Latest Nursing Capstone Project Ideas

It's a long journey from starting a nursing degree to walking across the stage to graduate. Before your journey is complete, you'll have to complete a final project that proves your understanding of the concepts you've learned. For nursing students, this usually comes in the form of a capstone project or paper. If you have the freedom to pursue the topic of your choice, we have some ideas that might inspire you. Let's take a look at some nursing capstone project ideas to help you find the perfect topic for your final assignment.

What Is a Capstone Project?

Most nursing students take a capstone course as one of the final classes in their pursuit of a bachelor's, master's degree, or DNP nursing degree. A capstone isn't a final exam or a project you can tackle over a weekend. Instead, it's a culminating project that puts your critical thinking and research skills on display. Depending on the program's requirements, your capstone may be in the form of a plan or proposal, a research paper, or a strategic simulation.

Tips for Choosing a Capstone Topic

Before choosing a topic, nursing students should make connections in the healthcare field. Before you begin your capstone project, you will find a preceptor who will serve as your advisor throughout the process. Your preceptor can help you narrow your choices for capstone ideas and guide you as you develop your project. Here are some things to consider as you choose your topic.

• Choose a topic that's in line with your interests. For example, if you're interested in pediatrics, oncology, or geriatrics, think about topics related to your field of choice.
• Browse through nursing journals focused on the specialty you're interested in. A university library should have many to choose from.
• Be sure to choose a project that's up to date and has plenty of previous research. You don't want to waste time researching an obscure topic.
• Be sure to review the requirements of your capstone project. You want to follow the plan and complete each step.
• Make a list of potential topics and narrow the list until you choose the one that's best for you.

Nursing Capstone Project Ideas

We have gathered 20 capstone project topics that might spark your interest or lead you to a topic of your own.

• Exploring Cutting-Edge Therapy for Autism
• Nurse: Patient Ratio and its Effects on Job Satisfaction
• Nurse: Patient Ratio and its Effects on Patient Satisfaction
• Benefits of Point-of-Care Testing
• Shift Work and the Effects on Quality Nursing Care
• Emergency Narcan in the Public School System
• Healthcare for Students in Poverty: The Role of the School Nurse
• Hospice Nurses and their Perceptions of Patient Care
• Emergency Room Nursing: Caring Behavior vs. Emotional Intelligence 
• The Necessity of Inpatient Medication Education
• The Importance of Collaboration Between Doctors and Nurses
• Critical Care and Nursing Burnout
• Workplace Bullying and Sabotage in the Healthcare Setting
• Breastfeeding Recommendations vs. a Mother's Decision
• The Role of Nurse Management
• Protecting Patients With Advanced Technology
• Systems Security and Patient Privacy
• Developing a Stress Release Plan for Nurses
• The Role of Modern Diagnostic Tests
• Medical Technology and the Revolution of Healthcare

Goals of a Nursing Capstone Project

Completing your senior capstone highlights your knowledge and ability to develop an evidence-based analysis of a particular problem in a healthcare setting. Your project should demonstrate awareness of the important role nurses play in modern healthcare. A capstone project should articulate current issues in healthcare. A successful project demonstrates your knowledge and ability to perform educational and administrative functions. Most nursing programs require one to two semesters to complete a capstone course and project. For most nursing students, it's the most significant academic project of their college years.

Completing Your Capstone

You can write a capstone project based on many formats. For many students, a personal connection or an experience from clinical practice inspires an idea for a capstone project. This clinical practice may also serve as the setting for your project. If you obtained a licensure to work in the healthcare field before completing your nursing degree, you may be able to use your current workplace as the setting for your capstone project. You must have faculty approval for your capstone paper or project before beginning your research.

Most nursing programs require you to log your progress and report to your advisor throughout the capstone process. A journal or diary will help you log important due dates, your thoughts throughout the process, and relevant notes or patient feedback.

Presenting Your Capstone

Most nursing programs require an oral presentation when you've completed the process. Typically, at the end of the capstone course, students present their work for review. A panel, which may include the department chair and a few faculty members, will oversee your presentation. These presentations are sometimes open to the public. You may want to use visual aids such as graphs or PowerPoint slides to highlight your data during your presentation. If you're presenting with a group, each member should contribute to the presentation.

Grading Process for Capstone Projects

At the beginning of your capstone course, you should receive detailed information and a rubric explaining the grading guidelines. Depending on the nursing program requirements, you may receive a letter grade or a "pass" or "no pass" determination following your presentation. If you fail, most programs allow you to repeat the course the following year.

Where Can I Go for Help?

As you can see, a capstone project is an ongoing process with little room for procrastination. As a busy student, you may juggle responsibilities such as work, children, and other obligations. You may need a little help along the way to complete your capstone and move on to a rewarding career in nursing. If you need assistance with nursing capstone project ideas or with writing or editing your capstone paper, our professional writers are here to help. Contact us today.