nursing career topic

Best Nursing Research Topics for Students

What is a nursing research paper.

• What They Include
• Choosing a Topic
• Best Nursing Research Topics
• Research Paper Writing Tips

Writing a research paper is a massive task that involves careful organization, critical analysis, and a lot of time. Some nursing students are natural writers, while others struggle to select a nursing research topic, let alone write about it.

If you're a nursing student who dreads writing research papers, this article may help ease your anxiety. We'll cover everything you need to know about writing nursing school research papers and the top topics for nursing research.  

Continue reading to make your paper-writing jitters a thing of the past.

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A nursing research paper is a work of academic writing composed by a nurse or nursing student. The paper may present information on a specific topic or answer a question.

During LPN/LVN and RN programs, most papers you write focus on learning to use research databases, evaluate appropriate resources, and format your writing with APA style. You'll then synthesize your research information to answer a question or analyze a topic.

BSN , MSN , Ph.D., and DNP programs also write nursing research papers. Students in these programs may also participate in conducting original research studies.

Writing papers during your academic program improves and develops many skills, including the ability to:

• Select nursing topics for research
• Conduct effective research
• Analyze published academic literature
• Format and cite sources
• Synthesize data
• Organize and articulate findings

About Nursing Research Papers

When do nursing students write research papers.

You may need to write a research paper for any of the nursing courses you take. Research papers help develop critical thinking and communication skills. They allow you to learn how to conduct research and critically review publications.

That said, not every class will require in-depth, 10-20-page papers. The more advanced your degree path, the more you can expect to write and conduct research. If you're in an associate or bachelor's program, you'll probably write a few papers each semester or term.

Do Nursing Students Conduct Original Research?

Most of the time, you won't be designing, conducting, and evaluating new research. Instead, your projects will focus on learning the research process and the scientific method. You'll achieve these objectives by evaluating existing nursing literature and sources and defending a thesis.

However, many nursing faculty members do conduct original research. So, you may get opportunities to participate in, and publish, research articles.

Example Research Project Scenario:

In your maternal child nursing class, the professor assigns the class a research paper regarding developmentally appropriate nursing interventions for the pediatric population. While that may sound specific, you have almost endless opportunities to narrow down the focus of your writing. 

You could choose pain intervention measures in toddlers. Conversely, you can research the effects of prolonged hospitalization on adolescents' social-emotional development.

What Does a Nursing Research Paper Include?

Your professor should provide a thorough guideline of the scope of the paper. In general, an undergraduate nursing research paper will consist of:

Introduction : A brief overview of the research question/thesis statement your paper will discuss. You can include why the topic is relevant.

Body : This section presents your research findings and allows you to synthesize the information and data you collected. You'll have a chance to articulate your evaluation and answer your research question. The length of this section depends on your assignment.

Conclusion : A brief review of the information and analysis you presented throughout the body of the paper. This section is a recap of your paper and another chance to reassert your thesis.

The best advice is to follow your instructor's rubric and guidelines. Remember to ask for help whenever needed, and avoid overcomplicating the assignment!

How to Choose a Nursing Research Topic

The sheer volume of prospective nursing research topics can become overwhelming for students. Additionally, you may get the misconception that all the 'good' research ideas are exhausted. However, a personal approach may help you narrow down a research topic and find a unique angle.

Writing your research paper about a topic you value or connect with makes the task easier. Additionally, you should consider the material's breadth. Topics with plenty of existing literature will make developing a research question and thesis smoother.

Finally, feel free to shift gears if necessary, especially if you're still early in the research process. If you start down one path and have trouble finding published information, ask your professor if you can choose another topic.

The Best Research Topics for Nursing Students

You have endless subject choices for nursing research papers. This non-exhaustive list just scratches the surface of some of the best nursing research topics.

1. Clinical Nursing Research Topics

• Analyze the use of telehealth/virtual nursing to reduce inpatient nurse duties.
• Discuss the impact of evidence-based respiratory interventions on patient outcomes in critical care settings.
• Explore the effectiveness of pain management protocols in pediatric patients.

2. Community Health Nursing Research Topics

• Assess the impact of nurse-led diabetes education in Type II Diabetics.
• Analyze the relationship between socioeconomic status and access to healthcare services.

3. Nurse Education Research Topics

• Review the effectiveness of simulation-based learning to improve nursing students' clinical skills.
• Identify methods that best prepare pre-licensure students for clinical practice.
• Investigate factors that influence nurses to pursue advanced degrees.
• Evaluate education methods that enhance cultural competence among nurses.
• Describe the role of mindfulness interventions in reducing stress and burnout among nurses.

4. Mental Health Nursing Research Topics

• Explore patient outcomes related to nurse staffing levels in acute behavioral health settings.
• Assess the effectiveness of mental health education among emergency room nurses .
• Explore de-escalation techniques that result in improved patient outcomes.
• Review the effectiveness of therapeutic communication in improving patient outcomes.

5. Pediatric Nursing Research Topics

• Assess the impact of parental involvement in pediatric asthma treatment adherence.
• Explore challenges related to chronic illness management in pediatric patients.
• Review the role of play therapy and other therapeutic interventions that alleviate anxiety among hospitalized children.

6. The Nursing Profession Research Topics

• Analyze the effects of short staffing on nurse burnout .
• Evaluate factors that facilitate resiliency among nursing professionals.
• Examine predictors of nurse dissatisfaction and burnout.
• Posit how nursing theories influence modern nursing practice.

Tips for Writing a Nursing Research Paper

The best nursing research advice we can provide is to follow your professor's rubric and instructions. However, here are a few study tips for nursing students to make paper writing less painful:

Avoid procrastination: Everyone says it, but few follow this advice. You can significantly lower your stress levels if you avoid procrastinating and start working on your project immediately.

Plan Ahead: Break down the writing process into smaller sections, especially if it seems overwhelming. Give yourself time for each step in the process.

Research: Use your resources and ask for help from the librarian or instructor. The rest should come together quickly once you find high-quality studies to analyze.

Outline: Create an outline to help you organize your thoughts. Then, you can plug in information throughout the research process. 

Clear Language: Use plain language as much as possible to get your point across. Jargon is inevitable when writing academic nursing papers, but keep it to a minimum.

Cite Properly: Accurately cite all sources using the appropriate citation style. Nursing research papers will almost always implement APA style. Check out the resources below for some excellent reference management options.

Revise and Edit: Once you finish your first draft, put it away for one to two hours or, preferably, a whole day. Once you've placed some space between you and your paper, read through and edit for clarity, coherence, and grammatical errors. Reading your essay out loud is an excellent way to check for the 'flow' of the paper.

Helpful Nursing Research Writing Resources:

Purdue OWL (Online writing lab) has a robust APA guide covering everything you need about APA style and rules.

Grammarly helps you edit grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Upgrading to a paid plan will get you plagiarism detection, formatting, and engagement suggestions. This tool is excellent to help you simplify complicated sentences.

Mendeley is a free reference management software. It stores, organizes, and cites references. It has a Microsoft plug-in that inserts and correctly formats APA citations.

Don't let nursing research papers scare you away from starting nursing school or furthering your education. Their purpose is to develop skills you'll need to be an effective nurse: critical thinking, communication, and the ability to review published information critically.

Choose a great topic and follow your teacher's instructions; you'll finish that paper in no time.

Joleen Sams is a certified Family Nurse Practitioner based in the Kansas City metro area. During her 10-year RN career, Joleen worked in NICU, inpatient pediatrics, and regulatory compliance. Since graduating with her MSN-FNP in 2019, she has worked in urgent care and nursing administration. Connect with Joleen on LinkedIn or see more of her writing on her website.

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Nursing Career Paths: 8 Popular Options

Updated: May 2, 2023, 6:27am

The field of nursing attracts people who have a heart for helping others and an interest in health care. Nurses fill a variety of roles and have an array of skills spanning the areas of patient care, advocacy and even education. If you want to pursue a career in nursing, there are numerous career paths you can follow.

In this article, we’ll explore eight common nursing career paths, including how these professionals spend their days, the typical salary for each career and the minimum education required.

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What Is Nursing?

While doctors spend their days diagnosing and treating illnesses and other conditions, nurses administer treatments, procedures and medications. Nurses handle their responsibilities while considering the patient’s physical, mental and behavioral health. This allows nurses to provide care that goes beyond strictly medicine.

While patient care is at the heart of any nursing profession, nurses’ actual day-to-day tasks can vary widely. Those with advanced degrees can handle many of the same things as doctors, including making diagnoses and prescribing medication. Nursing professionals with only a high school diploma may perform smaller tasks like monitoring vitals or turning bedridden patients to prevent bed sores.

Required Skills for Nursing Professionals

While education requirements vary widely, most nursing professions require many of the same skills, such as those discussed below.

• Attention to detail. From prescribing medication to carefully monitoring a patient’s vital signs, nurses of all types should possess a high level of attention to detail.
• Communication. Nurses must be able to communicate effectively with each other, patients, doctors and patients’ families.
• Critical thinking. Patient care works best when medical staff members are alert and attentive to patients’ needs, which requires critical thinking skills.
• Empathy. Whether dealing with a sick or injured patient or explaining a diagnosis to a distraught family, nurses must be able to empathize with others.
• Organization. Nurses must update and maintain patient charts, deal with medications and other treatments and keep lower-level staff informed. Nurses often must multitask as well. All of this requires organization skills.
• Physical fitness. Nurses spend their shifts on their feet and often must lift or physically manipulate patients. They must be physically fit to perform these daily tasks.

Nursing Career Paths to Consider

Licensed practical or licensed vocational nurse.

Median Annual Salary: $48,070 Projected Job Growth (2021-2031): +6% Job Description: Licensed practical nurses (LPNs) provide basic medical care to patients in a variety of settings, including doctor’s offices, health clinics, hospitals and nursing homes. LPNs and licensed vocational nurses (LVNs) must earn a high school diploma and complete a certification or licensing program that prepares them to perform basic patient care.

LPNs and LVNs may take patients’ blood pressure, maintain patient records and provide assistance with activities of daily living, such as using the toilet or getting dressed. Licensing regulations differ among states and determine how much responsibility these nursing professionals have, along with how much supervision they require.

Nurse Anesthetist

Median Annual Salary: $195,610 Projected Job Growth (2021-2031): +12% Job Description: Nurse anesthetists have the important job of providing and monitoring anesthesia during medical procedures. This critically sensitive position requires a strong attention to detail when calibrating the sleep-inducing medication.

Nurse anesthetists often work in hospitals or offices under the supervision of surgeons, dentists or anesthesiologists. These professionals must be registered nurses and hold a master of science in nursing (MSN).

Nurse Educator

Median Annual Salary: $77,440 Projected Job Growth (2021-2031): +22% Job Description: Nursing instructors educate nursing students on the art and science of being a nurse. They teach the nursing profession to students at the college level and are often involved in research as well.

A nurse educator must become an RN and earn an MSN. Aspiring nurse educators should specialize in nursing education during graduate school or seek a postgraduate nurse educator certification . These professionals should typically be clinical nurse specialists as well.

Nurse Midwife

Median Annual Salary: $112,830 Projected Job Growth (2021-2031): +7% Job Description: Nurse midwives are involved with every part of the birthing process, often providing care from the very early stages of pregnancy through childbirth and beyond.

Nurse midwives may work independently or as part of a patient’s healthcare team. They can work in clinics, hospitals or doctors offices, or they may run their own business. Nurse midwives can also provide regular gynecological care, and they can prescribe certain medications as well. For more information, see our guide on how to become a midwife .

Nurse Practitioner

Median Annual Salary: $120,680 Projected Job Growth (2021-2031): +46% Job Description: What is a nurse practitioner ? Nurse practitioners (NPs) are advanced-level nurses who can perform a full scope of medical care. Similar to medical doctors and physician assistants, nurse practitioners can diagnose and treat illnesses, injuries and other conditions. NPs work to keep patients healthy by providing routine screenings and well-checks.

NPs are registered nurses who also have advanced degrees like an MSN or a doctor of nursing practice (DNP). Nurse practitioners can work in just about any medical setting, including clinics, offices, hospitals and nursing homes.

Nursing Assistant

Median Annual Salary: $30,310 Projected Job Growth (2021-2031): +5% Job Description: Nursing assistants, often referred to as certified nursing assistants (CNAs), provide the most basic type of patient care. But what is a CNA ?

CNAs assist nurses with patient care including activities of daily living, transporting patients, administering medication, updating records and monitoring health status and vital signs. A high school diploma and the completion of a CNA program are the only education requirements you must meet to become a CNA .

Median Annual Salary: $29,990 Projected Job Growth (2021-2031): +5% Job Description: Orderlies rarely provide care directly to patients. Instead, they maintain equipment stock, organize items and use wheelchairs and other means to transport patients to and from places like operating rooms and X-ray rooms.

Orderlies typically work in hospitals or large health centers and only need a high school diploma to qualify for employment.

Registered Nurse

Median Annual Salary: $77,600 Projected Job Growth (2021-2031): +6% Job Description: RNs perform a variety of duties, which may differ depending on their facility, specialty and team. Most RNs perform patient care by recording vital signs, managing care plans, administering medication, drawing and submitting bloodwork and monitoring and recording patient progress.

Registered nurses may hold either an associate degree in nursing (ADN) or a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN), and they must pass the NCLEX-RN, the national standardized exam for prospective RNs. RNs can be found in just about any medical setting, including doctor’s offices, hospitals and care clinics, along with some non-medical settings, like schools and even airplanes (as flight nurses).

What Degree Do You Need for a Nursing Career?

Your nursing career’s educational requirements depend on the nursing career path you choose. To break into the field of nursing without earning a college degree, you might become an LPN or a CNA. These career paths require only a high school diploma and certification.

To become a registered nurse, you can obtain either an ADN or a BSN. Many RNs even pursue a BSN degree or a DNP degree to advance their nursing careers. With a graduate-level nursing education, you can become an advanced practice nurse practitioner or a nurse educator.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Nursing Career Paths

What is the highest-paying nursing career.

Of the nursing careers listed by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, nurse anesthetists make the highest median salary at $195,610 per year.

What else can I do with a nursing degree?

If you have a nursing degree but are looking for a non-nursing career path, there are plenty of non-bedside options to consider. Nurses often perform consulting work after they move on from clinical practice. They can also work as medical billers, health writers, health researchers or nutritionists; they can even enter the field of medical equipment sales.

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Christin Perry is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in numerous outlets, including WeddingWire, The Knot, Parents and Verywell Family. When she's not working, Christin enjoys reading, gardening and hanging out with her husband and four young kids. She also loves to do small home improvement projects any chance she gets.

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Empowering Your Nursing Career: Paths, Programs, and Possibilities

5 min read • February, 17 2024

With respect to job offers for new graduates 4-6 months after the completion of their programs, the survey found this rate to be 96% for entry-level BSN and 95% for MSN graduates. By comparison, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) conducted a national survey of nearly 509,000 new college graduates with baccalaureate degrees across disciplines in 2021 and found that 55.3% were employed full-time six months after graduation.

Choosing a career as a registered nurse (RN ) places you at the heart of the healthcare industry, one of the most dynamic and essential sectors today. With a blend of science, compassion, and technology, nursing offers a uniquely rewarding professional journey. Whether you envision yourself in a bustling hospital, a serene outpatient clinic, or somewhere far more unconventional, the array of nursing career opportunities is vast and varied.

Navigating Your Nursing Education

Choosing between adn and bsn.

When embarking on your path to becoming an RN, one of the first decisions you'll face is selecting between an Associate's Degree in Nursing (ADN) and a Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing (BSN). This choice can significantly impact your career trajectory. While an ADN provides a swift passage to nursing licensure, a BSN opens doors to more comprehensive nursing career opportunities, leadership roles, and higher earning potential. In recent years, the debate of ADN vs. BSN has become central to discussions about the future of nursing education, reflecting a shift in hospital hiring practices and state regulations favoring baccalaureate-prepared nurses.

Key Considerations for Selecting a Nursing School

The quality of your nursing education lays the foundation for your future success. Accreditation, NCLEX pass rates, and the reputation of nursing education programs are crucial factors in choosing a school. As online education gains traction, many reputable programs now offer flexible options for both ADN and BSN degrees, catering to students' diverse needs.

Financial Planning for Nursing School

The cost of nursing education can vary widely, influenced by factors such as institution type and geographic location. Exploring financial aid, scholarships, and grants is essential in planning your nursing education journey. Many institutions and external organizations offer resources specifically for nursing students, making a quality education accessible to all aspiring nurses.

Career Opportunities After Graduation

Upon earning your RN license, the spectrum of nursing career opportunities unfolds before you. Today's nurses are not only caregivers but also innovators, educators, and leaders in the healthcare industry. Specializations such as informatics, gerontology, and palliative care, alongside traditional roles, reflect the profession's evolving nature. Continuous learning and professional development are key to navigating this ever-changing landscape.

The journey to becoming a registered nurse is filled with challenges, choices, and opportunities. From selecting the right nursing education programs to choosing between ADN and BSN, each decision shapes your career path. As healthcare continues to evolve, so do the nursing career opportunities available to those who are ready to embrace them. Remember, nursing is not just a profession but a lifelong commitment to learning, caring, and making a difference in the lives of those you serve.

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200+ Great Ideas of Nursing Research Topics to Get Started

Running out of topic ideas for your nursing research paper?

Stay on this page to find really cool and helpful lists of interesting research topics for your nursing dissertation or thesis.

What are Some Cool topics to Research?

Whenever students are asked to work on a research paper or present their thesis, the very first concern for them is choosing a unique, interesting, and research-worthy topic that makes their research significant and has enough future scope.

When it comes to finding a unique topic without working on something that’s already been done, most of the nursing and healthcare students struggle. A good research topic should be unique, relevant to current times, and have future scope as well. And you’ll find all three qualities in the topics mentioned below:

1. Primary Healthcare Nursing Research Topics

Primary healthcare refers to essential or basic health care service based on socially acceptable and scientifically sound methods and technology. Since it includes physical, social, emotional, and mental well-being, there are many topics for nursing scholars to explore:

• Strengthening primary healthcare system as the first line of referral system
• Introduction of home health nursing in the community set up
• Primary health care delivery system clinical pathways
• From home visits to home health care: strengthening primary health care delivery system
• Expanding the roles of community health nurses
• Millennial models of health care system
• Strengthening disease surveillance program in the community health setup
• Home health care of debilitated patients
• Acceptance of evidence-based practice in the primary health care
• Strengthening continuity of care in the community/home health care post-hospitalization
• Physical rehabilitation and occupational therapy in the community health care setting

2. Good Research Topics in Healthcare Management

Healthcare management is the management, administration, or oversight of healthcare systems, hospitals, public health systems, and other medical facilities. Since it comprises the overall management of all the work of the hospitals, it opens avenues for a lot of research work. Take, for example, the following:

• Evaluating who is responsible for failure in surgeries?
• Healthcare Contracts Limitations
• Medical Home Service
• Analysing nursing channels that nurses can use for becoming physicians?
• Gender Bias in Nursing Profession
• Starting Private Practice as a Nurse
• Medicare: Pros and Cons
• What are the most appropriate methods for increasing staff retention in a health care setting?
• Nursing Uniform Code Rules
• Role of nurses in enhancing a hospital quality improvement
• Legal Risks with Non-English Patients
• Medical Marijuana: Risk, Benefits, and Management Rules
• Shortage of Men in Healthcare
• Health tracking apps for continuity of care post discharge to home
• Telehealth: the impact of virtual care to urban and rural areas
• Strategic referral system to prevent tertiary hospital congestion
• Clinical pathways for referral system
• Drive-thru pharmacy
• Strenghtening the roles of social works and social workers in the health care team
• Case management approach in the healthcare delivery system
• Defining and application of Expected Length of Stay in patient management
• Impact of case managers in Expected Length of Stay and patient outcomes
• Redefining hospital cultures on bed rest versus mobilization
• Redefining hospital cultures on diet and food services
• Redefining hospital cultures on the assumption of the sick roles
• Strict implementation of Expected Length of Stay to prevent hospital congestion
• Roles of Case manager in the Clinical pathways
• Case Manager as a new nursing role an specialization
• Nurse navigator as a new form of nurse entrepreneurship
• Case management clinical pathway for smooth admission, patient flow and continuity of care after discharge
• Increase nursing specialization
• Internet savvy for healthcare providers

3. Nursing Research Topics about Pain Management

Pain management, in nursing, includes study of all the interventions nurses can make during their hospital hours – mainly to relieve a patient’s pain or ailments through medicinal interventions. Pain is complex, with many treatment options such as therapies, medicines, and also mind-body techniques. Nursing research scholars can research about the following topics:

• Pain management in children suffering from life-limiting illnesses: learning about the best practices
• Headache Treatment Protocol
• A closer look at hemophilia patient’s pain management
• Myofascial Pain Rehabilitation
• Labor and delivery: best practices for pain management
• Using Opioid for Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Fetal pain perception: analysis by medical experts
• Innovative Injection Use
• Therapeutic Injections: Cons & Pros
• Cognitive hypnotherapy application: how effective are they in pain management?
• Evaluating the effectiveness of Benson’s relaxation therapy as a pain management practice.
• Post-discharge pain-management strategies: evaluating their effectiveness in a health care setting?
• Phantom Pains Phenomenon
• Pain management in cancer patients: best practices according to expert nurses
• Spinal cord nerve injury related to chronic constipation
• Mobile pain unit

4. Pediatric Nursing Research Topics

In Pediatric nursing, the nursing staff is responsible for medical care of the children and neonates, and adolescents – mainly in a day-clinic or the in-patient setting. Though the main role of child health nursing is administering procedures and medicines to all children as per their prescribed nursing care plans, the research scholars can write papers on the following topics:

• Speech Disorders Therapy
• ADHD Causes & treatment
• Prevalence of misdiagnosis in child health or paediatric ward
• Vaccination & Autism
• Systematic review of range of child health nursing services in UK
• Antibiotic Resistance in Preschool Children
• Mental and Emotional health of children under 10
• Eating Disorders in Children
• Social Media Impact on Teenagers
• Seizures Causes in Infants
• Teething issues in children under 10
• Psychological Aspects of Infant Care
• Use of social media platforms in preparation and prevention of hospital phobia among pediatric groups
• Family engagement in the pediatric care by using hospital information system
• Safety and efficacy of telehealth for pediatric patients

What are the Current issues in Nursing?

Nursing is a high-pressure job. It demands patience, determination, and perseverance. As a high-pressure job, it gets quite challenging and leads to issues from time to time. Some of the examples being staff shortages, long working hours, workplace hazards, personal health, and workplace violence. All of these can be addressed in nursing research papers:

• Analysis of the registered nurse workforce and the relationship to work environments
• Transforming loss: A developing concept for nursing
• Nursing Staff Shortages
• Nursing Practitioners
• Meeting Patient Expectations: A challenge for nurses
• Biggest obstacles nurses face in their education and maintaining career alongside
• Workplace Violence and Hazards Nurses face
• Diversity in Healthcare
• Importance of Community Nursing
• Future of Nursing in the Digital Age
• What measure can a nurse take for helping a person with their eating disorder?
• Clinical Nurse Roles
• How can nurses help in treating patients who already know they don’t have a survival rate?
• Ethics and Homeless People Treatment
• Critical Care Nursing Management
• A nurse’s role in helping and assisting patients with chronic diseases?
• Nursing Theorists Works
• Remote Intensive Care Unit
• Stress Management Practice for Nurses Working in Night Shifts
• Between Career & Professional Service
• Preceptorship and training after distant education program and online learning
• Centralized infectious disease surveillance
• Centralized reporting of chronic diseases
• Patient become more educated: the pros and cons of social media
• Fake news and misinformation on health related issue with the rise of social media platforms
• BPO and call centers for medical procedures booking and admission to decongest emergency room
• Application of BPO in the quality assurance monitoring in documentation

What are Some of the Research Topic Ideas in Surgical Nursing?

• Moral distress among nurses in Surgical units
• Patient’s satisfaction and experience about care provided by nurses in the surgical units
• Organizational effects on patient satisfaction in surgical units
• Medical-Surgical nurses and their perceived leadership abilities as responders in patient deterioration events
• Role of Nurses in Surgical Wards
• Medical-surgical nursing: Critical thinking in client care
• Pain assessment and management in surgical nursing
• Understanding technology in contemporary surgical nursing
• Understanding Medical surgical nursing as an integrated approach
• Standardising fast-track surgical nursing care
• Mobilization team for the fast recovery of post-operative patients
• Use of telehealth for pre-operative preparations and elective surgical admissions to lessen hospital length of stay among surgical patients
• Continuity of care post surgery in the community health care

What have been some of the more important nursing research questions discussed in nursing class?

If you are here to find more important topics for your nursing dissertations, then scroll through this section for topics that are often discussed in nursing classes. Nursing research articles and topics change over time. However, we find these relevant to current times and challenges in healthcare:

1. Research topic ideas for Midwifery Nursing

Nurse-midwife, as a licensed healthcare professional, specialises in child birth and also women’s reproductive health. Apart from attending pregnant women during childbirth, they are responsible for several roles during emergencies, and pre and postnatal care. Hence, opening avenues for research topics such as:

• Role of nurses in improving patient safety during childbirth: Evidence from obstetric trauma
• Evaluate the impact of delayed umbilical cord clamping after child birth
• Maternal & Neonatal Practices in Rural Areas
• Emerging trends in obstetrical and midwifery nursing
• First Antenatal Appointment Analysis
• Limiting interventions during a low-risk labour
• Mental Illness & Post-natal Period
• Analysing the role of prenatal care in pregnant women
• Shift Study Midwives & Length
• Evaluating impact of AIDS and Hepatitis B in the pregnant women
• Self-Instruction Kits & Natal Safety
• Studying advanced trends in obstetrics and gynaecology
• Midwifery Continued Care
• Evaluating pros and cons of labouring in water
• Gestational Weight Gain Challenges
• Vitamin D’s role as a supplement during pregnancy
• Studying clinical reasoning integration into midwifery practice
• Obese Pregnant Women Safety Rules
• A decade after BEmONC and CEmONC

2. Health Promotion Research Topics

Health promotion mainly comes from behavioral social science which draws from the environmental, biological, psychological, medical, and physical sciences for promoting health and preventing diseases. For health promotion, the research topics include the following:

• Healthcare Dangers of Digital Age
• Benefits and Shortages of Telemedicine
• Healthy living and Preventive medicine for Senior Citizens
• Role of School Nurses
• Obstacles for Smoking cessation
• Healthy Eating & Sports
• Causes of Youth Inactivity
• Roles of Parents for Healthy Lifestyle of Children
• Obesity and Mental Stability
• Pharmacist Responsibility
• Social Media and Educational Strategies
• HealthBank as new form of medical insurance inside the hospital organization
• Collaboration of private health insurance company with public and private hospitals

3. Adult Research Topics for Nursing Students

As a nursing scholar, you can also write research papers on adult healthcare, disease prevention, and management. Take, for example, reasons behind anxiety disorders in adults. Find more topics in the list below:

• Nurses’ experiences with urinary catheter insertion: A qualitative focus group study
• Clinical Cardiology Innovations
• CV Imaging Process
• Migraine Case Example
• Bipolar Disorder Non-Chemical Practices
• Mental Health & Psychiatric Care in Adults
• Online nursing education program
• Self care in Nursing
• Home health care for longterm vented patients
• Clinical Instructor, Preceptorship, Educator and Professor as specialized field requiring licensure
• Specialization program in nursing education

4. Geriatric Care Nursing Journal Topics

Nurses working in Geriatric care and management are responsible for coordinating and planning care of the elderly people dealing with mental or physical disabilities. Some of the research work topic ideas for geriatric care include the following:

• Cerebrovascular Disease and Stroke in Elderly people
• Pain in elderly people: Assessment and Management
• Joint Disorders Study in Elderly Population
• Rapid Nutritional assessment in Elderly
• Alzheimer’s Disease
• Bladder Cancer Therapy
• Atrial Fibrillation Study
• Critical Care Requirements
• Cardiovascular Risk Reduction
• Geriatrics Ethics
• Restless Legs Syndrome
• Parkinson’s Disease Precautions
• Geriatric care clinical pathways of care: holistic approach

What are the recent nursing research paper topics?

If you’re facing the challenge of choosing a recent nursing research topic, we’ve got your back. Many nurses, including experienced and freshers, are faced with this challenge at some point. But there’s no need to panic. So, without further ado, let’s jump-start the list of most recent research topics for nursing students:

1. Women’s Health Nursing Research Topics

Research topics related to women’s health are always trending, relevant, and have future scope as well. Hence, these topics are still worth exploring and researching:

• Culture affects women’s health
• Substance Abuse and Addiction in Women
• Menopause Challenges
• Infertility Ethical Rules
• Ovarian Cancer and Ovarian Disorder Analysis
• Modern Neonatal Practices
• Pregnancy Prevention Measures
• Sepsis after labour
• Cosmetic Dermatology
• Cystic Fibroids
• Sleep Disorders in Women
• Reproductive Endocrinology
• Women’s Sexual Health Disorders
• HPV and Cervical Cancer
• Vaginal Atrophy Causes
• Sleep disturbances in Women

2. Mental Health Nursing Research Articles Topics

Research papers focusing on mental health are still one of the most read and referred papers. And there’s still more scope for research on topics such as:

• Evaluating the concept of Integrated Mental and Physical Health Care
• Psychiatric Nursing and Mental Health
• Possible skills required for Nurses in Mental health care setting
• Assessing the mental health of nurses
• Depression Causes
• Schizophrenia Diagnostics
• Alcohol Addiction Disorders
• Bipolar Disorder
• Studying the impact of PTSD in the Army Veterans
• Impact of Video Games on Teenage Aggression
• Stress Among Police Officers
• Psychiatric Patient Ethics
• Forbidden Substances: Prevention and Use
• Bioterrorism Medicine
• Physical Traumas & Recovery Methods
• Application of Nursing Case Management in Psychiatry

Nursing leaders have called for research focusing on which of the following topics?

If you’d like to take an expert’s opinion before choosing a topic for your nursing dissertation, this section will be helpful. Our list of best nursing research topics doesn’t end here. We’ve got here more interesting topics that are recommended by nursing leaders and experts. Take a look at some more relevant topics:

• Preterm Labor Dangers
• Labor and Delivery Management Practices
• Saving Mother & Child Challenges
• Abortion Care Ethical Side
• Adolescent Gynecology Education
• Antenatal Care Recommendations
• Hypertensive Disorders Causes
• Newborn Resuscitation Rules
• Caesarean Section Preparation
• Delivery Room Behavior Checklist
• Nurses play vital roles in healthcare. Why are they invisible in the media?
• Increasing nursing research capacity: The roles of nurse scientists within healthcare systems
• Microeconomics and macroeconomics for sources of hospital funds
• Diverting patients and funds to economical services
• Culture vs evidence based practice
• Social media influencer in health education dissemination
• Acceptance of evidence based practice in the hospital
• Impact of socio-cultural nursing to evidence-based practice
• Hindrances in the implementation of evidence-based practice
• Nursing faculty shortage and brain-drain
• Online continuing professional education and development

Final Thoughts

Nursing research topics for a dissertation or thesis should not be difficult to find through the ideas suggestion above. Just make sure that you provide a twist (segment or expand the topic, perhaps) and come up with a unique topic for your paper.

During the initial stages of finalising a nursing research topic, you can struggle with a lot of choices or overwhelming information. However, when you start to consider a research topic’s limitations and scope, and outline your topic into a question, you’ll be able to get a better understanding of the topic you can manage in terms of workload.

We hope these nursing research topics mentioned above help you find that unique thesis statement or idea you’re looking for. In case you’re still having a tough time making a choice, leave us a comment or drop a mail, and we will direct you to better resources.

• https://www.journals.elsevier.com/applied-nursing-research/recent-articles
• https://www.syberscribe.com.au/blog/10-emerging-trends-healthcare-technology-2019-beyond/
• https://www.purdueglobal.edu/blog/nursing/top-10-nursing-trends/
• http://ojin.nursingworld.org/

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Nursing Career Paths

Nursing is a rewarding profession that promises exceptional job security and earning potential but is also consistently in high demand. Especially right now, with the baby boomer generation entering their senior years, the need for nurses is rapidly expanding. This presents a great opportunity for ambitious professionals who want to enter the healthcare industry and grow professionally within.

But even though the opportunities in the sector are plentiful, aspiring nurses still need to have a well-thought-out plan for their education and professional development to make sure they build a successful nursing career.

In this article, we will explore various nursing career pathways and look at the educational tracks that lead to them. We will also examine different nursing practice specializations, and introduce some alternative career options within the nursing field, to give you a better idea of just how wide the range of opportunities and career paths in this dynamic sector is.

Nursing Education and Training

Training and education are critical building blocks in nursing, as they can fundamentally shape the career direction and the breadth of opportunities available to aspiring nurses. Different educational pathways offer varying levels of qualification, which can directly influence the diversity of career outcomes available for developing nursing professionals.

Types of Nursing Degrees  

The degree level of nursing education determines the scope of practice and career opportunities, with higher degrees leading to more advanced roles and responsibilities.

Associate’s Degree in Nursing (ADN)  

The ADN is a two-year program designed to prepare individuals for entry-level nursing positions. This nursing degree offers a faster and more affordable route into the profession, making it an attractive option for those looking to start their nursing career quickly.

ADN programs focus on foundational nursing skills, clinical practice, and basic medical knowledge and its graduates are eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN), which is required for becoming licensed as a Registered Nurse (RN). 

While ADN graduates can secure positions in various healthcare settings such as hospitals, clinics, and long-term care facilities, their hopes of advancing their nursing career may be limited without further education.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)  

The BSN is a four-year degree that provides a more comprehensive education in nursing compared to an ADN. This program covers a broad range of topics, including advanced patient care, nursing research, leadership, and public health, and equips students with enhanced clinical skills, critical thinking and decision-making, to prepare them for more complex nursing roles.

One key advantage of obtaining a BSN degree is its importance for higher-level nursing positions, such as management and specialized clinical roles. Many healthcare employers now require a BSN degree as a minimum qualification for nurses, and it is often necessary to sit for the NCLEX-RN, the exam required to become a licensed RN.

Individuals who already hold a non-nursing bachelor’s degree often take on accelerated BSN programs , which offer a quicker path to entering the nursing workforce. These programs are designed for career changers who want to efficiently transition into the nursing profession and allow them to get the degree in 12 to 18 months. 

Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)  

The MSN is an advanced degree that allows nurses to specialize in specific areas of healthcare, or move into leadership and administrative roles. Depending on the program and prior education, this degree typically takes one to two years to complete, and it provides nurses with the knowledge and skills to take on more advanced responsibilities in clinical work, research, or education.

Getting the MSN degree is essential for nurses who wish to become a nurse practitioner, or focus on specialized fields, such as nurse anesthesia, nurse midwifery, and others. These advanced practice roles require a higher level of clinical expertise and often involve diagnosing patients, prescribing medications, and developing treatment plans. 

In addition to clinical specializations, an MSN can open doors to leadership roles such as nurse educator, nurse administrator, or healthcare policy expert. These positions allow nurses to influence healthcare delivery, train future nursing professionals, and implement improvements in clinical care systems.

Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP)  

The DNP is a terminal degree in the nursing profession, designed for those who want to achieve the highest level of expertise in clinical practice and leadership. Unlike a research-focused Ph.D., the DNP emphasizes evidence-based practice and equips nurses with the skills to translate research into improved patient care and healthcare systems.

DNP graduates are often involved in the shaping of healthcare policies, leading clinical programs, and improving healthcare delivery by implementing the latest research and best practices. In clinical settings, DNPs may manage patient support, develop treatment protocols, and collaborate with other healthcare providers to improve patient outcomes.

The DNP degree is especially valuable for nurses who aim to take on roles like nurse executives, clinical nurse specialists, or advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs). It also allows nurses to contribute at the highest levels of healthcare management, ensuring that care is both high-quality and based on the most current evidence.

Nursing Career Paths  

In the broadest sense, the nursing career paths are generally divided into clinical and non-clinical roles.

Clinical Nursing Careers  

Clinical nurses are healthcare professionals who provide direct patient care in various healthcare settings, including the following:

Registered Nurse (RN)  

Working in diverse environments, including hospitals, clinics, long-term care facilities, and outpatient centers, RNs play a central role in patient care. They assess patient conditions, administer medications, manage treatment plans, and collaborate with doctors and other healthcare professionals to ensure optimal patient outcomes.

Additionally, some RNs may also work in specialized areas like critical care, surgery, or emergency rooms, where the pace and intensity of work can be substantially higher. Depending on their setting, RNs may focus on different aspects of care, such as acute treatment, chronic disease management, or preventative healthcare.

Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)  

LPNs are responsible for providing basic medical care, such as monitoring vital signs, administering medications, assisting with personal hygiene, and supporting patients with daily activities. They work under the supervision of RNs or doctors and play am important role in maintaining patient comfort and well-being.

LPNs are typically employed in settings such as nursing homes, long-term care facilities, hospitals, and home healthcare environments. Their hands-on care is especially valuable in settings where patients require ongoing assistance with routine medical needs and basic care.

Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)  

CNAs work under the supervision of RNs or LPNs and are primarily responsible for providing basic patient care. Their duties include assisting patients with activities of daily living, such as bathing, dressing, feeding, and mobility support. CNAs may also monitor vital signs, help with patient repositioning, and ensure the overall comfort of patients.

CNAs are essential in healthcare settings like hospitals, nursing homes, and long-term care facilities, where they provide hands-on support to both patients and the broader nursing team.

Nurse Anesthetist  

Nurse Anesthetists are advanced practice nurses who specialize in administering anesthesia and providing anesthesia care to patients before, during, and after surgical procedures. Their responsibilities include evaluating patients prior to surgery, developing anesthesia plans, monitoring patients’ vital signs during procedures, and ensuring safe recovery from anesthesia. 

Nurse Anesthetists work closely with surgeons, anesthesiologists, and other medical professionals to deliver high-quality care.

Becoming a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist requires advanced training, typically through a MSN or DNP program, with a focus on anesthesia. After completing their graduate education, they must pass a national certification exam to practice. 

Advanced Practice Nursing Careers  

Among the clinical nursing roles, there are also several types of advanced practice nurses who provide various forms of specialized care, including nurse practitioners like:

Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)  

FNPs provide comprehensive healthcare services to patients of all ages, from infancy through adulthood. They are trained to diagnose and treat a wide range of health conditions, manage chronic diseases, and promote overall wellness across the lifespan. FNPs often serve as primary care providers, offering preventive care, routine checkups, and health education to individuals and families.

Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP)  

PNPs specialize in providing healthcare to infants, children, and adolescents. They are trained to diagnose and treat pediatric health conditions, from common illnesses to more complex developmental and chronic conditions. Pediatric nurses focus on the unique medical needs of younger patients and offer preventive care, vaccinations, and health education to support healthy growth and development.

Gerontological Nurse Practitioner (GNP)  

GNPs manage the health of geriatric patients and focus on the unique challenges associated with aging. They provide comprehensive care for the elderly and address chronic conditions, age-related illnesses, and promote overall wellness. Their responsibilities include diagnosing and treating medical issues, managing medications, and coordinating care to enhance the quality of life for elderly patients.

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)  

PMHNPs are nurse practitioners that specialize in diagnosing and treating patients with mental health disorders. They are trained to assess, diagnose, and manage mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. In collaboration with other medical professionals, PMHNPs can provide therapy, prescribe medications, and create treatment plans for their patients.

Nursing Practice Specializations  

In addition to providing general patient care, clinical nurse practitioners may also focus on different practice specializations like:

Acute Care Nurse  

Acute care nurses specialize in providing immediate and urgent care to critically ill patients, typically in hospital settings such as intensive care units, emergency rooms, and surgical wards. Their role involves closely monitoring patients with severe or life-threatening conditions, administering medications, performing critical interventions, and responding to rapid changes in a patient’s condition.

Critical Care Nurse  

Critical care nurses are highly trained to work in emergency rooms or intensive care units, where they manage patients with life-threatening conditions. These nurses handle urgent and complex medical cases, providing continuous monitoring, administering medications, and performing critical interventions to stabilize patients.

Oncology Nurse  

Oncology nurses specialize in providing care for cancer patients, supporting them through all stages of their treatment. Their responsibilities include administering chemotherapy, monitoring patients’ physical and emotional well-being, managing symptoms and side effects, and educating patients and their families about their diagnosis and treatment plan.

Non-Clinical Nursing Careers  

Besides providing direct patient care, there are also a variety of non-clinical nursing careers that focus on leadership, education, and healthcare administration, including roles like:

Nurse Educator  

Working in both clinical and academic settings, nurse educators play a critical role in training the next generation of nurses. In academic environments, they develop curricula, teach theoretical and practical nursing skills, and mentor nursing students throughout their education. 

In clinical settings, nurse educators provide hands-on training, ensuring that students and newly graduated nurses are prepared for real-world patient support. In addition to teaching, educators often stay involved in research and continue their own professional development to remain current on the latest advancements in nursing and healthcare. 

Nurse Administrator  

Nurse administrators oversee the management of healthcare facilities, ensuring efficient operations and high-quality patient care. Their responsibilities include coordinating nursing staff, managing budgets, and developing policies that align with healthcare regulations.

In addition to managing day-to-day operations, they play a key role in improving healthcare services and leading initiatives that enhance treatment results and overall organizational performance.

Health Services Manager  

Health services managers are responsible for coordinating medical services across clinics, hospitals, or entire healthcare systems. They ensure that operations run smoothly by managing healthcare delivery, overseeing administrative functions, and aligning medical services with organizational goals.

Their duties include supervising staff, managing budgets, implementing policies, and ensuring compliance with healthcare regulations. Health services managers work closely with medical professionals and administrative teams to optimize patient care and resource allocation, while also focusing on improving efficiency and the quality of healthcare services across the organization.

Public Health Nurse  

Public health nurses focus on promoting community health and preventing disease through education, outreach, and direct care. They work with individuals, families, and entire communities to raise awareness about health issues, promote healthy behaviors, and prevent the spread of illness.

Their role includes conducting health screenings, administering vaccines, educating the public about disease prevention, and responding to public health emergencies. By addressing health disparities and advocating for community wellness, public health nurses play a key role in improving the overall health of populations.

Alternative Nursing Careers  

In addition to some of the more traditional roles we just mentioned above, there are some alternative nursing careers that offer unique opportunities outside of direct patient care, including:

Telehealth Nurse  

Telehealth nurses use technology to assess, monitor, and treat patients remotely, providing healthcare services via phone, video calls, or online platforms. They help patients manage chronic conditions, answer health-related questions, and offer advice on treatment plans without requiring an in-person visit.

Online Nurse Educator  

As nursing education increasingly shifts to digital platforms, the demand for online nurse educators is growing. These educators teach nursing courses remotely, utilizing online tools to deliver lectures, facilitate discussions, and mentor students in virtual environments. They play a key role in ensuring that students, regardless of their location, have access to quality education.

Clinical Research Nurse  

Clinical research nurses play a vital role in medical trials, contributing to evidence-based research that advances healthcare practices and treatments. They are involved in all stages of clinical trials, from recruiting and enrolling participants to administering treatments and monitoring patient responses. Their work ensures that trials are conducted safely, ethically, and in accordance with regulatory standards.

Health Coach  

Health coaches use their clinical knowledge to guide patients toward healthier lifestyles by providing personalized advice and support. They work with individuals to develop wellness plans, set health goals, and make sustainable lifestyle changes in areas like diet, exercise, and stress management. Many health coaches also focus on preventive care and helping patients reduce the risk of chronic illnesses.

Career Advancement Strategies  

As we previously mentioned, nurses have numerous opportunities to advance their careers through continued education, certification, and professional development. Pursuing higher degrees, such as a BSN, MSN, or DNP can certainly open the doors to a variety of specialized roles, leadership positions, and a broader range of nursing career pathways.

In addition to advanced degrees, obtaining additional certifications in specialized areas like critical care, oncology, or pediatrics can help nurses demonstrate their expertise and stand out in the job market.

Moreover, engaging in professional development activities, such as attending conferences, workshops, and networking events, allows nurses to stay updated with the latest advancements in healthcare while building valuable professional connections.

By investing in higher education and continuously striving to improve their skills, nurses can slowly but surely advance in their careers. The combination of ongoing learning and personal development enables ambitious individuals to grow professionally and find better career opportunities, but also to take greater pride in their work and feel more fulfilled in their roles.

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7 Hot Topics in Nursing in 2024

Many factors are expected to influence nursing practice in 2024, from artificial intelligence to climate change. Staying up-to-date with nursing trends will help you explore new opportunities in nursing practice, whether you are a current nurse or interested in a career change to nursing . Keep reading to learn about seven hot topics in nursing that will affect how nurses deliver care, improve public health, and shape the future of nursing.

1. Growing Nurse Demand

The shortage of U.S. nurses continues to be a hot topic in nursing.

Between 2022 and 2032, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics expects nurse employment to grow twice as fast as the average for all jobs. It projects an average of over 190,000 job openings per year. Nursing jobs will be particularly plentiful in hospitals, outpatient centers, home health, and long-term care.

Nursing is an in-demand profession because:

• The population of aging adults is growing , creating a greater need for geriatric health care.
• The number of people with chronic conditions, such as diabetes and obesity, is increasing .
• More nurses are retiring , with approximately 20% of registered nurses intending to retire in the next five years.

Job stability is one of many reasons to be a nurse . New nurses can help address the nursing shortage while making a difference in people’s lives and enjoying the benefits of a stable career path.

2. Artificial Intelligence

In 2023, artificial intelligence (AI) became mainstream. OpenAI launched ChatGPT, which placed AI at the center of everyday workflows in many industries. Health care also delved into potential applications, even after historically lagging in AI adoption.

Health care leaders expect the industry to shift towards greater AI implementation in 2024.

As the largest segment of the health care workforce, nurses will contribute significantly to the safe and effective adoption of AI. The American Nurses Association (ANA) has called on nurses to:

• Support the use of AI for optimal health outcomes.
• Ensure AI applications do not compromise the nurse-patient relationship. 
• Stay informed about AI so they can educate patients and families.

Nurses who provide direct patient care may begin using AI to support decision-making, document verbal interactions with patients, and monitor patients remotely. Those willing to adopt AI in ethical and appropriate applications can improve the precision and speed of health care.

3. Telehealth

Telehealth use spiked during the coronavirus pandemic. In March 2020, there was a 154% increase in telehealth visits compared to the same period in 2019.

Though telehealth use has slowed since the height of the pandemic, analysts predict growth in 2024 for chronic care management and primary care.

Nurses can use remote technologies to deliver health care, education, and information. In doing so, they have new opportunities to transform health care, including:

• Delivering high-quality care remotely.
• Growing health care accessibility.
• Improving patient outcomes.

Nurses can use telehealth to reach patients in underserved areas. They can conduct virtual consultations, share patient information, and monitor patients remotely. Telehealth also allows nurses to expand their skills and advance their careers.

4. Nurse Mental Health

Nurse well-being is a hot topic in the post-coronavirus pandemic world. A 2023 study by McKinsey and the American Nurses Foundation found that 56% of nurses had experienced burnout symptoms. The prevalence was highest among new nurses.

Numerous factors can lead to nurse burnout. In the study, nurses reported insufficient staffing, high caseloads, poor leadership, and an overload of administrative tasks. The coronavirus pandemic deepened some of these challenges, and nurses are still navigating the continuing effects today.

Nurse well-being is critical to patient safety. Fortunately, new nurses can influence positive change by:

• Advocating for better mental health support and resources.
• Developing and modeling self-care practices.
• Fostering support networks to help nurses feel less isolated.

Stakeholders are taking action to protect nurse well-being. For example, the American Nurses Foundation recently launched the Stress and Burnout Prevention Program , which helps nurses address burnout, manage stress, and increase confidence.

5. Pandemic Preparedness

As the world continues navigating the unpredictable future of COVID-19, health care organizations will emphasize public emergency preparedness in 2024.

The World Health Organization recently updated its COVID-19 Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan , and the U.S. federal government created the Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy .

The coronavirus pandemic has demonstrated the potential rapid global impact of public health emergencies. As frontline health care professionals, nurses play a vital role in preparedness.

Nurses will help improve preparedness by:

• Assisting organizations and communities in the development and implementation of emergency preparedness plans.
• Providing education on disaster preparedness and immunizations to patients, families, and communities.
• Monitoring the spread of infectious diseases and collecting and analyzing data to detect the early signs of public health emergencies.

6. Climate Change

The world experienced notable climate changes in 2023. Antarctic sea ice reached its lowest maximum level , and the Earth experienced the hottest summer on record.

There is growing potential for climate change to threaten public health. For example, between 2007 and 2018, wildfires in the western United States led to increased emergency department visits related to anxiety.

ANA has urged nurses to participate in and support “climate-smart” health care. As advocates for health and safety, nurses can take action through their work settings, public policy, and nursing associations:

• Advocating for health care organizations to prioritize nurse staffing in disaster preparedness.
• Contributing to reducing the environmental impact of nursing practice.
• Advocating for health care policies that foster just and equitable climate responses.
• Participating and sharing evidence-based information in climate change discussions.

7. Online Education

Enrollment in online degree programs is rising. In a recent survey , 56% of chief online officers at higher education institutions said enrollment in online and hybrid programs had increased. Students value the convenience of online programs, which they can participate in anywhere with an Internet connection.

Online degree programs are a hot topic in nursing education. Many nursing students are earning their Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) online.

In an online BSN program, students complete all coursework online and undertake clinical experiences in the field. Online programs often integrate virtual simulation . Clinical scenarios are simulated via computer, virtual reality, or augmented reality, providing students with realistic and interactive learning opportunities.

Some colleges and universities offer Accelerated BSN (ABSN) programs online. If you’re wondering, “ What is an ABSN ?”, it’s a degree option for individuals who have a bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing discipline. ABSN programs allow individuals to earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing in 11 to 18 months , a much shorter period than a four-year bachelor’s degree.

Start Your Journey to Becoming a Nurse with Rockhurst University Online

While nursing practice continues to evolve to meet the needs of society, the heart of nursing remains the same. Nursing is a highly specialized profession where compassionate, dedicated individuals safeguard public health.

Do current nursing trends pique your interest in a nursing career? If so, you may want to consider Rockhurst University’s online ABSN program , delivered by the highly respected Saint Luke’s™ College of Nursing and Health Science at Rockhurst University. It prepares individuals who have earned a bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing discipline to become skilled nurses in just 16 months.

The Rockhurst online ABSN program integrates the following:

• 100% online coursework
• A 10-day residency in a state-of-the-art simulation lab on the Rockhurst University campus in Kansas City, Missouri
• Complimentary clinical placement services in your region
• 1:1 NCLEX success coaching which has led to high NCLEX pass rates for Rockhurst University’s nursing graduates

After graduation, students can also access one-to-one coaching to prepare for the national nurse licensure exam, the NCLEX.

Learn more about Rockhurst’s hybrid ABSN program.

About Rockhurst University's Online Programs

In the heart of Kansas City since 1910, Rockhurst University is dedicated to learning, leadership and service in the Jesuit tradition, and today is the #1 Regional University in Kansas City (2021 U.S. News and World Report).

Rockhurst University’s online programs are delivered by the highly reputable Saint Luke’s ™ College of Nursing and Health Sciences and the School of Education. As an educational leader serving exceptional students in the field of health care and education, we are committed to preparing the workforce of tomorrow with our unique programs designed to prepare graduates to meet the needs of diverse populations and work in various organizations.

To learn more about our highly competitive online programs, please visit onlinedegrees.rockhurst.edu , or read more here:

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Thank You For Your Interest

Unfortunately, your location is currently ineligible for our program but we’d like to help you continue your search. Visit OnlineABSNPrograms.com and enter your ZIP code to find a CCNE-accredited program near you.

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If you don’t meet this requirement but would still like further information, please contact us .

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15 Examples of Nursing Career Goals and How To Reach Them

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Nurses are more in demand than ever before, making the nursing profession rich with opportunities. You may be wondering, “Why is nursing a good career?” With most nursing roles projected to grow from 2020 to 2030 , there’s never been a better time to be a nurse. But with so much job growth potential comes competition, which makes it important to consistently invest in yourself and your skills.

Any sort of professional development needs clearly determined professional goals in order to be effective. Your professional goals should always be SMART goals: specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound. Here we’ll share 15 nursing career goals to consider for yourself and tips on how to achieve them.

Why Are Goals Important for Your Nursing Career?

Setting long-term goals will help you advance in your career as a nurse. Accomplishing these goals will increase your personal and professional satisfaction and will also combat burnout. Setting goals for your nursing career can help you:

• Constantly develop skills
• Improve earning potential
• Feel fulfilled

15 Nursing Career Goals

1. manage advanced technologies..

There is only one constant with medical technology: it’s always evolving. Nurses working in medical facilities often use technology, like portable patient monitors or telehealth services , to create, access, or update patient files. Learning how to use these healthcare technologies—however daunting it may seem—can benefit your career.

Stay up to date with changing tech in the medical field by doing the following:

• Read free blogs for nurses
• Subscribe to magazines and journals for nurses
• Download apps for nurses
• Join professional organizations for nurses

2. Get nursing certifications.

Nursing certifications are helpful in all stages of your nursing career, whether you’re new to the workforce or looking for advancement. Gain a competitive leg up on other candidates by earning a certificate in an area you’re particularly interested in, such as first aid, clinical research skills, pediatrics, oncology, or neonatology.

3. Find a mentor.

Mentors can be extremely useful when planning your professional development. They can help you set goals, make difficult decisions, shape your professional values, and grow in your career. While some medical facilities have formal internal mentorship programs for nurses, you could simply seek out an informal mentor by asking a nurse you admire out for coffee. A good mentor can provide context on the wider nursing industry, share insight into their personal experience and lessons learned, and introduce you to new nurse connections.

4. Advance your nursing degree.

Advancing your nursing degree can boost your résumé, increase job security, and help you make more money. If you already have an associate degree in nursing, consider working towards a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). If you already have a bachelor's degree and would like to take on a leadership position in nursing administration and management, consider earning a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) specializing in leadership.

5. Start volunteering.

There is a constant and high demand for nurses to volunteer their time at clinics, hospitals, and other medical facilities in underserved communities, both in the United States and abroad. Internationally there is an even greater need and appreciation for volunteer nurses in developing countries. Both nursing students and registered nurses are often eligible for these types of programs. Providing volunteer assistance can be a very rewarding experience that can’t be replicated in a classroom or textbook.

6. Specialize in a particular nursing field.

While nurses are often “Jacks/Janes of all trades,” it’s wise to become a master of one. Maybe you entered the nursing field because of a particular personal experience that resonated with you, such as losing a family member to cancer. Or maybe you’re a couple of years into your career as a registered nurse and have realized you’re passionate about working with children. Either way, there are many different specialization roads nurses can walk down in their career path.

Consider the following types of medicine to specialize in:

• Ambulatory care
• Cardiovascular (care for patients with heart and blood issues)
• Dialysis (the removal of waste from a patient's kidneys)
• Gastroenterology
• Geriatrics (care for elderly adults)
• Holistic care
• Infection control and prevention
• Medical-surgical
• Neonatal (care for newborns)
• Neuroscience
• Obstetrics (care for pregnant women and new mothers)
• Oncology (care for patients with tumors)
• Orthopedics (care for patients with bone and muscle issues)
• Pediatrics or children's healthcare
• Psychiatric or mental health care

7. Take care of yourself.

Nurses who practice self-care can ultimately perform their duties more efficiently and provide better care for their patients. Self-care is much more than a bubble bath on Sundays. It’s multiple deliberate activities all humans should do for mental and physical well-being. While self-care is important for all, it’s especially important for nurses whose main job is caring for others. You must keep your tank filled up so that you can provide better nursing care.

Examples of self-care include:

• Mental: Meditate, journal, see a therapist, and practice positive visualization.
• Physical: Eat quality foods, maintain a healthy weight, stretch daily, walk or stand more, and sit less.

8. Improve efficiency.

Becoming more efficient in your day-to-day nursing job tasks helps create balance when juggling multiple responsibilities. Efficiently completing tasks in a timely manner can create space for more responsibilities and career growth.

Here are some strategies that nurses can practice to improve efficiency:

• Intention-setting: In the morning or the night before your workday, take a few minutes to write down or speak out loud your intentions for the day. What goals do you have? What tasks will you accomplish? What habits will you practice?
• Organization: Plan your day—including breaks—in whatever way works for you (Google Calendar, physical planner, etc.).
• Prioritization: With many tasks constantly vying for your attention, practice prioritizing the most important tasks first thing. Or, try structuring your day based on when you’re most productive and have the highest energy.

9. Improve communication skills.

Improving your communication skills is so important for career growth for nurses. Strong communication skills can boost health outcomes for patients and enhance relationships with co-workers, patients, and families. Good communication skills for nurses go beyond written and verbal communication. Nurses who actively listen are better able to care for patients, take direction from doctors, and be part of a team.

Other aspects of effective communication include:

• Patient education
• Compassion/trust
• Cultural awareness
• Presentation skills

10. Specialize in certain tasks.

Specializing in certain tasks is important for career growth as it improves productivity and accuracy. Most nurses have a broad scope of responsibilities and tasks that vary from patient to patient. But it’s never bad to be known for doing one particular task well.

Try earning a reputation for being exceptional for one of the following:

• Administering medications and treatments to patients.
• Collaborating within your team and across other teams on patient care.
• Providing compassionate support to patients in need.
• Operating medical equipment and technologies.
• Educating your patients on managing their illness.

11. Maintain work-life balance.

Leading a balanced life can help you perform better as a nurse. It’s easy to fall into a workaholic trap and take your work home with you, but this will result in burnout. Make self-care a priority by keeping your physical and emotional needs a top priority, and don’t forget to have fun, too. For some selfless people (which many nurses are), making time for fun is actually a goal that can help you further your career. When you’re happy and healthy, it manifests as success in all areas of life.

12. Become an advocate.

A noble career goal for a nurse is to become a better advocate. Advocating can be for your patients, for new policies at work, or for practices you believe strongly in. Nurses can help advocate for patients by guiding them through the medical system and providing resources. For example, nurses can advocate for patients receiving chemotherapy with information on taking anti-nausea medication effectively. On a larger scale, you could become an advocate seeking to create systemic change by addressing health inequities and influencing health policy.

13. Become a mentor for others.

Mentoring another nurse that’s new in the field helps you become a better nurse. Nurse mentorship programs provide mutual professional growth through a supportive and ongoing relationship. As a mentor, you can help your mentee by offering emotional support, helping to chart a career path, and providing guidance on the day-to-day. Ultimately, helping another nurse will provide you with fulfillment in both your career and life.

14. Participate in workshops, in-services, or job shadowing.

If your workplace offers workshops, in-service classes, or job shadowing, you should take full advantage of those opportunities. Nursing is a dynamic profession that’s always changing, and nurses must adapt to new technology and policies faster than ever. These learning opportunities are usually free ways to expand your nursing industry knowledge and further enforce your commitment to your employer.

15. Learn on your own.

Outside of in-service classes and on-the-job shadowing offered by your employer, seeking out opportunities to learn on your own should be a constant nursing career goal. Courses, conferences, and webinars are all common sources for continuing education for nurses. You can also choose to continue your formal education by advancing your nursing degree.

Why Choose WGU?

With WGU’s accredited online nursing degrees you can continue working at your full-time job and maintain your family or personal responsibilities while pursuing your ideal nursing position through BSN or MSN degrees. WGU is flexible with your needs. You don't have to log in to classes and there aren't due dates. Learn more about our master’s degrees in nursing .

There are numerous opportunities that exist after getting a master’s degree in nursing. With an MSN, you could go on to become a:

• Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA)
• Nurse Administrator
• Nurse Practitioner (NP)
• Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM)
• Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS)
• Clinical Nurse Leader
• Informatics Nurse
• Nurse Educator

As an MSN-educated nurse, your work in healthcare would change lives every day. After earning an MSN, you’ll have more opportunities to advance your healthcare career and impact patient care with a post-master’s certificate in nursing . You already have critical skills and knowledge that have brought you to an impactful career—now you can add additional specialty skills that will allow you to go further.

At WGU, there are two post-master’s certificate nursing programs that help master’s degree-holding nursing professionals advance in or diversify their career paths:

• Post-Master’s Certificate in Nursing–Education
• Post-Master’s Certificate in Nursing–Leadership and Management

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a bachelor’s degree in nursing.

A bachelor’s degree in nursing through WGU is an online nursing degree program designed for working registered nurses who have an ADN or nursing diploma and need an RN-to-BSN degree program that’s flexible with their schedule. The program focuses on the areas of research, theory, leadership, community concepts, healthcare policy, therapeutic interventions, and current trends in healthcare. You’ll learn to improve patient outcomes and influence communities with your knowledge of evidence-based practice, patient safety, technology integration, and healthcare systems and policies.

What is a master’s degree in nursing?

If your vision of your professional future includes a role in nursing administration and management, a CCNE-accredited master’s degree in nursing (MSN) is a must. When you pursue this degree, you'll get clinical practice experiences such as real-time simulation using immersive virtual reality training. Nurse managers with a master's degree combine their technical nursing know-how with strong people skills, organizational prowess, and business knowledge to lead healthcare teams to success—success that transforms lives. You’ll also increase your earning power.

How much do RN nurses make?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual wage for registered nurses is $75,330 .

How much do BSN nurses make?

While the BLS doesn’t differentiate between nurses who’ve earned an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) versus those who’ve earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), according to Nurse.org , what degree you have does impact how much you can make. Amongst the ADN and BSN nurses polled, Nurse.org found that BSN nurses were earning, on average, $3.89 more per hour than ADNs.

How much do MSN nurses make?

According to the BLS, the median pay for master’s-educated nurses is $117,670 per year .

Ready to Start Your Journey?

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16 Reasons to Choose a Career in Nursing

NurseJournal.org is committed to delivering content that is objective and actionable. To that end, we have built a network of industry professionals across higher education to review our content and ensure we are providing the most helpful information to our readers.

Drawing on their firsthand industry expertise, our Integrity Network members serve as an additional step in our editing process, helping us confirm our content is accurate and up to date. These contributors:

• Suggest changes to inaccurate or misleading information.
• Provide specific, corrective feedback.
• Identify critical information that writers may have missed.

Integrity Network members typically work full time in their industry profession and review content for NurseJournal.org as a side project. All Integrity Network members are paid members of the Red Ventures Education Integrity Network.

Explore our full list of Integrity Network members.

Herzing University is shaping the future of nursing with online degree programs to help you start or advance your nursing career. Advertising Disclosure .

Do you have a passion for caring for people and want to see them get better? Consider a career in nursing.

Registered nurses (RNs) are in demand. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects RN jobs to grow faster than average between 2023-2033. New RN roles will open as an estimated third of nurses over 55 retire, according to the Journal of Nursing Regulation.

Nursing offers many entry-level nursing options , specialties, working environments and pathways for advancement. Learn 16 reasons why choosing a nursing career might be right for you.

1 | Nurses Make a Real Difference

Nurses do much more than perform medical tasks. As a nurse, you can make a real difference in someone’s life. You can offer hope to people, sometimes during the worst time of their life. Nurses often counsel patients and families after a devastating diagnosis, celebrate good news, and become trusted confidantes.

Nurses can also improve their communities through volunteering. In a 2017 survey , 74% of nurses pointed to non-work related activities when asked what they had done to improve their community’s health. Activities included health fairs, health-related volunteering, raising or donating money, and traveling for volunteer work.

“Oftentimes, people are alone in the hospital, and while they (of course) need medical care, they also sometimes just need a friend and to know that someone cares. As a nursing student, this is something you can do even on your first day.”

— Sarah Brooks, ABSN student

2 | Nursing Degree Programs Exist Everywhere

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) ranks health professions second for the number of associate and bachelor’s graduates. Most large cities have many colleges and universities that offer an associate degree in nursing (ADN) or a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) program .

3 | Nurses Can Pursue Their Education Online

You can get your nursing degree through an accredited online nursing program anywhere in the U.S. Since nursing is a hands-on profession, you will be required to take classes online and complete in-person nursing clinicals in a healthcare setting.

It’s important to ensure any nursing program you attend is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing or Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education . This is necessary to take the National Council Licensure Examination for RNs (NCLEX-RN) and master NCLEX-style test questions to get your license.

4 | Many Nursing Students Find Financial Aid Opportunities

Student debt can be overwhelming. Even with payback programs, it can take up to a decade to pay off school loans. Fortunately, nursing students have many ways to pay for nursing school .

Some options to reduce total debt include nursing scholarships and grants from various organizations. Financial aid is available for students seeking an associate, bachelor’s, master’s , and even DNP degree. Many hospitals also offer tuition reimbursement programs for staff looking to go back to school to get their ADN or BSN.

Financing your nursing school education doesn’t have to leave you with a lot of debt.

5 | Nurses Can Enter the Workforce Relatively Quickly

Several nursing degrees allow you to enter the workforce quickly. You can earn an ADN, pass the NCLEX-RN, and get your nursing license in as little as two years. Then, if you return to school to complete your bachelor’s degree, you can do it while earning a stable income.

Associate degrees in nursing are one of the highest paying associate degrees. According to Payscale data from July 2024 , graduates of an ADN program make $77,000 per year, which is around $24,000 more than graduates of other associate degree programs.

Earning your BSN degree opens more opportunities for career advancement and a higher average annual salary of $95,000, according to Payscale .

6 | Nurses Have a High Level of Job Satisfaction

The 2023 American Mobile Nurses (AMN) Healthcare survey found that 71% of nurses were satisfied or extremely satisfied with their career choice. Although this percentage has gone down since 2021, the survey found a correlation between years of experience and job satisfaction, as nurses with over five years of experience reported greater career satisfaction than nurses with less than five years of experience.

In 2023, the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) reported that 100,000 nurses left nursing during the pandemic because of increased workloads and rising levels of workplace violence , burnout , and nurse bullying .

About 800,000 expressed intent to leave by 2027. Yet, with all the challenges nurses face, nursing schools are still turning away tens of thousands of qualified applicants every year since 2019 because they do not have the nursing faculty to educate aspiring nurses.

Nursing schools nationwide need more nursing faculty. Yet, schools in midwestern states such as Wisconsin, Iowa, and Kansas, have about a 7% nurse faculty vacancy rate compared to about 10% vacancy rate in Southern and Western states, according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing .

“When I speak with people and tell them my job, almost always the response is, ‘Once when I was sick, I had the best nurse take care of me, and I’ll always remember them helping me.’ It is a wonderful feeling to know we have helped.”

— Elizabeth Clarke, FNP, MSN, RN, MSSW

7 | Nurses Get to Do Exciting Work

Each day with patients can be different. Whether in a clinic, office, a hospital, or an organization, nursing is not dull. In a McKinsey Frontline Workforce Survey from November 2021 by AMN Healthcare, data showed that 32% of nurses had plans to leave their current positions. Only 29% of these nurses planned to stay in a direct patient care role.

The rest of the nurses had plans to move into a non-beside role , further their education, or leave the workforce to focus on their family or other life goals. Nurses who planned to leave direct patient care wanted work-life balance, flexible work hours, safe working environments, better compensation, and more manageable workloads.

“Nursing is incredibly versatile, and there are many ways to learn new skills and apply the ones you already have. It is one of the most exciting and unique things about nursing; you can be a chameleon and constantly change.”

8 | Nursing Is a Respected Field

In 1999, Gallup started a decades-long survey to determine the most ethical and honest profession. In January 2024, Americans ranked nurses in the number one position for an impressive 22 years in a row.

In addition to ranking first, nurses earned the highest score to date in 2020 for honesty and ethics. In 2020, the ranking was four percentage points higher than the last recorded high in 2019.

9 | Nurses Can Choose Their Specialty

Nurses are vital to delivering healthcare in many different settings. You can choose from over 100 nursing specialties , so you’ll likely never be bored.

You can focus on a specific population, such as gerontological nursing , or go into a more specialized field, such as a flight nurse or transplant nurse . You can also pursue roles that do not directly work with patients, such as health policy careers .

Nurses can easily move from one specialty to another. For example, after practicing as a dialysis nurse , you may wish to become a traveling nurse. If you are an experienced specialty nurse, you may be able to pick your assignments.

If you want to become a labor and delivery nurse , you may need some hands-on experience and continuing education for nurses before finding a new position.

10 | Nurses Work in a Stable Industry

By 2030, the entire baby boomer generation will have reached age 65. Up to 85% of older adults have at least one chronic health condition, and 60% have at least two. According to the BLS, nurses are in demand to care for a growing population of people with chronic diseases.

The BLS projects that job growth for nurses at all levels is expected to grow faster than average because of this demand. The projected job growth includes 135,500 nurse practitioner (NP) jobs and 197,200 RN jobs between 2022 and 2023.

11 | Nurses Receive Excellent Benefits

Hospitals, clinics, and doctor’s offices may offer excellent benefits to attract and keep qualified professionals. For example, a nurse’s median annual salary of $86,070 is well above the average annual salary of all occupations.

Travel nurses usually receive added benefits for filling an in-demand position on short notice and for the inconvenience of living and working in another city. They usually receive hazard pay or critical staffing pay in addition to the higher average hourly wage that travel nurses earn compared to staff nurses. These can include benefits to cover travel expenses and a stipend for housing, meals, and other bills.

Benefits for nurses include:

• Paid sick time
• Paid vacation and holidays
• Paid family leave
• Bonuses for working extra shifts or when understaffed
• Health and life insurance
• Tuition reimbursement
• Retirement benefits
• Wellness programs
• Subsidized travel
• Student loan repayment
• Shift differentials where nurses earn more for working holiday, weekend, or night shifts

12 | Nurses Develop Transferable Career Skills

Nursing offers the opportunity to adapt your professional life to fit your lifestyle. For example, you can find work in a variety of geographical locations and work environments. You may choose to work full or part-time and day or night-shift. You can also work shifts as short as four hours or as long as 12 and make more money in shift differentials.

In your first year of nursing school , you’ll develop and hone nursing skills like critical thinking, communication, and organizational skills. You will develop the ability to remain calm and focused in an emergency.

These skills can help you transition from clinical nursing to other non-bedside options , including nursing administration , nonprofit management in nursing , public health nursing , correctional facilities, or being a missionary nurse in clinics across the world.

“Nursing is also a flexible career with so many options. If you don’t like a certain floor or hospital, you can try another one. If you don’t like your current schedule, you can switch it. If you want to further your education and advance your career, there are many ways to do so.”

13 | Nursing Grads Have Smoother New Hire Transitions

All nurses experience orientation or onboarding as they move from an academic to a clinical setting after they graduate as a nurse . For many nurses working in large teaching hospitals, this transition may be eased by the hospital’s one-year nurse residency programs designed to help new nurses successfully transition from school to various work settings for nurses .

Although there is a nursing shortage across the U.S. , it is still challenging to get a premium job. You can improve your success by working while you’re in school to gain nursing experience and complete internships. Nursing students who gain volunteer experience and network while in nursing school also have an advantage when it’s time to apply for their first nursing job.

14 | Nurses Collaborate With Different Healthcare Professionals

Nurses play a unique role in healthcare. They spend a lot of time with patients at the bedside, so they must collaborate with healthcare teams to coordinate patient care and improve outcomes.

The bedside nurse is the hub of patient activity. They know the recommendations of each healthcare professional attending to the patient. Nurses need strong organizational and critical thinking skills to understand how each recommendation affects the overall care plan.

They must also explain the care plan and instructions to patients and their families in an understandable way.

“Nurses are often the first person to assess and examine a patient and to come up with differential diagnoses or an assessment of what the problem may be. From there, the nurse lets the attending physician or provider know the outcomes of the assessment.”

15 | Nurses Have Many Leadership Opportunities

The skills you learn caring for patients can help as you apply to a charge nurse role on the unit. Charge nurses must assign patient care and monitor the staff, making adjustments as needed during the shift.

Nurses with strong nursing leadership skills may go on to positions in administration, such as unit managers, clinical nurse leaders , patient care directors, or chief nursing officers .

You can also take advantage of leadership roles in clinical practice, including advanced practice nurses , clinical nurse specialists , and case managers . Nursing offers several avenues to take additional responsibility and progress up the career ladder.

16 | Nurses Are at the Forefront of the Telemedicine Movement

Telehealth nursing increased significantly during 2020 when healthcare providers began treating patients at home to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

The need for remote telemonitoring for patients in the intensive care unit or at home continues to grow. Remote monitoring can reduce costs for a hospital or physician’s office without sacrificing patient care.

Nurses are integral to patient consultations, taking patient histories and coordinating care at home. They are often the primary source of health education and monitoring. Incorporating telehealth services has given nurses a new tool to improve patient outcomes and satisfaction.

A Nurse and a Nursing Student Share Why They Choose a Nursing Career

Elizabeth Clarke is a board-certified family nurse practitioner. Her experience spans emergency departments, cardiac units, pediatric urgent care, and occupational health settings. She earned her bachelor of science in nursing and master’s in nursing from the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida.

Clarke is a paid member of the Red Ventures Education Integrity Network.

I’m a mom to three daughters, currently enrolled in an accelerated nursing program. Prior to nursing school, I spent over a decade as a writer and editor in the personal finance niche. While I’ve enjoyed it, I’ve always felt a desire to go back to school to become a nurse. With my youngest starting kindergarten last August, I figured there was no better time for me to take the leap and return to school. My career goals include both working as a nurse and continuing to write and edit in the finance and healthcare spaces.

Sarah is a paid member of the Red Ventures freelance Education Student Network.

What experience of making a difference as a nurse would you share with a prospective student to help them understand how nurses make a difference?

Elizabeth Clarke, FNP, MSN, RN, MSSW

I can remember feeling overwhelmed, working my first holiday shift as a new graduate RN.

It was New Year’s Day, my unit was busy and short-staffed. Patients and family members were short-tempered. I ran from patient room to patient room, getting their medications done relatively on time, monitoring vital signs, and ensuring my post-cardiac catheterization patients remained on bed rest.

I had a patient who needed monitoring, she was very sick, but was waiting on testing. She was frustrated, hungry, and thirsty. She was being kept NPO (nothing by mouth), since her doctors still did not know what was wrong with her.

Every time I passed by her room, she would call out and ask for help, needing reassurance. One of the times I stopped in, she began complaining of severe abdominal pain.

I looked at her abdomen and noticed it was beginning to appear distended. Her face was pale with pain, a fine sheen of sweat forming. I auscultated (listened to with my stethoscope) her abdomen, and heard nothing, no bowel sounds. I palpated her abdomen; it was rock hard.

I called the on-call internal medicine physician covering her that day. I quickly gave him a rundown of my concerns, how she looked, and her growing abdomen.

He came right up, we examined her together, and he went running to call a stat surgical consult. He asked me to drop an NG (nasogastric tube) down to see if we could decompress her, standard procedure if you suspect someone has an obstruction or ileus. I grabbed my supplies and my health care technician for help.

We went in and quietly explained to our patient what we needed to do, how we needed to help her, that I would try and get her pain under control and we would figure out what was wrong.

She was clenching her teeth in pain, fear, nausea, all of the above. We started prepping her to put in her NG tube when the surgery resident ran into the room, he began examining her in a brusque manner, pressing hard on her abdomen.

She cried out in pain, I remember quietly asking him if he would let me give her some IV pain medication quickly to minimize her pain while he finished the exam.

He gave me a quick nod and then called his attending on his cell phone in front of the patient, saying he needed an OR, stat. He then turned to my tech and me and told us to get her moving to the third floor OR suites now.

It was a tense moment, my patient did not understand what was happening, she was in severe pain, nauseous, and confused.

As we pushed her down the hall, grabbing additional staff for help, following the resident, I quickly told her they suspected a small bowel obstruction that was becoming worse, twisting her intestines, and they were rushing her so they could get her into the OR as soon as possible.

I remember promising her the on-call surgeon was very good, we would help her, and anesthesia would keep her comfortable so she would not feel any pain.

She asked to hold my hand. She wanted to know if I would be there when she woke up. I told her it depended on the time they finished the surgery, but I promised to tell the recovery room nurses to please hold her hand as they woke her up so she would know she was not alone.

I gave a quick bedside report to the receiving nurse and went back to my unit.

I was working the next day as well, and when I came into my unit, I looked in the system to see where my patient from the day before was. She was in the surgical ICU. I had a busy morning, so later in the afternoon, I asked my charge nurse if I could run down to the SICU to visit my patient, she agreed to watch my beds for me.

When I went into the SICU, I greeted some of my friends who were working and told them about my patient from the day before.

I connected with her nurse, she told me she was doing well, surgery was complicated by a previous liver transplant and lots of scar tissue. She said the surgery report noted the patient was quickly deteriorating and the obstruction was twisting the small bowel.

I went over to my patient’s bed and was surprised to see her awake and very alert. She smiled, reached for my hand, and thanked me. She started to cry, she told me no one had been listening to her when she tried to say something inside her was hurting.

She said she had felt ignored until she got transferred to my unit and I was her nurse. She told me she had felt very scared and discouraged, but when I told her I would take care of her and explained what was going on, she felt safe.

A decade and a half later, this patient is one I always remember even though I have cared for countless others since. I know I made a difference to her and provided excellent nursing care. We often speak of our nurses’ gut — our intuition.

On that New Year’s Day, I trusted my intuition; I knew something was very wrong. I listened to my patient and trusted my nursing assessment. I am glad I was able to make a difference in her life. She had a successful surgery — she survived — and was discharged to rehab for recovery a week later.

Sarah Brooks, ABSN Student

In my experience as a nursing student, it’s nurses that make or break a hospital stay. A kind, compassionate nurse who listens to their patients and does their best to meet their needs will be remembered.

My first shift in clinicals was on a Med-Surg floor specializing in disorders of the respiratory system. I was extremely nervous and had no idea what I was doing medical-wise, but I knew I could at least talk to my patients and provide a sense of comfort.

I had four patients in total and spent about an hour talking with them about why they were admitted to the hospital, how they were feeling, and other details of their lives. When I told them I was leaving for the day, they all individually thanked me for taking the time to sit with them.

Oftentimes, people are alone in the hospital and while they (of course) need medical care, they also sometimes just need a friend and to know that someone cares. As a nursing student, this is something you can do even on your first day.

What reasons do you have for being satisfied with choosing nursing as a career, even amid the challenges in the field right now? Why would you recommend nursing to prospective nursing students?

Nurse Elizabeth Clarke, FNP, MSN, RN, MSSW

I love being a nurse practitioner. I am proud to say I am a BSN RN and a family nurse practitioner.

I often have been with people in their hardest moments — when they are at their sickest, most injured, or most scared. I have been able to provide care, answer questions, hold a hand, and save lives.

Being an RN and now an NP has allowed me to fulfill my desire to help others and serve my patients and their families.

I recently saw a reel on a social media platform where the person filming it was speaking about hard times, and how we can choose to be someone’s light during their darkest hour. To me, this is what being an RN is all about.

We can be someone’s light; we are the helpers. At the end of some of my hardest shifts back when I was an RN, the days where I had too many patients, too high of an acuity, and no time to eat, I always knew I was helping.

Without my care, those patients may not have had their medications on time or had their pre-op workup completed, or been recovered from their procedure, or may have fallen when they tried to move from their bed to the bathroom.

When I speak with people and tell them about my job, almost always the response is, ‘Once when I was sick, I had the best nurse take care of me, and I’ll always remember them helping me.’ It is a wonderful feeling to know we have helped.

Nursing is a second career for me and is something that had been in the back of my mind for many years. I knew I had to at least give it a shot. From what I’ve experienced so far, the rewards of nursing outweigh the hard times by far.

I, personally, am satisfied with choosing nursing as a career because it’s truly a job that makes a difference.

It’s not always going to feel that way, but when push comes to shove, it is us nurses that the patients will remember. It’s up to us whether their hospital stay is an excellent one or a poor one. I love knowing that I’m directly impacting the lives of patients day in and day out.

Nursing is also a flexible career with so many options. If you don’t like a certain floor or hospital, you can try another one. If you don’t like your current schedule, you can switch it.

If you want to further your education and advance your career, there are many ways to do so. There are school nursing, work-from-home nursing jobs, per diem jobs, and more.

While the main thing that drew me to the career was my interest in the medical field and the ability to make a difference in the lives of others, the schedule flexibility and opportunities for advancement helped to solidify my decision.

What do you find exciting about your nursing career?

I work in occupational medicine currently, so while it is not quite as exciting as my days back in the ED or cardiac unit, it does have its moments of excitement and busyness.

One of the most exciting things about being an RN is that you can work almost anywhere in the medical field.

If working with children interests you, choose pediatrics. If surgery is where your interests lie, think about working in the operating room as a scrub nurse, or in the pre or post-operative units prepping and recovering patients.

Are you someone who craves an adrenaline rush to keep you on your toes at work? The emergency department is your place then, there is never a boring moment. From overdoses, to accidents, and illnesses, the ED is hopping.

If you tire or are burnt out in your chosen area, you can switch to a different area of nursing. Nursing is incredibly versatile. There are many ways to learn new skills and apply the ones you already have. It is one of the most exciting and unique things about nursing, you can be a chameleon and constantly change.

The entire job of a nurse is exciting because anytime you walk through the hospital doors, you truly don’t know what you’ll walk into.

You never know if you’ll have a smooth, calm day or a crazy, hectic one. Things can take a turn for the worse at any time and on any floor, so you always need to be prepared and keep an eye on your patients at all times.

I also get excited thinking about my future as a nurse and what that will look like.

Again, this is a career with so many options and opportunities. I’ve toyed with everything from going back to school to pursue my nurse anesthetist degree (CRNA) to working from home as a nurse writer.

Only time and experience will determine what I’ll land on, but I definitely get excited thinking about all the possibilities.

How would you say about how the nurse’s pivotal role in coordinating patient care with the rest of the healthcare helps make nursing a good career choice?

As nurses, we are constantly in contact with other healthcare professionals. From doctors, NPs, or PAs to therapists (physical, occupational, speech or mental health), to registered dieticians, and more, we must collaborate with other professionals regarding what is best for our patients.

Nurses are often the first people to assess and examine a patient and to come up with differential diagnoses or an assessment of what the problem may be.

From there, the nurse lets the attending physician or provider know the outcomes of the assessment. In this way, nurses have a unique position to see, assess and call attention to a problem.

Nurses are excellent at knowing what other care a patient may need, and how to ask for that help. If a nurse sees a patient struggling to swallow, asking for a referral to speech therapy can help ensure the safety of that patient so they do not aspirate.

Nurses are often asked by the provider how the patient is doing and what their needs are – this is an example of the provider realizing the pivotal roles nurses play.

Collaboration in nursing is often mentioned during nursing school, because of this, nurses develop excellent collaboration skills.

Nursing is a great career choice for those who want to help, care, and collaborate for the best outcomes of their patients.

Nurses are the eyes and ears of the hospital. If something goes wrong, it’s almost always a nurse who catches it first. We are the ones in the hospital 24/7.

Doctors, of course, have a pivotal role in determining treatment plans and helping patients recover, but it’s the nurses who play out the treatment plan, see how the patient is responding, and keep the doctor in the loop on any changes.

In my (limited) experience, one thing I’ve really come to learn is that it truly takes a patient care team to treat the patient. All roles are equally necessary and important.

Not only do nurses collaborate with other members of the healthcare team, but also with the family members of the patient. This could be in person or by calling a family member to update them on the status of their loved one.

The nurse not only provides comfort to the patient, but to the family members, as well.

Frequently Asked Questions About Nursing Careers

What are the reasons for choosing nursing as a career.

Most nurses choose to work in the profession to help others live better lives. Whether you work in a hospital, clinic, missionary clinic overseas, administration, or correctional facility, the underlying reason most nurses choose the profession is to help those in need. Another reason is that nursing is a high-paying career with advancement opportunities and flexibility.

How hard is it to become a nurse?

You can become a nurse in as little as two years by completing an ADN. You can further advance your career options and salary by earning a BSN degree. You can do this in two years if you already have an RN license, online or in the classroom and while you continue to work. You can also earn an accelerated BSN degree if you hold a bachelor’s in another field.

What qualities do you need to be a nurse?

Nurses are compassionate, patient, and understanding. They have strong critical thinking, communication, and organizational skills. You may not have these skills at the start of your nursing education but will develop them in your nursing program and hone them in your practice.

How do I know if nursing is right for me?

If you are curious to learn more about health and wellness and have a desire to help others, consider speaking with an admission counselor at your local college or university. You may also want to consider volunteering in a hospital or shadowing a nurse for a shift.

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Writing a Nursing Career Goals Essay + Example

Career planning matters more before deciding to become a student nurse and eventually a practicing nurse (RN). Whether you are just beginning your career as a nurse or looking to scale to greater heights, writing a nursing career goals essay enables you articulate their aspirations, motivations, and plans for the future. A career goals essay comes in handy when applying to a nursing program, seeking a scholarship, or preparing for a job interview. It is always an effective tool to communicate your commitment to the nursing profession.

When you know your short- and long-term goals, you will always find it easy to write an essay on your career goals. For most nurses, the goals are never out of the ordinary. Rather, they include stuff like patient-centered care, changing the lives of patients, and taking more responsibilities in that regard.

For most nurses, even the most experienced ones, composing a career goals essay might not be as easy as it sounds. The process needs you to reflect your life, plan your future, and articulate how you plan to do the same. This quick guide will help you write an irresistible career goals essay that clearly articulates what you want in your nursing career journey.

What is a Career Goals Essay?

A nursing career goals essay outlines an individual’s (nursing student, prospective nursing student, or a nurse practitioner) goals, aspirations, and plans related to their nursing career. It is a roadmap for your nursing career. The essay highlights the steps needed to achieve short, medium, and long-term career goals. It is a critical tool for self-reflection and for personal and professional development.

This essay typically serves several purposes, such as applying to nursing programs, seeking scholarships, or preparing for job interviews.

When you have a solid career goals essay, the admissions committee from various nursing schools will notice you. It sets you apart from other applicants, allowing you the privilege of making the cut to the top-preferred candidates, even for a job opportunity.

A nursing career goals essay is important for various reasons, including:

• Self-Reflection. Writing this essay encourages you to reflect on your career path, motivations, and aspirations.
• Clarity of Purpose. The essay helps clarify how your goals align with your professional values.
• Communication Skills. A solid career goals essay demonstrates your ability to articulate your thoughts and ambitions clearly and concisely, a vital skill in nursing. You get the chance to articulate your goals and objectives as regards your nursing career.
• Stand Out. A well-written essay can help you stand out in applications or interviews, providing insights into your personality, commitment, and vision for your nursing career. You will get into a nursing school of your dreams seamlessly.
• Motivation. A well-crafted career goals essay helps you to stay focused on achieving your goals. It can help you manage time by prioritizing things that matter for given periods in your life. For instance, you can decide to continue your education or become a researcher.

Related: How to write a nursing career plan essay.

Components of a Nursing Career Goals Essay

For you to convey your message in the essay, ensure that you structure your career goals essay into three parts: introduction, main body, and conclusion.

The three-part classic essay structure helps your career goals essay to be informative, engaging, and organized.

Here are some key components to include in your nursing career goals essay:

• Introduction:
• Start with a hook to grab the reader's attention.
• Introduce your interest in nursing.
• Briefly outline what the essay will cover.
• Background:
• Share your personal journey toward nursing.
• Highlight any relevant experiences, such as education, volunteer work, or personal encounters with healthcare.
• Short-Term Goals:
• Describe your immediate career goals, such as obtaining a nursing degree or passing the NCLEX.
• Explain why these goals are important for your professional development.
• Discuss your aspirations for the future, such as specialized nursing roles, advanced practice, or leadership positions.
• Highlight how you plan to achieve these goals, including any further education or training.
• Conclusion:
• Reiterate your passion for nursing and commitment to your goals.
• End with a powerful statement that leaves a lasting impression on the reader.

What to include in Your Nursing Career Goals Essay

Like a personal essay, a career goals essay should reflect your motivation, aspirations, experiences, and timelines. However, instead of narrating how you will use your nursing knowledge, training, and education to further your career, you should detail the short and long-term goals. An officer assessing your nursing career goals essay primarily focuses on establishing evidence of your readiness and motivation for the graduate level task. You should include the points below to increase your chances of sounding great:

• Describe your motivation for pursuing a career in nursing. What inspired you to choose this profession?
• Discuss the short-term goals that will help you achieve the long-term goals. If you have medium-term goals, also list them. Specific immediate objectives (e.g., obtaining your nursing degree, passing the NCLEX). Explanation of why these goals are important for your career development.
• Explain how you plan to achieve these goals. What steps or strategies will you take to reach your desired position?
• Preferred work environment. Do you see yourself working in a hospital, a clinic, or another type of healthcare facility?
• Discuss your long-term goals. Future aspirations (e.g., specialization in pediatrics, becoming a nurse practitioner). Plans for achieving these goals (e.g., pursuing further education or training). Where do you see yourself in 5, 10, or 20 years?
• Skills, strengths, and experience. Include these key elements to demonstrate your ability to be a successful nurse. Key skills or personal qualities that make you a good fit for nursing (e.g., empathy, resilience, communication).
• A description of your professional aspirations: what kind of nurse do you hope to become? What area(s) of nursing practice are you interested in? and why
• An explanation of how graduate-level nursing education will help you achieve your career goals: what specific knowledge and skills do you hope to gain?

Every career goals is unique. You should make your flexible because a successful one might include or omit some of these components.

Questions To Ask Yourself When Writing a Nursing Career Goals Essay

Here are some reflective questions to ask yourself when writing a nursing career goals essay:

• What inspired me to pursue a career in nursing?
• Are there any personal experiences that have influenced my decision to become a nurse?
• What qualities do I possess that make me suited for nursing?
• What are my immediate career goals after completing my nursing education?
• What specific skills do I want to develop during my nursing program?
• How will I prepare for and succeed in the NCLEX exam?
• Where do I see myself in 5, 10, or 20 years within the nursing profession?
• What areas of specialization am I interested in, and why?
• Do I have aspirations to take on leadership roles or contribute to healthcare policy?
• What steps will I take to achieve my short-term and long-term goals?
• How do I plan to gain relevant clinical experience during my education?
• What resources (mentors, networking, and additional education) will I utilize to support my career development?
• In what type of healthcare setting do I see myself working (e.g., hospital, clinic, community health)?
• What aspects of a work environment are important to me (e.g., team dynamics, patient interaction, opportunities for advancement)?
• What kind of nurse do I hope to become, and what specific role do I aspire to fill?
• What impact do I want to have on my patients and the healthcare community?
• How do I plan to advocate for my patients and promote health equity?
• How will pursuing further education (e.g., MSN, DNP) help me achieve my career goals?
• What specific knowledge and skills do I hope to gain through graduate-level education?
• How can I leverage my advanced education to contribute to my chosen field?

Reflecting on these questions can help you articulate your motivations, goals, and plans effectively in your nursing career goals essay.

Nursing Career Goals Essay Example

Below is an example of a nursing career goals essay. You can pick a few hints and tips from it or order your nursing essay and get a custom-written essay that meets and exceeds all the requirements.

Nursing is more than a profession; it is a calling that requires compassion, resilience, and a deep commitment to the well-being of others. From a young age, I have always been drawn to the field of healthcare, witnessing firsthand the profound impact that nurses have on their patients and families. In this essay, I share my journey toward nursing, outline my short-term and long-term career goals, and express my unwavering dedication to this noble profession. Growing up in a family of healthcare professionals, I was often surrounded by discussions about patient care and the importance of empathy in healing. My mother, a registered nurse, often shared stories about her experiences in the emergency room, where she provided critical care to patients in their most vulnerable moments. Inspired by her passion, I volunteered at a local hospital during my high school years, assisting nurses with patient care and administrative tasks. These experiences solidified my desire to pursue a career in nursing, where I could make a tangible difference in people's lives. As I embark on my nursing education at Walden University, my short-term goal is to earn my Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree within the next four years. I am fully aware of the challenges that lie ahead, including rigorous coursework, clinical rotations, and the upcoming NCLEX examination. However, I am committed to maintaining a strong academic record and actively engaging in my clinical experiences. I plan to seek out opportunities for hands-on learning, such as internships and volunteer positions in healthcare settings, to enhance my skills and knowledge. Looking beyond my immediate goals, I have a vision for my long-term nursing career. Upon completing my BSN, I aspire to specialize in pediatric nursing. I have always had a soft spot for children and believe that working in pediatrics will allow me to provide care to some of the most vulnerable patients. In the future, I hope to pursue a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree, which will enable me to become a pediatric nurse practitioner. This advanced practice role will allow me to diagnose and treat illnesses, provide preventive care, and advocate for children’s health. Moreover, I am passionate about healthcare advocacy and intend to take on leadership roles within the nursing profession. I envision myself participating in community outreach programs that educate families about health and wellness. By empowering families with knowledge, I hope to contribute to reducing health disparities in underserved populations. In conclusion, my journey toward becoming a nurse has been shaped by personal experiences, inspirations, and a strong desire to serve others. I am committed to achieving my short-term and long-term career goals, which include obtaining my BSN, specializing in pediatric nursing, and advocating for children's health. As I embark on this journey, I am filled with excitement and determination, knowing that nursing is not just a career for me but also a lifelong commitment to making a difference in the lives of others.

Topics for a Nursing Career Goals Essay

The topics below can provide a foundation for exploring various aspects of career goals in nursing. You can be tailor them to fit your personal experiences or specific interests.

• The importance of setting career goals in nursing.
• Short-term vs. Long-term goals: a nursing career path.
• How to create an action plan for achieving nursing career goals.
• The role of mentorship in achieving nursing career aspirations.
• Navigating career changes in nursing: goals and strategies.
• Pursuing specialization: my goals in pediatric nursing.
• The journey to becoming a nurse practitioner: my career goals.
• Setting goals for leadership roles in nursing: the path to nurse manager.
• Exploring the role of advanced practice registered nurses (APRNS) and my career goals
• Developing skills for a career in nursing informatics: my aspirations.
• The impact of continuing education on nursing career goals.
• My goals for graduate nursing education: advancing my career.
• How certifications can shape my nursing career path.
• Setting goals for lifelong learning in nursing practice.
• The role of evidence-based practice in shaping my nursing career goals.
• Advocating for patient rights: career goals in community health nursing.
• My aspiration to work in global health: setting career goals for impact.
• How nursing leadership can influence policy change: my goals.
• Community outreach in nursing: setting goals for public health education.
• The importance of cultural competence in nursing: my professional goals.
• Overcoming challenges to achieve my nursing career goals.
• How personal values shape my nursing career aspirations.
• Balancing work and education: my goals as a nursing student.
• Reflecting on my nursing journey: goals and growth.
• The impact of personal experiences on my nursing career goals.

Tips for Writing an Impactful Nursing Career Goals Essay

Writing a nursing career goals essay is a crucial step in outlining your aspirations and motivations in the nursing field. This essay allows you to reflect on your journey and articulate your future goals effectively. Here are ten tips to help you compose a compelling essay:

• Start with a Strong Introduction . Begin with a captivating hook that draws the reader in and sets the tone for your essay.
• Be Personal and Reflective . Share your unique experiences and insights that led you to pursue a career in nursing.
• Define Short-Term Goals . Clearly outline your immediate objectives and how they align with your overall career path.
• Establish Long-Term Aspirations . Describe where you see yourself in the future, including specific roles or specializations.
• Create an Action Plan . Detail the steps you plan to take to achieve both your short-term and long-term goals.
• Highlight Relevant Skills . Emphasize the skills and qualities that will contribute to your success in nursing.
• Stay Positive. Use a positive tone throughout your essay, even when discussing challenges.
• Mention Preferred Work Environment . Specify the type of healthcare setting where you envision yourself working and why.
• Stay Focused and Organized . Maintain a clear structure throughout the essay, with each section logically flowing into the next.
• Use Professional Language . Write in a clear, concise, and professional tone, avoiding jargon or overly casual language. While you want to be thorough, be mindful of the word count and stay on topic.
• Revise and Edit . After completing your draft, take the time to review and refine your essay for clarity, coherence, and grammatical accuracy.

Related Articles:

• How to write a great nursing school admission essay.
• Challenges in nursing school.
• Tips to succeed in nursing school.
• Steps to a good nursing reflective essay.
• A quick guide to writing a nursing philosophy essay.

Final Words

Writing a nursing career goals essay can be a fulfilling experience that allows you to articulate your passion for nursing and your plans for the future.

If you follow this simple guide and use the example provided for inspiration, you can create a compelling essay that highlights your commitment to the nursing profession. Take the time to reflect on your journey and aspirations, and let your unique voice shine through in your writing. Remember, this essay is not just an assignment; it is an opportunity to share your story and your vision for the future of nursing.

However, if you want to hire a nursing essay writer to do your essay, we are the best website to consider. Our writers discuss your needs, expectations, and desires then go ahead and create a paper that fulfils all of them. You can get a plagiarism and AI-free paper done within the shortest turnaround time.

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24 Nursing Trends We Expect to See in 2024

Updated January 18, 2024.

We've put together a list of top nursing issues and trends that we expect to see in 2024 and beyond based on the latest data and insights from American Nurse Today, the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), and other sources.

The medical field, particularly nursing, is still experiencing the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. As the current field of nurses becomes more educated, they have an opportunity to take on expanded roles and fill a drastic need in the years to come. Read on to learn what to expect in the ever-changing world of nursing in 2024.

Why It's Important to Stay Ahead of Nursing Trends and Issues

Why should health care professionals stay abreast of future trends in nursing? By monitoring nursing issues and trends, nurses can:

• Become better advocates for patient safety, comfort and care
• Apply cutting-edge technologies to optimize efficiency and improve outcomes
• Safeguard their own mental health and well-being
• Collaborate with other nurses, doctors and specialists more ably
• Seize opportunities for nurse leadership, including heightened responsibility and more competitive pay

These are just a few of the many benefits of keeping up with future trends in nursing. Here are some of the top nursing trends for the coming year.

1. Online Education Programs Will Continue to Increase in Popularity

In 2010, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) appointed the Committee on the Future of Nursing to put together recommendations for an action-oriented response to some of the challenges nurses are facing.

One of its key recommendations was to increase the percentage of workers holding a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree from 50% to 80% by 2020. In 2018, New York became the first state to pass a law requiring nurses to earn a BSN within ten years of becoming licensed. Many other states have plans to adopt similar legislation.

In light of these changes, the motivation for nurses to pursue higher education is stronger than ever. Online nursing degree programs provide a way for nurses to obtain a degree while continuing to work full time, opening the door to higher education without sacrificing work-related responsibilities or family obligations.

We predict the popularity of online Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) to Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and online Post-Master's FNP Certificate programs to increase in 2024 as virtual education evolves from a pandemic necessity to a mainstay for career advancement.

2. The Shortage of Primary Care Physicians Will Create an Even Greater Demand for Family Nurse Practitioners

Recent research from the AAMC found that the United States could face a shortage of up to 48,000 primary care physicians by 2034 due in part to a growing aging population.

Without enough primary care physicians to care for the population, the demand for family nurse practitioners (FNPs) will be high, especially in those states where they have full practice authority. In November 2023, AANP reported that the United States had 385,000 licensed nurse practitioners (LNPs). We expect this number to continue to grow.

Another factor in the increasing demand for FNPs is rural hospital closings, which significantly impact health care. Between 2010 and 2021, a total of 136 of all rural hospitals closed their doors , according to the American Hospital Association (AHA). This is undoubtedly one of the most significant nursing trends of the last several years.

About 14% of the U.S. population, or 46 million people, live in rural areas and already find it challenging to obtain health care, according to the AHA. Another issue impacting residents in these areas is the insufficiency of doctors . FNPs can perform checkups, physicals, etc. for patients who might otherwise be stuck waiting long periods of time for an appointment with a doctor.

Earn Your MSN-FNP Part-Time For Less than $30k

3. a greater number of states will grant nurse practitioners full practice authority.

As a further response to the primary care physician shortage, more states are likely to grant nurse practitioners (NPs) the authority to practice independently. Currently, about 30 states and U.S. territories grant NPs full practice authority, while other states require collaborative agreements with supervising physicians or have practice restrictions.

Given the pressing need for primary care providers and the fact that both the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) and the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) recommend that states provide NPs full practice authority, the remaining states face increasing pressure to follow suit.

Learn how COVID-19 has impacted NP practice authority.

4. We Will See Significant Job Growth for Nurses in 2024

The numbers are clear: In the U.S. and globally, the shortage of registered nurses (RNs) is expected to intensify as baby boomers age, the need for care providers grows and health care workers deal with the long-term effects of COVID-19.

The nursing shortage intensified due to the COVID-19 pandemic as hospitals and other health care environments struggled under unprecedented patient loads.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects registered nursing to be a fast-growing profession through 2032. The BLS expects it to grow by 6%; an estimated 177,400 new RN jobs will be added by 2032 .

This demand stems from the United States having an aging population. By 2030, the U.S. Census Bureau states that 21% of the population will be of retirement age. By 2034, there will be more people over age 65 than those under 18. It's expected that there will be a 48,000-plus shortage of primary care physicians by 2034, with many of today's doctors retiring. An aging population will need access to medical professionals, and FNPs are equipped to help fill this void

The lack of nurse educators is another issue. An AACN report explains that "U.S. nursing schools turned away 91,938 qualified applications from baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs in 2021 due to an insufficient number of faculty, clinical sites, classroom space, clinical preceptors and budget constraints."

5. Salaries for Registered Nurses Will Stay Steady or Increase

Despite COVID-19's negative impacts on inflation and hospital finances, nurses surveyed by the American Nurse Journal report that they've continued to receive salary increases. The rise in nurses' salaries is especially true for FNPs, whose median annual pay in 2022 was $121,610, according to the BLS . Medical facilities are also using other incentives to entice nurses. Many facilities are offering bonuses to both recruit and retain nurses.

6. More States Will Join the Enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact, Making It Easier for Nurses to Move Across State Lines

The enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact (eNLC) was officially implemented on January 19, 2018. The compact, coordinated by NCSBN, makes it substantially easier for travel nurses to work across state lines.

In 2023, Washington and Rhode Island became the latest states to sign the compact's provisions into law, bringing the total number of states and territories that have enacted and implemented the eNLC to 41.

7. Telehealth and Chatbot Services Are Making It Easier for Patients to Access Care

The coronavirus pandemic accelerated the demand for virtual health care. A 2022 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) report found that 22% of respondents had telehealth appointments in the previous month. That's why we predict telehealth and chatbot services will continue to be the norm in some aspects of the nurse's role in 2024. This is among the clearest and most consequential future trends in nursing.

With telehealth technology, patients can manage certain aspects of their own health care by accessing an online portal to see their test results, schedule appointments and request prescription refills. Virtual appointments enable them to see their nurse or doctor via live video feed.

Similarly, chatbots can assist patients with things like booking appointments and reminding them to take certain medications. For example, the health care chatbot Florence monitors patients' health, gives patients instructions and reminders for taking pills, and helps patients find specialists in their area.

Telehealth has faced some legislative restrictions regarding Medicare payments in the past. As the rules related to payments and other regulations are eased, barriers to its growth will be lessened.

The relaxation of rules around reimbursement for telehealth visits in the wake of COVID-19 has shown health care providers and patients alike how well the systems can work.

Besides working for patients with minor complaints, telehealth visits are a boon for nurses, therapists and providers who can use the technology to manage patients with mobility challenges and who are at especially high risk if exposed to the coronavirus.

Read our blog to learn more about how FNPs use telehealth today.

8. Virtual Technology Will Also Help Practitioners

Virtual technology has already assisted nurses with many tasks and will continue to do so into 2024. Virtual assistants can help nurses make data-informed decisions about treatments and medications. It can also help improve health outcomes by reminding patients to take medication, automating prescription refills, and handling billing and insurance, which can free up time for nurses.

Virtual reality (VR) can also provide many opportunities for working nurses and nurse education simulations. Practitioners have recently begun to use VR for chronic pain management in patients, which has been linked to higher quality of life and fewer visits to the hospital . These emerging examples are just some of the potential opportunities for VR to assist nurses in 2024.

9. Bilingual Nurses Will Be More Valued

The U.S. population is becoming increasingly diverse. The U.S. Census Bureau reported that at least 350 languages are spoken in American homes as of 2023.

Next to English, Spanish is the most widely spoken language in the United States. An estimated 42 million U.S. residents, approximately 13% of the population , speak Spanish at home — more than twice as many as in 1990.

Bilingualism is becoming increasingly valued as a skill for nurses to have. Nurses who speak a second language, especially Spanish, may be more attractive to employers than monolingual nurses in 2024.

10. More Nurses Will Choose to Specialize

Nurses today are expected to specialize, a nursing trend likely to continue into 2024 and beyond.

Nursing is a career with greater demand at higher levels of practice than entry-level ones. Nurses who choose to specialize find that they're in higher demand and that they can command higher salaries .

The BLS reports that RNs had a median annual salary of $81,220 in 2022, with projected job growth of 6% between 2022 and 2032. However, NPs will enjoy even brighter prospects for employment and salary. According to the BLS, they earned a median annual wage of $121,610 in 2022, and their employment is projected to grow by 45% between 2022 and 2032.

From family health to psychiatry, nurses can choose to focus their careers on many advanced specialties in 2024.

11. More Focus Will Be Placed on Holistic Care

Holistic care is a method for treating the whole patient. Holistic nurses recognize each patient's unique physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and environmental strengths and weaknesses.

The global body of evidence about the benefits of holistic care is growing, placing it at the center of future trends in nursing.

A 2020 study of patients in Hong Kong found that those who received holistic care intervention reported better outcomes than patients who received routine care.

Increasingly, U.S. hospitals and other health care facilities are emphasizing integrative and holistic health in their delivery models. At Carson-Newman University, our online MSN-FNP and online Post-Master's FNP Certificate programs focus on holistic care.

12. Nurses With Technological Skills Will Be in High Demand

Technology is ever-present in the modern world of health care, and the pace of reliance on technology only increased with the COVID-19 pandemic. Nurses today use a wide range of technologically driven approaches to increase efficiency, including electronic health records (EHRs) to track health history and smart beds to optimize patient positioning.

Nurses' use of mobile devices is also rising. A Zebra Technologies study, the Future of Healthcare 2022 Hospital Vision Study, predicted that the percentage of bedside nurses who used mobile devices in their practice would increase from 65% in 2017 to 97% in 2022. The same study showed that mobile technology can improve cost savings, care quality and patient safety.

Technology in nursing is here to stay, and nurses will need to become confident and comfortable with it at an increasing pace.

13. The Field of Health Informatics Will Become More Mainstream

In response to the influx of health care technology, a new field has arisen: health informatics. This growing specialization uses data collected by information technology (IT) systems to create a more collaborative environment between patients and their various health care providers.

One survey by the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) found that respondents reported a direct positive impact on the quality of care patients received as a result of the work of informatics nurses. With a high average salary and a very good job outlook, this specialization should attract even more interest in 2024.

14. Patients Will Continue to Become More Educated

In the era of smart devices, people are constantly consuming more information, including health-related information. Nurses can now expect to see patients who've already researched their conditions or symptoms online and may have an understanding of which medications might be right for them based on pharmaceutical advertisements they've seen.

Nurses in 2024, especially NPs, must be prepared to serve a more educated patient population by listening to patients' views about their health condition and synthesizing this information with their own professional knowledge and expertise.

15. We'll See an Increase in Cost-Effective Urgent Care Clinics

The lines between the retail and health care industries are blurring. Retail health clinic services offered by major players, such as Walgreens and CVS, provide alternative channels for the provision of primary care. They're majorly disrupting the health care landscape.

Future Market Insights (FMI) estimates an annual growth rate of 9.6% in the global market for retail clinics through 2028. Researchers point to patient accessibility and affordability in explaining this growth.

This is good news for NPs, as many NPs have already opted to open up their own clinics within such retail locations.

16. Nursing Faculty Positions Will Become More Attractive

The demand for RNs may be growing, but paradoxically, many institutes of higher education have been forced to turn away qualified applicants due to an ongoing nursing faculty shortage.

According to an AACN report on enrollment and graduations in baccalaureate and graduate programs in nursing, U.S. nursing schools had to turn away 78,191 qualified applicants from baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs in 2022. AACN identifies budget and faculty constraints as factors contributing to the shortage.

In response to this crisis, many initiatives are underway to make nursing faculty positions more attractive to qualified nurses. One example of such an initiative is the Jonas Nurse Leaders Scholar Program , which provides financial support to more than 1,400 scholars in all 50 states to expand the pipeline of future nursing faculty.

17. The Demand for Geriatric Specialists Will Continue to Rise

America is aging, and that can't help but affect nursing issues and trends. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) calculates that by 2060, 23% of the U.S. population will be 65 or older. In the coming years, more geriatric nurses will be required to deal with an aging and ailing population of baby boomers. New nurses entering the field in 2024 may wish to be at the forefront of this highly sought-after specialty by becoming certified in geriatric care management.

18. More Awareness Will Be Given to Common Issues Faced by Nurses

According to a 2023 McKinsey & Co. report , 31% of nurses are considering leaving their jobs. The reasons for this potential exodus are exemplified in a 2021 AMN Healthcare survey of RNs :

• High levels of stress at work
• Concerns about work-life balance
• Difficulty recovering from the emotional toll of work
• Impact of work on physical health

There's some good news to counter this nursing trend. AMN Healthcare found that 64% of nurses were likely to encourage others to join the profession, and 66% were likely to stay with their current employers. They believed in the work they were doing and its value to the world.

The awareness of nursing issues increased in 2022 and 2023. More organizations, such as the American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA), emphasize the importance of self-care to guard nurses against the effects of job-related stressors. As health care facilities work to retain nursing staff, more resources will be devoted to nurses' well-being and job satisfaction.

Read our blog on how to practice self-care as a nurse during COVID-19.

19. Nurses Will Continue to Retire Later

While the U.S. faces a nursing shortage, older nurses are delaying retirement. The number of nurses 65 and over increased from 14.6% in 2017 to 19% in 2021. That's according to the 2020 National Nursing Workforce Study conducted by NCSBN and the National Forum of State Nursing Workforce Centers.

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, some retired nurses started working again. In March 2020, HHS urged states to relicense retired health care workers for quick reentry into the workforce.

The trend toward later retirement is expected to continue in 2024 and beyond. What does this mean for new nurses entering the field? There will be many job opportunities as new nurses work alongside experienced colleagues.

20. Nurses Will Help Uphold Health Care Cybersecurity

With the increasing adoption of digital technologies in health care , such as multi-cloud infrastructure and telehealth, the risk of cyber threats also rises. Health care facilities will need to develop and implement strategies to mitigate potential cyberattacks that could compromise confidential information.

Because they upkeep patient records and serve as points of communication between patients and other health care professionals, organizations and nursing leaders should train nurses on essential cybersecurity issues and safeguards, making it an essential 2024 nursing trend. They should also maintain compliance with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) standards and review their current protocols to ensure they have robust defense measures.

21. Automation Will Free Nurses to Tackle More Complex Challenges

Nurses carry out repetitive tasks each day in service of their patients. These tasks can be physically demanding and monotonous when completed hundreds of times per shift. Robots and other automation tools are increasingly used to handle basic jobs in clinical settings.

Moxi is a self-operating robot that delivers medical supplies to exam rooms in several Texas hospitals. Henry Ford Health System deploys Xenex LightStrike robots to disinfect surfaces with ultraviolet-C (UV-C) after exams and in-patient stays. Brigham and Women's Hospital uses Boston Dynamics robots to measure the vitals of COVID-19 patients.

The future of nursing will see robots increasingly involved in diagnostics and procedures. In 2024, nurses may share the halls with robot colleagues that ease their workload. Additionally, nurses will increasingly turn to machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) to help automate mundane and repeatable tasks, freeing more time for direct patient care.

22. There Will Be a Growing Role for Nurses in Health Equity Efforts

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines the term " health equity " as "everyone has a fair and just opportunity to attain their highest level of health." Millions of patients face inequities due to one or more social determinants of health, including the following:

• Housing insecurity
• Lack of access to healthy food
• Racial discrimination
• Poor air and water quality

Nurses encounter the consequences of these determinants in their daily work. Social and economic inequalities were magnified by the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving front-line health workers to find solutions for their patients. 

The NAM sees opportunities for health equity innovations by nurses. In its report The Future of Nursing 2020-2030, the NAM advocates for health care providers to "incorporate nursing expertise in designing, generating, analyzing, and applying data" into health equity programs. Nursing professionals will have opportunities to improve conditions for patients in 2024 and beyond.

23. Support for Nurses' Mental Health Will Grow

Given the physical and emotional demands of the nursing profession, burnout is a significant risk. The rate of nurses leaving the profession bears this out and makes rising mental health awareness another key nursing trend for 2024 and beyond.

Nurse leaders can advocate for their own mental well-being and that of their team members in many ways. Examples are as follows:

• Investing in AI and other tools to help nurses bear their workload
• Promoting more flexible scheduling, including ample time off
• Providing on-site support and counseling options for nurses to opt into

The bottom line: Successful nurses will need to be mindful of their own mental health concerns, in 2024 and into the future.

24. Preventative Care Will Be Prioritized

Nurses and other health care professionals will continue to prioritize preventative measures in holistic care in 2024. This involves addressing potential health issues before they arise. Preventative measures include: 

• Performing risk assessments
• Providing health education and community outreach
• Administering vaccinations 
• Encouraging screenings and other early detection tests
• Facilitating chronic disease management

With effective prevention, patients can mitigate the risk of developing a serious or chronic illness before it happens, avoiding extra health care visits and decreasing the likelihood of chronic pain and discomfort. 

Stay Ahead of Nursing Trends

As an FNP, you can bridge gaps in primary care. You'll experience a transformative education at Carson-Newman through our online MSN-FNP or online Post-Master's FNP Certificate programs.

Why become an FNP student at Carson-Newman? Our FNP students benefit from these distinctive Carson-Newman advantages:

• Online coursework with no mandatory login times, so you can continue working full time or part time as you study
• Small-sized classrooms to accommodate your learning needs
• Ongoing clinical placement services, so you can focus on your studies and maintain a work-study-life balance
• A dedicated student success advisor who'll support you from start to finish

NP was ranked No. 1 in Best Health Care Jobs by U.S. News & World Report in 2022. As an NP, you'll empower your career as a holistic leader in primary care.

Learn more about our online MSN-FNP or online Post-Master's FNP Certificate programs.

Choosing Nursing Dissertation Topics: Expert Guide & Tips

• November 29, 2023

Welcome to NursingWriters.net, your go-to resource for expert information and guidance on choosing nursing dissertation topics . We understand that selecting the right topic is crucial for a successful research project, and we are here to help you make an informed decision.

When it comes to choosing a nursing dissertation topic, it is important to consider your interests, expertise , and career goals. You want to select a topic that aligns with your passion and has current gaps in knowledge within the field of nursing. Conducting a preliminary literature review can help you identify existing research and potential areas for exploration.

Seeking feedback from advisors, professors, and peers is also crucial in ensuring that your chosen topic is manageable and feasible within the given time frame. They can provide valuable insight and guidance to help you refine and develop your topic further.

At NursingWriters.net, we are dedicated to empowering busy nurses like you to excel in BSN, MSN, and DNP programs. Our expert team has years of experience in nursing research and writing, and we are here to provide you with the support and guidance you need to choose the best nursing dissertation topic for your academic and professional success.

Key Takeaways:

• Choose a nursing dissertation topic that aligns with your interests, expertise , and career goals.
• Conduct a preliminary literature review to identify existing research and potential areas for exploration.
• Seek feedback from advisors, professors, and peers to ensure your topic is manageable and feasible.
• Consider the support and guidance available to you from resources like NursingWriters.net.
• Remember that choosing the right nursing dissertation topic is essential for academic and professional success.

The Importance of Choosing a Nursing Dissertation Topic

When embarking on your nursing dissertation journey, one of the most critical decisions you will make is selecting a relevant and impactful topic. The choice of a nursing dissertation topic holds great significance as it sets the foundation for your research and determines the overall success of your study. It is essential to recognize the importance of this decision and approach it with careful consideration.

The significance of choosing a nursing dissertation topic lies in its ability to contribute to the field of nursing and address gaps in knowledge. By selecting a topic that aligns with your interests and expertise , you can conduct research that is meaningful and has the potential to make a difference in the healthcare industry. A well-chosen topic also allows you to showcase your skills and knowledge in a specific area of nursing, highlighting your expertise to future employers or academic institutions.

Furthermore, the impact of topic choice extends to the feasibility and manageability of your research. By selecting a topic that is manageable within the given time frame and available resources, you increase the likelihood of completing your dissertation successfully. It is crucial to consider the scope of your research, available literature, and potential sources to ensure that your chosen topic is realistic and achievable.

“The significance of choosing a nursing dissertation topic lies in its ability to contribute to the field of nursing and address gaps in knowledge.”

In summary, the importance of choosing a nursing dissertation topic cannot be overstated. It determines the relevance and impact of your research, showcases your expertise, and influences the feasibility of your study. By selecting a topic that aligns with your interests, fills gaps in knowledge, and is manageable within the given time frame, you set yourself up for a successful and meaningful research journey.

Tips for Choosing a Nursing Dissertation Topic

Choosing the right topic for your nursing dissertation is crucial for a successful research project. Here are some effective strategies and steps to help you select a compelling and relevant topic:

• Conduct a thorough literature review: Start by familiarizing yourself with different areas of interest within nursing. Read material tailored to your specific interest and explore dissertations that align with your topic area. Take notes and pay attention to recurring topics that catch your attention.
• Attend nursing academic conferences: Engage with other professionals in the field and have discussions about potential topic angles. Networking with experts and peers can provide valuable insights and new perspectives.
• Consider feasibility and manageability: Ensure that the topic you choose is realistic and can be completed within the given time frame. Take into account the availability of credible literature and sources to support your research.

By following these tips, you can choose a nursing dissertation topic that aligns with your interests, fills gaps in knowledge, and contributes to the field.

“The choice of a nursing dissertation topic is crucial for a successful research project. It sets the foundation for a compelling study and determines the relevance and significance of the research within the field of nursing.”

Remember, selecting the right topic is the first step toward a successful nursing dissertation. Take your time to explore and evaluate different options before making a final decision.

Nursing Dissertation Topic Ideas

If you’re a nursing student in need of a dissertation topic, we’ve got you covered. Here are some popular nursing dissertation topic ideas to get you started on your research journey:

• The impact of nurse staffing levels on patient outcomes in intensive care units
• Efficacy of mindfulness-based interventions in reducing stress among nurses
• Exploring the role of advanced practice nurses in improving primary care access for underserved populations
• An analysis of the effectiveness of simulation-based training in nursing education
• The influence of nurse-patient communication on patient satisfaction and health outcomes

These topics cover a wide range of areas within nursing and offer plenty of opportunities for research and exploration. Remember to choose a topic that aligns with your interests and career goals, and consider the feasibility of conducting research within the given time frame.

Additionally, conducting a literature review on your chosen topic will help you identify existing research and potential gaps in knowledge that your dissertation can address. Seek feedback from your advisors and peers to ensure your topic is relevant, manageable, and contributes to the field of nursing.

Nursing Dissertation Topics for 2023

As the field of nursing continues to evolve, it is essential for nursing students to choose dissertation topics that reflect the current trends and challenges in healthcare. To help you stay ahead, here are some trending nursing dissertation topics for 2023:

• The Impact of COVID-19 on Nurse Well-being and Mental Health: Exploring Strategies for Resilience and Support.
• Telehealth and Remote Nursing Care: Evaluating the Effectiveness and Patient Satisfaction with Virtual Nursing Interventions.
• Nursing Leadership during Times of Crisis: Lessons Learned from the COVID-19 Pandemic.
• Advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Nursing Education and Practice: Strategies for Culturally Responsive Care.
• Nursing Education in the Digital Age: Adapting Curriculum and Teaching Methods for Online and Hybrid Learning Environments.

These topics address key issues in nursing practice, education, and research, allowing students to contribute to the knowledge base and shape the future of nursing. By exploring these areas, nursing students can gain valuable insights and make meaningful contributions to the field.

It is important to note that these topics are just a starting point, and students are encouraged to explore their own interests and passions within the field of nursing. By selecting a topic that aligns with personal interests and addresses current challenges, students can embark on a rewarding journey of scholarly inquiry and professional growth.

Remember, the key to a successful dissertation is choosing a topic that is not only relevant but also personally meaningful. Take the time to explore different areas of interest and consider the impact you want to make in the field of nursing. By selecting a nursing dissertation topic that aligns with your passions and addresses current challenges, you can contribute to the advancement of nursing knowledge and practice.

Emergency Nursing Dissertation Topics

If emergency care is your area of interest, here are some emergency nursing dissertation topics to consider:

1. Impact of COVID-19 on the health workers in general

This topic focuses on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the health workers in emergency care settings. It explores the challenges faced by healthcare professionals and the strategies implemented to mitigate the impact of the pandemic.

2. Knowledge and perception of hypertension management among patients

This topic examines the understanding and attitudes of patients towards hypertension management in emergency care. It investigates the knowledge gaps and potential barriers in effectively managing hypertension in emergency situations.

3. Demographic and socio-economic factors influencing utilization of maternal health services

This topic delves into the demographic and socio-economic factors that affect the utilization of maternal health services in emergency care. It analyzes the disparities in access to and utilization of emergency obstetric care among different population groups.

4. The importance of social workers in the hospital

This topic explores the role of social workers in emergency care settings and their contribution to holistic patient care. It investigates the impact of social workers in addressing the psychosocial needs of patients and their families during emergencies.

5. The psychological experience of emergency staff in the treatment of attempted suicide patients

This topic focuses on the psychological impact on emergency staff when treating patients who have attempted suicide. It examines the emotional well-being of healthcare professionals and the strategies implemented to support their mental health.

6. Incidence and prevalence of COVID-19 among under 5 children and disease pattern

This topic analyzes the incidence and prevalence of COVID-19 among children under the age of 5 in emergency care settings. It investigates the disease pattern and potential risk factors associated with COVID-19 infection in this population group.

7. Knowledge, attitudes, and practice of care of elderly patients among health workers

This topic explores the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of emergency care health workers in providing care for elderly patients. It investigates the challenges and strategies in delivering age-appropriate and patient-centered care to the elderly population.

8. Incidence of bacterial vaginosis among pregnant mothers attending ANC

This topic examines the incidence of bacterial vaginosis among pregnant mothers attending antenatal care in emergency care settings. It investigates the risk factors, clinical manifestations, and management strategies for bacterial vaginosis in pregnancy.

9. Effectiveness of therapeutic play on anxiety among children with terminally ill conditions

This topic evaluates the effectiveness of therapeutic play interventions in reducing anxiety among children with terminal illnesses in emergency care settings. It explores the impact of play on the psychological well-being and quality of life of these children.

10. Effectiveness of alcohol cleaning versus sterile water cleaning for newborn cord care

This topic compares the effectiveness of alcohol cleaning and sterile water cleaning for newborn cord care in emergency care settings. It investigates the incidence of cord infections and complications associated with different cleaning methods.

Nursing Dissertation Topics in Critical Care

If you are interested in pursuing a nursing dissertation in the field of critical care, there are several compelling topics that you can consider. The field of critical care nursing is crucial in providing specialized care for critically ill patients, and conducting research in this area can contribute to advancements in patient care and outcomes. Below are some nursing dissertation topics in critical care that you may find interesting:

Dissertation Topic 1: Reasons for the current increase in the number of cesarean sections among pregnant mothers.

Dissertation topic 2: factors contributing to the increasing number of pelvic inflammatory disease (pid) among women., dissertation topic 3: utilization of different types of cervical cancer screening., dissertation topic 4: nurse’s role in the prevention of infant and under-five child mortality., dissertation topic 5: knowledge and practice of infection control among midwives., dissertation topic 6: effect of oral care in the prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia in intensive care units., dissertation topic 7: the effect of massage therapy on the occupational stress of intensive care unit nurses., dissertation topic 8: factors contributing to the increase in death resulting from sildenafil in kenya., dissertation topic 9: quality of life of patients with head and neck cancer., dissertation topic 10: the impact of strong immunity on the mortality and morbidity of coronavirus..

These topics cover a range of critical care issues, including maternal health, infectious diseases, preventive care, and patient well-being. Each topic offers an opportunity to explore important aspects of critical care nursing and contribute to the existing body of knowledge in the field.

When choosing a nursing dissertation topic in critical care, consider your interests and expertise to ensure that you are passionate about the subject matter. Additionally, conduct a thorough literature review to identify any gaps in knowledge and potential areas for research. Seek guidance from your advisors and professors to ensure that your chosen topic is feasible and manageable within the given time frame.

Nursing Dissertation Topics for Ph.D. Research

If you are pursuing a Ph.D. in nursing, choosing the right dissertation topic is crucial for your research journey. It’s important to select a topic that aligns with your research interests and contributes to the existing body of knowledge in nursing. Here are some nursing dissertation topics for Ph.D. research to inspire your studies:

1. Factors contributing to maternal mortality among mothers attending delivery rooms.

2. factors influencing the underutilization of partogram among nurses., 3. the relationship between depo provera and infertility among females of childbearing age., 4. effectiveness of kangaroo mother skin-to-skin contact among postnatal mothers., 5. effect of chewing gum on gastrointestinal function after gynecological surgery., 6. effects of thyroid during pregnancy and its knowledge to rural women., 7. a nationwide survey on the current status of infusion of vasoactive agents by nurses., 8. prevalence and incidence of acute gastritis among the pediatric population., 9. factors influencing health-seeking behavior among patients with metabolic disease., 10. effectiveness of preoperative instruction on postoperative outcome measures..

These topics cover a wide range of areas within nursing and offer opportunities for further exploration and research. Consider the relevance, feasibility, and potential impact of each topic as you make your selection. Remember to consult with your academic advisor or mentor to ensure that your chosen topic aligns with your research goals and objectives.

Nursing Dissertation Topics in Community Nursing

Community nursing plays a crucial role in promoting health equity and addressing the needs of underserved populations. When selecting a dissertation topic in community nursing, it is important to focus on areas that contribute to reducing health disparities and improving the well-being of individuals and communities. Here are some relevant and engaging topics for community nursing dissertations:

1. The Role of Community Nursing in Promoting Health Equity: Exploring Strategies for Reducing Health Disparities in Underserved Communities

This topic examines the role of community nursing in addressing health disparities and implementing strategies to promote health equity in underserved communities. It involves exploring innovative approaches, such as community health programs and interventions, that can effectively bridge the gap in healthcare access and outcomes.

2. Community-Based Palliative Care: Assessing the Effectiveness of Community Nursing Interventions in Enhancing End-of-Life Care and Support

This topic focuses on community-based palliative care and the role of community nursing in providing compassionate end-of-life care and support. It involves evaluating the effectiveness of community nursing interventions in improving the quality of life for patients with life-limiting illnesses and their families.

3. Community Health Education and Disease Prevention: Investigating the Impact of Community Nursing Programs on Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

This topic explores the impact of community nursing programs on health promotion and disease prevention. It involves assessing the effectiveness of community health education initiatives in raising awareness, promoting healthy behaviors, and preventing common diseases in the community.

By selecting a dissertation topic in community nursing, you have the opportunity to contribute to improving healthcare outcomes, reducing health disparities, and promoting health equity in underserved populations. These topics offer a starting point for further exploration and research in the field of community nursing.

Nursing Dissertation Topics in Pediatric

Choosing the right topic for your nursing dissertation in the field of pediatric nursing is essential to conduct a meaningful and impactful research study. By selecting a topic that aligns with your interests and addresses current gaps in knowledge, you can contribute to the advancement of pediatric healthcare and make a difference in the lives of children.

Here are some compelling nursing dissertation topics in pediatric nursing:

These topics cover a range of important issues in pediatric nursing, from pain management to family involvement and mental health. They provide opportunities for research that can have a direct impact on improving the quality of care for children in various healthcare settings.

By selecting one of these topics, you can contribute to the growing body of knowledge in pediatric nursing and make a meaningful difference in the lives of young patients and their families.

Choosing the right nursing dissertation topic is essential for a successful research project. When selecting a topic, it is important to consider your interests, expertise, and career goals. By choosing a topic that aligns with your passions and goals, you will be more motivated to delve deep into the subject matter and produce a compelling study.

In addition, conducting a thorough literature review is crucial to identify gaps in knowledge and potential research questions. By reviewing existing research, you can identify areas where further exploration is needed and contribute to the existing body of knowledge in nursing.

It is also important to take notes and think about the introduction and conclusion of your dissertation as you choose your topic. By doing so, you can ensure that your study has a clear and cohesive structure, which will enhance its impact and readability.

By following these tips and guidelines, you can select a compelling nursing dissertation topic that not only aligns with your interests and goals but also contributes to the field of nursing. With the right topic in hand, you’ll be well on your way to academic success and making a valuable contribution to the nursing profession.

How do I choose a nursing dissertation topic?

When choosing a nursing dissertation topic, consider your interests, expertise, and career goals. Conduct a literature review to identify gaps in knowledge, seek feedback from advisors and peers, and ensure your topic is manageable within the given time frame.

Why is choosing a nursing dissertation topic important?

Choosing the right nursing dissertation topic is crucial for a successful research project. It sets the foundation for a compelling study, determines the relevance and significance of the research, and contributes to the existing body of scholarship in nursing.

What are some tips for choosing a nursing dissertation topic?

Some tips for choosing a nursing dissertation topic include conducting a background study to familiarize yourself with different areas of interest, attending nursing conferences to explore new topic angles, and selecting a topic where you can find credible literature and sources to support your research.

Can you provide some nursing dissertation topic ideas?

Sure! Here are some nursing dissertation topic ideas to get you started:

– Factors contributing to the lack of resources in developing country hospitals

– Perception and attitude of mothers toward cesarean section

– Utilization of different family planning methods among teenagers

– The impact of stress on nurses’ work behaviors

– Mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare workers

– Job satisfaction analysis of professional nurses in public and private sectors

– Assessment of health care waste management among health workers

– Attitudes of women towards the utilization of modern contraceptives

– Health problems for drug-addicted pregnant women

– The effectiveness of telehealth and remote nursing care in patient satisfaction

Can you suggest some nursing dissertation topics for 2023?

Absolutely! Here are some nursing dissertation topics for 2023 :

– The Impact of COVID-19 on Nurse Well-being and Mental Health: Exploring Strategies for Resilience and Support

– Telehealth and Remote Nursing Care: Evaluating the Effectiveness and Patient Satisfaction with Virtual Nursing Interventions

– Nursing Leadership during Times of Crisis: Lessons Learned from the COVID-19 Pandemic

– Advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Nursing Education and Practice: Strategies for Culturally Responsive Care

– Nursing Education in the Digital Age: Adapting Curriculum and Teaching Methods for Online and Hybrid Learning Environments

– Addressing Health Disparities in Marginalized Communities: Examining the Role of Nurses in Promoting Health Equity

– Implementing Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing: Overcoming Barriers and Promoting Adoption

– Promoting Resilience and Mental Health in Healthcare Professionals: Self-care Strategies for Nurses

– The Role of Advanced Practice Nurses in Primary Care: Optimizing Patient Outcomes and Healthcare Delivery

– Exploring the Nurse-Patient Relationship in the Era of Virtual Care: Building Trust and Connection in Remote Settings

What are some emergency nursing dissertation topics?

For emergency care topics, consider the following options:

– Impact of COVID-19 on the health workers in general

– Knowledge and perception of hypertension management among patients

– Demographic and socio-economic factors influencing utilization of maternal health services

– The importance of social workers in the hospital

– The psychological experience of emergency staff in the treatment of attempted suicide patients

– Incidence and prevalence of COVID-19 among under 5 children and disease pattern

– Knowledge, attitudes, and practice of care of elderly patients among health workers

– Incidence of bacterial vaginosis among pregnant mothers attending ANC

– Effectiveness of therapeutic play on anxiety among children with terminally ill conditions

– Effectiveness of alcohol cleaning versus sterile water cleaning for newborn cord care

What are some nursing dissertation topics in critical care?

If you’re interested in critical care, here are some nursing dissertation topic ideas :

– Reasons for the current increase in the number of cesarean sections among pregnant mothers

– Factors contributing to the increasing number of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) among women

– Utilization of different types of cervical cancer screening

– Nurse’s role in the prevention of infant and under-five child mortality

– Knowledge and practice of infection control among midwives

– Effect of oral care in the prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia in intensive care units

– The effect of massage therapy on the occupational stress of Intensive Care Unit nurses

– Factors contributing to the increase in death resulting from sildenafil in Kenya

– Quality of life of patients with head and neck cancer

– The impact of strong immunity on the mortality and morbidity of coronavirus

Can you suggest some nursing dissertation topics for Ph.D. research?

Certainly! Here are some nursing dissertation topics suitable for Ph.D. research:

– Factors contributing to maternal mortality among mothers attending delivery rooms

– Factors influencing the underutilization of partogram among nurses

– The relationship between Depo Provera and infertility among females of childbearing age

– Effectiveness of kangaroo mother skin-to-skin contact among postnatal mothers

– Effect of chewing gum on gastrointestinal function after gynecological surgery

– Effects of thyroid during pregnancy and its knowledge to rural women

– A nationwide survey on the current status of infusion of vasoactive agents by nurses

– Prevalence and incidence of acute gastritis among the pediatric population

– Factors influencing health-seeking behavior among patients with metabolic disease

– Effectiveness of preoperative instruction on postoperative outcome measures

What are some nursing dissertation topics in community nursing?

For community nursing topics, consider these options:

– The Role of Community Nursing in Promoting Health Equity: Exploring Strategies for Reducing Health Disparities in Underserved Communities

– Community-Based Palliative Care: Assessing the Effectiveness of Community Nursing Interventions in Enhancing End-of-Life Care and Support

– Community Health Education and Disease Prevention: Investigating the Impact of Community Nursing Programs on Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

– Mental Health Services in the Community: Analyzing the Role of Community Nursing in Delivering Mental Health Support and Interventions

– Addressing Social Determinants of Health in Community Nursing Practice: Examining the Integration of Social Factors in Community Health Assessments and Interventions

– Community Nursing and Chronic Disease Management: Evaluating the Contribution of Community Nursing in Supporting Patients with Chronic Conditions

– Nurse-led Primary Care Clinics in Underserved Communities: Assessing the Role of Community Nursing in Improving Access to Primary Healthcare Services

– Community Nursing and the Aging Population: Analyzing the Challenges and Opportunities for Community Nursing in Caring for the Elderly

– Community Nursing and Health Promotion in Vulnerable Populations: Investigating Strategies for Engaging and Empowering Marginalized Communities

– Community Nursing and Disaster Preparedness: Assessing the Role of Community Nursing in Emergency Response and Disaster Management

What are some nursing dissertation topics in pediatric nursing?

If you’re interested in pediatric nursing, here are some topic ideas:

– Effective Pain Management in Pediatric Nursing: Exploring Strategies for Assessing and Managing Pain in Children

– Family-Centered Care in Pediatric Nursing: Investigating the Impact of Family Involvement on Pediatric Healthcare Outcomes

– Pediatric Mental Health Nursing: Assessing the Role of Pediatric Nurses in Promoting Mental Health and Well-being in Children

– Enhancing Pediatric Patient Safety: Analyzing the Importance of Safety Measures and Protocols in Pediatric Nursing Practice

– Transition of Care for Children with Chronic Conditions: Examining the Challenges and Best Practices in Transitioning Pediatric Patients to Adult Healthcare

– Pediatric Palliative Care: Investigating the Role of Pediatric Nurses in Providing Compassionate Care for Children with Life-Limiting Illnesses

– Pediatric Immunization and Vaccination: Analyzing the Role of Pediatric Nurses in Educating Parents and Promoting Vaccination Compliance

– Pediatric Nursing in Emergency Settings: Assessing the Preparedness and Competencies of Pediatric Nurses in Emergency Care for Children

– Supporting Families in Pediatric End-of-Life Care: Exploring the Role of Pediatric Nurses in Providing Emotional and Bereavement Support

– Pediatric Nursing Education and Training: Evaluating the Effectiveness of Pediatric Nursing Curriculum in Preparing Nurses for Pediatric Practice

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Exploring Controversial Issues in Nursing: Key Topics and Examples

This article was written in collaboration with Christine T. and ChatGPT, our little helper developed by OpenAI.

Nursing is dynamic and ever-evolving, often dealing with complex and controversial issues. As nursing students, it is crucial to understand and engage with these topics to contribute to the ongoing dialogue within the healthcare community. In this article, we will explore some of the most significant controversial topics in nursing, providing examples and discussing their implications for nursing practice.

Ethical Dilemmas in Nursing

Ethical principles in nursing and their implications in controversial issues.

Understanding ethical dilemmas is crucial for nursing students as they often encounter situations where moral decisions must be made. Familiarizing oneself with the American Nurses Association’s Code of Ethics can provide guidance in these situations. Some of the most controversial ethical dilemmas in nursing include:

1. End-of-Life Care and Decision-Making

Nurses often play a vital role in end-of-life care, supporting patients and their families through decision-making. This can involve addressing issues like withdrawing life-sustaining treatment, palliative care , and do-not-resuscitate orders.

Topic Examples to Explore:

• The role of nurses in end-of-life care Decision-making
• Advance care planning and nursing responsibilities
• The ethics of withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining treatment
• Do-not-resuscitate (DNR) orders: nursing perspectives and ethical considerations
• Palliative sedation: a controversial end-of-life care option
• End-of-life care in intensive care units: ethical dilemmas
• Ethical issues and disciplinary actions in ross medical pharmacy fraud case
• Communication strategies for discussing end-of-life care with patients and families
• The role of spirituality in end-of-life care decision-making
• Navigating cultural differences in end-of-life care preferences
• The role of advanced directives in patient autonomy
• The ethical implications of physician-assisted suicide
• Balancing family wishes with patient preferences
• The nurse’s role in facilitating end-of-life conversations
• Legal implications of withholding or withdrawing treatment
• The impact of healthcare policies on end-of-life care decisions
• The role of hospice and palliative care in end-of-life decision-making
• The ethics of artificial nutrition and hydration in end-of-life care
• Legal and ethical implications of physician-assisted suicide and nursing
• Decision-making capacity assessment in end-of-life care
• The role of surrogate decision-makers in end-of-life care
• Family-centered decision-making in end-of-life care
• Ethical considerations in end-of-life care for patients with dementia
• The role of advance directives in end-of-life care decision-making
• Compassionate extubation: nursing considerations in end-of-life care
• Addressing moral distress in end-of-life care decision-making for nurses

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2. Medical Futility and Resource Allocation

Nurses may face situations where they must decide whether to continue providing care that may be futile or shift resources to patients with a higher likelihood of recovery.

• Defining medical futility in nursing practice
• The role of nurses in addressing medical futility
• Ethical considerations in medical futility decision-making
• The impact of medical futility on healthcare resource allocation
• Navigating patient autonomy and medical futility in nursing care
• Medical futility in end-of-life care: ethical dilemmas
• Strategies for addressing medical futility in clinical practice
• Defining medical futility in the modern healthcare landscape
• The role of ethics committees in determining treatment decisions
• Balancing patient autonomy with evidence-based practice
• Cost implications and the question of rationing care
• The nurse’s role in advocating for patient needs vs. system constraints
• Balancing patient needs and resource allocation in nursing care
• The role of evidence-based practice in addressing medical futility
• Communication strategies for discussing medical futility with patients and families
• The impact of healthcare policies on medical futility and resource allocation
• Legal implications of medical futility in nursing practice
• Addressing moral distress in nursing when facing medical futility
• Ethical considerations in resource allocation for intensive care units
• The role of cost-effectiveness analysis in healthcare resource allocation
• Prioritizing patient care in situations of limited resources
• Medical futility and the nurse’s responsibility to advocate for patients
• Balancing patient-centered care and medical futility in nursing practice
• The impact of cultural differences on medical futility and resource allocation
• Strategies for promoting fair and ethical resource allocation in healthcare settings

3. Informed Consent and Patient Autonomy

Ensuring patients understand the risks and benefits of their treatment options can be challenging, particularly when dealing with vulnerable populations or language barriers.

• The importance of informed consent in nursing practice
• Strategies for enhancing patient autonomy in healthcare settings
• Ethical considerations in obtaining informed consent
• The role of nurse-patient communication in informed consent
• Balancing patient autonomy and healthcare professional expertise
• Addressing cultural and linguistic barriers to informed consent
• Legal implications of informed consent in nursing practice
• Informed consent in pediatric nursing: ethical challenges
• The impact of health literacy on informed consent and patient autonomy
• The ethical implications of informed consent in emergency situations
• Balancing patient autonomy with clinical decision-making
• Cultural considerations in the informed consent process
• The role of family members in the informed consent process
• Legal implications of informed consent in pediatric cases
• Informed consent and shared decision-making in healthcare
• Patient autonomy in end-of-life care decision-making
• Ethical considerations in obtaining informed consent for research participation
• The role of nursing education in promoting informed consent and patient autonomy
• Strategies for supporting informed consent in vulnerable populations
• Informed consent in telemedicine: challenges and best practices
• The impact of technology on informed consent and patient autonomy
• Informed consent in mental health nursing: ethical dilemmas
• Informed consent in emergency nursing: balancing urgency and patient rights
• The role of family and caregivers in informed consent and patient autonomy
• Addressing moral distress in nursing when facing informed consent challenges

4. Medical Errors and Disclosure

Nurses must navigate the complex issue of admitting and addressing medical errors, balancing transparency with potential legal ramifications.

• The ethical obligation to disclose medical errors
• Strategies for preventing medical errors in nursing practice
• The impact of medical errors on patient trust and satisfaction
• Addressing the emotional aftermath of medical errors for nurses
• The role of nursing leadership in promoting a culture of transparency
• Balancing patient safety and provider accountability in medical error disclosure
• The impact of patient-centered care on medical error disclosure
• Addressing the fear of litigation in medical error disclosure
• Medical errors and disclosure in pediatric nursing
• The role of technology in preventing and disclosing medical errors
• The impact of a transparent disclosure process on patient trust
• Ethical implications of non-disclosure of medical errors
• Balancing institutional interests with patient rights
• The role of nurses in the disclosure process
• Legal protections for healthcare professionals disclosing errors
• Best practices for disclosing medical errors to patients and families
• Strategies for managing the legal implications of medical error disclosure
• The role of nursing education in promoting a culture of transparency and accountability
• Medical error disclosure and its impact on nursing professionalism
• The role of patient advocacy in medical error disclosure
• Nursing ethics and the disclosure of near-miss incidents
• The impact of medical error disclosure on nurse-patient relationships
• Medical error disclosure in mental health nursing
• Strategies for addressing systemic factors contributing to medical errors
• The role of interdisciplinary collaboration in preventing and addressing medical errors

Scope of Practice and Nursing Autonomy

For nursing students, understanding the scope of practice is essential. Each state has its regulations, and students should be aware of their responsibilities and limitations. Joining professional nursing organizations can provide resources and clarity on this topic. As the nursing profession evolves, debates surrounding the scope of practice and nursing autonomy have intensified. Key topics in this area include:

1. Nurse Practitioner Practice and Regulations

As nurse practitioners (NPs) take on more responsibilities, debates about the scope of their practice and regulatory oversight continue.

• Comparing nurse practitioner scope of practice across different states and countries
• The impact of full practice authority for nurse practitioners on patient care outcomes
• Addressing barriers to nurse practitioner practice: policy recommendations and advocacy efforts
• The role of nurse practitioners in rural and underserved areas
• Collaboration between nurse practitioners and physicians: challenges and best practices
• Nurse practitioner-led clinics: benefits, challenges, and future directions
• Prescriptive authority for nurse practitioners: controversies and perspectives
• The integral role of nurses in healthcare systems: the importance of education and experience
• The impact of nurse practitioner practice on healthcare costs and access to care
• The role of nurse practitioners in managing chronic conditions and promoting preventive care
• The evolution of nurse practitioner education: from certificate programs to Doctor of Nursing Practice degrees
• Evaluating the quality of care provided by nurse practitioners: a systematic review of the literature
• The role of nurse practitioners in addressing the opioid crisis
• Nurse practitioners in primary care: a solution to the physician shortage?
• Telehealth and nurse practitioner practice: opportunities and challenges
• The influence of reimbursement policies on nurse practitioner practice and healthcare delivery
• Nurse practitioner-led medical homes: a model for patient-centered care
• The role of nurse practitioners in addressing health disparities and improving population health
• Strategies for improving nurse practitioner workforce diversity and cultural competence
• The impact of nurse practitioner-led transitional care programs on hospital readmissions
• The future of nurse practitioner practice: emerging roles and opportunities

2. Delegation of Tasks to Unlicensed Personnel

Nurses must determine when and how to delegate tasks to unlicensed staff, balancing the need for efficiency with patient safety concerns.

• The ethical considerations of delegating nursing tasks to unlicensed personnel
• Balancing patient safety and workload management in task delegation
• The role of nursing leadership in promoting appropriate task delegation
• Strategies for effective communication and collaboration in task delegation
• Addressing the legal implications of delegating tasks to unlicensed personnel
• Best practices for training and supervising unlicensed personnel in nursing tasks
• The impact of delegation on nursing job satisfaction and burnout
• Delegation of tasks in pediatric nursing: ethical and practical considerations
• The role of nursing education in promoting effective delegation skills
• Delegation in home health nursing: challenges and best practices
• The impact of delegation on patient outcomes and quality of care
• Addressing cultural and linguistic barriers in the delegation of tasks to unlicensed personnel
• The role of technology in facilitating effective delegation of tasks
• Strategies for managing the risks associated with delegating tasks to unlicensed personnel
• Delegation of tasks in emergency nursing: balancing urgency and patient safety
• The impact of interdisciplinary collaboration on the delegation of tasks to unlicensed personnel
• Delegation in mental health nursing: ethical and practical considerations
• The role of nurse autonomy and decision-making in the delegation of tasks
• Addressing moral distress in nursing when delegating tasks to unlicensed personnel
• Delegation of tasks in long-term care settings: challenges and best practices

3. Prescriptive Authority for Advanced Practice Nurses

The debate over whether advanced practice nurses should have full prescriptive authority remains ongoing.

• The benefits and challenges of prescriptive authority for advanced practice nurses
• Addressing the scope of practice and legal considerations in prescriptive authority
• The impact of prescriptive authority on nurse practitioner autonomy and job satisfaction
• Strategies for promoting safe and effective prescribing practices among advanced practice nurses
• The role of nursing education in preparing advanced practice nurses for prescriptive authority
• Addressing the potential for overprescribing and medication errors in prescriptive authority
• The impact of prescriptive authority on access to healthcare services and patient outcomes
• Collaborative practice agreements and prescriptive authority for advanced practice nurses
• The role of nurse practitioners in addressing the opioid crisis through prescriptive authority
• Prescriptive authority in pediatric advanced practice nursing: ethical and practical considerations
• Strategies for managing the legal implications of prescriptive authority for advanced practice nurses
• The role of technology in supporting safe and effective prescribing practices among advanced practice nurses
• Addressing the potential for conflict and collaboration with physicians in prescriptive authority
• The impact of prescriptive authority on advanced practice nursing professionalism
• The role of patient advocacy in prescriptive authority for advanced practice nurses
• Strategies for addressing implicit bias and disparities in prescribing practices
• The role of interdisciplinary collaboration in promoting safe and effective prescribing
• Prescriptive authority in mental health advanced practice nursing: ethical and practical considerations
• The impact of prescriptive authority on patient satisfaction and trust in advanced practice nursing care
• Addressing the challenges of prescribing controlled substances as an advanced practice nurse

4. Collaboration Between Nurses and Physicians

As the roles of nurses and physicians continue to evolve, finding ways to collaborate effectively and enhance patient care is essential.

• The benefits and challenges of nurse-physician collaboration in patient care
• Strategies for promoting effective communication and teamwork between nurses and physicians
• The role of nursing leadership in fostering a collaborative healthcare environment
• Addressing the impact of power dynamics and professional boundaries on nurse-physician collaboration
• Best practices for interdisciplinary collaboration in patient care planning and decision-making
• The impact of nurse-physician collaboration on patient outcomes and satisfaction
• Addressing cultural and linguistic barriers in nurse-physician collaboration
• The role of nursing education in preparing nurses for effective collaboration with physicians
• Strategies for managing conflict and promoting mutual respect in nurse-physician relationships
• The impact of technology on nurse-physician collaboration and care coordination
• Nurse-physician collaboration in pediatric care: ethical and practical considerations
• The role of nurse practitioners in fostering collaborative relationships with physicians
• The impact of nurse-physician collaboration on nursing job satisfaction and burnout
• Strategies for promoting nurse-physician collaboration in diverse healthcare settings
• The role of patient advocacy and shared decision-making in nurse-physician collaboration
• Addressing the impact of implicit bias and health disparities on nurse-physician collaboration
• The role of interprofessional education in promoting effective nurse-physician collaboration
• Nurse-physician collaboration in mental health care: ethical and practical considerations
• The impact of nurse-physician collaboration on healthcare costs and resource utilization
• Strategies for promoting nurse-physician collaboration in the era of value-based healthcare

Cultural Competency and Diversity in Nursing

With the increasing diversity in patient populations, nursing students must be equipped with cultural competency skills. This involves understanding various cultural backgrounds and providing care that respects individual beliefs and practices. Key topics in this area include:

1. Addressing Health Disparities Among Minority Populations

Nurses must work to recognize and address the unique healthcare needs of diverse patient populations.

• The role of nursing in identifying and addressing health disparities among minority populations
• Strategies for promoting culturally sensitive care and communication with diverse patient populations
• The impact of nursing education on preparing nurses to address health disparities
• Addressing the role of implicit bias and discrimination in perpetuating health disparities
• The role of community health nursing in addressing health disparities among minority populations
• Strategies for promoting health literacy and patient empowerment among diverse patient populations
• The impact of nursing advocacy and policy on addressing health disparities
• Addressing barriers to healthcare access and utilization among minority populations
• Strategies for promoting health equity and social justice in nursing practice
• The role of interdisciplinary collaboration in addressing health disparities among minority populations
• The impact of technology and telehealth on addressing health disparities
• Strategies for promoting health promotion and disease prevention among diverse patient populations
• The role of nursing research in identifying and addressing health disparities among minority populations
• Addressing the impact of environmental and social determinants of health on health disparities
• Strategies for promoting cultural humility and self-reflection in nursing practice
• The role of nursing leadership in promoting health equity and diversity within the profession
• Addressing the impact of language barriers and health literacy on health disparities among minority populations
• The role of nursing in promoting policy change and advocacy to address health disparities
• Strategies for engaging community stakeholders in addressing health disparities among minority populations

2. Culturally Sensitive Care for Diverse Patient Populations

Providing culturally sensitive care involves understanding and respecting patients’ beliefs, values, and customs from different cultural backgrounds.

• The importance of culturally sensitive care in nursing practice
• Strategies for promoting cultural competence and humility in nursing care
• The role of nursing education in preparing nurses to provide culturally sensitive care
• Addressing language barriers and communication challenges in culturally sensitive nursing care
• Best practices for integrating patient cultural beliefs and practices into nursing care plans
• The impact of culturally sensitive care on patient outcomes and satisfaction
• Strategies for addressing implicit bias and discrimination in nursing care
• The role of community health nursing in providing culturally sensitive care for diverse populations
• The impact of nursing advocacy and policy on promoting culturally sensitive care
• Addressing the role of family and community in culturally sensitive nursing care
• The role of interdisciplinary collaboration in providing culturally sensitive care
• Strategies for promoting self-reflection and cultural humility in nursing practice
• The impact of technology and telehealth on providing culturally sensitive care
• The role of nursing research in identifying best practices for culturally sensitive care
• Addressing the impact of social determinants of health on culturally sensitive nursing care
• Strategies for engaging diverse patient populations in shared decision-making and care planning
• The role of nursing leadership in promoting a diverse and inclusive healthcare environment
• Addressing the challenges of providing culturally sensitive care in emergency settings
• The role of nursing in promoting policy change and advocacy for culturally sensitive care

3. Implicit Bias and its Impact on Patient Care

Recognizing and addressing implicit biases in nursing practice can help to improve patient outcomes and reduce health disparities.

• The role of implicit bias in nursing assessment and diagnosis
• The impact of implicit bias on nurse-patient communication and trust
• Addressing implicit bias in nursing education: strategies and best practices
• The effects of implicit bias on health disparities and patient outcomes
• The role of cultural competence training in reducing implicit bias among nurses
• Implicit bias and its impact on pain management in nursing practice
• The influence of implicit bias on the provision of mental health care by nurses
• The role of implicit bias in nursing leadership and decision-making
• Strategies for nurses to recognize and overcome their own implicit biases
• The impact of implicit bias on patient satisfaction and healthcare quality
• Implicit bias and its influence on nursing care for LGBTQ+ patients
• The role of implicit bias in the provision of care for patients with disabilities
• Addressing implicit bias in nursing research and evidence-based practice
• Implicit bias and its impact on healthcare access and utilization
• The role of implicit bias in the provision of culturally sensitive care
• Implicit bias and its influence on nursing care for older adults
• The impact of implicit bias on patient adherence to treatment plans
• Implicit bias in nursing care for patients with substance use disorders
• The influence of implicit bias on the provision of care for patients with limited English proficiency
• Strategies for healthcare organizations to address and reduce implicit bias among nursing staff

4. The Role of Nurses in Promoting an Inclusive Healthcare Environment

Nurses can create an inclusive environment and foster understanding and empathy among patients and colleagues.

• The importance of diversity and inclusion in the nursing workforce
• Strategies for promoting an inclusive healthcare environment for LGBTQ+ patients
• Addressing ageism in nursing care and promoting inclusive care for older adults
• The role of nursing education in fostering an inclusive healthcare environment
• The impact of inclusive healthcare environments on patient outcomes and satisfaction
• Best practices for promoting diversity and inclusion in nursing leadership
• Addressing the challenges of providing inclusive care for patients with disabilities
• The role of nursing advocacy and policy in promoting an inclusive healthcare environment
• Strategies for fostering cultural humility and self-awareness among nursing professionals
• The impact of interdisciplinary collaboration on promoting inclusive healthcare environments
• The role of nurse mentors in fostering inclusivity among nursing students and new graduates
• Promoting an inclusive healthcare environment through nursing research
• Addressing health disparities through inclusive nursing care
• The role of nursing leadership in promoting a diverse and inclusive healthcare workforce
• Addressing the challenges of providing inclusive care in emergency settings
• The role of nursing in promoting policy change and advocacy for inclusive healthcare environments
• Strategies for promoting health literacy and patient empowerment in an inclusive healthcare environment
• Fostering a culture of inclusivity and respect in the nursing workplace

Nursing Education and Workforce Issues

Nursing education and workforce issues have significant implications for the profession’s future. Key topics in this area include:

1. Competency-Based Education Versus Traditional Nursing Programs

The debate over the most effective approach to nursing education continues, with proponents arguing for their preferred method.

• The benefits and challenges of competency-based nursing education
• Comparing and contrasting competency-based and traditional nursing curricula
• The role of simulation and skills training in competency-based nursing education
• Nursing: a beautiful blend of art and science
• Strategies for integrating competency-based learning into traditional nursing programs
• The impact of competency-based education on nursing student outcomes and success
• Best practices for assessing nursing competencies in educational settings
• The role of nursing accreditation and regulatory bodies in promoting competency-based education
• Addressing the challenges of implementing competency-based nursing education in diverse settings
• The impact of technology and e-learning on competency-based nursing education
• Strategies for engaging nursing students in self-directed learning and skills development
• Usability, integration, and interoperability of healthcare technology
• The role of nursing faculty in promoting competency-based education and assessment
• Addressing the needs of diverse nursing student populations in competency-based education programs
• The role of interprofessional collaboration and teamwork in competency-based nursing education
• Strategies for promoting continuous professional development and lifelong learning in competency-based nursing education
• Transforming advanced nursing practice: embracing IOM recommendations and higher education
• The impact of competency-based education on nursing workforce preparedness and quality of care
• Addressing the challenges of evaluating competency-based nursing education programs
• The delicate dance: balancing art and science in the nursing profession
• The role of nursing leadership in promoting competency-based education and assessment
• Strategies for integrating evidence-based practice and research competencies into nursing education programs
• The impact of competency-based education on nursing education policy and advocacy
• Preparing nursing students for the transition to practice through competency-based education

2. The Nursing Shortage and its Impact on Patient Care

The ongoing nursing shortage has raised concerns about patient safety, quality of care, and the potential for nurse burnout.

• Exploring the root causes of the nursing shortage
• The impact of the nursing shortage on patient safety and quality of care
• Strategies for addressing the nursing shortage through workforce planning and policy
• The role of nursing education in addressing the nursing shortage
• The impact of the nursing shortage on nurse workload and job satisfaction
• Strategies for promoting nurse retention and reducing turnover in the face of the nursing shortage
• The role of nursing leadership in addressing the nursing shortage and its impact on patient care
• Addressing the challenges of providing care in rural and underserved areas during a nursing shortage
• The impact of the nursing shortage on interprofessional collaboration and teamwork
• The role of technology and telehealth in addressing the nursing shortage
• Strategies for promoting diversity and inclusion in the nursing workforce to address the nursing shortage
• The impact of the nursing shortage on healthcare costs and resource allocation
• The role of nursing advocacy and policy in addressing the nursing shortage
• Strategies for engaging nursing students and new graduates in addressing the nursing shortage
• The impact of the nursing shortage on nursing education and faculty workload
• Addressing the challenges of providing care in emergency and disaster situations during a nursing shortage
• The role of international recruitment and migration in addressing the nursing shortage
• Strategies for promoting nursing as a career choice to address the nursing shortage
• The impact of the nursing shortage on healthcare access and health disparities
• Addressing the nursing shortage through innovative models of care and nursing practice

3. The Role of Technology in Nursing Education

As technology advances, nursing educators must determine how best to integrate digital tools into their curricula to enhance learning outcomes.

• The benefits and challenges of incorporating technology into nursing education
• The role of simulation and virtual reality in nursing education
• Strategies for integrating technology into nursing curricula and learning experiences
• The impact of e-learning and online education on nursing student outcomes and success
• Best practices for using technology to enhance nursing education and assessment
• The role of nursing accreditation and regulatory bodies in promoting the use of technology in nursing education
• Addressing the digital divide and promoting digital literacy among nursing students
• Importance and application of patient education technology in healthcare
• The impact of technology on nursing faculty roles and responsibilities
• Strategies for engaging nursing students in technology-enhanced learning and skills development
• The role of interprofessional collaboration and teamwork in technology-enhanced nursing education
• Strategies for promoting continuous professional development and lifelong learning through technology in nursing education
• Digital healthcare and organizational learning: enhancing patient care through technology and knowledge management
• Addressing the challenges of evaluating technology-enhanced nursing education programs
• The role of nursing leadership in promoting the use of technology in nursing education and assessment
• Strategies for integrating evidence-based practice and research competencies into technology-enhanced nursing education programs
• Global health learning in nursing and health care disparities
• The impact of technology on nursing education policy and advocacy
• Preparing nursing students for the transition to practice in a technology-driven healthcare environment
• The role of technology in promoting diversity and inclusion in nursing education
• Addressing the challenges of implementing technology-enhanced nursing education in diverse settings
• The impact of technology on nursing workforce preparedness and quality of care
• The future of technology in nursing education: trends, innovations, and opportunities

4. Workplace Violence and Nurse Safety

Nurses are increasingly experiencing workplace violence, prompting discussions on how to ensure their safety and well-being in the clinical setting.

• The prevalence and impact of workplace violence on nurses and patient care
• Strategies for preventing and managing workplace violence in nursing settings
• The role of nursing education in preparing nurses to address workplace violence and promote safety
• The impact of workplace violence on nurse well-being and job satisfaction
• Best practices for promoting a safe and healthy work environment for nurses
• The role of nursing leadership in addressing workplace violence and promoting nurse safety
• Combating workplace violence in nursing: the impact of policies, legislation, and organizational culture
• Addressing the challenges of providing care in high-risk settings where workplace violence may occur
• The role of nursing advocacy and policy in addressing workplace violence and promoting nurse safety
• Strategies for engaging nursing students and new graduates in promoting workplace safety and preventing violence
• The impact of workplace violence on interprofessional collaboration and teamwork
• Addressing the needs of diverse nursing populations in the face of workplace violence and safety concerns
• Workplace violence in healthcare: causes, regulations, and prevention strategies
• The role of interdisciplinary collaboration in promoting workplace safety and preventing violence
• Strategies for promoting self-care and resilience among nurses experiencing workplace violence
• Addressing the challenges of evaluating workplace violence prevention and intervention programs in nursing settings
• The role of nursing research in understanding and addressing workplace violence and nurse safety
• The impact of workplace violence on healthcare costs and resource allocation
• Strategies for promoting a culture of safety and respect in nursing workplaces
• The role of technology in preventing and addressing workplace violence in nursing settings
• The impact of workplace violence on nursing education and faculty workload
• The future of workplace violence prevention and nurse safety: innovations, trends, and opportunities

Future Challenges and Opportunities in Nursing

The nursing profession faces numerous challenges and opportunities as it continues to evolve. Key topics in this area include:

1. The Impact of Telehealth on Nursing Practice

As telehealth becomes more prevalent, nurses must adapt their practice to provide care remotely, ensuring that patient needs are met, and continuity of care is maintained.

• The benefits and challenges of incorporating telehealth into nursing practice
• The role of nursing education in preparing nurses for telehealth practice
• Strategies for integrating telehealth into nursing practice and care delivery models
• The impact of telehealth on nursing roles and scope of practice
• Best practices for using telehealth to enhance nursing care and patient outcomes
• The role of nursing accreditation and regulatory bodies in promoting the use of telehealth in nursing practice
• Addressing the digital divide and promoting digital literacy among nursing professionals
• The impact of telehealth on interprofessional collaboration and teamwork in nursing care
• Strategies for promoting continuous professional development and lifelong learning through telehealth in nursing practice
• Addressing the challenges of evaluating telehealth interventions and programs in nursing practice
• The role of nursing leadership in promoting the use of telehealth in nursing practice and care delivery
• Strategies for integrating evidence-based practice and research competencies into telehealth nursing practice
• The impact of telehealth on nursing practice policy and advocacy
• Preparing nursing students for the transition to practice in a telehealth-driven healthcare environment
• The role of telehealth in promoting diversity and inclusion in nursing practice
• Addressing the challenges of implementing telehealth nursing practice in diverse settings
• The impact of telehealth on healthcare access and health disparities
• The role of telehealth in addressing the nursing shortage and promoting workforce efficiency
• The future of telehealth in nursing practice: trends, innovations, and opportunities
• The role of telehealth in addressing global health issues and promoting equitable care delivery

2. The Role of Nurses in Addressing Climate Change and Environmental Health

Nurses can play a crucial role in addressing the health impacts of climate change, advocating for environmental health policies, and promoting sustainable practices.

• The impact of climate change on nursing practice and patient care
• Strategies for incorporating environmental health and sustainability into nursing education and practice
• The role of nursing advocacy and policy in addressing climate change and promoting environmental health
• The impact of climate change on nursing roles and scope of practice
• Best practices for promoting environmental sustainability in nursing practice and care delivery
• The role of nursing leadership in addressing climate change and promoting environmental health
• Addressing the challenges of providing care in the context of climate change and environmental health concerns
• Mental health and gender inequality
• The role of interdisciplinary collaboration in addressing climate change and promoting environmental health in nursing practice
• Strategies for promoting continuous professional development and lifelong learning related to climate change and environmental health in nursing practice
• The impact of climate change and environmental health on nursing education and curricula
• Addressing the needs of diverse nursing populations in the face of climate change and environmental health concerns
• The role of nursing research in understanding and addressing climate change and environmental health
• Strategies for integrating evidence-based practice and research competencies into nursing practice focused on climate change and environmental health
• The impact of climate change on healthcare access and health disparities
• The role of technology in addressing climate change and promoting environmental health in nursing practice
• The impact of climate change on nursing workforce preparedness and quality of care
• Addressing the challenges of evaluating nursing interventions and programs focused on climate change and environmental health
• The future of nursing practice in the context of climate change and environmental health: trends, innovations, and opportunities
• The role of nurses in promoting community resilience and adaptation to climate change
• The role of nurses in promoting global health equity and environmental justice in the context of climate change

3. The Integration of Genomics and Precision Medicine in Nursing Practice

As genomic and precision medicine advances, nurses must stay informed and incorporate these innovations into their practice, tailoring care to patients’ genetic profiles.

• The benefits and challenges of incorporating genomics and precision medicine into nursing practice
• The role of nursing education in preparing nurses for genomics and precision medicine practice
• Strategies for integrating genomics and precision medicine into nursing practice and care delivery models
• The impact of genomics and precision medicine on nursing roles and scope of practice
• Best practices for using genomics and precision medicine to enhance nursing care and patient outcomes
• The role of nursing accreditation and regulatory bodies in promoting the use of genomics and precision medicine in nursing practice
• Addressing the ethical considerations and challenges of genomics and precision medicine in nursing practice
• The impact of genomics and precision medicine on interprofessional collaboration and teamwork in nursing care
• Strategies for promoting continuous professional development and lifelong learning related to genomics and precision medicine in nursing practice
• The impact of genomics and precision medicine on nursing education and curricula
• Addressing the needs of diverse nursing populations in the context of genomics and precision medicine practice
• The role of nursing research in understanding and addressing the integration of genomics and precision medicine in nursing practice
• Strategies for integrating evidence-based practice and research competencies into nursing practice focused on genomics and precision medicine
• The impact of genomics and precision medicine on healthcare access and health disparities
• The role of technology in addressing the integration of genomics and precision medicine in nursing practice
• The impact of genomics and precision medicine on nursing workforce preparedness and quality of care
• Addressing the challenges of evaluating nursing interventions and programs focused on genomics and precision medicine
• The future of nursing practice in the context of genomics and precision medicine: trends, innovations, and opportunities
• The role of nurses in promoting personalized and patient-centered care through genomics and precision medicine
• The role of nurses in promoting global health equity and ethical considerations in the context of genomics and precision medicine

4. Interprofessional Collaboration and Teamwork

Effective collaboration among healthcare professionals is vital to providing high-quality patient care as healthcare becomes more complex.

• The benefits and challenges of interprofessional collaboration and teamwork in nursing practice
• The role of nursing education in preparing nurses for interprofessional collaboration and teamwork
• Strategies for promoting interprofessional collaboration and teamwork in nursing practice and care delivery models
• The impact of interprofessional collaboration and teamwork on nursing roles and the scope of practice
• Best practices for fostering effective interprofessional collaboration and teamwork in nursing care and patient outcomes
• The role of nursing accreditation and regulatory bodies in promoting interprofessional collaboration and teamwork in nursing practice
• Addressing the challenges of interprofessional collaboration and teamwork in diverse nursing practice settings
• The impact of interprofessional collaboration and teamwork on healthcare costs and resource allocation
• Strategies for promoting continuous professional development and lifelong learning related to interprofessional collaboration and teamwork in nursing practice
• The impact of interprofessional collaboration and teamwork on nursing education and curricula
• Addressing the needs of diverse nursing populations in the context of interprofessional collaboration and teamwork
• The role of nursing research in understanding and addressing the integration of interprofessional collaboration and teamwork in nursing practice
• Strategies for integrating evidence-based practice and research competencies into nursing practice focused on interprofessional collaboration and teamwork
• The impact of interprofessional collaboration and teamwork on healthcare access and health disparities
• The role of technology in promoting interprofessional collaboration and teamwork in nursing practice
• The impact of interprofessional collaboration and teamwork on nursing workforce preparedness and quality of care
• Addressing the challenges of evaluating nursing interventions and programs focused on interprofessional collaboration and teamwork
• The future of interprofessional collaboration and teamwork in nursing practice: trends, innovations, and opportunities
• The role of nurses in promoting a culture of collaboration and respect within interdisciplinary healthcare teams
• The role of nurses in fostering interprofessional education and collaborative practice across healthcare professions

Controversial topics in nursing provide nursing students with valuable opportunities to engage in critical thinking and develop their understanding of the many complexities nurses face in their profession. By exploring these topics and considering their implications, nursing students can contribute to the ongoing dialogue within the healthcare community and better prepare themselves for the challenges they will encounter in their careers.

📎 Related Articles

1. Mental Health Nursing Research Topics: Inspiring Ideas for Students 2. Top Nursing Argumentative Essay Topics: Engage in Thought-Provoking Debates 3. Top Nursing Topics for Discussion: Engaging Conversations for Healthcare Professionals 4. Key EBP Nursing Topics: Enhancing Patient Results through Evidence-Based Practice 5. Top Nursing Research Topics for Students and Professionals 6. Nursing Debate Topics: The Importance of Discussing and Debating Nursing Issues 7. Pediatric Nursing Research Topics for Students: A Comprehensive Guide

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Nursing Dissertation Ideas That Will Lead You to a Perfect Topic

#i',$content, -1); --> table of contents unique nursing dissertation topics to explore what’s a nursing dissertation and steps to write it nursing education dissertation topics: how to choose the right one list of the best dissertation topics nursing of the year some great phd nursing dissertation ideas unique nursing dissertation topics to explore.

Choosing a good topic for your dissertation in nursing is an important step in ensuring the overall success of your research project. This task may seem easy at first, but once you are at it, it can prove much trickier, primarily because it might take multiple brainstorms, drafts, and reviews for your topic to shine. But worry not — our nursing dissertation help service has got you covered!

To help you get started, we’ve developed a list of the latest nursing dissertation topics that you can use just as they are or simply to get inspiration for your dissertation project. We’ll come to those in a moment, but let’s find out what is a nursing dissertation first!

What’s a Nursing Dissertation and Steps to Write It

• Admission/Application Essay
• Admission Editing
• Admission Proofreading
• Annotated Bibliography
• Argumentative essay
• Article paraphrasing
• Article review
• Book Report/Review
• Business plan
• Capstone Project
• Concept map
• Concept paper
• Conference Paper
• Critical review
• Custom List of Topics
• Data analysis
• Defence Presentation
• Discussion Post
• Dissertation
• Dissertation Chapter - Abstract
• Dissertation Chapter - Discussion
• Dissertation Chapter - Introduction Chapter
• Dissertation Chapter - Literature Review
• Dissertation Chapter - Methodology
• Dissertation Chapter - Results
• Dissertation revision
• Evidence-based practice paper
• Exam Answers
• Grant proposal
• Interview essay
• Letter of recommendation
• Literature review
• Literature review outline
• Marketing plan
• Math Problem
• Multiple Choice Questions
• Non-word assignment
• Nursing care plan
• Nursing teaching plan
• Paraphrasing
• Personal Statement
• PICO/PICOT Questions
• PowerPoint Presentation Plain
• PowerPoint Presentation with Speaker Notes
• Problem solution
• Proofreading
• Quality improvement project
• Reaction paper
• Reflection paper
• Reflective Journal
• Research Paper
• Research Proposal
• Retyping (PDF / PNG / Handwriting to Word)
• Scholarship Essay
• Scoping review
• Shadow health assessment
• Statistical Analysis
• Statistics Project
• Swot-analysis
• Systematic review
• Thesis chapter - Background
• Thesis chapter - Conclusion & future works
• Thesis chapter - Implementation
• Thesis chapter - Introduction
• Thesis chapter - Other (not listed above)
• Thesis chapter - Results & evaluation
• Thesis chapter - Theory & problem statement
• Thesis literature review
• Thesis Proposal
• Thesis revision
• Topic Suggestion
• Topic Suggestion + Summary + References

A nursing dissertation is a research paper usually required as part of a PhD degree program. It’s a comprehensive and original work that aims to explore a specific topic in nursing and demonstrates your ability to investigate, analyze information and present findings.

Here’s how to write a nursing dissertation:

• Choose a relevant dissertation topic.
• Write a catchy introduction.
• Collect data from reliable sources.
• Critically evaluate the gathered information.
• Perform a literature review.
• Outline the significance of your project.
• Audit and inspect employing clinical guidelines.
• Describe the methodology used.
• Reflect on outcomes.
• Present recommendations for future research or practice.
• Format your project and create a references list.
• Structure and proofread the final draft.

Now that you know the fundamentals, let’s find out how to choose a good topic and dive into the best nursing education dissertation topics that will stay relevant in 2024.

Nursing Education Dissertation Topics: How to Choose the Right One?

If you’re struggling to come up with appropriate dissertation topics nursing, try taking the following steps:

• Understand the objective of your project.
• Make a list of topics you are familiar with or genuinely passionate about exploring.
• Look into the current trends, ongoing debates, or innovations in the field for additional inspiration.
• Think about what specific aspects of the subject you want your paper to focus on.
• Define why these aspects are relevant and important.
• Do preliminary research to determine the availability of credible sources to back up your arguments.
• Think about how you’ll be presenting your findings.
• Narrow down your topic to a specific research question that’s manageable and can be answered.

Lastly, our experts recommend choosing a topic that aligns with your career goals or areas you wish to specialize in. This way, you can turn a tedious writing process into a motivational journey with perspectives for future research.

List of the Best Dissertation Topics Nursing of the Year

For your convenience, we’ve organized dissertation nursing topic ideas into eight distinct thematic categories.

Child Health Dissertation Topics

• How medical progress benefits patients with innate disabilities.
• Physical limitations and the impact of timely medication.
• The role of nurses in neonatal intensive care units.
• Evaluation of mothers’ needs when caring for children aged 2 to 5.
• The role of hospitals in the treatment of children’s psychiatric diseases.
• Techniques for improving pediatric cancer treatment.
• Childhood asthma diagnostics and treatment options.
• Identifying developmental delays in Down syndrome children.
• Applying Piaget’s theory to the cognitive development of healthy children.
• A training program for pediatric nurses to support emergency patients.

Clinical Care Dissertation Topics

• Should visitors be allowed in the intensive care unit?
• Analyzing the management plans for patients with dementia.
• Examining the impact of timing in critical patient nursing care.
• Considerations for ICU patients’ treatment and the risks of pressure injury.
• An overview of the critical nursing analysis literature from the last ten years.
• What are the challenges that the critical care nursing system faces?
• Medical treatment research in a high-tech environment.
• What primary challenges do nurses face in intensive care units?
• Do nurses ever have problems with their patients? If so, how do they deal with those problems?
• A study of the demand for healthcare facilities among sick patients on ventilators.

Adult Nursing Dissertation Topics

• What challenges do adult nursing professors in the United States face?
• The influence of social media on adult nursing students.
• Could online nursing studies help overcome the nurse shortage?
• Investigation of sustainability issues in adult nursing.
• Risk management and needs assessment in healthcare.
• Analysis of the impact of social media on nursing careers.
• What kind of treatment should adult nurses provide to dementia patients?
• Examination of the level of stress faced by emergency room nurses.
• Should adult nurses stay up-to-date on emerging trends in nursing?
• Investigation of the transition from hospital to outpatient settings.

Evidence-Based Practice Dissertation Topics

• Ways of choosing the right IV catheter size.
• NPO status and hypoglycemia rates.
• Nonpharmacologic methods of pain relief.
• Should hospitalized patients be given pain relievers?
• Ways of reducing catheter-acquired urinary tract infections (CAUTIs).
• Nursing professionals’ misconceptions about evidence-based practice.
• Evidence-based nursing practice rating systems.
• The evidence-based practice manual for nurses.
• What is the effect of visitation hours on patient outcomes?
• Fall prevention in people with acute dementia.

Palliative Care Dissertation Topics

• Palliative care for patients with Alzheimer’s disease.
• Models of palliative care delivery for patients with cancer.
• The benefits of perinatal hospice care.
• Home-based palliative care for Renal disease patients.
• Moral position on palliative care for terminal patients.
• The role of volunteers in palliative medicine.
• Initial palliative care for heart failure.
• Evidence-based palliative care practice.
• The role of the advanced practice nurse in palliative care.
• Psychosocial screening and assessment in palliative nursing.

Mental Health Dissertation Topics

• Investigation of the correlation between dopamine levels and autism.
• Benefits of antipsychotic medicine for reducing delirium.
• Chemical stimulants used in ADHD treatments.
• Identification of bipolar disorder and associated risk factors.
• Alzheimer’s disease and its connection to the environment.
• The effect of social media on mental health.
• The genetic component of bipolar disorder.
• Methods for assisting stroke victims in regaining motor skills.
• Investigation of the relationship between ADHD and screen time.
• Strategies helping to prevent post-traumatic stress disorder.

Emergency Care Dissertation Topics

• The impact of delays in emergency care.
• How does overcrowding in emergency departments impact patients with stroke?
• The importance of having a trauma team in the emergency department.
• Creating cycles for emergency department physicians.
• The effects of inadequate staffing in the emergency room.
• Should patients be allowed to visit the emergency room to treat a fever of unknown nature?
• Strategies to improve the level of healthcare in emergency rooms.
• Ways to decrease the frequency of angry outbursts in the emergency room.
• Ethical dilemmas faced by emergency department nurses.
• The importance of having emergency rooms for patients with allergic reactions.

Environmental Health Dissertation Topics

• Impact of climate change on food contamination with mycotoxins.
• Airborne influenza virus detection strategies employing bioaerosol collection.
• Homicide and suicide trends among farmers and other workers in the field.
• The influence of loudness on the employees of food courts in college towns.
• Investigation of environmental risks to the health of socially disadvantaged groups.

Now, let’s move on to some of the most promising nursing dissertation ideas for Ph.D. students and dissertation topics community health nursing.

Some Great PhD Nursing Dissertation Ideas

If you’re writing a PhD dissertation , the topic ideas below will definitely come in handy!

• Steps to prevent major health problems in patients with increased work-related stress.
• The latest public health initiatives to reduce childhood obesity.
• The significance and effects of workplace safety in medical clinics.
• Investigation of the impact of AIDS on modern society.
• Increasing awareness of the issues and risks involved with the clinical management of elderly patients in ICU.
• The role of drug addiction and psychological treatment in prisons.
• Leading causes of cerebrovascular accidents that injure adult brain cells.
• The role of WHO policies and methodologies in understanding child development.
• Treatment strategies and post-treatment care for patients suffering from acute and chronic pain.
• Adaptive approach to patient care in adult critical care units.

Topics Related to Community Health

• Senior outpatient care and community services.
• The importance of community nursing in increasing the quality of adult patients’ lives.
• The impact of existing welfare theories and practices on adult patients.
• The role of community nursing practice in health promotion.
• Quality of seniors’ life: ethical behavior and residential care homes.

We hope these dissertation topics in nursing will inspire you to write an excellent dissertation worthy of the professor’s praise. Thanks for reading, and good luck with your paper! Should you need nursing writing help , NursingPaper is at your service 24/7!

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Trending topics in the tu online community

Nursing Professional Development: Opportunities for BSN Graduates

According to 2024 data from the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, nursing is the largest health care profession, with approximately 4.8 million registered nurses. As of 2022, roughly 71% of registered nurses earned a bachelor’s degree, according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s Workforce Fact Sheet.

For Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) graduates, professional development is an ongoing pursuit that can include one-time courses, specialty certifications, or advanced degrees. Since nursing is an ever-changing and complex career, the subject matter will often align with the demands of the field – technical advancements or clinical expertise in an emerging topic, for example.

Professional development helps BSN graduates stay up to date with the latest evidence-based practices, and it can also help nurses define their career goals. Whether graduates have just completed their studies or have a significant amount of practical experience, nursing professional development is a smart way for nurses to thrive in their current roles while expanding their knowledge.

What Is Nursing Professional Development?

This term refers to the process of learning and training to stay current and improve one’s knowledge of the nursing field. For BSN graduates, it could mean learning new nursing techniques while on the job, completing online modules, or enrolling in a graduate degree program. Keep in mind that professional development isn’t a one-time activity.

The goal is to ensure that registered nurses are equipped to handle the medical needs of a range of patients and adapt to rapid changes. Nurse advancement opportunities are abundant. The type of professional development often corresponds to a set of personal goals, interests, or those set by an employer. Examples of goals for BSN graduates could include:

• Joining a professional nursing organization
• Volunteering in the community
• Deciding on a nurse specialty
• Becoming a subject-matter expert
• Improving leadership or interpersonal skills
• Participating in a Clinical Ladder program
• Finding a mentor
• Becoming a nurse practitioner within 3 years
• Contributing to research projects
• Advancing technical knowledge of work-related equipment or services (e.g., medical device carts, telehealth)

Why Is Nursing Professional Development Important?

Continuing education isn’t just for BSN graduates. However, as a recent graduate, it’s an opportune time to build skills while demonstrating ambition and marketability to future employers. Establishing professional development goals is crucial to nurses who want to monitor their growth.

Helps Keep Current With Nursing Trends

Since continuing education requirements are typically counted every two years, nurses can incorporate their new skills into hands-on patient care as they’re learning. For example, when new technologies such as smart beds or digital monitors are developed or mandated, nurses have the opportunity to learn something new that could improve the lives of patients.

By continuing their studies, nurses can continue to meet the demands of patients. As nurses learn the latest industry knowledge and skills, they gain the ability to further improve patient outcomes and satisfaction levels. Completing additional training ensures that nurses know the most recent nursing practices and evidence-based approaches.

Contributes to Career Advancement

One way to reach one’s nursing goals is to seek opportunities that fall in line with an established career plan. For nursing school graduates, professional development can open doors to a range of specializations that could alter their career trajectories. For instance, pursuing nurse leadership roles (e.g., nurse executive, nurse manager) can lead to higher salaries, more career opportunities, and increased job satisfaction. It’s important to plan achievable goals so the advancement process doesn’t seem so daunting.

Some examples of advanced or alternative career paths for BSN graduates include:

• Critical care nurse (CCN)
• Public health nurse
• Travel nurse
• Nurse educator
• School nurse
• Nurse administrator

Meets Employment Requirements

Health care employers typically have an established number of continuing education credits that BSN graduates must earn every two years. Some state boards of nursing also require continuing education courses for registered nurses, though not all. These courses usually do not lead to another degree, and they often focus on a specialty area.

Leads to Potential Pay Increases

By participating in professional development activities, nurses have the opportunity to expand their career options and advance their pay overtime. As of May 2023, the median salary for registered nurses was approximately $86,100, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Here are some examples of job titles and their median salaries from the BLS. Actual salaries vary by location, experience, and industry.

• Nurse anesthetists: $212,700
• Nurse midwives: $129,700
• Nurse practitioners: $126,300
• Medical and health services managers: $110,700
• Postsecondary nursing instructors and teachers: $86,500

Avenues for Nursing Professional Development for BSN Graduates

A March 2024 report from the National Center for Health Workforce Analysis shows that roughly 40% of registered nurses have earned an advanced certificate or second degree. About 17% earned a master’s degree and 2.9% obtained a doctoral degree in nursing.

Here are more details on common nursing professional development options for BSN graduates:

Pursue an Advanced Degree

Nurses have quite a few degree options, and they appeal to different learners with different goals. Two considerations for working nurses are time and cost. Several schools offer accelerated or dual-degree programs to lessen the amount of time that students need to be enrolled. Since cost is also an important factor, financial aid packages are abundant, as are nursing scholarships. Many graduate degrees are geared toward nursing leadership and research, so if those areas are part of your career plan, an advanced degree may be worth considering.

Master of Science in Nursing

A Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree is often the next step for BSN graduates. These programs focus on topics such as leadership, nursing science, health promotion, nurse theory, and nurse policies. These programs typically take two years to complete.

For students who plan on using their nursing degree in a non-clinical way, these degree programs and careers options may be applicable:

• Master of Business Administration (MBA)/MSN: Chief nursing officer, nursing home administrator
• Master of Health Administration/MSN: Hospital manager, nurse consultant
• Master of Public Health/MSN: Public health nurse, community health director

An MSN degree is also the minimum requirement to become an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN). These nurses differ from traditional registered nurses because they can prescribe medication and diagnose health conditions. Depending on the state, they can perform their duties without the presence of a physician.

MSN graduates may be able to pursue these APRN roles:

• Nurse practitioner (NP)
• Certified nurse midwife (CNM)
• Clinical nurse specialist (CNS)
• Certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA)
• Chief nursing officer (CNO)
• Community health medical director
• Nursing curriculum developer
• Chief nursing informatics officer
• Nurse consultant
• Director of nursing

Doctoral Nursing Degrees

A doctoral degree is the highest level of nursing degree. These programs typically take 2-6 years to complete, and they’re usually focused on research or advanced nursing practice. With a doctoral degree, individuals may seek clinical and non-clinical positions in organizational leadership, research, analysis, and direct patient care.

There are three doctoral nursing degrees available:

• Doctor of Nursing Practice. At this level, nurses focus on leadership and clinical practice to pursue positions where they can lead health care teams, influence nursing policies, and implement cutting-edge solutions.
• Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing. This degree enables registered nurses to perform medical research, teach nursing students, manage health care organizations, and find employment in government positions.
• Doctor of Nursing Science. Research is at the center of this type of advanced nursing degree. It’s less common than the former two options. Graduates can seek positions as nurse educators, researchers, analysts, and administrators.

Examples of nursing careers that may require a doctoral career include:

• Chief nursing executive
• Health policy analyst
• Medical writer
• Program director
• Research manager
• Nurse informaticist
• Medical services manager
• Postsecondary teacher

Earn a Speciality Nursing Certification

Earning a professional certification is a great way to demonstrate expertise in a specialized field. Certifications may last one to two years and require continuing education to renew them. In some instances, employers may reimburse or cover the expense of a certification course or program. For BSN graduates, hiring managers may require candidates to obtain a certification before being hired or during a job’s probationary period. These certifications are common options for new graduates:

Basic Life Support

A basic life support (BLS) certification is one of the most critical forms of nursing professional development. Not only is it crucial for working with patients, but it’s typically a requirement for new registered nurses. Some nursing programs allow students to become BLS-certified while completing their undergraduate coursework.

Organizations like the American Red Cross and the American Heart Association offer BLS courses online and in person. Learning basic life-support techniques enables registered nurses to respond quickly to medical emergencies. Some of the course topics include cardiopulmonary resuscitation, opioid overdoses, visual survey, obstructed airways, and critical thinking. Individuals must pass a practical skills test as well as a written test. Certification has to be renewed every two years.

Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support

Much like the BLS certification, nurses can complete an advanced cardiovascular life support (ACLS) course through organizations like the American Heart Association and the American Red Cross. This type of training builds on BLS course material but concentrates on advanced cardiopulmonary resuscitation techniques. Students learn how to recognize and manage cardiac and respiratory arrests. The ACLS certification also requires a written examination. It’s valid for two years and requires continuing education for renewal.

Pediatric Advanced Life Support

Pediatric advanced life support (PALS) certification focuses on how to respond to medical emergencies for infants and children. Health professionals actively participate in hands-on clinical scenarios and watch pediatric patient videos and simulations. Nurses must hold a BLS certification to take this course. Students must pass a written exam to achieve the two-year certification that must also be renewed.

Trauma Nursing Core Course

This course is ideal for BSN graduates because the only requirement is a valid registered nurse license, while some certifications require years of experience. The Trauma Nursing Core Course (TNCC) certification trains nurses to think critically and perform immediate medical attention in trauma settings like emergency rooms and operating rooms. Most classes feature simulations, the latest trauma nursing practices, as well as assessment and care techniques.

Complete Continuing Education Courses

Continuing education is more than just a workplace requirement. It allows nurses to brush up on their skills or explore a new subject. For BSN graduates who came to nursing from another career , continuing education may be an opportunity to shape the direction of their careers by taking courses that appeal to their interests. Continuing education courses are available online and in person, and may include webinars, workshops, classes, and conferences. They typically have flexible schedules to meet the demands of working nurses.

Sign Up for In-Service Trainings

In-service training is education that is offered by an employer during work hours. For BSN graduates, this may be a great chance to learn on the job through workshops, classes, or job shadowing opportunities. Examples of in-service topics include:

• New equipment training
• Patient rights and responsibilities
• Medication administration
• Stress management
• Cultural competency
• Infection control strategies
• Documentation
• Emergency procedures

Find a Mentor

For BSN graduates, a mentor is a valuable professional resource to navigate the field. Graduates can seek mentors through professional organizations, recruiting events, school guidance counselors, word-of-mouth, or their jobs. Mentors provide guidance, insights, and support to help new graduates get adjusted to this field and achieve their goals. The American Nurses Association (ANA) offers a mentorship program for members.

Engage in Networking

Similar to mentorship, forming a professional network of fellow recent graduates, experienced nurses, and mentors can help graduates feel less isolated and overwhelmed. Both extroverted and introverted nurses can benefit from networking. One of the best ways to network is in social settings or by joining a professional nursing organization. There are state and local organizations, along with the American Nurses Association (ANA), and specialty nurse organizations.

Read Trade Publications and Journals

Another way that BSN graduates can stay informed is by reading professional publications and journals. New nurses can gain insight into new trends, medical breakthroughs, clinical tips, practice updates, and continuing education options by subscribing to nursing publications like The American Journal of Nursing or American Nurse Today.

Additional Nursing Professional Development Resources

With so many well-known professional development options available, it can be easy to miss some of the lesser-known resources that are available year round.

Specialty Nurses Organizations

As BSN graduates navigate to their areas of interest, there are specialty nursing organizations that can offer additional expertise and relevance that are relevant to their background or education level. Some of them are:

National Association of Hispanic Nurses (NAHN)

National Black Nurses Association (NBNA)

American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP)

American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL)

Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses (AMSN)

Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists (ADCES)

National Association of Orthopaedic Nurses (NAON)

National Student Nurses’ Association (NSNA)

American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN)

Emergency Nurses Association (ENA)

These organizations also offer niche tools to help BSN graduates:

American Nurses Association

The Resources page of the ANA’s website offers tips and tools for nurses of all experience levels, including:

• Teacher education tools
• Lists of research grants and other funding sources
• Minority fellowship program information
• Nurse Focus section for new graduates that includes professional development options, articles, and career paths
• Certification choices

American Association of Colleges of Nursing

This national organization creates and implements educational standards for nurses as well as private and public universities. Their Online Learning Center has an assortment of continuing nursing education resources, such as:

• Upcoming webinars
• On-demand webinars
• Conference recordings
• Learning modules

Other useful segments of their website include:

• Fact sheets
• Industry news
• Digital conference library
• Nurse residency program
• New graduate employment data
• Annual surveys

Advance Your Nursing Career Through The University of Tulsa

Nursing professional development can take many forms and may appeal to the aspirations of many BSN graduates. As we already stated, one option is to continue one’s education beyond the level of RN is to earn a BSN . By pursuing educational growth, BSN graduates can enhance their job opportunities, increase their pay potential, and reach their personal goals.

Graduates of The University of Tulsa’s RN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN) program can further their career by earning a graduate degree. The school offers an online Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program that students can complete in as little as 24 months. Graduates of TU’s BSN program may be given priority admission. Their RN to MSN pathway program, where students can earn a BSN and MSN together, can take as few as 24 months to finish.

Learn about how TU’s RN to BSN program can elevate your nursing career with a graduate degree.

Recommended Readings

9 BSN Careers for Graduates to Consider

Nurse Advancement Opportunities for RNs

What Can You Do With an MSN?

ACLS Academy, Trauma Nursing Core Course (TNCC)

American Association of Colleges of Nursing, Online Learning Center

American Association of Colleges of Nursing, Nursing Workforce Fact Sheet

American Heart Association, Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support

American Nurses Association, Career and Professional Development

American Nurses Association, Nursing Professional Development Certification

American Nurses Association, Resources to Succeed

American Red Cross, Basic Life Support Training

American Red Cross, Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) Certification

AMN Healthcare, Professional Development for Nurses

Association for Nursing Professional Development, Professional Development

BMC Nursing, “Lifelong Learning and Nurses’ Continuing Professional Development, a Metasynthesis of The Literature”

Care Options for Kids, 10 Goals for New Grad Nurses

CareerStaff Unlimited, 11 Resources for Nursing Professional Development

Continua Group, 21 Essential Hospice In-Service Topics for Caregivers

Health Careers, 6 Strategies for Achieving Nursing Professional Development Goals

Incredible Health, Professional Development & SMART Nursing Goals

Indeed, 7 Nursing Certifications for New Graduates

Indeed, 7 Types of Nursing Degrees

Indeed, 13 Doctorate in Nursing Practice Jobs You Can Pursue

Indeed, 15 Nursing Professional Goals (With Tips)

Indeed, Nursing Career: 11 Examples of Professional Goals for Nurses

Indeed, PhD in Nursing: Definition, Benefits and How To Earn One

Indeed, Types of Master’s Degrees in Nursing

National Center for Health Workforce Analysis, Data from the 2022 NSSRN

National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Active RN Licensing

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Medical and Health Services Managers

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Midwives, and Nurse Practitioners

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Postsecondary Nursing Instructors and Teachers

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Registered Nurses

Wolters Kluwer, “Professional Development: Five Strategies to Support Nurses’ Growth”

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National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; National Academy of Medicine; Committee on the Future of Nursing 2020–2030; Flaubert JL, Le Menestrel S, Williams DR, et al., editors. The Future of Nursing 2020-2030: Charting a Path to Achieve Health Equity. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2021 May 11.

The Future of Nursing 2020-2030: Charting a Path to Achieve Health Equity.

• Hardcopy Version at National Academies Press

7 Educating Nurses for the Future

You cannot transmit wisdom and insight to another person. The seed is already there. A good teacher touches the seed, allowing it to wake up, to sprout, and to grow. —Thich Nhat Hanh, global spiritual leader and peace activist

By 2030, the nursing profession will look vastly different and will be caring for a changing America. Nursing school curricula need to be strengthened so that nurses are prepared to help promote health equity, reduce health disparities, and improve the health and well-being of everyone. Nursing schools will need to ensure that nurses are prepared to understand and identify the social determinants of health, have expanded learning experiences in the community so they can work with different people with varied life experiences and cultural values, have the competencies to care for an aging and more diverse population, can engage in new professional roles, are nimble enough to adapt continually to new technologies, and can lead and collaborate with other professions and sectors. And nursing students—and faculty—not only need to reflect the diversity of the population, but also need to help break down barriers of structural racism prevalent in today’s nursing education.

Throughout the coming decade, it will be essential for nursing education to evolve rapidly in order to prepare nurses who can meet the challenges articulated in this report with respect to addressing social determinants of health (SDOH), improving population health, and promoting health equity. Nurses will need to be educated to care for a population that is both aging, with declining mental and physical health, and becoming increasingly diverse; to engage in new professional roles; to adapt to new technologies; to function in a changing policy environment; and to lead and collaborate with professionals from other sectors and professions. As part of their education, aspiring nurses will need new competencies and different types of learning experiences to be prepared for these new and expanded roles. Also essential will be recruiting and supporting diverse students and faculty to create a workforce that more closely resembles the population it serves. Given the growing focus on SDOH, population health, and health equity within the public health and health care systems, the need to make these changes to nursing education is clear. Nurses’ close connection with patients and communities, their role as advocates for well-being, and their placement across multiple types of settings make them well positioned to address SDOH and health equity. For future nurses to capitalize on this potential, however, SDOH and equity must be integrated throughout their educational experience to build the competencies and skills they will need.

The committee’s charge included examining whether nursing education provides the competencies and skills nurses will need—the capacity to acquire new competencies, to work outside of acute care settings, and to lead efforts to build a culture of health and health equity—as they enter the workforce and throughout their careers. A thorough review of the current status and future needs of nursing education in the United States was beyond the scope of this study, but in this chapter, the committee identifies priorities for the content and nature of the education nurses will need to meet the challenge of addressing SDOH, advancing health equity, and improving population health. Nursing education is a lifelong pursuit; nurses gain knowledge and skills in the classroom, at work, through continuing professional development, and through other formal and informal mechanisms ( IOM, 2016b ). While the scope of this study precluded a thorough discussion of learning outside of nursing education programs, readers can find further discussion of lifelong learning in A Framework for Educating Health Professionals to Address the Social Determinants of Health ( IOM, 2016b ), Redesigning Continuing Education in the Health Professions ( IOM, 2010 ), and Exploring a Business Case for High-Value Continuing Professional Development: Proceedings of a Workshop ( NASEM, 2018a ).

To change nursing education meaningfully so as to produce nurses who are prepared to meet the above challenges in the decade ahead will require changes in four areas: what is taught, how it is taught, who the students are, and who teaches them. This chapter opens with a description of the nursing education system and the need for integrating equity into education, and then examines each of these four areas in turn:

• domains and competencies for equity,
• expanded learning opportunities,
• recruitment of and support for diverse prospective nurses, and
• strengthening and diversification of the nursing faculty.

In addition to changes in these specific areas, there is a need for a fundamental shift in the idea of what constitutes a “quality” nursing education. Currently, National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) pass rates are used as the primary indicator of quality, along with graduation and employment rates ( NCSBN, 2020a ; O’Lynn, 2017 ). This narrow focus on pass rates has been criticized for diverting time and attention away from other goals, such as developing student competencies, investing in faculty, and implementing innovative curricula ( Giddens, 2009 ; O’Lynn, 2017 ; Taylor et al., 2014 ). In addition, the NCLEX is heavily focused on acute care rather than on such areas of nursing as primary care, disease prevention, SDOH, and health equity ( NCSBN, 2019 ). In response to such concerns about the NCLEX, the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) conducted a study to identify additional quality indicators for nursing education programs; indicators were identified in the areas of administration, program director, faculty, students, curriculum and clinical experiences, and teaching and learning resources ( Spector et al., 2020 ). To realize the committee’s vision for nursing education, it will be necessary for nursing schools, accreditors, employers, and students to look beyond NCLEX pass rates and include these types of indicators in the assessment of a quality nursing education.

• OVERVIEW OF NURSING EDUCATION

Nurses are educated at universities, colleges, hospitals, and community colleges and can follow a number of educational pathways. Table 7-1 identifies the various degrees that nurses can hold, and describes the programs that lead to each degree and the usual amount of time required to complete them. In 2019, there were more than 200,000 graduates from baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral nursing programs in the United States and its territories, including 144,659 who received a baccalaureate degree ( AACN, 2020a ) (see Table 7-2 ).

Pathways in Nursing Education.

Number of Graduates from Nursing Programs in the United States and Territories, 2019.

Nursing programs are nationally accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN); the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE); the Commission for Nursing Education and Accreditation (CNEA); and other bodies focused on specialty areas of nursing, such as midwifery. Graduating registered nurses (RNs) seek licensure as nurses through state boards, and take examinations administered by the NCSBN as graduates with their first professional degree and then as specialists with certification exams offered through specialty organizations. These bodies set minimum standards for nursing programs and establish criteria for certification and licensing, faculty qualifications, course offerings, and other features of nursing programs ( Gaines, n.d. ).

The Need for Nursing Education on Social Determinants of Health and Health Equity

A report of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) from nearly two decades ago asserts that all health professionals, including nurses, need to “understand determinants of health, the link between medical care and healthy populations, and professional responsibilities” ( IOM, 2003 , p. 209). The literature is replete with calls for all nurses to understand concepts associated with health equity, such as disparities, culturally competent care, equity, and social justice. For example, Morton and colleagues (2019) identify essential content to prepare nurses for community-based practice, including SDOH, health disparities/health equity, cultural competency, epidemiology, community leadership, and the development of enhanced skills in community-based settings. O’Connor and colleagues (2019) call for an inclusive educational environment that prepares nurses to care for diverse patient populations, including the study of racism’s impacts on health from the genetic to the societal level, systems of marginalization and oppression, critical self-reflection, and preparation for lifelong learning in these areas. And Thornton and Persaud (2018) state that the content of nursing education should include instruction in cultural sensitivity and culturally competent care, trauma-informed care and motivational interviewing, screening for social needs, and referring for services. These calls align with the Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA’s) most recent strategic plan, which prioritizes the development of a health care workforce that is able to address current and emerging needs for improving equity and access ( HRSA, 2019 ). Additionally, recommendations of the National Advisory Council on Nurse Education and Practice (NACNEP) (2016) include that population health concepts be incorporated into nursing curriculum and that undergraduate programs create partnerships with HRSA, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and the Indian Health Service (IHS), agencies that serve rural and frontier areas, to increase students’ exposure to different competencies, experiences, and environments.

In concert with these perspectives and recommendations, nursing organizations have developed guidelines for how nursing education should prepare nurses to work on health equity issues and address SDOH. In 2019, the National League for Nursing (NLN) issued a Vision for Integration of the Social Determinants of Health into Nursing Education Curricula , which describes the importance of SDOH to the mission of nursing and makes recommendations for how SDOH should be integrated into nursing education (see Box 7-1 ).

National League for Nursing’s (NLN’s) Vision for Integration of the Social Determinants of Health into Nursing Education Curricula.

As described in Chapter 9 , the American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s (AACN’s) Essentials 1 provides an outline for the necessary curriculum content and expected competencies for graduates of baccalaureate, master’s, and doctor of nursing practice (DNP) programs. Essentials identifies “Clinical Prevention and Population Health” as one of the nine essential areas of baccalaureate nursing education. Among other areas of focus, Essentials calls for baccalaureate programs to prepare nurses to

• collaborate with other health care professionals and patients to provide spiritually and culturally appropriate health promotion and disease and injury prevention interventions;
• assess the health, health care, and emergency preparedness needs of a defined population;
• collaborate with others to develop an intervention plan that takes into account determinants of health, available resources, and the range of activities that contribute to health and the prevention of illness, injury, disability, and premature death;
• participate in clinical prevention and population-focused interventions with attention to effectiveness, efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and equity; and
• advocate for social justice, including a commitment to the health of vulnerable populations and the elimination of health disparities.

Curriculum content and expected competencies laid out in Essentials for master’s- and DNP-level nursing education also address SDOH, disparities, equity, and social justice ( AACN, 2006 , 2011 ). While Essentials only guides baccalaureate, master’s, and DNP programs, the document’s emphasis on health equity and SDOH demonstrates the importance of these topics to the nursing profession as a whole.

As of 2020, AACN has been shifting toward a competency-based curriculum. As part of this effort, AACN published a draft update to Essentials that identifies 10 domains for nursing education: knowledge for nursing practice; person-centered care; population health; scholarship for nursing discipline; quality and safety; interprofessional partnerships; systems-based practice; informatics and health care technologies; professionalism; and personal, professional, and leadership development. Within these 10 domains are specific competencies that AACN believes are essential for nursing practice ( AACN, 2020b ), including

• engage in effective partnerships,
• advance equitable population health policy,
• demonstrate advocacy strategies,
• use information and communication technologies and informatics processes to deliver safe nursing care to diverse populations in a variety of settings, and
• use knowledge of nursing and other professions to address the health care needs of patients and populations.

Nurses themselves have also indicated the need for more education and training on these topics. The 2018 National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses (NSSRN) asked the question, “As of December 31, 2017, what training topics would have helped you do your job better?” Figure 7-1 shows the percentage of six different training topics that RNs said would help them do their job better. Overall, RNs working in schools, public health, community health, and emergency and urgent care were more likely than RNs working in all other employment settings listed in Figure 7-1 to indicate that they could have done their job better if they had received training in SDOH, population health, working in underserved communities, caring for individuals with complex health and social needs, and especially mental health. These results could reflect RNs encountering increasingly complex individuals and populations, rising numbers of visits and caseloads, the fact that the RNs working in these settings frequently provide care for people facing multiple social risk factors that harm their health and well-being, or inadequacy of the training in these areas that RNs had received. RNs—particularly those working in informatics, health care management and administration, and education—also indicated that training in value-based care would have been helpful. Additionally, RNs who had graduated after 2010 were more likely than those who had graduated before then to indicate that they could have done their job better with training across all of these topics.

Training topics that would have helped registered nurses do their jobs better, by type of work performed and graduation from their nursing program, 2018. SOURCE: Calculations based on the 2018 National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses (HRSA, 2020). (more...)

Nurse practitioners (NPs) have also indicated the need for more training in SDOH. In response to the 2018 NSSRN question described above, NPs working in public health and community health, emergency and urgent care, education, and long-term care reported that they could have done their job better if they had received training in SDOH, mental health, working in underserved communities, and providing care for medically complex/special needs. Across all types of practice settings, one-third felt that training in mental health issues would have helped them do their job better, while very few NPs indicated that training in value-based care would have been helpful. Additionally, NPs who had graduated since 2010 were more likely than those who had graduated before then to indicate that they would have benefited from training in these topics. Figure 7-2 shows the percentage of six different training topics that NPs mentioned would have helped them do their job better.

Training topics that would have helped nurse practitioners do their jobs better, by type of work performed and graduation from their nursing education program, 2018. SOURCE: Calculations based on the 2018 National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses (HRSA, (more...)

The Need for Integration of Social Determinants of Health and Health Equity into Nursing Education

Despite guidelines from both the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) and the National League for Nursing (NLN) and numerous calls for including equity, population health, and SDOH in nursing education, SDOH and related concepts are not currently well integrated into undergraduate and graduate nursing education. Nor has the degree to which nurses are prepared and educated in these areas been studied systematically ( NACNEP, 2019 ; Tilden et al., 2018 ). The committee was unable to locate a central repository of information about the coursework and other educational experiences available to nursing students across types of programs and institutions, or any other source of systematic analysis of nursing curricula. This lack of information about nursing preparation programs limits the conclusions that can be drawn about them. Thus, the discussion in this chapter is based on the assumption that some nursing programs are likely already pursuing many of the goals identified herein, but that this critically important content is not yet standard practice throughout nursing education.

One way to explore whether and how health equity and related concepts are currently integrated into nursing education is to look at accreditation standards. While the standards do not detail every specific topic to be covered in nursing curricula, they do set expectations, convey priorities, and identify important areas of study. For example, the accreditation standards of the CCNE state that advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) programs must include study of advanced physiology, advanced health assessment, and advanced pharmacology ( CCNE, 2018 ). Accreditation standards could be used to prioritize the inclusion of health equity and SDOH in nursing curriculum; however, this is not currently the case. The CCNE standards state that accredited programs must incorporate the AACN Essentials into their curricula, and while these standards do not specifically mention equity, SDOH, or other relevant concepts ( CCNE, 2018 ), that is expected to change to correspond with the updates to the Essentials described previously (see Box 7-1 ). CNEA’s accreditation standards likewise include no mention of population health, SDOH, or health equity ( NLN, 2016 ), although a more recent document from NLN makes a strong case for the integration of SDOH into nursing education curricula ( NLN, 2019 ). ACEN’s associate’s and baccalaureate standards call for inclusion of “cultural, ethnic, and socially diverse concepts” in the curriculum; the master’s and doctoral standards require that curriculum be “designed so that graduates of the program are able to practice in a culturally and ethnically diverse global society,” but do not address health equity, population health, or SDOH.

Another approach for examining the inclusion of these concepts in nursing education is to look at exemplar programs. As part of the Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation commissioned a study of best practices in nursing education to support population health ( Campaign for Action, 2019b ). That report notes that although many nursing programs reported including population health content in their curriculum, few incorporated the topic substantially. However, the report also identifies exemplars of programs with promising population health models. These exemplars include Oregon Health & Science University, which incorporates population health throughout the curriculum as a key competency; Rush University, which incorporates cultural competence throughout the curriculum; and Thomas Jefferson University, which offers courses in health promotion, population health, health disparities, and SDOH. NACNEP has also examined exemplars of nursing programs that incorporate health equity and SDOH into their curricula ( NACNEP, 2019 ). The programs highlighted include the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, which has a course called Case Study—Addressing the Social Determinants of Health: Community Engagement Immersion ( Schroeder et al., 2019 ). This course offers experiential learning opportunities that focus on SDOH in vulnerable and underserved populations and helps students design health promotion programs for these communities. The school also offers faculty education in SDOH.

As far as the committee was able to determine, most programs include content on SDOH in community or public health nursing courses. However, this material does not appear to be integrated thoroughly into the curriculum in the majority of programs, nor could the committee identify well-established designs for curricula that address this content outside of community health rotations ( Campaign for Action, 2019b ; Storfjell et al., 2017 ; Thornton and Persaud, 2018 ). In the committee’s view, a single course in community and/or public health nursing is insufficient preparation for creating a foundational understanding of health equity and for preparing nurses to work in the wide variety of settings and roles envisioned in this report. Ideally, education in these concepts would be integrated throughout the curriculum to give nurses a comprehensive understanding of the social determinants that contribute to health inequities ( NACNEP, 2019 ; NLN, 2019 ; Siegel et al., 2018 ). Moreover, academic content alone is insufficient to provide students with the knowledge, skills, and abilities they need to advance health equity; rather, expanded opportunities for experiential and community learning are critical for building the necessary competencies ( Buhler-Wilkerson, 1993 ; Fee and Bu, 2010 ; NACNEP, 2016 ; Sharma et al., 2018 ). All those involved in nursing education—administrators, faculty, accreditors, and students—need to understand that health equity is a core component of nursing, no less important than alleviating pain or caring for individuals with acute illness. Graduating students need to understand and apply knowledge of the impact of such issues as classism, racism, sexism, ageism, and discrimination and to be empowered to advocate on these issues for people who they care for and communities.

As currently constituted, then, nursing education programs fall short of conveying this information sufficiently in the curriculum or through experiential learning opportunities. Yet, the existing evidence on what nursing education programs offer is scant. Research is therefore needed to assess whether and how many nursing programs are offering sufficient coursework and learning opportunities related to SDOH and health equity and to examine the extent to which graduating nurses have the competencies necessary to address these issues in practice.

The Need for BSN-Prepared Nurses

The 2011 The Future of Nursing report includes the recommendation that the percentage of nurses who hold a baccalaureate degree or higher be increased to 80 percent by 2020. The report gives several reasons for this goal, including that baccalaureate-prepared nurses are exposed to competencies including health policy, leadership, and systems thinking; they have skills in research, teamwork, and collaboration; and they are better equipped to meet the increasingly complex demands of care both inside and outside the hospital ( IOM, 2011 , p. 170). In 2011, 50 percent of employed nurses held a baccalaureate degree or higher; as of 2019, that proportion had increased to 59 percent ( Campaign for Action, 2020 ). Both the number of baccalaureate programs and program enrollment have increased substantially since 2011 2 ( AACN, 2019a ), and the number of RNs who went on to receive BSNs in RN-to-BSN programs increased 236 percent between 2009 and 2019 ( Campaign for Action, n.d. ). However, the goal of 80 percent of nurses holding a BSN was still not achieved by 2020, for a number of reasons. Although the proportion of new graduates with a BSN is higher than the proportion of existing nurses with a BSN, the percentage of new graduates joining the nursing workforce each year is small. Given this ratio, it would have been “extraordinarily difficult” to achieve the goal of 80 percent by 2020 ( IOM, 2016a ; McMenamin, 2015 ). Nurses already in the workforce face barriers to pursuing a BSN, including time, money, work–life balance, and a perception that additional postlicense education is not worth the effort ( Duffy et al., 2014 ; Spetz, 2018 ). Moreover, schools and programs have limited capacity for first-time nursing students and ADN, LPN nurses, or RNs without BSN degrees ( Spetz, 2018 ).

Nonetheless, the goal of achieving a nursing workforce in which 80 percent of nurses hold a baccalaureate degree or higher remains relevant, and continuing efforts to increase the number of nurses with a BSN are needed. Across the globe, the proportion of BSN-educated nurses is correlated with better health outcomes ( Aiken et al., 2017 ; Baker et al., 2020 ), and there are clear differences as well as similarities between associate’s degree in nursing (ADN) programs and BSN programs. In particular, BSN programs are more likely to cover topics relevant to liberal education, organizational and systems leadership, evidence-based practice, health care policy, finance and regulatory environments, interprofessional collaboration, and population health ( Kumm et al., 2014 ). Accelerated, nontraditional, and other pathways to the BSN degree are discussed later in this chapter.

The Need for PhD-Prepared Nurses

There are two types of doctoral degrees in nursing: the PhD and the DNP. The former is designed to prepare nurse scientists to conduct research, whereas the latter is a clinically focused doctoral degree designed to prepare graduates with advanced competencies in leadership and management, quality improvement, evidence-based practice, and a variety of specialties. PhD-prepared nurses are essential to the development of the research base required to support evidence-based practice and add to the body of nursing knowledge, and DNP-educated nurses play a key role in translating evidence into practice and in educating nursing students in practice fundamentals ( Tyczkowski and Reilly, 2017 ) (see Chapter 3 for further discussion of the role of DNPs).

The number of nurses with doctoral degrees has grown rapidly since the 2011 The Future of Nursing report was published ( IOM, 2011 ). As a proportion of doctorally educated nurses, however, the number of PhD graduates has remained nearly flat. In 2010, there were 1,282 graduates from DNP programs and 532 graduates receiving a PhD in nursing. By 2019, the number of DNP graduates had grown more than 500 percent to 7,944, while the number of PhD graduates had grown about 50 percent to 804 ( AACN, 2011 , 2020a ).

The slow growth in PhD-prepared nurses is a major concern for the profession and for the nation, because it is these nurses who serve as faculty at many universities and who systematically study issues related to health and health care, including the impact of SDOH on health outcomes, health disparities, and health equity. PhD-prepared nurses conduct research on a wide variety of issues relating to SDOH, including the effect of class on children’s health; linguistic, cultural, and educational barriers to care; models of care for older adults aging in place; and gun violence (Richmond and Foman, 2018; RWJF, 2020 ; Szanton et al., 2014 ). Nurse-led research provided evidence-based solutions in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic for such challenges as the shift to telehealth care, expanding demand for health care workers, and increased moral distress ( Lake, 2020 ). However, Castro-Sánchez and colleagues (2021) note a dearth of nurse-led research specifically related to COVID-19; they posit that this gap can be attributed to workforce shortages, a lack of investment in clinical academic leadership, and the redeployment of nurses into clinical roles. More PhD-prepared nurses are needed to conduct research aimed at improving clinical and community health, as well as to serve as faculty to educate the next generation of nurses ( Broome and Fairman, 2018 ; Fairman et al., 2020 ; Greene et al., 2017 ).

Nursing practice is dependent on a robust pipeline of research to advance evidence-based care, inform policy, and address the health needs of people and communities ( Bednash et al., 2014 ). The creation of the BSN-to-PhD direct entry option has helped produce more research-oriented nurse faculty ( Greene et al., 2017 ), but time, adequate faculty mentorship, mental health issues, and financial hardships, including the cost of tuition, are barriers for nurses pursuing these advanced degrees ( Broome and Fairman, 2018 ; Fairman et al., 2020 ; Squires et al., 2013 ). One approach for increasing the number of PhD-prepared nurses is the Future of Nursing Scholars program, which successfully graduated approximately 200 PhD students through an innovative accelerated 3-year program ( RWJF, 2021 ). Similar programs have been funded by such foundations as the Hillman Foundation and Jonas Philanthropies to help stimulate the pipeline, build capacity (especially in health policy) among graduates, and model innovative curricular approaches ( Broome and Fairman, 2018 ; Fairman et al., 2020 ).

• DOMAINS AND COMPETENCIES FOR EQUITY

As noted earlier, a number of existing recommendations specify what nurses need to know to address SDOH and health inequity in a meaningful way. In addition, the Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action surveyed and interviewed faculty and leaders in nursing and public health, asking about core content and competencies for all nurses ( Campaign for Action, 2019b ). Respondents specifically recommended that nursing education cover seven areas:

• policy and its impact on health outcomes;
• epidemiology and biostatistics;
• a basic understanding of SDOH and illness across populations and how to assess and intervene to improve health and well-being;
• health equity as an overall goal of health care;
• interprofessional team building as a key mechanism for improving population health;
• the economics of health care, including an understanding of basic payment models and their impact on services delivered and outcomes achieved; and
• systems thinking, including the ability to understand complex demands, develop solutions, and manage change at the micro and macro system levels.

Drawing on all of these recommendations, guidelines, and perspectives, as well as looking at the anticipated roles and responsibilities outlined in other chapters of this report, the committee identified the core concepts pertaining to SDOH, health equity, and population health that need to be covered in nursing school and the core knowledge and skills that nurses need to have upon graduation. For consistency with the language used by the AACN, these are referred to, respectively, as “domains” (see Box 7-2 ) and “competencies” (see Box 7-3 ). The domains in Box 7-2 are fundamental content that the committee believes can no longer be covered in public health courses alone, but need to be incorporated and applied by nursing students throughout nursing curricula. All nurses, regardless of setting or type of nursing, need to understand and be prepared to address the underlying barriers to better health in their practice.

Domains for Nursing Education.

Competencies for Nursing Education, Depending on Preparation Level.

The committee believes that incorporation of these domains and competencies can guide expeditious and meaningful changes in nursing education. The committee acknowledges that making room for these concepts will inevitably require eliminating some existing material in nursing education. The committee does not believe that it is the appropriate entity to identify what specific curriculum changes should be made; a nationwide evaluation will be needed to ensure that nursing curricula are preparing the future workforce with the skills and competencies they will need. The committee also acknowledges that nursing programs differ in length, and that an ADN program cannot cover SDOH equity to the same extent as a BSN program. The specific knowledge and skills a nurse will need will vary depending on her or his level of nursing education. For example, a nurse with a BSN may need to understand and be able to use the technologies that are relevant to his or her area of work (e.g., telehealth applications, electronic health records [EHRs], home monitors), while an APRN may need a deeper understanding of how to analyze health records in order to provide care and monitor health status for populations outside clinical settings.

Nonetheless, nursing education at all levels—from licensed practical nurse (LPN) to ADN to BSN and beyond—needs to incorporate and integrate the domains and competencies in Boxes 7-2 and 7-3 to the extent possible so as to develop knowledge and skills that will be relevant and useful to nurses and essential to achieving equity in health and health care. Given the relationship among SDOH, social needs, and health outcomes and the increasing focus of health care systems on addressing these community and individual needs, the domains and competencies identified here are essential to ensure that all nurses understand and can apply concepts related to these issues; work effectively with people, families, and communities across the spectrum of SDOH; promote physical, mental, and social health; and assume leadership and entrepreneurial roles to create solutions, such as by fostering partnerships in the health and social sectors, scaling successful interventions, and engaging in policy development. While none of the domains listed in Box 7-2 are new to nursing, the health inequities that have become increasingly visible—especially as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic—demand that these domains now be substantively integrated into the fabric of nursing education and practice.

Many sources highlight both the challenges faced by front-line graduates when confronted with these issues, and the reality that many nursing schools lack faculty members with the knowledge and competencies to educate nurses effectively on these issues ( Befus et al., 2019 ; Effland et al., 2020 ; Hermer et al., 2020 ; Levine et al., 2020 ; Porter et al., 2020 ; Rosa et al., 2019 ; Valderama-Wallace and Apesoa-Varano, 2019 ). To remedy the latter gap, educators need to have a clear understanding of these issues and their links to both educational and patient outcomes (see the section below on strengthening and diversifying the nursing faculty). It is important to note as well that some of these topics, including the connections among implicit biases, structural racism, and health equity, may be difficult for educators and students to discuss (see Box 7-4 ).

Discussing Difficult Topics.

Given the limited scope of this report, the committee has chosen to highlight three of the competencies from Box 7-3 in this section. 3 The first is delivering person-centered care to diverse populations. As the United States becomes increasingly diverse, nurses will need to be aware of their own implicit biases and be able to interact with diverse patients, families, and communities with empathy and humility. The second is learning to collaborate across professions, disciplines, and sectors. As discussed previously in this report, addressing SDOH is necessarily a multisectoral endeavor given that these determinants go beyond health to include such issues as housing, education, justice, and the environment. The third is continually adapting to new technologies. Advances in technology are reshaping both health care and education, and making it possible for both to be delivered in nontraditional settings and nontraditional ways. In the present context, technology can expand access to underserved populations of patients and students—for example, telehealth and online platforms can be used to connect with those living in rural areas—but it can also exacerbate existing disparities and inequities. Nurses need to understand both the promises and perils of technology, and be able to adapt their practice and learning accordingly.

Delivering Person-Centered Care and Education to Diverse Populations

As discussed in Chapter 2 , people’s family and cultural background, community, and other experiences may have profound impacts on their health. Given the increasing diversity of the U.S. population, it is critical that nurses understand the impact of these factors on health, can communicate and connect with people of different backgrounds, and can be self-reflective about how their own beliefs and biases may affect the care they provide. To this end, the committee believes it is essential that nursing education include the concepts of cultural humility and implicit bias as a thread throughout the curriculum.

An integral part of learning about these concepts is an opportunity to reflect on what one is learning and to draw connections with past learning and experiences. Researchers have established that instruction that guides students in reflection helps reinforce skills and competencies (see, e.g., NASEM, 2018c ). This idea has been explored in the context of education in health professions and has been identified as a valuable way to foster understanding of health equity and SDOH ( IOM, 2016b ; Mann et al., 2007). While the strategies, goals, and structure of such reflection may vary, the process in general helps learners in health care settings examine their own values, assumptions, and beliefs ( El-Sayed and El-Sayed, 2014 ; Scheel et al., 2017 ). In the course of structured reflection, for example, students might consider how such issues as racism, implicit bias, trauma, and policy affect the care people receive and create conditions for poor health, or how their own experiences and identities influence the care they provide.

Cultural Humility

In recent years, the focus in discussions of patient care has shifted from cultural competency to cultural humility ( Barton et al., 2020 ; Brennan et al., 2012 ; Kamau-Small et al., 2015 ; Periyakoil, 2019 ; Purnell et al., 2018 ; Walker et al., 2016 ). The concept of cultural competency has been interpreted by some as limited for a number of reasons. First, it implies that “culture” is a technical skill in which clinicians can develop expertise, and it can become a series of static dos and don’ts ( Kleinman and Benson, 2006 ). Second, the concept of cultural competency tends to promote a colorblind mentality that ignores the role of power, privilege, and racism in health care (Waite and Nardi, 2017). Third, cultural competency is not actively antiracist but instead leaves institutionalized structures of White privilege and racism intact ( Schroeder and DiAngelo, 2010 ).

In contrast, cultural humility is defined by flexibility, a lifelong approach to learning about diversity, and a recognition of the role of individual bias and systemic power in health care interactions ( Agner, 2020 ). Cultural humility is considered a self-evaluating process that recognizes the self within the context of culture ( Campinha-Bacote, 2018 ). The concept of cultural humility can be woven into most aspects of nursing and interprofessional education. For example, case studies in which students learn about the experience of a particular disease or strategies for disease prevention can be designed to model culturally humble approaches in the provision of nursing care and the avoidance of stereotypical thinking ( Foronda et al., 2016 ; Mosher et al., 2017 ). One effective approach to cultivating cultural humility is to accompany experiential learning opportunities or case studies with reflection that expands learning beyond skills and knowledge. This includes questioning current practices and proposing changes to improve the efficiency and quality of care, equality, and social justice ( Barton et al., 2020 ; Foronda et al., 2013 ). Programs designed to develop nurses’ cultural sensitivity and humility, as well as cultural immersion programs, have been developed, and research suggests that such programs can effectively develop skills that strengthen nurses’ confidence in treating diverse populations, improve patient and provider relationships, and increase nurses’ compassion ( Allen, 2010 ; Gallagher and Polanin, 2015 ; Sanner et al., 2010 ).

Implicit Bias

Implicit bias is an unconscious or automatic mental association made between members of a group and an attribute or evaluation ( FitzGerald and Hurst, 2017 ). For example, a clinician may unconsciously view White patients as more medically compliant than Black patients ( Sabin et al., 2008 ). These types of biases not only can have consequences for individual health outcomes ( Aaberg, 2012 ; Linden and Redpath, 2011 ) but also may play a role in maintaining or exacerbating health disparities ( Blair et al., 2011 ). There are many resources available for implicit bias awareness and training; for example, Harvard University offers a number of Implicit Association Tests (IATs), the Institute for Healthcare Improvement offers free online resources to address implicit bias, and the AACN offers implicit bias workshops for nurses ( AACN, n.d. ; Foronda et al., 2018 ).

Evidence on the use of implicit bias training is limited. One review of the use of an IAT in health professions education found that the test had contrasting uses, with some curricula using it as a measure of implicit bias and others using it to initiate discussions and reflection. The review found a dearth of research on the use of IATs; the authors note that the nature of implicit bias is highly complex and cannot necessarily be reduced to the “time-limited” use of an IAT ( Sukhera et al., 2019 ). A systematic review of interventions designed to reduce implicit bias found that many such interventions are ineffective, and some may even increase implicit biases. The authors note that while there is no clear path for reducing biases, the lack of evidence does not weaken the case for “implementing widespread structural and institutional changes that are likely to reduce implicit biases” (FitzGerald et al., 2019). One promising model is an intervention that helps participants break the “prejudice habit” ( Devine et al., 2012 ). This multifaceted intervention, which includes situational awareness of bias, education about the consequences of bias, strategies for reducing bias, and self-reflection, has been shown to reduce implicit racial bias for at least 2 months ( Devine et al., 2012 ). Clearly, more research is needed in this area.

Learning to Collaborate Across Professions, Disciplines, and Sectors

As discussed in Chapter 9 , eliminating health disparities will require the active engagement and advocacy of a broad range of stakeholders working in partnership to address the drivers of structural inequities in health and health care ( NASEM, 2017 ). In these efforts, nurses may lead or work with people from a variety of professions, disciplines, and sectors, including, for example, physicians, social workers, educators, policy makers, lawyers, faith leaders, government employees, community advocates, and community members. Working across sectors, especially as they relate to SDOH (food insecurity, transportation barriers, housing, etc.), is a critical competence. Collaboration among these types of stakeholders has multiple benefits, including broader expertise and perspective, the capacity to address wide-ranging social needs, the ability to reach underserved populations, and sustainability and alignment of efforts (see Chapter 9 for further discussion). A traditional nursing education, which focuses on what is taught rather than on building competencies, is unlikely to give students the understanding of broader social, political, and environmental contexts that is necessary for working in these types of strategic partnerships ( IOM, 2016b ). If nursing students are to be prepared to practice interprofessionally after graduation, they must be given opportunities to collaborate with others before graduation ( IOM, 2013 ) and to build the competencies they will need for collaborative practice. The Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) identified four core competencies for interprofessional collaborative practice ( IPEC, 2016 ). While these competencies were developed specifically to prepare students for interprofessional practice within health care, they are also applicable to broader collaborations among other professions, disciplines, and sectors both within and outside of health care:

• Work with individuals of other professions to maintain a climate of mutual respect and shared values.
• Use the knowledge of one’s own role and those of other professionals to appropriately assess and address the health care needs of patients and to promote and advance the health of populations.
• Communicate with patients, families, communities, and professionals in health and other fields in a responsive and responsible manner that supports a team approach to the promotion and maintenance of health and the prevention and treatment of disease.
• Apply relationship-building values and the principles of team dynamics to perform effectively in different team roles in planning, delivering, and evaluating patient/population-centered care and population health programs and policies that are safe, timely, efficient, effective, and equitable.

There are opportunities for nursing students to gain interprofessional and multisector collaborative competencies through both experiential learning in the community (discussed in detail below) and classroom work. Increasingly, nursing schools are working with other institutions to offer students classes in which they learn with or from students and professionals in other disciplines. For example, the University of Michigan Center for Interprofessional Education offers courses in such topics as health care delivery in low- and middle-income countries, social justice, trauma-informed practice, interprofessional communication, and teamwork. Courses are open to students from the schools of social work, pharmacy, medicine, nursing, dentistry, physical therapy, public health, and business. 4

Despite the benefits of interprofessional education, however, there are barriers that affect the implementation of such programs in health professions education, including different schedules, lack of meeting space, incongruent curricula plans, faculty not trained to teach interprofessionally, faculty overload, and the challenge of providing adequate opportunities for all levels of students ( NLN, 2015a ). The use of simulation has been proposed as a vehicle for overcoming such barriers to impart interprofessional collaborative competencies ( NLN, 2013 ); a systematic review of the evidence found that this approach can be effective ( Marion-Martins and Pinho, 2020 ). Nurses can also gain interprofessional experience by pursuing dual degrees. For example, the University of Pennsylvania offers dual degrees that combine nursing with health care management, bioethics, public health, law, or business administration.

Continually Adapting to New Technologies

Nurses can use a wide variety of existing and emerging technologies and tools to address SDOH and provide high-quality care to all patients (see Box 7-5 ). Broadly speaking, these technologies and tools fall into three categories: patient-facing, clinician-facing, and data analytics. Patient- and clinician-facing tools collect data and help providers and patients connect and make decisions about care. Data analytics uses data, collected from patients or other sources, to analyze trends, identify disparities, and guide policy decisions. Beginning as students, all nurses need to be familiar with these technologies, be able to engage with patients or other professionals around their appropriate use, and understand how their use has the potential to exacerbate inequalities.

Highlights from the Seattle Townhall on Technology and Health Equity and Implications for Nursing Education.

Patient-facing technologies include apps and software, such as mobile and wearable health devices, as well as telehealth and virtual visit technologies ( FDA, 2020 ). These tools allow nurses and other health care providers to expand their reach to those who might otherwise not have access because of geography, transportation, social support, or other challenges. For example, telehealth and mobile apps allow providers to see people in their homes, mitigating such barriers to care as transportation while also helping providers understand people in the context of their everyday lives. Essential skills for nurses using these new tools will include the ability to project a caring relationship through technology (Massachusetts Department of Higher Nursing Education Initiative, 2016 ) and to use technology to personalize care based on patient preferences, technology access, and individual needs ( NLN, 2015b ). The role of telehealth and the importance of training nurses in this technology have been recognized for several years ( NONPF, 2018 ; Rutledge et al., 2017 ), but the urgent need for telehealth services during the COVID-19 pandemic has made it “imperative” to include telehealth training in nursing curricula ( Love and Carrington, 2020 ). Moreover, it is anticipated that the shift to telehealth for some types of care will become a permanent feature of the health care system in the future ( Bestsennyy et al., 2020 ).

Clinician-facing technologies include EHRs, clinical decision support tools, mobile apps, and screening and referral tools ( Bresnick, 2017 ; CDC, 2018 ; Heath, 2019 ). A number of available digital technologies can facilitate the collection and integration of data on social needs and SDOH and help clinicians hold compassionate and empathetic conversations about those needs ( AHA, 2019 ; Giovenco and Spillane, 2019 ). In 2019, for example, Kaiser Permanente launched its Thrive Local network (Kaiser Permanente, 2019 ), which can be used to screen for social needs and connect people with community resources that can meet these needs. The system is integrated with the EHR, and it is capable of tracking referrals and outcomes to measure whether needs are being met; these data can then be used to continuously improve the network.

Nurses will need to understand how and when to use these types of tools, and can leverage their unique understanding of patient and community needs to improve and expand them. As described in Chapter 10 , such technologies as EHRs and clinical alarms can burden nurses and contribute to workplace stress. However, nurses have largely been left out of conversations about how to design and use these systems. For example, although nurses are one of the primary users of EHR systems, little research has been conducted to understand their experiences with and perceptions of these systems, which may be different from those of other health care professionals ( Cho et al., 2016 ; Higgins et al., 2017 ). Out of 346 usability studies on health care technologies conducted between 2003 and 2009, only 2 examined use by nurses ( Yen and Bakken, 2012 ). Educating nurses to understand and assess the benefits and drawbacks of health care technologies and have the capacity to help shape and revamp them can ultimately improve patient care and the well-being of health professionals.

Tools for data analytics are increasingly important for improving patient care and the health of populations ( Ibrahim et al., 2020 ; NEJM Catalyst, 2018 ). Analysis of large amounts of data from such sources as EHRs, wearable monitors, and surveys can help in detecting and tracking disease trends, identifying disparities, and finding patterns of correlation ( Breen et al., 2019 ; NASEM, 2016a ; Shiffrin, 2016 ). The North Carolina Institute for Public Health, for example, collaborated with a local health system in analyzing data to inform a community health improvement plan ( Wallace et al., 2019 ). Data on 12 SDOH indicators were sourced from the American Community Survey and mapped by census tract. The mapping provided a visualization of the disparities in the community and allowed the health system to focus its efforts strategically to improve community health. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services later replicated this strategy across the entire state ( NCDHHS, 2020 ).

There are opportunities for nurses to specialize in this type of work. For example, nursing informatics is a specialized area of practice in which nurses with expertise in such disciplines as information science, management, and analytical sciences use their skills to assess patient care and organizational procedures and identify ways to improve the quality and efficiency of care. In the context of SDOH, nursing informaticists will be needed to leverage artificial intelligence and advanced visualization methods to summarize and contextualize SDOH data in a way that provides actionable insights while also eliminating bias and not overwhelming nurses with extraneous information. Big data are increasingly prevalent in health care, and nurses need the skills and competencies to capitalize on its potential ( Topaz and Pruinelli, 2017 ). Even nurses who do not specialize in informatics will need to understand how the analysis of massive datasets can impact health ( Forman et al., 2020 ; NLN, 2015b ). Investments in expanding program offerings, certifications, and student enrollment will be needed to meet the demand for nurses with such skills.

As noted, however, despite its promise for improving patient care and community health, technology can also exacerbate existing disparities ( Ibrahim et al., 2020 ). For example, people who lack access to broadband Internet and/or devices are unable to take advantage of such technologies as remote monitoring and telehealth appointments ( Wise, 2012 ). Older adults, people with limited formal education, those living in rural and remote areas, and the poor are less likely to have access to the Internet. As health care becomes more reliant on technology, these groups are likely to fall behind ( Arcaya and Figueroa, 2017 ). In addition, such technologies as artificial intelligence and algorithmic decision-making tools may exacerbate inequities by reflecting existing biases ( Ibrahim et al., 2020 ). Nursing education needs to prepare nurses to understand these potential downsides of technology in order to prevent and mitigate them. This has become a particularly critical issue during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the rapid shift to telehealth potentially having consequences for those with low digital literacy, limited English proficiency, and a lack of access to the Internet ( Velasquez and Mehrotra, 2020 ).

Not all nurses will need to acquire all of the key technological competencies; curricula can be developed according to the likely needs of nurses working at different levels. For example, most nurses will need the knowledge and skills to use telehealth, digital health tools, and data-driven clinical decision-making skills in practice, whereas nurse informaticians and some doctoral-level nurses will need to be versed in device design, bias assessment in algorithms, and big data analysis.

• EXPANDING LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

As stated previously, the domains and competencies enumerated above cannot be conveyed to nursing students through traditional lectures alone. Building the competencies to address population health, SDOH, and health inequities will require substantive experiential learning, collaborative learning, an integrated curriculum, and continuing professional development throughout nurses’ careers ( IOM, 2016b ). The 2019 Campaign for Action survey of nursing educators and leaders found that a majority of respondents identified “innovative community clinical experiences” and “interprofessional education experiences” as the top methods for teaching population health ( Campaign for Action, 2019b ). A recurrent theme in interviews with respondents was the importance of active and experiential learning, with opportunities for partnering with nontraditional agencies ( Campaign for Action, 2019b ). These types of community-based educational opportunities, particularly when they involve partnerships with others, are critical for nursing education for multiple reasons.

First, experience in the community is essential to understanding SDOH and gaining the competencies necessary to advance health equity ( IOM, 2016b ). In fact, restricting education in SDOH to the classroom may even be harmful, given the finding of a 2016 study that medical students who learned about SDOH in the classroom rather than through experiential learning demonstrated an increase in negative attitudes toward medically underserved populations ( Schmidt et al., 2016 ).

Second, community-based education offers opportunities for students to engage with community partners from other sectors, such as government offices of housing and transportation or community organizations, preparing them for the essential work of participating in and leading partnerships to address SDOH. An example is a pilot interdisciplinary partnership between a school of nursing and a city fire department in the Pacific Northwest that allows students to practice such skills as motivational interviewing to identify the range of problems (e.g., transportation issues, difficulty accessing insurance or providers, lack of caregiving support) faced by people calling emergency services ( Yoder and Pesch, 2020 ).

Third, nursing is increasingly practiced in community settings, such as schools and workplaces, as well as through home health care ( WHO, 2015 ). Nursing students are prepared to practice in hospitals, but do not necessarily receive the same training and preparation for these other environments ( Bjørk et al., 2014 ). Education in the community allows nursing students to learn about the broad range of care environments and to work collaboratively with other professionals who work in these environments. For example, students may work in a team with community health workers, social workers, and those from other sectors (e.g., housing and transportation), work that both enriches the experience of student nurses and creates bridges between nursing and other fields ( Zandee et al., 2010) . Nurses who have these experiences during school may then be more prepared to lead and participate in multisector efforts to address SDOH—the importance of which is emphasized throughout this report—once they enter practice. Evidence suggests that graduating students are more likely to seek work in areas that are familiar to them from their education, clinical experience, and theoretical training ( Jamshidi et al., 2016 ); thus, these nontraditional educational experiences may increase the number of nurses interested in working in the community. Moreover, while training in acute care settings has often been regarded as more valuable than that provided in community settings, evidence indicates that the two offer comparable opportunities for learning clinical skills ( Morton et al., 2019 ). In fact, clinical care in community-based settings can present greater complexity relative to that in the hospital, and some technical skills (e.g., epidemiologic disease tracking, tuberculosis assessment and management, immunizations) are more available in community than in acute care settings ( Morton et al., 2019 ).

Some nursing programs have incorporated community-based experiential learning into their programs. At community colleges and universities, schools have implemented nurse-managed clinics that serve the local population and their own students while also giving students technical skills and experience in interacting with the community. Lewis and Clark Community College, for example, operates a mobile health unit that brings health and dental care to six counties in southern Illinois ( Lewis and Clark, n.d. ), while nursing students at Alleghany College of Maryland can gain experience in the Nurse Managed Wellness Clinic, which offers such services as immunizations, screenings, and physicals ( Alleghany College, 2020 ). At the baccalaureate and master’s level, a number of schools offer longitudinal, integrated experiences in settings as varied as federally qualified health centers (FQHCs), public health departments, homeless shelters, public housing sites, public libraries, and residential addiction programs ( AACN, 2020c ). Students and faculty at the University of Washington School of Nursing, for example, support community-oriented projects in partnership with three underserved communities in the Seattle area. Graduate students work for 1 year on grassroots projects (e.g., food banks, school health) and then reinforce this experience with 1 year of work at the policy level ( AACN, 2020c ). At the doctoral level, Washburn University transformed its DNP curriculum to incorporate SDOH and reinforce that instruction through experiential learning in the community (see Box 7-6 ). In addition to clinical education, nursing students can participate in nontraditional clinical community engagement and service learning opportunities, such as volunteering at a homeless shelter or working in a service internship for a community organization. These opportunities get students into the community, help them build relationships with people from health care and other sectors, and promote understanding of and engagement with SDOH ( Bandy, 2011 ).

Pine Ridge Family Health Center.

Simulation-Based Education

Simulation-based education is another useful tool for teaching nursing concepts and developing competencies and skills ( Kononowicz et al., 2019 ; Poore et al., 2014 ; Shin et al., 2015 ). It can range from very low-tech (e.g., using oranges to practice injections) to very high-tech (e.g., a virtual reality emergency room “game”), but all simulations share the ability to bridge the gap between education and practice by imparting skills in a low-risk environment ( SSIH, n.d. ).

Simulations give students an opportunity to make real-time decisions and interact with virtual patients without having to face many of the challenges of traditional clinical education ( Hayden et al., 2014 ). They can be used to enhance many types of skills, including communication ( NASEM, 2018b ), cultural sensitivity ( Lau et al., 2016 ), and screening for SDOH ( Thornton and Persaud, 2018 ). Several simulation-based tools are available for learning about the realities of poverty, such as the Community Action Poverty Simulation (see Box 7-7 ) and the Cost of Poverty Experience ( ThinkTank, n.d. ). Such tools can help nurses identify ways in which their practice could directly mitigate the effects of poverty on individuals, families, and communities. Evaluations of poverty simulations have found that they can positively impact attitudes toward poverty and empathy among nurses and nursing students ( Phillips et al., 2020 ; Turk and Colbert, 2018 ), although one study noted that the simulations should be accompanied by the inclusion of social justice concepts throughout the curriculum to achieve lasting change ( Menzel et al., 2014 ).

The Community Action Poverty Simulation.

Individual schools may or may not have the resources or faculty to support some types of simulation activities. For those that do not, simulation centers shared by schools of multiple professions and hospitals can provide access ( Marken et al., 2010 ). For example, the New York Simulation (NYSIM) Center was created through a public–private partnership to manage interprofessional, simulation-based education for students and hospital employees across multiple sites ( NYSIM, 2017 ). The opportunity to take part in simulation experiences with students from other health professions can also improve collaboration and teamwork and prepare nurses for practicing interprofessionally in the workplace (von Wendt and Niemi-Murola, 2018 ).

Limitations on in-person clinical training during the COVID-19 pandemic conditions have demonstrated the promise of simulation-based education as a way to supplement traditional nursing education, allowing students to complete their education and sustaining the nursing workforce pipeline ( Horn, 2020 ; Jiménez-Rodríguez et al., 2020 ; Yale, 2020 ). Before the pandemic, the NCSBN conducted a longitudinal, randomized controlled trial of the use of simulation and concluded that substituting simulation-based education for up to half of a nursing student’s clinical hours produces comparable educational outcomes and students who are ready to practice ( Hayden et al., 2014 ). The COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated and accelerated the use of simulation to replace direct care experience in nursing schools, and state boards of nursing have loosened previous restrictions on its use ( NCSBN, 2020b ). Evaluation of this expanded use of simulation and other virtual experiences during the pandemic is needed, both in preparation for future emergencies and for use in nursing education generally.

• RECRUITING AND SUPPORTING DIVERSE PROSPECTIVE NURSES

The composition of the population of prospective nurses and the ways they are supported throughout their education are important factors in how prepared the future nursing workforce will be to address SDOH and health equity. As discussed in prior chapters, developing a more diverse nursing workforce will be key to achieving the goals of reducing health disparities, providing culturally relevant care for all populations, and fostering health equity (Center for Health Affairs, 2018 ; IOM, 2011 , 2016 ; Williams et al., 2014 ). A diverse workforce is one that reflects the variations in the nation’s population in such characteristics as socioeconomic status, religion, sexual orientation, gender, race, ethnicity, and geographic origin.

The nursing workforce has historically been overwhelmingly White and female, although it is steadily becoming more diverse (see Chapter 3 ). The 2016 IOM report assessing progress on the 2011 The Future of Nursing report notes that shifting the demographics of the overall workforce is inevitably a slow process since only a small percentage of the workforce leaves and enters each year ( IOM, 2016a ). The pipeline of students entering the field, on the other hand, can respond much more rapidly to efforts to increase diversity ( IOM, 2016a ). Since the 2011 report was published, significant gains have been realized in the diversity of nursing students. The number of graduates from historically underrepresented ethnic and racial groups more than doubled for BSN programs, more than tripled for entry-level master’s programs, and more than doubled for PhD programs ( AACN, 2020a ). The number of underrepresented students graduating from DNP programs grew by more than 1,000 percent, although this gain was due in large part to rapid growth in these programs generally. Yet, despite these gains, nursing students remain largely female and White: in 2019, 85–90 percent of students were female, and around 60 percent were White. The percentages of ADN, BSN, entry-level master’s, PhD, and DNP graduates in 2019 by race/ethnicity and gender are shown in Tables 7-3 and 7-4 , respectively. For example, the proportion of Hispanic or Latino nurses is highest among ADN graduates (12.8 percent) and lowest among PhD (5.5 percent) and DNP (6 percent) graduates, while the proportion of Asian nurses is highest among MSN graduates (11.2 percent) and lower among graduates with all other degrees. The proportion of PhD graduates who are male (9.9 percent) is significantly lower than the proportion of graduates with other degrees who are male.

Nursing Program Graduates by Degree Type and by Race/Ethnicity, 2019.

Nursing Program Graduates by Degree Type and Gender, 2019.

Diversifying and strengthening the nursing student body—and eventually, the nursing workforce—requires cultivating an inclusive environment, recruiting and admitting a diverse group of students, and providing students with support and addressing barriers to their success throughout their academic career and into practice. In addition, it is essential to make available information that will enable prospective students to make informed decisions about their education and give them multiple pathways for completing their education (e.g., distance learning, accelerated programs). Accrediting bodies can play a role in advancing diversity and inclusion in nursing schools by requiring certain policies, practices, or systems. For example, the accreditation standards for medical schools of the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) include the following expectation ( LCME, 2018 ):

A medical school has effective policies and practices in place, and engages in ongoing, systematic, and focused recruitment and retention activities, to achieve mission appropriate diversity outcomes among its students, faculty, senior administrative staff, and other relevant members of its academic community. These activities include the use of programs and/or partnerships aimed at achieving diversity among qualified applicants for medical school admission and the evaluation of program and partnership outcomes.

Currently, none of the major nursing accreditors (ACEN, CCNE, CNEA) includes similar language in its accreditation standards. As shown in Table 7-5 , of six possible areas for standards on diversity and inclusion, ACEN and CCEN have standards only for student training, while CNEA has standards for student training and faculty diversity. No nursing accreditors have standards for student diversity; in comparison, accrediting bodies for pharmacy, physician assistant, medical, and dental schools all have such standards.

Diversity and Inclusion in Accreditation Standards.

Cultivating an Inclusive Environment

Efforts to recruit and educate prospective nurses to serve a diverse population and advance health equity will be fruitless unless accompanied by efforts to acknowledge and dismantle racism within nursing education and nursing practice ( Burnett et al., 2020 ; Schroeder and DiAngelo, 2010 ; Villaruel and Broome, 2020 ; Waite and Nardi, 2019 ). The structural, individual, and ideological racism that exists in nursing is rarely called out, and this silence further entrenches the idea of Whiteness as the norm within nursing while marginalizing and silencing other groups and their perspectives ( Burnett et al., 2020 ; Iheduru-Anderson, 2020 ; Schroeder and DiAngelo, 2010 ). Non-White students report a wide variety of negative experiences in nursing school, including unsupportive faculty, discrimination and microaggressions 5 on the part of faculty and peers, bias in grading, loneliness and social isolation, feeling unwelcome and excluded, being viewed as a homogeneous population despite being from varying racial/ethnic groups, lack of support for career choices, and a lack of mentors ( Ackerman-Barger et al., 2020 ; Graham et al., 2016 ; Johansson et al., 2011 ; Loftin et al., 2012 ; Metzger et al., 2020 ). These experiences are associated with adverse outcomes that include disengagement from education, loss of “self,” negative perceptions of inclusivity and diversity at the institution, and institutions’ inability to recruit and retain a diversity of students ( Metzger et al., 2020 ). By contrast, when students characterize the learning environment as inclusive, they are more satisfied and confident in their learning and rate themselves higher on clinical self-efficacy and clinical belongingness ( Metzger and Taggart, 2020 ).

Notably, however, underrepresented and majority students describe inclusive environments differently. In a study of fourth-year baccalaureate nursing students, both groups described an inclusive classroom as one where they felt comfortable and respected and had a sense of belonging, but underrepresented minority students also noted the importance of feeling safe, feeling free from hostility, and being seen as themselves and not a representative of their group ( Metzger and Taggart, 2020 ). Both groups agreed that inclusivity requires a top-down approach, and that faculty are particularly influential in creating an inclusive environment, yet underrepresented students shared many experiences in which faculty either disrupted the sense of belonging or did not intervene when someone else did ( Metzger and Taggart, 2020 ).

While increased attention has recently been focused on increasing diversity in nursing education, the pervasiveness of racism requires more open acknowledgment and discussion and a systematic and intentional approach that may, as discussed earlier, be uncomfortable for some ( Ackerman-Barger et al., 2020 ; Villaruel and Broome, 2020 ). Cultivating an inclusive environment requires acknowledging and challenging racism in all aspects of the educational experience, including curricula, institutional policies and structures, pedagogical strategies, and the formal and informal distribution of resources and power ( Iheduru-Anderson, 2020 ; Koschmann et al., 2020 ; Metzger and Taggart, 2020 ; Schroeder and DiAngelo, 2010 ; Villaruel and Broome, 2020 ; Waite and Nardi, 2019 ). Nursing school curricula have historically focused on the contributions of White and female nurses ( Waite and Nardi, 2019 ). The weight given to this curricular content sends a message to students—both White students and students of color—about what faculty consider important ( Villaruel and Broome, 2020 ). Moving forward, curricula need to include a critical examination of the history of racism within nursing and an acknowledgment and celebration of the contribution of nurses of color ( Waite and Nardi, 2019 ). Such efforts need to be led by a broad group of individuals from all levels within an institution; racism in institutional practices can be so ingrained that it is difficult for those with power to recognize ( Villaruel and Broome, 2020 ). Faculty often understand the importance of an inclusive learning environment, but struggle with moving from intention to action (Beard, 2013, 2014 ; Metzger et al., 2020 ).

While institutional efforts to change organizational culture are thoroughly described in the literature, they remain too rare to address the problems described above effectively ( Breslin et al., 2018 ). In the early 2000s, the University of Washington School of Nursing implemented a project designed to change the “climate of whiteness” at the school ( Schroeder and DiAngelo, 2010 ). The project involved many facets, including year-long antiracist workshops; a comprehensive and institutionalized diversity statement; and action plans for addressing admission barriers, encouraging ongoing education for faculty, and disseminating antiracist information to the entire campus. The authors of an evaluation of the project note that while initial feedback was positive, changing the sociopolitical climate of a school is a long-term process that requires institutional commitment, innovative leadership, long- and short-term strategies, and patience ( Schroeder and DiAngelo, 2010 ). Unfortunately, many administrators and leaders may hesitate to initiate dialogues about these issues or may lack knowledge of how to address the challenges, and in many institutions, faculty and administrators from underserved groups have been expected to carry this burden, which can allow their colleagues to remain passive ( Lim et al., 2015 ). The committee stresses that addressing racism and discrimination within the nursing profession requires more than mere programs or statements; it requires developing action-oriented strategies, holding difficult conversations about privilege, dismantling long-standing structures and traditions, conducting curricular reviews to detect biases and correct as necessary, and exploring how interpersonal and structural racism shapes the student experience both consciously and unconsciously ( Burnett et al., 2020 ; Iheduru-Anderson, 2020 ; Waite and Nardi, 2019 ).

Recruitment and Admissions

Many social and structural barriers impede the entry of underrepresented students into the nursing profession ( NACNEP, 2019 ). Several approaches can be taken to improve access for prospective underrepresented students and, by extension, increase the diversity of the nursing workforce. Recruitment of underrepresented students can start years before nursing school through such approaches as improved K–12 science education ( AAPCHO, 2009 ) and outreach to junior high and high school students, such as through summer pipeline programs ( Katz et al., 2016 ) or health career clubs ( Murray et al., 2016 ). K–12 education is particularly important for sparking students’ interest in the health professions, as well as for giving them the foundational knowledge necessary for success ( NASEM, 2016b ). One innovative approach to preparing young people for a career in nursing is the Rhode Island Nurses Institute Middle College Charter High School (RINIMC). RINIMC offers a free, 4-year, nursing-focused, high school education open to any student in Rhode Island; students graduate with experience in health care as well as up to 20 college credits. Nearly half of the program’s students are Latinx, and more than one-third are Black ( RINIMC, n.d. ). Establishing a pathway to nursing education for diverse students well before undergraduate school is important, particularly for first-generation students ( Katz et al., 2016 ; McCue, 2017 ). Some states offer dual enrollment programs. An example is Ohio’s College Credit Plus program, in which students in grades 7 to 12 have the opportunity to earn college and high school credits simultaneously, thus preparing them for postsecondary success. 6

Once students have applied to nursing school, a system of holistic admissions can improve the diversity of the incoming class ( Glazer et al., 2016 , 2020 ). A holistic admissions system involves evaluating an applicant based not only on academic achievement but also on experiences, attributes, potential contributions, and the fit between the applicant and the institutional mission ( DeWitty, 2018 ; NACNEP, 2019 ). Schools that have implemented such a system have seen an increase in the diversity of their student body ( Glazer et al., 2016 , 2018 ). Academic measures (e.g., graduation and exam pass rates) have remained unchanged or improved, and schools have reported increases in such measures as student engagement, cooperation and teamwork, and openness to different perspectives ( Artinian et al., 2017 ; Glazer et al., 2016 , 2020 ). In a recent paper published by AACN (2020d) , the following promising practices in holistic admissions were identified: (1) review institutional mission, vision, and values statements to ensure that they value diversity and inclusion; (2) create an “experience, attributes, and metrics (E-A-M) model” (p. 16) that connects back to the institution’s mission statement; (3) identify recruitment practices that align with the E-A-M model; (4) design rubrics to be used by admissions committees that are reflective of the E-A-M model; (5) engage faculty and staff in the holistic admissions review process; (6) use technology resources such as a centralized application system to maintain efficiencies; (7) develop tailored support services for underrepresented students; and (8) engage in a review and assessment of the entire process.

Addressing Barriers to Success

Part of cultivating an inclusive educational environment is acknowledging and addressing barriers that may prevent students from achieving their potential. As noted previously, some students—particularly those from underrepresented groups—may need support in a number of areas, including economic, social and emotional, and academic and career progression. Attention to the barriers faced by students is essential at each step along the pathway from high school preparation; to recruitment, admission, retention, and academic success in nursing school; to graduation and placement in a job; to retention and advancement within a nursing career ( IOM, 2016b ).

Providing Economic Supports

Cost is a key factor in decisions about nursing education for most students, and is particularly salient for those from underrepresented groups, who come disproportionately from families with comparatively low incomes and levels of wealth ( Diefenbeck et al., 2016 ; Graham et al., 2016 ; Sullivan, 2004 ). Sabio and Petges (2020) interviewed associate’s degree nursing students in a Midwestern state and found that the total cost of a baccalaureate degree and student debt was the greatest barrier to pursuing a degree, followed by family and personal, such as head-of-household, responsibilities. This challenge is pervasive in higher education, and there are indications that the problem is growing (Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance, 2013 ). Students need to have the financial resources not only for tuition but also for an array of education-related expenses, including housing, food, work attire, books, and supplies.

Providing clear information about the costs of nursing education and available financial supports early in the recruitment and admission process is key to identifying those who need help and encouraging them to enroll ( Pritchard et al., 2016 ). Recruitment and admission practices need to take into account student finances and how future salaries affect choices, particularly for certain groups of students. Most health care systems provide some level of tuition reimbursement for baccalaureate and higher education, and this support may lead students toward certain settings (e.g., acute care) and away from others (e.g., public health, primary care) ( Larsen, 2012 ). Other financial support options are available, including the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, which offers full forgiveness after 10 years for employees of nonprofit or government organizations ( U.S. Department of Education, n.d.b ), and programs through HRSA that award loan repayment to RNs and advanced practice nurses who work in health professions shortage areas for at least 2 years ( HRSA, 2021 ).

State policy reform can help remove some of the structural barriers to education. For example, New York State has implemented a program that allows New York households earning less than $125,000 annually to qualify for free instate tuition at state public universities ( New York State, n.d. ). New nurses who complete an associate’s degree in New York are required to complete a bachelor’s degree within 10 years of graduation; free in-state tuition could make a considerable difference for these nurses in pursuing their next degree. While it is too early to assess the effects on the composition of the nursing workforce, this approach bears further evaluation. Certainly it is critical for state policies to facilitate the financing of nursing education using models other than additional student loans. There are demonstrated disparities in the burden of student debt between Black and White students (Brookings Institution, 2016 ), and the risk of assuming large amounts of debt for students from disadvantaged backgrounds may be one they cannot afford to take. Therefore, innovative financing models are necessary to ensure that all nurses can pursue educational opportunities.

It is also important to note that as they progress in their education, students of many backgrounds may experience food insecurity, struggles with housing, or issues with transportation that affect their ability to perform ( AAC&U, 2019 ; Laterman, 2019 ; Strauss, 2020 ). Institutions need to ensure that students’ basic needs are met during their studies through sustained, multiyear funding and resources to support students facing financial emergencies.

Social and Academic Supports

Once students have been admitted, some nursing schools offer programs, such as summer programs that bridge high school and college, designed to prepare them academically and socially for the rigors of nursing education. Some of these programs are designed specifically for underrepresented and/or first-generation college students ( Pritchard et al., 2016 ), who may lack adequate family, emotional, and moral support; mentorship opportunities; professional socialization; and academic support ( Banister et al., 2014 ; Loftin et al., 2012 ). A study at the University of Cincinnati College of Nursing found that the impact of its summer bridge program lasted throughout the first year of school, and that grade point averages and retention were similar between underrepresented and majority students ( Pritchard et al., 2016 ). The Recruitment & Retention of American Indians into Nursing (RAIN) program at the University of North Dakota conducts a “No Excuses Orientation” workshop to give incoming American Indian students an opportunity to create connections and become acquainted with people and resources at the university ( UND, 2020 ). Tribal leaders are included in the orientation, along with discussions of cultural and family values and issues.

Another approach for supporting students is through mentoring programs. As discussed in Chapter 9 , these programs create supportive environments by providing peer and faculty role modeling, academic guidance, and support ( Wilson et al., 2010 ). Evidence indicates that mentoring programs for students from underrepresented groups are more effective when they include nurses and faculty from those groups, who have firsthand understanding of the unique challenges these students and nurses regularly confront ( Banister et al., 2014 ). This observation underscores the need for diverse faculty, mentors, and preceptors with the availability and willingness to guide these students and teach them leadership. For example, the RAIN program provides mentoring to American Indian students; staff and leaders are heavily involved in the local American Indian communities, and many are tribal members themselves (Minority Nurse, 2013 ).

Students who represent the first generation in their families to enter a postsecondary institution may face challenges other students do not, and are more likely to graduate if they receive support ( Costello et al., 2018 ). Parents and significant others can be a crucial source of support ( Pritchard et al., 2020 ); socializing and educating family members about the rigors of nursing programs may facilitate their support for students. A variety of programs around the country have succeeded in increasing graduation rates among first-generation students, including pipeline programs that have successfully increased the diversity of candidates entering nursing. These programs include HRSA pipeline programs; HOSA-Future Health Professionals; and university-based programs such as the Niganawenimaanaanig program at Bemidji State University in Minnesota, created to support American Indian nursing students ( HOSA, 2012 ; HRSA, 2017 ; Wilkie, 2020 ). Federal funding is available for these types of programs from sources that include HRSA’s Health Careers Opportunity Program and Nursing Workforce Diversity Grant program. However, the need for such programs exceeds the available funding. Box 7-8 lists some of the ways in which nursing programs can support their students’ success.

Examples of Supports for Nursing Students.

Data on Quality

One important tool for recruiting a more diverse student population is providing relevant data to prospective students so they can make informed decisions about where to study. These data could include NCLEX pass rates; however, these rates alone are insufficient to determine whether a school is likely to have the resources to support a student through to graduation. Data on student retention, graduation by demographic, full cost to attend, tuition, and other quality indicators can signal to both consumers and funders whether a nursing education program has the necessary infrastructure and support to retain students from diverse backgrounds. Pass rates can be reported by race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, first-time college/university attendees, adult learners with children living at home, and status as an English as a second language (ESL) learner to help students choose a program that best suits their needs. It is also important for schools to provide on their websites demographic information about their current enrollees. As discussed above, NCSBN identified additional quality indicators for nursing education; as these indicators begin to be measured and reported, the data can help prospective students make more informed choices.

Educational Pathways and Options

As nursing education programs adapt their curricula and other learning experiences to better address SDOH and health equity, it will be important to consider the educational pathways students may follow, both in their initial preparation and as they progress in their careers. A key way of strengthening the nursing workforce will be to encourage nurses to pursue the next level of education and certification available to them and to improve access to these educational opportunities, especially for those from underrepresented communities ( Jones et al., 2018 ; Phillips and Malone, 2014 ).

One way to improve access and encourage nurses to take the next step in their education is by offering expedited programs that allow them to complete their degree in less time. For example, there are articulation agreements, either among educational institutions or at the state or regional level, that align the content and requirements of programs. These types of agreements accelerate the RN-to-BSN and RN-to-MSN pathways and allow students to easily transfer credits between community colleges and universities ( AACN, 2019b ). There are also bridge programs available for LPNs who wish to pursue the ADN or BSN degree. Investments in articulation programs have been responsible in part for an increase in the number of employed nurses with a baccalaureate degree, from 49 percent in 2010 to 59 percent in 2019 ( Campaign for Action, n.d. ). Further progress in this area is needed, however, particularly for partnerships between baccalaureate nursing programs and academic institutions that serve underrepresented populations (e.g., tribal colleges, historically Black colleges and universities). A model of this type of partnership can be found in the New Mexico Nursing Education Consortium, 7 which coordinates prelicensure nursing curricula in 16 locations at state, tribal, and community colleges.

Nursing education can also be expedited through the use of a competency-based curriculum that allows students to progress by demonstrating the required competencies rather than meeting specific hour requirements ( U.S. Department of Education, n.d.a ). With this approach, which is currently used, for example, by Western Governors University, students can self-pace their education and potentially save time and money by learning the material quickly or tapping previous knowledge ( WGU, 2020 ). This type of educational approach may be particularly useful for nontraditional students who are entering nursing with other experiences and education. For example, a person with a background as a nursing or medical assistant may find that he or she can quickly master some of the required material for a nursing degree, particularly at the beginning. Workers from other sectors may also be able to pivot to nursing. During the COVID-19 pandemic, a study identified health care jobs, such as nursing assistant, that out-of-work hospitality workers could quickly transition to pursue ( Miller and Haley, 2020 ). While the study did not include jobs that required further education or certification, the shared skill sets that the authors identified include many skills that are central to nursing.

Another approach for increasing access to nursing education is to expand the use of distance learning opportunities. Distance learning gives students flexibility, and may be particularly beneficial for those from rural areas or other areas without a nursing school in the vicinity ( NCSBN, 2020b ). Rural areas face multiple challenges: rural populations have high rates of chronic disease and have difficulty accessing care because of provider shortages in these areas (see Chapter 2 ). Relative to their urban counterparts, rural nurses are less likely to hold a BSN ( Merrell et al., 2020 ). Distance learning has been used for many years to reach rural populations, but there are challenges with respect to regulation and ensuring the quality of education ( NCSBN, 2020a ). Efforts have been made to assess and improve the quality of distance learning; Quality Matters, for example, is an organization that provides peer-reviewed evaluation of distance or hybrid programs using a set of quality standards. 8 While many nursing programs are adhering to these standards ( Quality Matters, 2020 ), many are not, and the quality of distance learning remains uneven. The rapid rollout of distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic has provided a unique opportunity to evaluate the effectiveness of different strategies for distance learning and to leverage this experience to expand and improve distance learning opportunities in the future.

• STRENGTHENING AND DIVERSIFYING THE NURSING FACULTY

A system of nursing education that can prepare students from diverse backgrounds to address SDOH and health equity requires a diverse faculty ( NACNEP, 2019 ; Thornton and Persaud, 2018 ). Unfortunately, the faculty currently teaching in nursing programs is overwhelmingly White and female: as of 2018, full-time faculty in nursing schools were about 93 percent female, and only 17.3 percent were from underrepresented groups, up from 11.5 percent in 2009 ( AACN, 2020c ).

In addition to this lack of diversity, the number of faculty may be inadequate to prepare the next generation of nurses: not only were there 1,637 faculty vacancies in 2019 across 892 nursing schools, but the schools surveyed hoped to create 134 new faculty positions in that year ( AACN, 2020c ). These shortages contributed to decisions to turn away more than 80,000 qualified applicants, although other insufficiencies also played a part. The AACN report cites several key reasons for faculty shortages: increasing average age of faculty members and associated increasing retirement rates, high compensation in other settings that attracts current and potential nurse educators, and an insufficient pool of graduates from master’s and doctoral programs ( AACN, 2020c ; Fang and Bednash, 2017 ). A 2020 NACNEP report calls the faculty shortage a “long-standing crisis threatening the supply, education, and training of registered nurses” and recommends federal efforts as well as a coordinated private–public response to address the shortage ( NACNEP, 2020 ).

Finally, faculty must have the knowledge, skills, and competencies to prepare their students for the challenges of advancing health equity and fully understanding the implications of SDOH for their daily practice ( NACNEP, 2019 ). If health equity and SDOH are to be integrated throughout the curriculum (as discussed earlier in this chapter), all faculty, including tenure-track faculty, clinical instructors, mentors, and preceptors, must have these competencies ( Thornton and Persaud, 2018 ). To develop these competencies, nursing schools must commit resources and support to faculty development ( Thornton and Persaud, 2018 ).

Diversifying the Faculty

As noted, diverse faculty are needed to broaden the perspectives and experiences to which nursing students are exposed and to serve as mentors and role models for diverse students ( Phillips and Malone, 2014 ). Unfortunately, minority faculty members often face barriers similar to those faced by students, including an unwelcoming environment; feeling marginalized, underappreciated, and invisible; a lack of support; feelings of tokenism; and the inability to integrate into existing faculty structures ( Beard and Julion, 2016 ; Hamilton and Haozous, 2017 ; Iheduru-Anderson, 2020 ; Kolade, 2016 ; Salvucci and Lawless, 2016 ; Whitfield-Harris and Lockhart, 2016 ). Faculty from underrepresented groups report feeling isolated, lacking in mentorship and collegial support, and burdened by having to represent the entire underrepresented community ( Kolade, 2016 ; Whitfield-Harris et al., 2017 ). In addition, as discussed in Chapter 9 , faculty from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups face a “diversity tax,” in which they are asked to be part of efforts to improve diversity and inclusion to serve on committees; mentor underrepresented students; and participate in other activities that are uncompensated, unacknowledged, and unrewarded ( Gewin, 2020 ). These demands on underrepresented faculty can lead to frustration, burnout, and a feeling that they have been given responsibility for institutional diversity ( Gewin, 2020 ).

These experiences of minority faculty can result in high attrition and low satisfaction ( Whitfield-Harris et al., 2017 ), and further research is needed on specific ways in which institutions can recruit and support a diverse faculty ( Whitfield-Harris et al., 2017 ). Proposed approaches include cultivating an inclusive educational environment ( Hamilton and Haozous, 2017 ), taking intentional action and holding open discourse to strengthen the institutional commitment to diversity ( Beard and Julion, 2016 ), improving financial assistance and mentorship opportunities for faculty ( Salvucci and Lawless, 2016 ), and conducting climate surveys to better understand the feelings and experiences of underrepresented faculty and using these data to improve the institutional culture ( DeWitty and Murray, 2020 ). The challenges these faculty face and the opportunities to address these challenges highlight the importance of efforts by schools of nursing to recruit, support, and retain diverse faculty.

Faculty Development

Collectively, nursing school faculty need to be prepared to teach their students about the complex linkages among population health, SDOH, and health outcomes ( NLN, 2019 ; Thornton and Persaud, 2018 ). To do so, as discussed above, nurse educators need to move beyond teaching abstract principles to integrating the core concepts and competencies related to these linkages into the entire learning experience across nursing education programs. They also need to create a truly inclusive and safe educational environment and prepare nurses to care for a diverse population, which, as discussed above, requires that they understand issues of racism and systems of marginalization and engage in critical self-reflection ( O’Connor et al., 2019 , Peek et al., 2020 ). Yet, many faculty in nursing schools lack the knowledge and experience needed to develop curricula and strategies for incorporating SDOH into all areas of nursing education ( NACNEP, 2019 ; Valderama-Wallace and Apesoa-Varano, 2019 ).

Several approaches are available for preparing nursing school faculty to teach content related to SDOH and health equity. One approach, discussed above, is to actively recruit more diverse faculty who reflect the nation’s population and provide different perspectives and role models for students ( The Macy Foundation, 2020 ). Another approach is to encourage the development and dissemination of evidence-based methods for teaching nursing students how they can incorporate these core concepts into nursing practice. For example, educators involved in developing innovative models of classroom and experiential learning could focus on disseminating these models with the assistance of nursing associations and organizations, including through publication, continuing education programs, or faculty-to-faculty education and mentoring. Finally, institutions can provide in-depth and sustained learning opportunities for faculty, staff, and preceptors focused on how they can support their students in learning about SDOH and health equity both within and outside of the classroom ( IOM, 2016b ). While some funding sources are available for these types of efforts, including support from private foundations and HRSA grants for faculty development, the critical importance of this content to health outcomes argues for providing more such resources.

• IMPLICATIONS OF COVID-19 FOR NURSING EDUCATION

It has been 100 years since a global event has had an impact on nursing education in the United States and around the world equal to that of the COVID-19 pandemic. Both World War I and the influenza pandemic of 1918 to 1920 led to transformations in nursing education, including standardization of training and professionalization of the field. The COVID-19 pandemic has already led to innovations that are likely to shape the future of nursing education. Faculty have adopted new teaching strategies, demonstrating creativity and adaptability, within a span of days or weeks, while such technologies as simulation-based education have quickly been adapted to replace in-person clinical hours ( Jiménez-Rodríguez et al., 2020 ). In one example of a rapid pivot, educators at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing transitioned a community immersion course from in-person to virtual form when all in-person classes were canceled. While they faced challenges, the educators found that students were able to remain dedicated to their community partnerships and to think creatively about how to meet their learning objectives ( Flores et al., 2020 ). These and similar innovations may ultimately guide the way to expanding and improving nursing education.

At the same time, however, the pandemic has highlighted challenges and inequities in nursing education. Simulated clinical experiences are practical only if a school and its students have access to computers with enough power to run the software, for example. While online learning has been in use for more than a decade, not all schools or faculty are prepared to deliver content in this way, nor are all students capable of accessing the necessary technology. Moreover, as practice settings have been emptied of non-COVID patients, programs have been facing multiple challenges in providing students with sufficient hours of instruction, training, and clinical practice. These challenges have underscored the limitations of traditional ways of educating nurses even as they have presented unique opportunities for innovation. To translate these short-term challenges into long-term improvements in nursing education will require

• evaluation of such practices as distance learning and virtual experiential learning to identify and disseminate best practices;
• a sense of urgency in the development of substantial changes, such as modifications of curriculum and the adoption of new technologies; and
• partnership with public- and private-sector organizations, associations, and researchers that can bring both resources and expertise to the tasks of strengthening nursing education.
• CONCLUSIONS

Currently, most nursing schools tend to cover the topics of SDOH, health equity, and population health in isolated, stand-alone courses. This approach is insufficient for creating a foundational understanding of these critical issues and for preparing nurses to work in a wide variety of settings. This content needs to be integrated and sustained throughout nursing school curricula and paired with community-based experiential opportunities whereby students can apply their knowledge, build their skills, and reflect on their experiences.

Conclusion 7-1: A curriculum embedded in coursework and experiential learning that effectively prepares students to promote health equity, reduce health disparities, and improve the health and well-being of the population will build the capacity of the nursing workforce.

Preparing nursing students to address SDOH and improve health equity will require more than didactic learning and traditional clinical experiences. It will require that students engage actively in experiences that will expand and diversify their understanding of nursing practice, prepare them to care for diverse populations with empathy, and allow them to build the necessary skills and competencies for the nursing practice of tomorrow.

Conclusion 7-2: Increasing the number of nurses with PhD degrees who focus on the connections among social determinants of health, health disparities, health equity, and overall health and well-being will build the evidence base in this area. Building capacity in schools of nursing will require financial resources, including scholarship/loan repayment opportunities; adequate numbers of expert faculty available to mentor; and curriculum revisions to focus more attention on social determinants of health and health equity.

Having more nurses prepared at the PhD level will help build the knowledge base in the nursing profession for other nurses to translate (DNPs) and use in practice settings (LPNs, RNs, APRNs).

Conclusion 7-3: Learning experiences that develop nursing students’ understanding of health equity, social determinants of health, and population health and prepare them to incorporate that understanding into their professional practice include opportunities to learn cultural humility and recognize one’s own implicit biases; gain experience with interprofessional collaboration and multisector partnerships to enable them to address social needs comprehensively and drive structural improvements; develop such technical competencies as use of telehealth, digital health tools, and data analytics; and gain substantive experience with delivering care in diverse community settings, such as public health departments, schools, libraries, workplaces, and neighborhood clinics.

Building a diverse nursing workforce is a critical component of the effort to prepare nurses to address SDOH and health equity. While the nursing workforce has steadily grown more diverse, nursing schools need to continue and expand their efforts to recruit, support, and mentor diverse students.

Conclusion 7-4: Successfully diversifying the nursing workforce will depend on holistic efforts to support and mentor/sponsor students and faculty from a wide range of backgrounds, including cultivating an inclusive environment; providing economic, social, professional, and academic supports; ensuring access to information on school quality; and minimizing inequities.

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See https://www ​.aacnnursing ​.org/Education-Resources ​/AACN-Essentials (accessed April 13, 2021).

See Chapter 3 for demographic information on employed nurses in the United States.

For further discussion of domains and competencies, see AACN, 2020b ; Campaign for Action, 2019b ; IOM, 2016b ; NACNEP, 2019 ; NLN, 2019 ; Thornton and Persaud, 2018 .

Not all courses are open to students from all schools.

Brief and commonplace daily indignities (see Chapter 10 ).

See https://www ​.ohiohighered ​.org/collegecreditplus (accessed April 13, 2021).

See https://www ​.nmnec.org (accessed April 13, 2021).

See https://www ​.qualitymatters.org (accessed April 13, 2021).

• Cite this Page National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; National Academy of Medicine; Committee on the Future of Nursing 2020–2030; Flaubert JL, Le Menestrel S, Williams DR, et al., editors. The Future of Nursing 2020-2030: Charting a Path to Achieve Health Equity. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2021 May 11. 7, Educating Nurses for the Future.
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Nursing Care Assistant (CNA) - Cardi/Cath Lab

Raleigh, NC, US, 27710

Duke Nursing Highlights:

• Duke University Health System is designated as a Magnet organization
• Nurses from each hospital are consistently recognized each year as North Carolina's Great 100 Nurses.
• Duke University Health System was awarded the American Board of Nursing Specialties Award for Nursing Certification Advocacy for being strong advocates of specialty nursing certification.
• Duke University Health System has 6000 + registered nurses
• Quality of Life: Living in the Triangle!
• Relocation Assistance (based on eligibility)

Nursing Care Assistant I/Health Unit Coordinator – Cardiac Cath. Lab

**5,000 commitment bonus for eligible candidates**.

Department Summary

The Duke Health Heritage Cardiology Department provides comprehensive care for individuals with a wide range of heart diseases, offering personalized treatment plans that may include medications, lifestyle adjustments, and procedures. Collaborating with specialists, they ensure optimal outcomes for complex conditions, with surgeries conducted at Duke University Hospital or Duke Raleigh Hospital. The clinic specializes in various cardiac issues, such as aortic aneurysms, arrhythmias, and valvular heart diseases. Diagnostic tests, including physical exams, cardiac risk evaluations, blood work, and advanced imaging like echocardiography, are performed in-house. The goal is to guide patients toward improved heart health through expert general cardiology and specialized care.

General Description of the Job Class

The Nursing Assistant (NA) is a patient care support partner with the Registered Nurse (RN) and/or Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) and performs work as delegated by the RN or LPN. The NA provides direct care to patients and assists with non-direct patient care unit coordination. The individual in this position is expected to perform basic care and comfort standards as well as have knowledge of the patient population needs in the assigned work area. In addition, the NA is expected to assist the RN in the care of acutely ill patients. This individual is expected to practice medical asepsis, respect the dignity and privacy of every patient and family, and to respect cultural differences during patient care. They are expected to know and adhere to all basic policies and procedures and respond appropriately during emergency situations. They are expected to maintain the patient/family environment, perform general unit upkeep, order and maintain unit equipment, and order supplies as needed, with or without direct supervision. The NA is expected to use accurate verbal and written communication and to document patient care appropriately in the electronic health record. Perform a variety of clerical duties involved in preparing, maintaining, and processing patient, unit(s) and hospital data and records to include operating the organization's patient care information systems. Individuals in this role are typically scheduled for NCA I shifts at minimum 25% of the time.

Duties and Responsibilities of this Level

• Prepare patients, equipment and supplies for specific procedures and provide manual assistance as required.
• Obtain and record patient data for medical records noting and informing RN/LPN of information collected.
• Administer treatment and personal care procedures to patients including, but not limited to, feeding, bathing, hair care, changing clothing, nail care, bed-making, assisting with ambulation, enemas, skin care, and bowel and bladder elimination; provide such additional care as required to meet the personal needs and comfort of assigned patients.
• Participate in teaching activities by reinforcing teaching instructed by RN and/or providers as needed.
• Assist providers and nurses with physical examinations by helping position patients, changing non-sterile dressing and weighing patients.
• Take and record vital signs, record I&O, and apply ice bags. Note and report any changes in patient's condition. Turn and position patients, set up and feed patients as necessary, provide patients with fresh drinking water.
• Perform fingersticks for blood glucose testing, with appropriate training, document and notify RN/LPN.
• Assist with admission, discharge, and transportation of patients. Follow standard precautions and use personal protective equipment as required.
• Collect, deliver and conduct routine tests on patient specimens. Clean assigned area; stock and replenish supplies and equipment as required.
• Participate in own professional development by maintaining required skills validation and attending educational offerings. Support the development of other staff and formal learners.
• May also perform clean dressing change for wounds over 48 hours old.
• Perform a variety of clerical tasks involved in operating the organization's patient care information system. Acknowledge orders on EMR task list, verify printout and input verified orders to request diets, treatments, nursing services, equipment and diagnostic and laboratory tests and procedures.
• Assemble and maintain patient charts from admission through discharge. Prepare and upload paper documents into the electronic medical record (EMR).
• Navigate electronic medical record, access patient information, generate reports, schedule appointments and manage task list.
• Assign nursing staff to communication systems.
• Perform other related duties incidental to the work described herein.

Required Qualifications at this Level

• Completion of a Level I - Nurse Aide education program approved by the North Carolina Board of Nursing or successful completion of the NC - approved Nurse Aide I competency test.
• High school diploma or equivalent required.

Degrees, Licensure, and/or Certification

• Currently listed as a Nursing Assistant (NA I) with the Division of Facility Services with no substantiated findings of abuse, fraud, neglect or misappropriation of property.
• BCLS certification must be maintained/completed by the end of new hire orientation, which typically takes place during the first week of employment.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Working knowledge of procedures and techniques involved in administering routine and special treatments to patients.
• Working knowledge of sanitation, personal hygiene and basic health and safety precautions applicable to work in a hospital.
• Working knowledge of the organization and physical layout of the hospital.
• Working knowledge of infection control procedures and safety precautions.
• Ability to withstand prolonged standing and walking.
• This position is very active and requires standing, walking, bending, kneeling, stooping, crouching, crawling and climbing all day. The employee must frequently lift or move objects and patients weighing over 35 pounds with assistance or appropriate lift equipment.
• Ability to understand and follow oral and written instructions.
• Ability to document and communicate pertinent information using computer and/or paper documentation tools.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with patients and hospital staff.
• Working knowledge of principles and practices of providing non- professional bedside patient care.
• Pre-employment Physical Capacity Testing may be required.

Distinguishing Characteristics of this Level

Duke is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

Essential Physical Job Functions: Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essentialjob functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.

Nearest Major Market: Durham Nearest Secondary Market: Raleigh

Duke is an Affirmative Action / Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual’s age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status. Read more about Duke’s commitment to affirmative action and nondiscrimination at hr.duke.edu/eeo.

• Professional Nurse - XHESD0003

Minimum Requirements :

• Nursing Diploma in General Nursing, Midwifery, Psychiatric Nursing (optional) and Community Nursing Science
• Registration with the South African Nursing Council
• Valid Driver's license
• Relevant experience in a similar environment

Core Responsibilities :

• To provide facility based on community and primary health care services including the ward based primary health care, outreach health services and implement primary health programmes
• Ensure sufficient planning, organising and implement work
• To implement good governance and risk control process to ensure compliance to legislation, policies and guidelines
• To implement effective stock and financial control process
• To provide quality primary health care services which is responsive to the needs of the clients/patients within the ambit of the values and guiding principles of the organization as well as the nursing profession and specialized scope of practice
• To ensure collaboration within a multi -disciplinary team and collaborate intersectorally for effective people management
• Communicating with relevant stakeholders to ensure effective rendering of ward based and primary health care services

Enquiries: Tel: 0860 54 3000

Candidates may be requested to submit proof of the NQF level applicable to the qualifications they have obtained.

Should candidates not be informed of the outcome of the application within six weeks of the closing date, it should be regarded as having been unsuccessful. The City of Ekurhuleni subscribes to the principles of the Employment Equity Act and reserves the right to appoint, not appoint or to appoint laterally.

• Personal Information may be shared by the CoE with Verification Information Suppliers for verification or other legitimate purposes;
• Personal Information may be stored indefinitely by the CoE and/or the Verification Information Suppliers.

SNAPSHOT: More than 130 adults pursue an…

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Snapshot: more than 130 adults pursue an education, career in nursing through capital region boces.

More than 130 adults are looking to change their careers or bolster their employability this fall through the Capital Region BOCES Adult Practical Nursing program. The adults range from those fresh out of high school to those looking to launch a new career, as well as those looking to climb the nursing career ladder. The full-time Adult Practical Nursing (APN) program continues into June when the program will graduate its students into the world of being a licensed practical nurse (LPN). (Photo provided)

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