

Related Article:

• How to choose good nursing topics plus a list of nursing research topics .
• How to make a perfect abstract poster for a capstone project.
• Steps for writing a change project.

Come Up with a Picot Question and Statement

The word PICOT stands for patient, intervention, comparison, outcome, and time frame, and it represents a format for coming up with answerable research questions.

The process usually begins with a case scenario or a healthcare issue affecting patients, the healthcare system, or healthcare professionals then a thoughtful question elicits a response is phrased. Once you have this question, you can carefully think it through and determine what research will give you the best answer.

You must carefully consider what the picot question entails to answer the research question quickly. The question should be straightforward and focused on coming up with a credible and useful answer.

Write a Capstone Proposal

A capstone proposal is a document that outlines what your nursing project is about. In other words, it is the blueprint of your paper. Depending on your supervisor, it is sometimes a requirement in some nursing programs, so your capstone topic can be approved.

Every nursing capstone project starts with a proposal you submit to your instructor for review. The proposal is usually about 200 to 1000 words, and it must contain the following:

• The chosen topic, why you want to write about it
• Problem statement
• Purpose statement
• PICOT question or nursing research question
• Background experience about the topic
• Scope of information available and sources
• Information you are about to do and the methods you will use
• Required subject approvals
• Stakeholders
• Data collection tools
• Timeline of what you want to achieve
• Implementation and evaluation plan
• Budget for the project
• Sustainability plan
• Dissemination strategies

Some universities, such as Capella, have their nursing capstone proposal template. Since we have helped many students, you can ask our chat support team to assist you with the template or placing an order to get your capstone proposal written to the best quality. 

Outline Your Capstone Paper

Writing a capstone paper is challenging; because of this, you need to have an outline of the project.

You must begin writing the outline as soon as your proposal has been accepted. Creating an outline will also help you create the structure of your nursing project according to the given instruction.

Think of the outline as a roadmap for your nursing capstone paper.

Research, Identify and Organize Sources

Once you have developed your outline, start researching all the relevant scholarly sources to help you develop your research topic. These sources include books, journals, articles, and credible websites.

First, read widely to find a list of recommended literature from books. Then, use the online bibliography management tools to categorize, organize, and store all the references you have gathered.

Formulate a Thesis Statement

A thesis statement summarizes the main point of your capstone research paper and should tell the reader in transparent, persuasive, genuine, and direct language what your paper is about.

To write a good thesis statement, define your paper's point of view, and express it as a single idea. Remember that the thesis statement should resonate with the entire paper. The tips below can help you write a good thesis statement:

• Do more targeted research and use your research question when constructing the thesis.
• It should directly address the research question
• Support your stamen with relevant evidence

Have a Writing Schedule

Scheduling is essential when wiring a capstone paper since it is one of your voluminous projects.

First, you must develop a separate and integrated schedule dedicated to the main areas of your project, which are research and writing.

You can divide these into smaller depending on each part of the project and then continuously update the schedule since some tasks can be completed faster. Finally, download organizers on your phone or laptop to help keep track of your progress.

Write the first draft of the Capstone Paper

Once you have the thesis statement, start writing your nursing capstone paper. Ensure the thesis is narrow and specific because if it is broad enough, you won't be able to cover all the essential details of the paper.

There is no specific formula for writing the paper; you can begin at any point, just not the introduction.

Write the introduction last, after going through the deep matter of the issue.

Proofread and Edit

Your paper should be free from errors, and all information should be factual and up to the standards. Once you are through, reread each section of your paper.

Proofreading will reveal any mistakes that can ruin the quality of the capstone paper. Use the following tips to help in proofreading:

• Proofread backward as you read each paragraph line by line
• Place a pen or ruler under each sentence to help you focus on a manageable amount of text
• Know the type of mistakes you usually make in writing
• Focus on one error at a time
• Take a break before proofreading
• Read out aloud
• Ask a friend to proofread it for you

Submit and Wait for Feedback

Once you are sure your paper is error-free, submit it to your instructor and wait for feedback. This shouldn't take too long.

Your instructor must review your capstone paper from the beginning until the end to ensure it is up to the academic standards.

Improve it Based on Feedback

Your instructor will give you feedback after going through your paper.

You need to use this feedback to refine your paper.

Create a Capstone Poster or PPT for Your Defense

Presenting your paper will influence how the committee evaluates the whole project. Use the best software to transform the words on your research paper into a captivating capstone paper.

These tips can help with your presentation:

• Use the suitable nursing PowerPoint template to format to suit the chosen background color. If you have chosen a light background, use a dark colored text
• The titles should be similar to those in your paper
• Make sure you follow the 6-by-6 rule or 7-by-7 rule to ensure that there is not too much text on the slide
• Use relevant graphics for ultimate professionalism

Defend Your Capstone Paper

A capstone presentation is an opportunity to show your knowledge of the field of nursing study. You must defend your research before a project committee.

When presenting the paper, you must show the essence of the chosen topic and discuss the research and the findings.

You should explain each section briefly and ensure you highlight all the important details. Remember that the committee will ask questions after the presentations, so be prepared to answer them.

Tips for Completing Your Nursing Paper on Time

Even though it may seem there is a lot of time to write the paper, you must consider all the other things going on in your life.

Effective time management is essential when doing a capstone paper, especially if you want to avoid a last-minute rush. Bear in mind that a capstone project is one of the requirements for completing your nursing program.

So, you complete a solid capstone paper that will give you an edge as you transition to work.

Use the following tips to help you finish the paper on time and appeal to the markers.

Understand the Capstone Research question

You need to go through the research question and understand its objectives first.

This way, it will be easy to do your research, collect all the relevant information, and organize them when writing the paper.

Choose a Good Nursing Capstone Topic Early

Once you understand the research question, you should start choosing a topic immediately if your instructor did not provide one. Selecting a good topic for your paper is essentially but easy.

It is challenging and exhausting because it greatly impacts your capstone project. The project's primary goal is to show that you understand your field well.

Therefore, you should choose a topic with a good amount of research and one you are familiar with to save time. This will also ensure you don't get stuck trying to create content.

Research Faster with Keywords

Create relevant keywords from your research question. Then use keywords from your research question to quickly search search engines to identify articles, journals, essays, or published content.

Also, use Google Scholar, PubMed, CINAHL, Ovid, PsychINFO, Science Direct, and other nursing journal databases to get credible nursing sources for your research. Once you get them, bookmark and download them to make it easier to locate them when writing.

Use Online Tools to Create a Brief Outline

You can create an outline faster when you use online tools. List all the critical sections in your outline so you can do it faster and seamlessly when it is time to write.

You can also download online tools to proofread and edit your work to save time. Some of the online tools that can save you time include:

• Hemingway editor
• Turnitin to check for plagiarism

Embrace Digital Tools for Researchers

You must stay abreast of everything goings on in your field of study. Several AI-powered digital tools can help save a lot of reading time.

These sites will recommend personalized articles and journals based on chosen topics and your study area. Some tools can help you plan and manage your time wisely.

Choose a Good Environment to Write

Before you begin writing, find a conducive place to concentrate on your paper without distractions.

Choose a comfortable seat and table, and ensure the area has adequate lighting, so you don't strain yourself.

Write Quickly

Now that everything is in place, start writing your nursing capstone paper. Start with the most straightforward sections fast if you want to write quickly and save time.

The methods section is one of the easiest, so start with it as you move to others. Leave the introduction and abstract last because they are always challenging and take great effort to craft.

Don't edit at this point; focus on writing as much as possible.

Say "No" to Distractions

This is a crucial time to focus on one of the essential parts of your nursing journey, so it's okay to say no to anything that might distract you. Use the following tips to help you stay focused:

• Turn off notifications
• Avoid friends or any bad company
• Avoid reading the message as soon as you wake up, as you prioritize other people.
• Inform loved ones that you need time to focus on your nursing capstone research paper so that they understand your silence.

Hasten Your Pace Through Multitasking

Work on different tasks without straining yourself too much. Multitasking can save you time and make meaningful progress when planned well.

For instance, you can write the methods sections while conducting your experiment. This will improve your time management skills and help you finish the task on time.

Set Realistic Deadlines

While multitasking can be a good idea, ensure you don't try to eat an entire cake in one bite.

Create smaller milestones as you try to achieve the bigger goal to prevent counter-productivity and early burnout.

Ensure that you complete the smaller tasks within the set timeline.

Start Working on High Priority Task First

Completing the high-priority task can effectively complete the capstone project on time.

In this case, your high-priority task will be to write the proposal early enough and then submit it for review. Another task I research requires time, energy, and concentration.

When you finish all these, you can tick them off and focus on another task. Knowing that you are done with part of the vast chunks of your paper will give you a sense of accomplishment ad motivate you to finish the others.

Take Breaks without Feeling Guilty

Even though your research is essential, you don't have to spend all your time working on the task.

Set aside a little time to rest and do something worthwhile, like a hobby or any other form of self-care. Research shows that taking breaks off work can boost productivity and help you manage time well.

It doesn't have to be a whole day; even 10 minutes can go a long way in helping boost your productivity. You can also spend this time with close friends and family, as it will bring out the best in you.

Final Remarks

A capstone paper is integral to your academic study, even though it might seem tedious and challenging. To write a good paper without difficulty, you must choose a topic that interests you. Besides, you also need to be patient and dedicated throughout the process.

Most students often find it challenging to write a good capstone project because it is demanding; it needs lots of time, knowledge, skills, and patience. Combine writing the nursing capstone and working or balancing it with life duties such as family and personal errands, and you get a recipe for burnout. However, with the above guide, you will be on the right track toward acing the capstone paper within a few weeks.

If you need verified capstone nursing writers to assist you with your capstone project at whatever level, you can always count on NurseMyGrade experts. They will work on your capstone paper while communicating with you and deliver a top-quality paper with no errors and plagiarism-free. Place an order today.

Related Reading: How to write a nursing resume.

Frequently Asked Questions

How hard is nursing capstone paper.

Not really. A nursing capstone paper forces you to go deeper into your understanding of what you have been learning all along, and it will push you to think critically about incorporating all the best nursing practices into your project.

You might get intimidated by the paper is length, but if you select a more manageable topic, it will just be a walk in the park.

What are the Goals for Nursing Capstone Paper?

Since a nursing capstone paper is essentially a bridge between the end of the nursing program and the beginning of your career, it will help you achieve the following:

• Demonstrate that you have gained knowledge in your field of study
• Put what you have learned throughout your program into practice
• Apply the research and all the experiential evidence gathered as a soliton to a medical problem
• Broadens your knowledge about what the real healthcare issues are in your community
• Identifying the right ideas and working on them will help you in enhancing your career development
• Discovering what your overall goals are in the nursing industry, especially what your specialization will be

What Are Some of the Ideas for Nursing Capstone Paper?

There are countless capstone ideas for you, but the main objective should be to choose one based on your experience and learning.

General capstone ideas

 If you don't want anything complicated, choose general capstone ideas such as:

• How inclusion and engagement of nurses can influence patient outcome
• Does the engagement of nurses in treating patients affect their mental health?
• Nurses and ethical practices
• Stress management for nurses
• Improving Nurse Organizations
• Coming up with affordable medical care for everyone

Topics in Health Promotion

Ideas in health promotions are those that can improve the welfare of the community. These topics include:

• Managing depression among healthcare workers to Improve Health Services
• Improving Awareness and Preventing Cyberbullying
• Promoting Awareness of How to Prevent HIV
• The increasing importance of vaccine Awareness
• How Smoking Affects Passive Smoke

Ideas for Mental Health

• How sexual abuse affects children and teens
• Ways to help deaf children facing depression
• How divorce affects children
• Ways to deal with mental health stigma
• How to help veterans manage PTSD?
• Does job loss worsen mental health issues?

Ideas on Women's Heath

• How can women deal with menopause the right way?
• How Smoking affects pregnant women and unborn babies
• Induced Births
• benefits and drawbacks of Breast Pumps
• How to Choose Whether a Woman Should Breastfeed
• Approaches of different birth controls among women

Your area of interest will determine the kind of project idea you choose. We have a comprehensive list of nursing capstone ideas and topics you can consider when confused about what to write your nursing project about. UTTYler has a platform where they publish all the MSN capstone projects completed by nursing students. It can also be an excellent place to get ideas for your capstone project.

Where Can You Find Inspiration for Your Project Idea?

After determining your areas of interest, start looking for suggestions from sources like:

• You reading materials
• Earlier papers you had written, such as essays, and reports
• Nursing publications such as peer-reviewed journals, journal articles, and blogs.
• Practice problems identified during your practicum or clinicals.
• Nursing issues in the news.
• Previously written capstone papers. You can find them online or your nursing school or university website.

How Do You Choose the Best Topic for Nursing Capstone Paper?

• Brainstorm on the areas that interest you by reflecting on the classes or topics that you enjoyed.
• Read widely to find out enough materials for your topic
• Consult with your supervisor about the chosen topic
• Read more on the topic now that you are sure about it

What Are the Common Mistakes to Avoid When Writing a Capstone Nursing Paper?

• Failure to follow the given format and structure
• Using long sentences and big vocabulary
• Not proofreading and editing your work

Is It Easy for Your Instructor to Not Approve Your Capstone Topic?

No. Since you have already gone through nursing schools and studied theories and practicum, you already have the foundation to help you choose a good topic. Just make sure you choose one that helps in solving healthcare issues.

How long does a nursing capstone course take?

The completion time, like the formats for capstone, differs depending on the program and institution. While some institutions complete the capstone in 4-5 weeks, others have the capstone spread through 9-10 weeks. Others also have arrangements where nursing students undertake 30 hours of an online class and 90 hours of applied project work in their advanced studies. Regardless of the programs, most students always follow the PICO Format for project proposal questions. Other nursing colleges and universities allow capstone projects to be accomplished as group work.

What should appear in a successful capstone project?

Even though different markers and supervisors focus on different aspects of the capstone, to score a good grade for your BSN, MSN, or DNP capstone project, ensure that it reflects the following:

• Problem identification that relates to the nursing practice is of interest or choice. You can write along the lines of administration, education, or policy.
• Theoretical research and literature review
• Use of peer-reviewed nursing journals
• Critical analysis and synthesis of the literature
• Reporting of research findings
• Using evidence-based practice guidelines to suggest changes or solutions
• Evidence-based recommendations
• Civil and professional collaboration
• Open communication
• Use of clinical reasoning cycle
• The subjects comply with the nursing code of ethics and research ethics.

Is a nursing capstone the same as a thesis?

No, a capstone can either be completed in a group or individually and often takes between 4 and 12 weeks. On the other hand, an individual's thesis project must be completed and takes 2-3 years to write. Graduate thesis courses take 1-2 semesters, so students are on track. When writing a capstone project in nursing, your focus will mostly be on current issues and nursing theories. On the other hand, a thesis entails thorough research, which entails using existing case studies and scholarly sources to argue and support your research. Dissemination of thesis papers occurs through publishing in reputable journals.

How Long is the Capstone Paper Presentation?

The capstone paper presentation, done before a committee, shouldn't take more than 45 minutes. During this time, you will demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of the topic in your study area. Members of the committee will also ask questions about the research you have done. 

Related: The process of writing a good nursing case study . 

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Ultimate Nursing Capstone Project Writing Guide for BSN - DNP Students

Every nursing student in most universities and nursing colleges must write a capstone paper or a capstone project, which is considered a mandatory requirement for attaining a nursing degree. Capstone projects are written by students pursuing BSN, MSN, or DNP nursing education degrees.

While it is a culminating paper, which relies on concepts taught throughout school sessions, some students often find it challenging to complete one. Moreover, it is an even more frustrating assignment if you have no skills to compose a good capstone project paper.

A nursing capstone project requires adequate research, a display of creativity and critical thinking skills, and proper formatting. It is the final paper you undertake before eventually gaining eligibility to work. This means that some tips and strategies can work well, and others can lead to complete failure.

We cover all the aspects of nursing capstone project writing strategies, processes, and tips to help you attain confidence as you settle down to write your capstone project. We will also cover some pitfalls that often lead to capstone project failures and how to avoid them. So let's dive right in, won't we?

What is a nursing Capstone Paper?

A nursing capstone paper is a formal academic paper that a nursing student writes in the final year of their studies. It is a research paper, evidence-based paper , outcome-based evaluation, program or policy analysis, case study, or a survey at the end of nursing training.

When writing a capstone paper, you can be required to propose solutions to distinct health issues relating to nursing practice, depending on your area of study. In many cases, you are required to apply evidence-based practice skills in solving healthcare problems. For example, you can choose to develop a new intervention strategy to promote health, enhance the quality of life, improve healthcare outcomes, and improve patient safety and satisfaction levels.

Generally, the goal of the capstone is to test how well-versed you are in applying the experiential and research evidence in solving the chosen healthcare issue. For this, you need to relate the topics to leadership, research, management, theories, frameworks, and evidence-based practice.

And when done with the capstone, a student has to present the paper to a faculty panel, which is often referred to as defending the capstone project. Sometimes, it is about strategies to help one transition through nursing education.

Are you stuck with what to write your nursing capstone about? Read our article that presents a list of 300 plus capstone project ideas for BSN, MSN, and DNP .

Although not every nursing program requires a capstone, those that make it mandatory as partial fulfillment for attaining a nursing degree culminate to either bachelor of science in nursing (BSN), Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), or Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP).

Basic Structure for Nursing Capstone Paper

Notably, each nursing program sets its requirements. This means that the capstone formats may differ depending on the programs. However, being a formal evidence-based practice paper or presentation, there is a standard format for the structure that you can follow if none is given. Therefore, in most cases, you will find minimal variations to the format that we are about to present.

With that in mind, you need to note that a well-crafted capstone paper generally gives an excellent first impression to your markers and makes it easy to read your paper. We will be brief on each section because most of the information will be given in the capstone project instruction briefs given in class.

Note that this is a structured research-based nursing capstone project. Therefore, we have a separate article that details the structure of a change-based nursing capstone paper, aka nursing change paper.

The title page of your capstone paper comes first before anything else. In most cases, it is referred to as the cover page. You can formulate it either on an APA or Harvard title page . Most American nursing schools prefer capstone papers written in APA. In contrast, Australian and UK nursing schools prefer capstone projects written in Harvard format.

This is the first part of the content of your nursing capstone project paper. It is usually brief, well-written, and organized as your capstone flows. It should be written last. You should focus on explaining the purpose of the capstone paper. It should be between 200 and 250 words long and must not exceed a page. Also, provide a brief background of your capstone paper topic, the problem, and some proposed solutions.

Introduction

Your introduction should begin with a good hook statement. Then, in most cases, use statistics or a shocking statement to draw your reader's attention. For instance, if you focus on Hospital Acquired Infections, you could draw from a study or publication detailing the shocking HAIs or the cost of managing otherwise preventable HAIs.

The introduction should then delve into the background of the selected capstone paper topic, why you chose it, and why you feel your issue needs solutions. You should also state your thesis statement and the outline of the paper.

Typically, the thesis statement of a capstone paper is the main idea that holds together the entire capstone.

Some programs recommend that you give a blueprint of the entire capstone in the introduction.

In terms of length, the introduction should be approximately 10% of the total word count of the capstone paper. Your introduction will also entail:

PICOT Question

Before researching for a nursing capstone paper, you are always required to formulate a nursing PICOT question that helps decide on the topic you will address. Typically, PICOT questions elaborately present the healthcare problem that you are trying to solve. 

Nursing Research Question

Based on your PICOT question, you should proceed to write a nursing research question that will form the core of your paper. It is usually a one-sentence question that summarizes your PICOT question. Some programs require students to develop PICOT questions and the nursing research question before proceeding to the other parts of the capstone paper. Sometimes, the research question replaces the PICOT question with the case where you focus on issues where patients are not involved, such as nurse education, leadership, policies, and management.

Statement of the problem

Because in a general sense, you are trying to address a healthcare issue relating to nurse practice, you must describe the problem. Here, you should use the most recent sources published within the last five years to describe the extent of the problem. For example, give the epidemiological statistics, costs of the issue, or how a given population of patients is affected. If you focus on research in management, leadership, or education, clearly state the identified problem.

Statement of Purpose

In this mini section, which sometimes is considered part of the introduction, you state the objectives, aims, and scope of your capstone project paper. For example, if you propose an evidence-based intervention, you should mention how it will address the problem.

Literature Review

After the problem statement, purpose statement, nursing research question, and introduction come the literature review. A literature review is not an annotated bibliography. Instead, when writing this section, consider what other scholars have discussed concerning the topic you have selected for your capstone paper.

For instance, if you are solving a problem with overcrowding at the emergency departments, you should check what authors of peer-reviewed scholarly articles published in the last five years have to say about the gravity of the issue, some interventions, and barriers to these interventions.

Ensure that you use studies that are relevant to your research, mostly journal articles. As a good tip, always look at the strongest level of evidence when writing a nursing paper. Again, some institutions will require that you conduct a literature search before writing the literature review and fill a table or matrix that covers the aspects of the selected studies.

Through the nursing capstone preceptor, other programs might require you first to complete an annotated bibliography of your main sources. Whichever the case, your literature review should be critical. Cross-compare what the authors agree on and what they disagree on, then draw a common ground to base your paper. Literature reviews can be written as a stand-alone paper for compilation as the last step. Finally, you bring all the independent papers together to form a whole capstone project paper.

One more thing, the literature review can also contain the theories or frameworks that you are basing the capstone on. When writing your capstone, you can use nursing or borrowed theories, leadership frameworks/theories, and other healthcare models. What you choose depends on the inclination of your capstone and directions from your professor, supervisor, or preceptor.

Methods and Material

This section should detail all the materials you have used when researching for your capstone. For example, if you were doing a quantitative capstone project, list the sampling strategies, the samples, the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and the process you used when researching. You should also list how you incorporated research ethics. If, for instance, you chose to do a qualitative nursing capstone project, list the search strategy you applied, inclusion and exclusion criteria, the number of articles used, include the completed PRISMA diagram , and any other materials used. You can as well include the summary of the chosen studies. Give the rationale that is well-backed with references from nursing journals why you chose a given path. Explain how you conducted the research, how you maintained its rigor, validity, and relevance. If you analyzed data using SPSS or R programs, state how you did that.

Results and Discussion

In the results and discussion section, you will present the findings from the research. If you conducted an experiment, report the results and the analysis. For instance, for a statistical nursing capstone project, use tables, graphs, and charts to report the findings. Include the results of the tests and analysis as well. If it is qualitative research, describe the findings from the interviews, content analysis, systematic review, literature review, or other qualitative data collection and analysis methods.

You should then relate the findings to what other scholars found, reflecting on the literature review and your capstone paper topic. Again, use relevant scholarly sources such as edited books, reputable journals, periodicals, nursing guidelines and protocols, and evidence from credible websites like WHO, CDC, ANA, AMA, and other health/governmental bodies.

Like every other paper, the conclusion comes last. It is the final summary of your paper where you present the problem, findings, discussions, and recommendations in brief. You should present some of the limitations of the current research and recommendations for future studies. If you had experimental data, elaborate on its significance.

You should show your writing skills in this section. For example, show that you started with a problem, but now you have a solution.  If there are recommendations, briefly state them because the bulk of their explanation is in the discussion section.

In this section, list all the sources you have used in alphabetical order. You can use APA or Harvard, depending on the prompt from your professor. Make sure you use the most recent formatting style, for example, APA7 instead of APA6, unless directed otherwise.

Here is where you present the figures, diagrams, tables, and other relevant materials mentioned in your capstone project. For example, it could be an implementation plan, Memo, data gathered from participants, ethics/consent forms, systematic review summary, or evidence level tables.

That there is a basic structure of a nursing capstone paper. Now, let's look at some strategies you can use to speed up the writing process.

Valuable Tips for writing an A+ Grade Nursing Capstone Paper

As a culminating paper, you want to give a solid formal paper that will provide you with an edge as you transition to practice. In addition, you will have this paper in your nursing portfolio. Therefore, it must be a nursing capstone paper that you will forever be proud of. As you put the recommendations across, you need to use the tips from our experts to make sure you appeal to your markers.

Given that we have guided many students through BSN, MSN, and DNP nursing capstone projects, we are always confident in the expertise of our writers. Our nursing capstone writing service is known widely for being the most important gap between a student and preceptor. When the latter is MIA, we swing to action and assist. You can find an online nursing capstone tutor today to help you as you write your nursing capstone assignment. When we sought out how these professionals could produce model nursing capstone papers, they gave us insights that are summarized below.

1. Choose a good nursing capstone paper topic

The process of selecting a suitable topic for a nursing capstone paper can be tiring, confusing, and intimidating. Therefore, our experts advise that you should evaluate your strengths, weaknesses, and professional interests. For example, you cannot choose a geriatric-based topic when you want to specialize in family practice; it would be incongruent by all means.

Besides, if you are a lazy researcher or not so great at researching, we recommend that you select the basic medical-surgical, leadership, management, and practice-oriented topics. However, if you trust your research skills, go for topics relating to intensive care, outpatients, clinical services, public health, long-term care, geriatrics, Ob-Gyn, pediatrics, NICU, end of life, cancer care, etc.

To choose the best capstone project topic for your nursing practice, we recommend that you:

You need to reflect on your entire nursing training program simply. First, consider the topics from class, lessons, and other activities that specifically stood out. Next, consider some of the examples your professors gave on Blackboard discussion posts and responses. List these topics and formulate preliminary research questions that can inform the scope of your capstone project. Then, narrow it down to a few areas that specifically interest you.

Research and read widely

With a list of the potential capstone paper topics, you can further read and research online. Check whether the area has been written about before. Assess whether credible high-level and high-quality materials can be used to back arguments in your paper. Hypothesize the structure of the paper if you selected a given topic. If the topic is an assignment, choose a topic that meets the requirements. Go beyond your coursework and choose relevant topics that your instructor can accept.

Check previous nursing capstone examples

As you read about the topic, you can further narrow down your list by looking at previously done capstone projects samples. If you are a BSN student, look at the published MSN and BSN capstone projects online. Some universities are so generous to publish capstone projects completed by their students. You can use them to narrow down your list and format your paper. 

Eliminate and choose

Eliminate the topics to that single one that you will focus on. Based on your objective for the capstone paper, cross your list and remain with the super topic. Enlist some of the areas your topic addresses and assess whether it meets the capstone topic requirements from class. Refine it and present it for feedback before delving into further research, analysis, and writing.

Consult widely

Ask your preceptors, faculty, fellow students, and professors for assistance with the topic. Narrow down to a capstone project on a nursing area that interests you. When selecting your capstone site, you should also consider the facility size, care delivery model, patient populations, or geographic locations. With the approval of your capstone counselor or preceptor, you will be sure that you are writing something that will be accepted.

2. Write your nursing project proposal early enough

Once you have an approved title, it is the right time to write a research proposal. The proposal is required, by some nursing programs, before your topic is approved or immediately after. The proposal writing process is often an excellent professional chance to get feedback from your professor. However, if not planned well, the process can consume much of your time.

Ensure that your research proposal includes:

• Title of your project
• Background information of your topic
• The problem/health care issue
• Synthesis of evidence you found that demonstrates the gap in research or practice
• Target population and setting of your research
• Stakeholders
• Project design and methodology
• Data collection tools
• Budget for the project implementation
• Timeline for project implementation
• Implementation plan
• Evaluation plan
• Sustainability plan for post-project implementation
• Dissemination plan (translation to practice)

If you proactively approach your nursing capstone project, you will be ahead of schedule. You will also use parts of the proposal when writing the final capstone project submission.

3. Have an outline before beginning to write

With the topic approved, the next step is to plan your capstone project. Some institutions will require that you write a nursing capstone proposal with all the parts we covered in the structure except the conclusion, discussion, and findings. Instead, you will have an implementation and evaluation plan, capstone project timeline, and ethics or limitations sections.

Assuming the proposal and/or the topic is approved, draw a good outline for your nursing capstone paper. Another assumption is that you are doing the paper as a whole and not in bits. Doing the capstone in bits allows for instant feedback, improvement, and then writing the project progressively. An outline should be a roadmap of the entire project. Just list what will go to the structure we already provided above.

4. Research widely for good sources

With everything in place, look for the relevant scholarly sources to help you develop your capstone project topic. Check for materials published in the last five years. Some nursing institutions recommend the past seven years, but five is excellent. Checkbooks, articles, peer-reviewed journals, or credible websites that meet the CRAAP test.

Consider the primary sources as they allow you to develop ideas based on actual facts compared to secondary sources that report findings. If possible, use primary sources as they have primary facts and data. You should read widely. Allocate a lot of time in research to develop ideas. Take notes, synthesize, and then apply. Paraphrase, summarize, and quote but remember to use the correct in-text citations. You can use the online bibliography management tools to categorize, organize, and store your references.

5. Formulate a good thesis statement

A strong thesis statement is a fortress for your nursing capstone paper. It should communicate what the entire paper is about at a glance. Define the point of view that your paper bears and express it as a single main idea. It must be persuasive, genuine, and direct. It should resonate with the entire capstone paper. All the major sections relate to your thesis statement.

6. Write your introduction, conclusion, and abstract last

Although beginning with the introduction likely looks like the norm and a good idea, if done last in a capstone paper, you capture every useful aspect without repetition. Of course, the conclusion will be written last by default, but you should do that after all the parts are complete.

We insist on doing them last because while they both create an impression to a reader, they are the most challenging to write. So, if possible, take a break from writing and do them when you are rested enough and settled.

These sections address your research question. They should flow naturally. The introduction should be the first contact point after the abstract. Therefore, make it engaging by choosing good transitions, hook sentences, and words to use. The conclusion should summarize the main points, such as the problems, solutions, and findings.

7. Cite all the sources used

As you set out to write the paper, ensure that you cite all the sources used in your nursing capstone paper in APA or Harvard formats. The preferred format will be communicated in the assignment brief. Do not use a source and not cite it both in-text and in the bibliography section. Using sources and citing them helps you write a plagiarism-free nursing capstone paper. When you paraphrase, summarize, or quote, use a relevant citation.

8. Proofread thoroughly

Polish your capstone project paper for mistakes, errors, and omissions. Also, look at the structure, format, organization, and all the requirements met. Revise the complex sentences and vocabulary for a better flow. It is also important to remove all spelling mistakes and punctuation errors. Edit for grammar as well to ensure that the tenses are correct. We recommend taking a good break after writing to edit later. This way, you edit and proofread the paper objectively. Check all the rules of citation and match the requirements. If possible, use the rubric as your checklist and score sheet. Ask yourself, if you were the one marking, what grade would you give? Then use a reverse method of editing and proofreading the nursing capstone project paper.

9. Submit your paper for assessments and feedback

If and only if everything is polished and written to the format as per the rubric/instructions, attach your paper and click the "SUBMIT" button for assessment and feedback. This is specifically useful if you complete the capstone project in parts and get feedback before proceeding to the next section.

10. Refine the capstone project paper based on feedback

With the feedback from your receptor, instructor, counselor, or professor, edit the respective capstone sections. Polishing these means that your final products will be okay. Then, again, compile everything; in the end, polish it and submit it as one whole capstone paper for your nursing course. Furthermore, we wish you all the best and are available to help if you need help writing the nursing capstone paper.

Things to avoid during nursing capstone writing

A capstone project paper takes a long to complete. During these periods, students often get comfortable, some to the extent of abandoning the capstone writing process. The most part of the process is topic and research proposal approval. Ensure that you collaborate with your preceptor to hasten the process so that you are left with ample time to complete the paper. With the approval, students often make these common mistakes that we address here. Read them, understand how to overcome them, and apply the tips and strategies in your upcoming nursing capstone project paper.

1. Not reading the instructions to completion

Most students consistently disregard the instructions either deliberately or because they are in too much hurry to get their nursing capstone project paper done and over with. However, you should read the capstone paper instructions before choosing a topic, writing the different parts, or compiling the final paper. You also need to adhere to the presentation instructions; otherwise, your entire semester's work can be blown by a simply avoidable mistake.

2. Beginning to research or writing without Planning

Without proper planning, most students fall prey to beginning to write their capstone papers only to realize that they made a mistake. The capstone writing process is a journey that commences from choosing a topic and getting approval. You can then proceed to write a capstone project proposal which can be approved or returned for polishing. After all these, you can then move to write your final capstone paper. Do not begin writing the paper unless your professor or preceptor gives you the go-ahead to do so.

3. Choosing a topic that is too broad

When assigned to choose an appropriate nursing topic for their capstone projects, for lack of better skills, some students choose too broad topics that they cannot exhaust in one paper. Remember, you have about 20 to 30 pages of content to develop your capstone paper. It is no time to beat around the bush. Because your grades also depend on it, choose a suitable topic that addresses a specific issue with a specific population, geographical area, or clinical site.

4. Using long sentences and jargon

This is a no-brainer. You should not use long sentences alone when writing your capstone. Instead, try to mix the long and short sentences to create a meaningful flow of ideas. Equally, even though you are writing a nursing paper, avoid using unnecessary jargon. If you can explain it in simple English and make sense, write it that way. The goal is to communicate with your audience better and easily.

5. Writing the paper in a rush

Writing a paper in a rush, whether at the last minute or for the sake of completing it faster, can make you lose grades. A culminating paper like a capstone project requires adequate planning, execution, research, and writing. Writing a paper in a rush makes you write disorganized ideas. You are also prone to omitting otherwise essential features and parts that would likely give you better marks. As a remedy or mitigation, start working on your nursing capstone paper immediately after you are given the instructions. If there are weekly submissions to make, ensure that they are done and submitted on time. As well, ensure that you use the feedback from your preceptor, revise the papers, and submit them for assessments before proceeding to avoid doing things all over again.

6. Failing to proofread the paper

Nursing students are always organized, although they often forget the most important things when overwhelmed with assignments and work. If you have written an entire capstone paper, editing should be the least of your worries. However, failure to edit your capstone can make you lose marks. After writing the paper, always take a break and then schedule enough time to revise objectively, edit, and proofread the paper.

7. Not following the approved/recommended format

Do not write your paper in just any format. It is a common trap that most students fall to. Instead, plan and structure your paper as per the recommended format by your institution, preceptor, or professor. You can write an outline and then consult with your teacher if it is the best to follow or on areas you need to change.

8. Submitting the capstone paper late

Like other assignments, submitting a nursing capstone later than the deadline can make you lose marks. Unless you have a perfect reason for missing a submission, always strive to meet or beat the deadline. You can only do this through proper planning, consistently working on the capstone paper, and having a milestone tracker. Once you have completed everything, you will appreciate the value of a timely submitted and well-written nursing capstone paper.

9. Not editing based on feedback

We have seen students who proceed to the next section of their capstone project without revising the previous section based on feedback from the preceptor or teacher. This is another great mistake, and you should avoid it. If you have been told to make corrections to your nursing capstone project, ask for help if you do not know how to go about it. Ask for clarifications and if your preceptor is busy or unavailable, consult with our nursing paper writers. Ensure that the next section continues from the previous section. You can only do that if the previous one had no issues.

10. Copying the online samples

A capstone project tests your creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving, organization, and writing skills. If you fail to prove these, you will be a weak nurse in practice. One way of being weak is paraphrasing a sample nursing capstone project you got online.

While a handful of university and college websites display their capstone projects, you should only use them for inspiration. You are better at getting help from a professional capstone writer on our website than paraphrasing an entire capstone you got online. Who else from your class probably did that? Ask yourself that question. 

Only use the samples to inspire your creativity. Instead, working with an online tutor can help you create new insights based on these samples and those from class.

Tips for Creating a Nursing Capstone Presentation for Defense

Theresa Granger (Ph.D., MSN, NP-C), a career nurse educator, states that the capstone project culminates with either a presentation or a paper while writing for the Nurse Journal. The presentation is meant to assess your professional and civil communication skills. It is also meant for information dissemination to the stakeholders and application of the EBP skills. Primarily, you will present your nursing capstone paper as a poster or PowerPoint presentation.

In the case of a poster, you will present the background, problem, and purpose, the methodology, and your major findings and implications to nursing practice or research.

In the case of PPT or PowerPoint, you will present the summarized capstone project into respective sections and use speaker notes when presenting. Given that you might only have 15-30 minutes to defend your nursing capstone, you should create PowerPoint slides as per the requirements. In most cases, the PowerPoint can range from 12 to 20 slides.

When presenting:

• Pay attention to the time limits
• Plan for one slide per minute
• Use visuals like graphs, figures, and bullet points to summarize large blocks of text
• Practice efficient presentation skills before the presentation day
• Do not panic when presenting
• Back up a copy of your PPT and print copies to avoid any glitches
• Prepare adequately for the presentation
• Follow the guidelines given by your preceptor

FAQs about Nursing Capstone Project Writing Process

Pursuing your nursing education at MSN, BSN, and DNP can be stressful. We have received many questions concerning BSN, MSN, and DNP capstone writing process. Here are some answers that can probably clarify things for you as well.

Is a capstone project a thesis?

No, a thesis is different from a capstone project in the sense that nursing capstone projects are individualized research projects on a selected nursing topic of professional or personal interests. Capstones are a partial fulfillment for the attainment of a degree in nursing. Writing a capstone project takes 8-12 weeks, while a thesis can take 2-3 months. Capstones are written during the project-based nursing capstone course. While a capstone might not be published in research journals, a thesis can.

How does one write a perfect nursing capstone paper?

The capstone writing process takes 8-12 weeks culminating in a nursing capstone project paper that you will present or defend. To write an excellent capstone paper:

• Choose a befitting and relevant nursing-related topic
• Seek the approval of the topic from your preceptor/instructor/professor
• Write your nursing capstone project proposal and await approval
• Revise the proposal and resubmit
• Begin outlining your nursing capstone paper
• Choose a good thesis statement
• Identify appropriate scholarly materials to use in your paper
• Draft your background, problem statement, and purpose statement sections
• Write the literature review and the rest of your paper
• Complete the introduction and conclusion last
• Cite all your sources
• Proofread the paper well
• Submit within the deadline

These are the basic steps in writing and doing research for your capstone.

What do I write as the purpose statement for my capstone?

Under the purpose statement, reflect on the healthcare issue of choice, create an urgency of solving it, and support your reasoning using rationale and evidence from relevant academic sources. In addition, you should look at the status quo and identify things that otherwise need to be addressed.

Can you fail a capstone project? What happens if you fail your capstone?

Yes, you can fail if you do not meet the learning objectives. Students who fail are those who do the things we have said are to be avoided when writing a capstone project. If you fail your capstone course, you will not be legible for the conferral of a degree. You will need to rethink your way or retake the class. You would instead get professional writing help than fail after investing so much money into your nursing education.

How can I select a good capstone topic for my nursing degree?

Like we said, read widely, assess your interests, strengths, and weaknesses, and consult with your preceptor, instructor, or professor. Then, as you choose the question, ask yourself:

• What is your professional practice projection in the next ten years?
• What topic area are you passionate about?
• What did you learn during your practicum or other class sessions?
• Is the nursing issue of interest fascinating to you?
• Can you write an entire 20-30 pages on the selected topic?
• Are there adequate sources to support your literature review?

To select a topic:

• Pick a system or population of focus
• Brainstorm on the various issues or topics that might affect the system or population
• Check the system- or population-specific healthcare news relating to nursing in the news
• If your topic is based on a clinical site or healthcare facility such as an ambulatory clinic, hospital, nursing home, elderly care facility, or community health center, meet your clinical educator or other research team members to consult on the topics they might have or their suggestions about the areas that need practice change
• Discuss your ideas with your preceptor, who will advise you on the best way forward.

Ultimately, find a topic you are passionate about and one that aligns with your interests, abilities, and strengths. Consider ye organizational goals as well.

How do I write a great literature review for my nursing capstone?

Begin by doing a literature search on what exists on your topic. Review the evidence-based research so that you can identify the gaps in practice to prove that your nursing capstone project is necessary. Here are some tips:

• Create a list of keyword phrases that match your topic
• Use reputable databases to search for scholarly peer-reviewed sources.
• Use databases such as CINAHL, Google Scholar, PubMed, MEDLINE, and the Cochrane Databases of Systematic reviews.
• Only pick primary studies and not secondary sources
• Find literature published in the last five-year period for recency
• Only select sources that pass the CRAAP test
• Consult with a librarian to assist you in getting appropriate articles
• Your literature review lays the foundation and background of your nursing capstone project. It must show that your topic is not only relevant but also worth exploring.

How do I format my nursing capstone?

When writing your final nursing capstone submission, you should either use APA or Harvard formatting style. Ensure that it is free of typographical errors, spelling mistakes, and grammatical errors. In addition, ensure that the in-text citations and the bibliography list/references are consistent with your chosen format.

How should I do my capstone oral presentation for success?

A nursing capstone defense process takes 30 minutes. You can present it via videoconferencing media, Poster, or PowerPoint slides. Make sure that you choose a professional tone and demonstrate expertise and knowledge in the nursing field. Discuss your findings effectively and audibly.

Whether your school uses a letter, marks, or pass/no pass grading system, these tips have already set you up for the best nursing capstone paper.

Every section of your nursing capstone matters. Try to make efforts to improve during capstone project writing.

Polish up everything, and if you have developed a cold foot for your nursing capstone, we have expert nursing writers who can always help.

You can place an order on our website and work with a dedicated capstone writer for consistency, continuity, and success. Everything will be written from scratch, and there is no chance of plagiarism .

Capstone projects can take 12 weeks, which can be a hell of a time for you, but not when working it out with one of our best capstone writers. We can equally work with you on your thesis to a professional level that meets the publication requirements for professional nursing journals.

Gradecrest is a professional writing service that provides original model papers. We offer personalized services along with research materials for assistance purposes only. All the materials from our website should be used with proper references. See our Terms of Use Page for proper details.

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Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Theses/dissertations from 2020 2020.

Students’ Knowledge of Alzheimer’s Disease , D'Anna Helms

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

Accelerated Baccalaureate Nursing Students’ Perceptions of Stress , Ariel Starr Tate

Active Shooter Awareness Education and Training Using Best Practices for Nurses in Acute Care Facilities , Amanda Carol Dean

Basic Organizational Skills and Structure for New Nurses: The BOSS Method. Using Simulation to Teach Management and Organizational Skills , Kathy W. Locklear

Case Managers’ Perceptions of Effective Interventions , Julia Williamson

Changing CNA Perceptions of Substance Use Disorders , Frank Alagna

Cultivating Confidence: Creating a Flipped Classroom Environment , Hallie H. Barnett

Empowering Individuals in the Community: Let Your Wishes Be Known Through Advance Healthcare Planning , Elizabeth Range Parnell

Exploring Medical-Surgical Nurse Turnover and Stratagies , Amber D. Weaver

Improving Nurses’ Confidence in Early Identification of Sepsis , Kristi Brawley

Investigating Compassion Fatigue in Medical-Surgical Nurses , Tammy Darlene Shepherd

Mental Health Concerns in African American Churches: Pastoral Preparedness in Counseling , Melody Samuel

Non-Psychiatric Nurse Self-Efficacy with Suicidality after an Educational Intervention , Nadin E. Knippschild

Nurse Manager Leadership Styles , Tristy Morrison

Perceived Confidence Levels of NC School Nurses with Emergency Preparedness , Gina Mace Greene

Perceived Effects of Faith Community Nursing on Quality of Life and Overall Health , Vicie Renee Rutherford

Prevention and Alleviation of Patient Emotional Harm , Yolanda Neal

Staff Nurses’ Perception of Standardized Bedside Shift Report and Safety Assessment , Lara Scarborough

Teaching Adult Learners Knowledge About Care Transition (TALK-ACT): A Quality Improvement Project to Promote Nursing Communication , Tammy D. Trivette

Teaching Nursing Students to Communicate with Older Adults , Lena Moffitt McEachern

The Evaluation of Video Teaching on Preoperative Anxiety in the Outpatient Pediatric Surgical Patient , Jennifer Glenn

Understanding the Autism Spectrum Disorder Population: An Opportunity to Improve Patient Care , Jean A. Timmons

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

Body Consciousness of Clinical Staff Working in Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery Environments , Jodie Alexander

Child Care Teachers’ Knowledge of Fun Physical Activities and Healthy Food Choices For Pre-School Children , Elizabeth Gwyn

Correctional Nursing: Why is Retention an Issue? , Bethany Jernigan

Page 1 of 13

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