examples of clinical research questions in nursing

PICOT Question Examples for Nursing Research

Are you looking for examples of nursing PICOT questions to inspire your creativity as you research for a perfect nursing topic for your paper? You came to the right place.

We have a comprehensive guide on how to write a good PICO Question for your case study, research paper, white paper, term paper, project, or capstone paper. Therefore, we will not go into the details in this post. A good PICOT question possesses the following qualities:

• A clinical-based question addresses the nursing research areas or topics.
• It is specific, concise, and clear.
• Patient, problem, or population.
• Intervention.
• Comparison.
• Includes medical, clinical, and nursing terms where necessary.
• It is not ambiguous.

For more information, read our comprehensive PICOT Question guide . You can use these questions to inspire your PICOT choice for your evidence-based papers , reports, or nursing research papers.

If you are stuck with assignments and want some help, we offer the best nursing research assignment help online. We have expert nursing writers who can formulate an excellent clinical, research, and PICOT question for you. They can also write dissertations, white papers, theses, reports, and capstones. Do not hesitate to place an order.

List of 180 Plus Best PICOT Questions to Get Inspiration From

Here is a list of nursing PICO questions to inspire you when developing yours. Some PICOT questions might be suitable for BSN and MSN but not DNP. If you are writing a change project for your DNP, try to focus on PICOT questions that align to process changes. 

• Among healthy newborn infants in low- and middle-income countries (P), does early skin-to-skin contact of the baby with the mother in the first hour of life (I) compared with drying and wrapping (C) have an impact on neonatal mortality, hypothermia or initiation/exclusivity/ duration of breastfeeding (O)?
• Is it necessary to test blood glucose levels 4 times daily for a patient suffering from Type 1 diabetes?
• Does raising the head of the bed of a mechanically ventilated patient reduce the chances of pneumonia?
• Does music therapy is an effective mode of PACU pain management for patients who are slowly coming out from their anesthesia?
• For all neonates (P), should vitamin K prophylaxis (I) be given for the prevention of vitamin K deficiency bleeding (O)?
• For young infants (0-2 months) with suspected sepsis managed in health facilities (P), should third generation cephalosporin monotherapy (I) replace currently recommended ampicillin-gentamicin combination (C) as first line empiric treatment for preventing death and sequelae (O)?
• In low-birth-weight/pre-term neonates in health facilities (P), is skin-to-skin contact immediately after birth (I) more effective than conventional care (C) in preventing hypothermia (O)?
• In children aged 2–59 months (P), what is the most effective antibiotic therapy (I, C) for severe pneumonia (O)?
• Is skin-to-skin contact of the infant with the mother a more assured way of ensuring neonatal mortality compared to drying and wrapping?
• Are oral contraceptives effective in stopping pregnancy for women above 30 years?
• Is spironolactone a better drug for reducing the blood pressure of teenagers when compared to clonidine?
• What is the usefulness of an LP/spinal tap after the beginning of antivirals for a pediatric population suffering from fever?
• In children aged 2–59 months in developing countries (P), which parenteral antibiotic or combination of antibiotics (I), at what dose and duration, is effective for the treatment of suspected bacterial meningitis in hospital in reducing mortality and sequelae (O)?
• Does the habit of washing hands third-generation workers decrease the events of infections in hospitals?
• Is the intake of zinc pills more effective than Vitamin C for preventing cold during winter for middle-aged women?
• In children with acute severe malnutrition (P), are antibiotics (I) effective in preventing death and sequelae (O)?
• Among, children with lower respiratory tract infection (P), what are the best cut off oxygen saturation levels (D), at different altitudes that will determine hypoxaemia requiring oxygen therapy (O)?
• In infants and children in low-resource settings (P), what is the most appropriate method (D) of detecting hypoxaemia in hospitals (O)?
• In children with shock (P), what is the most appropriate choice of intravenous fluid therapy (I) to prevent death and sequelae (O)?
• In fully conscious children with hypoglycaemia (P) what is the effectiveness of administering sublingual sugar (I)?
• Is using toys as distractions during giving needle vaccinations to toddlers an effective pain response management?
• What is the result of a higher amount of potassium intake among children with low blood pressure?
• Is cup feeding an infant better than feeding through tubes in a NICU setup?
• Does the intervention of flushing the heroin via lines a more effective way of treating patients with CVLs/PICCs?
• Is the use of intravenous fluid intervention a better remedy for infants under fatal conditions?
• Do bedside shift reports help in the overall patient care for nurses?
• Is home visitation a better way of dealing with teen pregnancy when compared to regular school visits in rural areas?
• Is fentanyl more effective than morphine in dealing with the pain of adults over the age of 50 years?
• What are the health outcomes of having a high amount of potassium for adults over the age of 21 years?
• Does the use of continuous feed during emesis a more effective way of intervention when compared to the process of stopping the feed for a short period?
• Does controlling the amount of sublingual sugar help completely conscious children suffering from hypoglycemia?
• Is the lithotomy position an ideal position for giving birth to women in labor?
• Does group therapy help patients with schizophrenia to help their conversational skills?
• What are the probable after-effects, in the form of bruises and other injuries, of heparin injection therapy for COPD patients?
• Would standardized discharge medication education improve home medication adherence in adults age 65 and older compared to-standardized discharge medication education?
• In patients with psychiatric disorders is medication non-compliance a greater risk compared with adults experiencing chronic illness?
• Is the use of beta-blockers for lowering blood pressure for adult men over the age of 70 years effective?
• Nasal swab or nasal aspirate? Which one is more effective for children suffering from seasonal flu?
• What are the effects of adding beta-blockers for lowering blood pressure for adult men over the age of 70 years?
• Does the process of stopping lipids for 4 hours an effective measure of obtaining the desired TG level for patients who are about to receive TPN?
• Is medical intervention a proper way of dealing with childhood obesity among school-going children?
• Can nurse-led presentations of mental health associated with bullying help in combating such tendencies in public schools?
• What are the impacts of managing Prevacid before a pH probe study for pediatric patients with GERD?
• What are the measurable effects of extending ICU stays and antibiotic consumption amongst children with sepsis?
• Does the use of infrared skin thermometers justified when compared to the tympanic thermometers for a pediatric population?
• What are the roles of a pre-surgery cardiac nurse in order to prevent depression among patients awaiting cardiac operation?
• Does the increase in the habit of smoking marijuana among Dutch students increase the chances of depression?
• What is the direct connection between VAP and NGT?
• Is psychological intervention for people suffering from dementia a more effective measure than giving them a placebo?
• Are alarm sensors effective in preventing accidents in hospitals for patients over the age of 65 years?
• Is the sudden change of temperature harmful for patients who are neurologically devastated?
• Is it necessary to test blood glucose levels, 4 times a day, for a patient suffering from Type 1 diabetes?
• Is the use of MDI derive better results, when compared to regular nebulizers, for pediatric patients suffering from asthma?
• What are the effects of IVF bolus in controlling the amount of Magnesium Sulfate for patients who are suffering from asthma?
• Is the process of stopping lipids for 4 hours an effective measure of obtaining the desired TG level for patients who are about to receive TPN?
• What are the standards of vital signs for a pediatric population?
• Is daily blood pressure monitoring help in addressing the triggers of hypertension among males over 65 years?
• Does receiving phone tweets lower blood sugar levels for people suffering from Type 1 diabetes?
• Are males over the age of 30 years who have smoked for more than 1 year exposed to a greater risk of esophageal cancer when compared to the same age group of men who have no history of smoking?
• Does the increase in the use of mosquito nets in Uganda help in the reduction of malaria among the infants?
• Does the increase in the intake of oral contraceptives increase the chances of breast cancer among 20-30 years old women in the UK?
• In postpartum women with postnatal depression (P), does group therapy (I) compared to individual therapy (C) improve maternal-infant bonding (O) after eight weeks (T)?
• In patients with chronic pain (P), does mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (I) compared to pharmacotherapy (C) improve quality of life (O) after 12 weeks (T)?
• In patients with type 2 diabetes (P), does continuous glucose monitoring (I) compared to self-monitoring of blood glucose (C) improve glycemic control (O) over a period of three months (T)?
• In patients with chronic kidney disease (P), does a vegetarian diet (I) compared to a regular diet (C) slow the decline in renal function (O) after one year (T)?
• In pediatric patients with acute otitis media (P), does delayed antibiotic prescribing (I) compared to immediate antibiotic prescribing (C) reduce antibiotic use (O) within one week (T)?
• In older adults with dementia (P), does pet therapy (I) compared to no pet therapy (C) decrease agitation (O) after three months (T)?
• In patients with chronic heart failure (P), does telemonitoring of vital signs (I) compared to standard care (C) reduce hospital readmissions (O) within six months (T)?
• In patients with anxiety disorders (P), does exposure therapy (I) compared to cognitive therapy (C) reduce anxiety symptoms (O) after 12 weeks (T)?
• In postpartum women with breastfeeding difficulties (P), does lactation consultation (I) compared to standard care (C) increase breastfeeding rates (O) after four weeks (T)?
• In patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (P), does long-acting bronchodilator therapy (I) compared to short-acting bronchodilator therapy (C) improve lung function (O) after three months (T)?
• In patients with major depressive disorder (P), does bright light therapy (I) compared to placebo (C) reduce depressive symptoms (O) after six weeks (T)?
• In patients with diabetes (P), does telemedicine-based diabetes management (I) compared to standard care (C) improve glycemic control (O) over a period of six months (T)?
• In patients with chronic kidney disease (P), does a low-phosphorus diet (I) compared to a regular diet (C) decrease serum phosphate levels (O) after one year (T)?
• In pediatric patients with acute gastroenteritis (P), does probiotic supplementation (I) compared to placebo (C) reduce the duration of diarrhea (O) within 48 hours (T)?
• In patients with chronic pain (P), does acupuncture (I) compared to sham acupuncture (C) reduce pain intensity (O) after eight weeks (T)?
• In older adults at risk of falls (P), does a home modification program (I) compared to no intervention (C) reduce the incidence of falls (O) over a period of six months (T)?
• In patients with schizophrenia (P), does cognitive remediation therapy (I) compared to standard therapy (C) improve cognitive function (O) after one year (T)?
• In patients with chronic kidney disease (P), does angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (I) compared to angiotensin receptor blockers (C) slow the progression of renal disease (O) over a period of two years (T)?
• In postoperative patients (P), does chlorhexidine bathing (I) compared to regular bathing (C) reduce the risk of surgical site infections (O) within 30 days (T)?
• In patients with type 2 diabetes (P), does a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet (I) compared to a low-fat diet (C) improve glycemic control (O) over a period of six months (T)?
• In patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (P), does pulmonary rehabilitation combined with telemonitoring (I) compared to standard pulmonary rehabilitation (C) improve exercise capacity (O) after three months (T)?
• In patients with heart failure (P), does a nurse-led heart failure clinic (I) compared to usual care (C) improve self-care behaviors (O) after six months (T)?
• In postpartum women with postnatal depression (P), does telephone-based counseling (I) compared to face-to-face counseling (C) reduce depressive symptoms (O) after eight weeks (T)?
• In patients with chronic migraine (P), does prophylactic treatment with topiramate (I) compared to amitriptyline (C) reduce the frequency of migraines (O) after three months (T)?
• In pediatric patients with acute otitis media (P), does watchful waiting (I) compared to immediate antibiotic treatment (C) reduce the duration of symptoms (O) within seven days (T)?
• In older adults with dementia (P), does reminiscence therapy (I) compared to usual care (C) improve cognitive function (O) after three months (T)?
• In patients with chronic heart failure (P), does telemonitoring combined with a medication reminder system (I) compared to telemonitoring alone (C) reduce hospital readmissions (O) within six months (T)?
• In patients with asthma (P), does self-management education (I) compared to standard care (C) reduce asthma exacerbations (O) over a period of one year (T)?
• In postoperative patients (P), does the use of wound dressings with antimicrobial properties (I) compared to standard dressings (C) reduce the incidence of surgical site infections (O) within 30 days (T)?
• In patients with chronic kidney disease (P), does mindfulness-based stress reduction (I) compared to usual care (C) improve psychological well-being (O) over a period of three months (T)?
• In adult patients with chronic pain (P), does biofeedback therapy (I) compared to relaxation techniques (C) reduce pain intensity (O) after eight weeks (T)?
• In patients with type 2 diabetes (P), does a low-glycemic index diet (I) compared to a high-glycemic-index diet (C) improve glycemic control (O) over a period of six months (T)?
• In patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (P), does regular physical activity (I) compared to no physical activity (C) improve health-related quality of life (O) after three months (T)?
• In patients with major depressive disorder (P), does mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (I) compared to antidepressant medication (C) reduce depressive symptoms (O) after eight weeks (T)?
• In postpartum women (P), does perineal warm compresses (I) compared to standard perineal care (C) reduce perineal pain (O) after vaginal delivery (T)?
• In patients with chronic kidney disease (P), does a low-protein, low-phosphorus diet (I) compared to a low-protein diet alone (C) slow the progression of renal disease(O) after two years (T)?
• In pediatric patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (P), does mindfulness-based interventions (I) compared to medication alone (C) improve attention and behavior (O) after six months (T)?
• In patients with chronic pain (P), does cognitive-behavioral therapy (I) compared to physical therapy (C) reduce pain interference (O) after 12 weeks (T)?
• In elderly patients with osteoarthritis (P), does aquatic exercise (I) compared to land-based exercise (C) improve joint flexibility and reduce pain (O) after eight weeks (T)?
• In patients with multiple sclerosis (P), does high-intensity interval training (I) compared to moderate-intensity continuous training (C) improve physical function (O) after three months (T)?
• In postoperative patients (P), does preoperative carbohydrate loading (I) compared to fasting (C) reduce postoperative insulin resistance (O) within 24 hours (T)?
• In patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (P), does home-based tele-rehabilitation (I) compared to center-based rehabilitation (C) improve exercise capacity (O) after six months (T)?
• In patients with rheumatoid arthritis (P), does tai chi (I) compared to pharmacological treatment (C) reduce joint pain and improve physical function (O) after six months (T)?
• In postpartum women with postpartum hemorrhage (P), does early administration of tranexamic acid (I) compared to standard administration (C) reduce blood loss (O) within two hours (T)?
• In patients with hypertension (P), does mindfulness meditation (I) compared to relaxation techniques (C) reduce blood pressure (O) after eight weeks (T)?
• In elderly patients with hip fractures (P), does multidisciplinary geriatric care (I) compared to standard care (C) improve functional outcomes (O) after three months (T)?
• In patients with chronic kidney disease (P), does aerobic exercise (I) compared to resistance exercise (C) improve renal function (O) after six months (T)?
• In patients with major depressive disorder (P), does add-on treatment with omega-3 fatty acids (I) compared to placebo (C) reduce depressive symptoms (O) after 12 weeks (T)?
• In postoperative patients (P), does preoperative education using multimedia materials (I) compared to standard education (C) improve patient satisfaction (O) after surgery (T)?
• In patients with type 2 diabetes (P), does a plant-based diet (I) compared to a standard diet (C) improve glycemic control (O) after three months (T)?
• In patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (P), does high-flow oxygen therapy (I) compared to standard oxygen therapy (C) improve exercise tolerance (O) after three months (T)?
• In patients with heart failure (P), does nurse-led telephone follow-up (I) compared to standard care (C) reduce hospital readmissions (O) within six months (T)?
• In postpartum women with postnatal depression (P), does online cognitive-behavioral therapy (I) compared to face-to-face therapy (C) reduce depressive symptoms (O) after eight weeks (T)?
• In patients with chronic migraine (P), does mindfulness-based stress reduction (I) compared to medication alone (C) reduce the frequency and severity of migraines (O) after three months (T)?
• In older adults with delirium (P), does structured music intervention (I) compared to standard care (C) reduce the duration of delirium episodes (O) during hospitalization (T)?
• In patients with chronic low back pain (P), does yoga (I) compared to physical therapy (C) reduce pain intensity (O) after six weeks (T)?
• In pediatric patients with acute otitis media (P), does watchful waiting with pain management (I) compared to immediate antibiotic treatment (C) reduce the need for antibiotics (O) within one week (T)?
• In patients with schizophrenia (P), does family psychoeducation (I) compared to standard treatment (C) improve medication adherence (O) over a period of six months (T)?
• In patients with chronic kidney disease (P), does a low-phosphorus diet (I) compared to a regular diet (C) slow the progression of renal disease (O) after one year (T)?
• In postoperative patients (P), does wound irrigation with saline solution (I) compared to povidone-iodine solution (C) reduce the incidence of surgical site infections (O) within 30 days (T)?
• In patients with type 1 diabetes (P), does continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (I) compared to multiple daily injections (C) improve glycemic control (O) over a period of six months (T)?
• In postoperative patients (P), does the use of prophylactic antibiotics (I) compared to no antibiotics (C) reduce the incidence of surgical site infections (O) within 30 days (T)?
• In patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (P), does smoking cessation counseling (I) compared to no counseling (C) decrease the frequency of exacerbations (O) over a period of six months (T)?
• In patients with diabetes (P), does a multidisciplinary team approach (I) compared to standard care (C) improve self-management behaviors (O) over a period of one year (T)?
• In pregnant women with gestational hypertension (P), does bed rest (I) compared to regular activity (C) reduce the risk of developing preeclampsia (O) before delivery (T)?
• In patients with chronic kidney disease (P), does angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (I) compared to placebo (C) slow the progression of renal disease (O) over a period of two years (T)?
• In older adults with hip fractures (P), does early surgical intervention (I) compared to delayed surgery (C) improve functional outcomes (O) after six months (T)?
• In patients with major depressive disorder (P), does exercise (I) compared to antidepressant medication (C) reduce depressive symptoms (O) after eight weeks (T)?
• In children with autism spectrum disorder (P), does applied behavior analysis (I) compared to standard therapy (C) improve social communication skills (O) over a period of one year (T)?
• In postoperative patients (P), does the use of incentive spirometry (I) compared to no spirometry (C) decrease the incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications (O) within seven days (T)?
• In patients with hypertension (P), does a combination of diet modification and exercise (I) compared to medication alone (C) lower blood pressure (O) after six months (T)?
• In patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (P), does home oxygen therapy (I) compared to no oxygen therapy (C) improve exercise capacity (O) after threemonths (T)?
• In patients with heart failure (P), does a multidisciplinary heart failure management program (I) compared to standard care (C) reduce hospital readmissions (O) within six months (T)?
• In postpartum women with postnatal depression (P), does mindfulness meditation (I) compared to relaxation techniques (C) reduce depressive symptoms (O) after eight weeks (T)?
• In patients with chronic kidney disease (P), does a low-sodium diet (I) compared to a regular diet (C) lower blood pressure (O) after six months (T)?
• In pediatric patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (P), does neurofeedback training (I) compared to medication (C) improve attention and behavior (O) after six months (T)?
• In patients with chronic pain (P), does transcranial direct current stimulation (I) compared to sham stimulation (C) reduce pain intensity (O) after eight weeks (T)?
• In older adults with osteoporosis (P), does a structured exercise program (I) compared to no exercise (C) improve bone mineral density (O) after six months (T)?
• In patients with type 2 diabetes (P), does a low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet (I) compared to a standard diet (C) improve glycemic control (O) over a period of six months (T)?
• In patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (P), does mindfulness-based stress reduction (I) compared to usual care (C) improve dyspnea symptoms (O) after three months (T)?
• In postpartum women with postnatal depression (P), does online peer support (I) compared to individual therapy (C) reduce depressive symptoms (O) after eight weeks (T)?
• In patients with chronic kidney disease (P), does resistance training (I) compared to aerobic training (C) improve muscle strength (O) after six months (T)?
• In pediatric patients with asthma (P), does a written asthma action plan (I) compared to verbal instructions (C) reduce emergency department visits (O) within six months (T)?
• In patients with chronic pain (P), does yoga (I) compared to pharmacological treatment (C) reduce pain interference (O) after eight weeks (T)?
• In older adults at risk of falls (P), does a multifactorial falls prevention program (I) compared to no intervention (C) reduce the rate of falls (O) over a period of six months (T)?
• In patients with schizophrenia (P), does cognitive-behavioral therapy (I) compared to medication alone (C) reduce positive symptom severity (O) after six months (T)?
• In postpartum women with breastfeeding difficulties (P), does breast massage (I) compared to no massage (C) improve milk flow (O) after four weeks (T)?
• In patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (P), does long-term oxygen therapy (I) compared to short-term oxygen therapy (C) improve survival rates (O) after one year (T)?
• In patients with major depressive disorder (P), does repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (I) compared to sham treatment (C) reduce depressive symptoms (O) after six weeks (T)?
• In patients with diabetes (P), does a digital health app (I) compared to standard care (C) improve medication adherence (O) over a period of six months (T)?
• In patients with chronic kidney disease (P), does a low-potassium diet (I) compared to a regular diet (C) lower serum potassium levels (O) after one year (T)?
• In pediatric patients with acute gastroenteritis (P), does oral rehydration solution (I) compared to intravenous fluid therapy (C) reduce hospital admissions (O) within 48 hours (T)?
• In patients with chronic pain (P), does hypnotherapy (I) compared to no hypnotherapy (C) reduce pain intensity (O) after eight weeks (T)?
• In older adults at risk of falls (P), does a tai chi program (I) compared to no exercise program (C) improve balance and stability (O) after six months (T)?
• In patients with chronic heart failure (P), does a home-based self-care intervention (I) compared to standard care (C) reduce hospital readmissions (O) within six months (T)?
• In patients with anxiety disorders (P), does acceptance and commitment therapy (I) compared to cognitive-behavioral therapy (C) reduce anxiety symptoms (O) after 12 weeks (T)?
• In postpartum women with breastfeeding difficulties (P), does the use of nipple shields (I) compared to no nipple shields (C) improve breastfeeding success (O) after four weeks (T)?
• In patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (P), does a comprehensive self-management program (I) compared to usual care (C) improve health-related quality of life (O) after three months (T)?
• In patients with major depressive disorder (P), does internet-based cognitive-behavioral therapy (I) compared to face-to-face therapy (C) reduce depressive symptoms (O) after eight weeks (T)?
• Does the increase in the habit of smoking marijuana among Dutch students increase the likelihood of depression?
• Does the use of pain relief medication during surgery provide more effective pain reduction compared to the same medication given post-surgery?
• Does the increase in the intake of oral contraceptives increase the risk of breast cancer among women aged 20-30 in the UK?
• Does the habit of washing hands among healthcare workers decrease the rate of infections in hospitals?
• Does the use of modern syringes help in reducing needle injuries among healthcare workers in America?
• Does encouraging male work colleagues to talk about sexual harassment decrease the rate of depression in the workplace?
• Does bullying in boarding schools in Scotland increase the likelihood of domestic violence within a 20-year timeframe?
• Does breastfeeding among toddlers in urban United States decrease their chances of obesity as pre-schoolers?
• Does the increase in the intake of antidepressants among urban women aged 30 years and older affect their maternal health?
• Does forming work groups to discuss domestic violence among the rural population of the United States reduce stress and depression among women?
• Does the increased use of mosquito nets in Uganda help in reducing malaria cases among infants?
• Can colon cancer be more effectively detected when colonoscopy is supported by an occult blood test compared to colonoscopy alone?
• Does regular usage of low-dose aspirin effectively reduce the risk of heart attacks and stroke for women above the age of 80 years?
• Is yoga an effective medical therapy for reducing lymphedema in patients recovering from neck cancer?
• Does daily blood pressure monitoring help in addressing the triggers of hypertension among males over 65 years?
• Does a regular 30-minute exercise regimen effectively reduce the risk of heart disease in adults over 65 years?
• Does prolonged exposure to chemotherapy increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases among teenagers suffering from cancer?
• Does breastfeeding among toddlers in the urban United States decrease their chances of obesity as pre-schoolers?
• Are first-time mothers giving birth to premature babies more prone to postpartum depression compared to second or third-time mothers in the same condition?
• For women under the age of 50 years, is a yearly mammogram more effective in preventing breast cancer compared to a mammogram done every 3 years?
• After being diagnosed with blood sugar levels, is a four-times-a-day blood glucose monitoring process more effective in controlling the onset of Type 1 diabetes?

Related: How to write an abstract poster presentation.

You can never go wrong with getting expertly written examples as a source for your inspiration. They factor in all the qualities of a good PICO question, which sets you miles ahead in your research process.

If you need a personalized approach to choosing a good PICOT question and writing a problem and purpose statement, our nursing paper acers can help you.

Nursing research specialists work with nursing students, professional nurses, and medical students to advance their academic and career goals. We offer private, reliable, confidential, and top-quality services.

Struggling with

Related Articles

SBAR Nursing Guide with Templates and Examples

Nursing Diagnosis - An Ultimate Guide for Nursing Students

Writing a Nursing Research Paper that Meets Professor's Requirements

NurseMyGrades is being relied upon by thousands of students worldwide to ace their nursing studies. We offer high quality sample papers that help students in their revision as well as helping them remain abreast of what is expected of them.

• Dean's Message
• Mission Statement
• Diversity At VUSN
• Our History
• Faculty Fellows & Honors
• Accreditation
• Privacy Policy
• Academic Programs
• Master of Science in Nursing
• Master of Nursing
• Doctor of Nursing Practice
• PhD in Nursing Science
• Post-Master's Certificate
• Postdoctoral Program
• Special (Non-Degree) Students
• Admissions Information
• Admissions Requirements
• MSN Admissions
• MN Admissions
• DNP Admissions
• PhD Admissions
• Post-Master's Certificates
• Postdoctoral Admissions
• Center for Research Development and Scholarship (CRDS)
• Signature Areas
• CRDS Behavorial Labs
• Research Resources
• Faculty Scholarship Program
• Research Faculty
• Preparing For Practice
• Faculty Practice Network
• Credentialing Process
• Faculty Practice History
• Vanderbilt Nurse-Midwifery Faculty Practice
• What is Advanced Practice Nursing?
• Preceptor Resources
• The Vanderbilt Advantage
• Making A Difference
• Informatics
• Global Health
• Organizations
• Veterans/Military

Examples of Research Questions

Phd in nursing science program, examples of broad clinical research questions include:.

• Does the administration of pain medication at time of surgical incision reduce the need for pain medication twenty-four hours after surgery?
• What maternal factors are associated with obesity in toddlers?
• What elements of a peer support intervention prevent suicide in high school females?
• What is the most accurate and comprehensive way to determine men’s experience of physical assault?
• Is yoga as effective as traditional physical therapy in reducing lymphedema in patients who have had head and neck cancer treatment?
• In the third stage of labor, what is the effect of cord cutting within the first three minutes on placenta separation?
• Do teenagers with Type 1 diabetes who receive phone tweet reminders maintain lower blood sugars than those who do not?
• Do the elderly diagnosed with dementia experience pain?
•  How can siblings’ risk of depression be predicted after the death of a child?
•  How can cachexia be prevented in cancer patients receiving aggressive protocols involving radiation and chemotherapy?

Examples of some general health services research questions are:

• Does the organization of renal transplant nurse coordinators’ responsibilities influence live donor rates?
• What activities of nurse managers are associated with nurse turnover?  30 day readmission rates?
• What effect does the Nurse Faculty Loan program have on the nurse researcher workforce?  What effect would a 20% decrease in funds have?
• How do psychiatric hospital unit designs influence the incidence of patients’ aggression?
• What are Native American patient preferences regarding the timing, location and costs for weight management counseling and how will meeting these preferences influence participation?
•  What predicts registered nurse retention in the US Army?
• How, if at all, are the timing and location of suicide prevention appointments linked to veterans‘ suicide rates?
• What predicts the sustainability of quality improvement programs in operating rooms?
• Do integrated computerized nursing records across points of care improve patient outcomes?
• How many nurse practitioners will the US need in 2020?

PhD Resources

• REQUEST INFO
• CAREER SERVICES
• PRIVACY POLICY
• VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY
• VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER

DISTINCTIONS

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.

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.

Plus, get exclusive access to discounts for nurses, stay informed on the latest nurse news, and learn how to take the next steps in your career.

By clicking “Join Now”, you agree to receive email newsletters and special offers from Nurse.org. We will not sell or distribute your email address to any third party, and you may unsubscribe at any time by using the unsubscribe link, found at the bottom of every email.

• Site Search
• MU Libraries Gateway
• Ellis Library
• Engineering Library
• Veterinary Medical Library
• More Libraries & Collections
• Distance Education Students
• Medical Students
• Nursing Students and Nurses
• Patients & Everyday Health
• Borrow & Checkout
• Electronic and Print Reserves
• Expert Search Service
• Interlibrary Loan and Document Delivery
• Photocopying
• Request a Library Purchase
• Room Reservations
• Citation Styles and Tools
• Evidence Based Medicine
• Find Articles
• Mobile Medical Resources
• Research by Subject
• Workshops & Videos
• Giving Opportunities
• Maps/Directions
• Staff Directory
• University of Missouri Libraries
• Library Guides
• Health Sciences Library

Evidence Based Nursing Practice

• PICO(T) and Clinical Questions
• Literature Review
• Study Design and Methodology
• Documenting EBP
• Additional Sources & Assistance
• MUHC Evidence Based Practice Model

PICO Templates

For an intervention/therapy:

In _______(P), what is the effect of _______(I) on ______(O) compared with _______(C) within ________ (T)?

For etiology:

Are ____ (P) who have _______ (I) at ___ (increased/decreased) risk for/of_______ (O) compared with ______ (P) with/without ______ (C) over _____ (T)?

Diagnosis or diagnostic test:

Are (is) _________ (I) more accurate in diagnosing ________ (P) compared with ______ (C) for _______ (O)?

Prevention:

For ________ (P) does the use of ______ (I) reduce the future risk of ________ (O) compared with _________ (C)?

Prognosis/Predictions

Does __________ (I) influence ________ (O) in patients who have _______ (P) over ______ (T)?

How do ________ (P) diagnosed with _______ (I) perceive ______ (O) during _____ (T)?

Based on Melnyk B., & Fineout-Overholt E. (2010). Evidence-based practice in nursing & healthcare. New York: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins .

Using PICO to Formulate Clinical Questions

PICO  (alternately known as PICOT ) is a mnemonic used to describe the four elements of a good clinical question. It stands for:

P --Patient/Problem I --Intervention C --Comparison O --Outcome

Many people find that it helps them clarify their question, which in turn makes it easier to find an answer. 

Use PICO to generate terms - these you'll use in your literature search for the current best evidence.   Once you have your PICO terms, you can then use them to re-write your question.  (Note, you can do this in reverse order if that works for you.)

Often we start with a vague question such as, "How effective is CPR, really?"  But, what do we mean by CPR?  And how do we define effective?  PICO is a technique to help us - or force us - to answer these questions.   Note that you may not end up with a description for each element of PICO. 

P -  our question above doesn't address a specific problem other than the assumption of a person who is not breathing. So, ask yourself questions such as, am I interested in a specific age cohort? (Adults, children, aged); a specific population (hospitalized, community dwelling); health cohort (healthy, diabetic, etc.)   

I - our question above doesn't have a stated intervention, but we might have one in mind such as 'hands-only'

C - Is there another method of CPR that we want to compare the hands-only to?  Many research studies do not go head to head with a comparison.  In this example we might want to compare to the standard, hands plus breathing

O - Again, we need to ask, what do we mean by 'effective'?  Mortality is one option with the benefit that it's easily measured. 

Our PICO statement would look like:

From our PICO, we can write up a clearer and more specific question, such as:

 In community dwelling adults, how effective is hands-only CPR versus hands plus breathing CPR at preventing mortality?

More information on formulating PICO questions

Now that we've clarified what we want to know, it will be much easier to find an answer.

Breaking Down Your PICO into a Search Strategy

We can use our PICO statement to list terms to search on.  Under each letter, we'll list all the possible terms we might use in our search. 

P - Community Dwelling:  It is much easier to search on 'hospitalized' than non-hospitalized subjects.  So I would leave these terms for last. It might turn out that I don't need to use them as my other terms from the I, C, or O of PICO might be enough.

community dwelling  OR out-of-hospital

P - adults: I would use the limits in MEDLINE or CINAHL for All Adults.  Could also consider the following depending upon the population you need:

adult OR adults OR aged OR elderly OR young adult

CPR  -  cardiopulmonary resuscitation

I - Hands-only

 hands-only OR compression-only OR chest compression OR compression OR Heart Massage

C - Hands plus breathing Breathing is a tougher term to match.

breathing OR mouth to mouth OR conventional OR traditional

O - Mortality:  If your outcomes terms are general, they may not as useful in the literature search.  They will still be useful in your evaluation of the studies.

mortality OR death OR Survival

Putting it together - a search statement from the above might look like this:

cardiopulmonary resuscitation AND (hands-only OR compression-only OR chest compression OR compression OR Heart Massage) AND (breathing OR mouth to mouth OR conventional OR traditional)

Note that the above strategy is only using terms from the I and the C of PICO.  Depending upon the results, you may need to narrow your search by adding in terms from the P or the O.  

An easy way to keep track of your search strategy is to use a table. This keeps the different parts of your PICO question and their various keywords and subject terms together. This document shows you how to use the tables and provides a few options to organize your table. Use whichever works best for you!  Search Strategy Tables to Break your PICO into Concepts .

PICO and Qualitative Questions

A qualitative PICO question focuses on in-depth perspectives and experiences.  It does not try to solve a problem by analyzing numbers, but rather to enrich understanding through words.  Therefore, the emphasis in qualitative PICO questions is on fully representing the information gathered, rather than primarily emphasizing ways the information can be broken down and expressed through measurable units (though measurability can also play an important role). 

A strength of a qualitative PICO question is that it can investigate what patient satisfaction looks like, for example, instead of only reporting that 25% of patients who took a survey reported that they are satisfied. 

When working with qualitative questions, an alternative to using PICO in searching for sources is the SPIDER search tool.  SPIDER is an acronym that breaks down like this:

P=Phenomena of Interest

E=Evaluation

R=Research Type

Cooke, A., Smith, D., & Booth, A. (2012). Beyond PICO: The SPIDER tool for qualitative evidence synthesis . Qualitative Health Research, 22 (10), 1435-1443. doi:10.1177/1049732312452938

• << Previous: Home
• Next: Literature Review >>
• Last Updated: Jan 29, 2024 4:42 PM
• URL: https://libraryguides.missouri.edu/EBNP

The Graduate Health & Life Sciences Research Library at Georgetown University Medical Center

Evidence-based medicine resource guide.

• Defining EBM

Types of Clinical Questions

Formulating a well built clinical question, type of clinical question and study design.

• Point-of-Care Tools
• Databases for Clinical Research
• Drug Information
• Books & eBooks
• EBM Journals
• EBM Organizations & Centers
• Health Sciences: The Research Process

Resources and Types of Clinical Question

Background questions are best answered by medical textbooks, point-of-care tools such as DynaMed Plus and Essential Evidence Plus, and narrative reviews.

Foreground questions are best answered by consulting medical databases such as MEDLINE (via PubMed or Ovid), Embase, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and ACP Journal Club.

DML's Clinical Quick Reference page is a great place to locate EBM resources. Each resource has been labeled background and/or foreground, for you!

Clinical questions may be categorized as either background or foreground. Why is this important?

Determining the type of question will help you to select the best resource to consult for your answer.

Background questions ask for general knowledge about an illness, disease, condition, process or thing. These types of questions typically ask who, what, where, when, how & why about things like a disorder, test, or treatment, etc.

For example

• How overweight is a woman to be considered slightly obese?
• What are the clinical manifestations of menopause?
• What causes migraines?

Foreground questions ask for specific knowledge to inform clinical decisions. These questions typically concern a specific patient or particular population. Foreground questions tend to be more specific and complex compared to background questions. Quite often, foreground questions investigate comparisons, such as two drugs, two treatments, two diagnostic tests, etc. Foreground questions may be further categorized into one of 4 major types: treatment/therapy, diagnosis, prognosis, or etiology/harm.

• Is Crixivan effective when compared with placebo in slowing the rate of functional impairment in a 45 year old male patient with Lou Gehrig's Disease?
• In pediatric patients with Allergic Rhinitis, are Intranasal steroids more effective than antihistamines in the management of Allergic Rhinitis symptoms?

According to the Centre for Evidence Based Medicine (CEBM) , "one of the fundamental skills required for practising EBM is the asking of well-built clinical questions. To benefit patients and clinicians, such questions need to be both directly relevant to patients' problems and phrased in ways that direct your search to relevant and precise answers."

A well-built clinical foreground question should have all four components. The PICO model is a helpful tool that assists you in organizing and focusing your foreground question into a searchable query. Dividing into the PICO elements helps identify search terms/concepts to use in your search of the literature.

P = Patient, Problem, Population (How would you describe a group of patients similar to you? What are the most important characteristics of the patient?)

I = Intervention, Prognostic Factor, Exposure (What main intervention are you considering? What do you want to do with this patient?)

C = Comparison (What are you hoping to compare with the intervention: another treatment, drug, placebo, a different diagnostic test, etc.? It's important to include this element and to be as specific as possible.)

O = Outcome (What are you trying to accomplish, measure, improve or affect? Outcomes may be disease-oriented or patient-oriented.)

Small collection.  Updated monthly.

Two additional important elements of the well-built clinical question to consider are the type of foreground question and the type of study (methodology) . This information can be helpful in focusing the question and determining the most appropriate type of evidence.

Foreground questions can be further divided into questions that relate to therapy, diagnosis, prognosis, etiology/harm

• Therapy: Questions of treatment in order to achieve some outcome. May include drugs, surgical intervention, change in diet, counseling, etc.
• Diagnosis: Questions of identification of a disorder in a patient presenting with specific symptoms.
• Prognosis: Questions of progression of a disease or likelihood of a disease occurring.
• Etiology/Harm: Questions of negative impact from an intervention or other exposure.

Meta-analysis: A statistical technique that summarizes the results of several studies in a single weighted estimate, in which more weight is given to results of studies with more events and sometimes to studies of higher quality.

Systematic Review: a review in which specified and appropriate methods have been used to identify, appraise, and summarize studies addressing a defined question. (It can, but need not, involve meta-analysis). In Clinical Evidence, the term systematic review refers to a systematic review of RCTs unless specified otherwise.

Randomized Controlled Trial: a trial in which participants are randomly assigned to two or more groups: at least one (the experimental group) receiving an intervention that is being tested and another (the comparison or control group) receiving an alternative treatment or placebo. This design allows assessment of the relative effects of interventions.

Controlled Clinical Trial: a trial in which participants are assigned to two or more different treatment groups. In Clinical Evidence, we use the term to refer to controlled trials in which treatment is assigned by a method other than random allocation. When the method of allocation is by random selection, the study is referred to as a randomized controlled trial (RCT). Non-randomized controlled trials are more likely to suffer from bias than RCTs.

Cohort Study: a non-experimental study design that follows a group of people (a cohort), and then looks at how events differ among people within the group. A study that examines a cohort, which differs in respect to exposure to some suspected risk factor (e.g. smoking), is useful for trying to ascertain whether exposure is likely to cause specified events (e.g. lung cancer). Prospective cohort studies (which track participants forward in time) are more reliable than retrospective cohort studies.

Case control study: a study design that examines a group of people who have experienced an event (usually an adverse event) and a group of people who have not experienced the same event, and looks at how exposure to suspect (usually noxious) agents differed between the two groups. This type of study design is most useful for trying to ascertain the cause of rare events, such as rare cancers.

Case Series: analysis of series of people with the disease (there is no comparison group in case series).

• << Previous: Defining EBM
• Next: Point-of-Care Tools >>
• Last Updated: Apr 11, 2024 8:45 AM
• URL: https://guides.dml.georgetown.edu/ebm

The Responsible Use of Electronic Resources policy governs the use of resources provided on these guides. © Dahlgren Memorial Library, Georgetown University Medical Center. Unless otherwise stated, these guides may be used for educational or academic purposes as long as proper attribution is given. Please seek permission for any modifications, adaptations, or for commercial purposes. Email [email protected] to request permission. Proper attribution includes: Written by or adapted from, Dahlgren Memorial Library, URL.

Ask a Librarian

How can I help you today?

A live human is ready to help.

Find & Cite | Research Help | Collections | Services | About

• Cook Library
• Research Guides
• Formulating a Research Question
• Information Literacy in Nursing
• Cultural Competency in Nursing
• Databases and Apps
• Books and Journals
• Clinical Skills
• Nursing Research Videos

Before You Start Searching

Clinical and epidemiological question frameworks.

• Basic Literature Searching
• Advanced Literature Searching
• Searching for Evidence with ABCDE
• Citation Management
• Citing Sources: APA and Other Styles

Step One: Start to formulate a research question or topic.

Aiming for clarity at the beginning of the project can help you get started right. It can be helpful to use one of the question frameworks detailed below.

Step Two: Do some background searching on the topic.

Taking a look in relevant resources to see what's already been written about your topic will help you understand how you can best contribute to the body of literature. It will also help you grasp the terminology around the topic, so that you'll be more prepared to do an effective literature search.

Step Three: Narrow down the question or topic if needed.

You may find that your original topic is too broad. After you have taken the time to evaluate what's already been written about your topic, you'll have a better understanding of what you're interested in.

Step Four: Meet with your librarian.

Try one of these tried and true clinical or quantitative research question frameworks. Not sure where to start? PICO is the most common clinical question framework. and PEO works well for public health and epidemiology.

• Condition, Context, Population
• Aromataris, E., & Munn, Z. (2017). Joanna Briggs Institute reviewer's manual. The Joanna Briggs Institute. Available from JBI Manual for Evidence Synthesis .
• Population, Exposure of Interest, Outcome or Response
• Population or Problem, Intervention or Exposure, Comparison or Control, Outcome
• Heneghan, C., & Badenoch, D. (2002). Evidence-based medicine toolkit. London: BMJ Books. https://www.worldcat.org/title/evidence-based-medicine-toolkit/oclc/62307845
• Population or Problem, Intervention or Exposure, Comparison or Control, Outcome, Study Type
• Methley, A. M., Campbell, S., Chew-Graham, C., McNally, R., & Cheraghi-Sohi, S. (2014). PICO, PICOS and SPIDER: a comparison study of specificity and sensitivity in three search tools for qualitative systematic reviews. BMC health services research, 14, 579. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-014-0579-0 .
• Population or Problem, Intervention or Exposure, Comparison or Control, Outcome, Time
• Richardson, W. S., Wilson, M. C., Nishikawa, J., & Hayward, R. S. (1995). The well-built clinical question: A key to evidence-based decisions. ACP Journal Club, 123(3), A12-A12. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7582737/
• Population, Index Test, Reference Test, Diagnosis of Interest
• << Previous: Datasets
• Next: Searching for Evidence >>
• Last Updated: Mar 6, 2024 3:09 PM
• URL: https://towson.libguides.com/NURS

• Locations and Hours
• UCLA Library
• Research Guides
• Biomedical Library Guides
• Forming Evidence-Based (EBP) Questions
• Reference Sources
• Drugs, Patient Care and Education
• Article Databases

Narrowing a Clinical Question

Two types of clinical questions, what is pico anyway, picott alternatives and additions, pico process in action, using pico to form the research question, tips and tricks.

• Evidence-Based Practice
• Psychological Tests
• Web Resources
• Avoiding Plagiarism
• Citation Guides
• Mobile Applications
• Unit Recommended Online Journals
• Resource Types and Evaluating Information
• Investigate
• Tools and Resources

To begin to develop and narrow a clinical research question it is advisable to craft an answerable question that begins and ends with a patient, population, or problem. These are the beginnings of not only developing an answerable EBP question, but also using the PICO process  for developing well-built searchable and answerable clinical questions. 

There are many elements to developing a good clinical question. Clinical questions can be further divided into two major areas: Background Questions and Foreground Questions .

Background Questions refer to general knowledge and facts. The majority of the information that can be used to inform answers to background questions are found in reference resources like Encyclopedias, Dictionaries, Textbooks, Atlases, Almanacs, Government Publications & Statistical Information, and Indexes.

Foreground Questions are generally more precise and usually revolve around patient/s, populations, or a specific problem. Crafting an appropriate EBP question will not only inform your search strategy which you will apply to the medical literature but will also create a framework for how to maintain and develop your investigative process.

What are some examples of P ?

• Diabetes mellitus, Type 2 (problem) Obese
• elderly (population)

What are some examples of I ?

• Chlorpropamide

What are some examples of C ?

What are some examples of O ?

• Management of glucose levels

Using the example from the bottom-center we can start forming a research question: 

Is Chlorpropamide (intevention) more efficient than Metformin (comparator) in managing Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 (problem) for obese elderly patients (population)?

*Note: It is not necessary to use every element in PICO or to have both a problem and population in your question. PICO is a tool that helps researchers frame an answerable EBP question. 

Synonyms can very helpful throughout your investigative and research process. Using synonyms with boolean operators can potentially expand your search. Databases with subject headings or controlled vocabularies like MeSH in PubMed often have a thesaurus that can match you with appropriate terms.

Boolean operators allow you to manipulate your search.

Use AND to narrow your search

  eg. elderly AND diabetes  

Use OR to broaden your search

  eg. myocardial infarction OR heart attack

Use NOT to exclude terms from your search

  eg. children NOT infants  

• << Previous: Article Databases
• Next: Evidence-Based Practice >>
• Last Updated: Apr 25, 2024 9:34 AM
• URL: https://guides.library.ucla.edu/nursing

• UR Research
• Citation Management
• NIH Public Access

More information on Research

• Apps and Mobile Resources
• Med Students Phase 1
• School of Nursing
• Faculty Resources

More information on Guides and Tutorials

• iPad Information and Support

More information on Computing and iPads

• Library Hours
• Make A Gift
• A-Z Site Index

More information on us

• Miner Library Classrooms
• Multimedia Tools and Support
• Meet with a Librarian

More information on Teaching and Learning

• History of Medicine

More information on Historical Services

• Order Articles and Books
• Find Articles
• Access Resources from Off Campus
• Get Info for my Patient
• Contact my Librarian

More information on our services

• Research and Publishing
• Guides and Tutorials
• Computing and iPads
• Teaching and Learning
• How Do I..?

Nursing Research Guide: Clinical Question Types

• Quick Access
• Intro to EBP
• Clinical Question Types
• Using PICO(T)
• Study Designs

Types of Clinical Questions

Clinical questions may be categorized as either background or foreground. Why is this important?

Determining the type of question will help you to select the best resource to consult for your answer.

Background questions ask for general knowledge about an illness, disease, condition, process or thing. These types of questions typically ask who, what, where, when, how & why about things like a disorder, test, or treatment, etc.

Background questions are best answered by medical textbooks, which are available from platforms such as AccessMedicine  and  ClinicalKey Nursing

Foreground questions ask for specific knowledge to inform clinical decisions. These questions typically concern a specific patient or particular population, and tend to be more specific and complex compared to background questions. Quite often, foreground questions investigate comparisons, such as two drugs, two treatments, two diagnostic tests, etc.

Foreground questions are best answered by consulting medical databases such as Medline (via PubMed or OvidSP), Cochrane Library, and CINAHL.

All of these resources are available from  Miner Library  and Williams Library ; many are listed in the "Quick Links" section of the homepage.

You can also access an alphabetic list of Evidence-Based Resources  at Miner's website, or a webpage of available Evidence-Based Health Care resources at Williams' website. 

It's useful to check the page for your workplace as some resources are only licensed for access at specific locations.

Branch Librarian at URMC

• << Previous: Intro to EBP
• Next: Using PICO(T) >>
• Last Updated: Nov 10, 2023 8:40 AM
• URL: https://libguides.urmc.rochester.edu/nursing-research

School of Nursing

• What is EBP?

Background vs. Foreground

Pico examples, asking different types of questions, pico resources & worksheet.

• Evidence Appraisal
• Clinical Tools and Databases
• Other Resources

Evidence based practice requires that clinicians make use of the best research they can find to help them in decision-making. To find that research efficiently, the clinician must ask a well-designed clinical question with all the elements that will lead to finding relevant research literature.

The first step in doing this is to determine the type of question: background or foreground. The type of question helps to determine the resource to access to answer the question.

Background questions ask for general knowledge about a condition or thing.

• Broaden the scope - "The Forest"
• Provides basics for a a greater grasp of concepts
• Typically found in textbooks, guidelines, point-of-care monographs, encyclopedias, or topic reviews
• A question root (who, what, when, etc.) with a verb
• A disorder, test, treatment, or other aspect of healthcare

The background question is usually asked because of the need for basic information. It is not normally asked because of a need to make a clinical decision about a specific patient.

Foreground questions ask for specific knowledge to inform clinical decisions or actions.

• Focused in scope - "The Trees"
• Requires a grasp of basic concepts to fully comprehend
• Typically found in journals and conference proceedings
• Have 3 or 4 essential components (see PICO below)

PICO is a mnemonic used to describe the four elements of a good clinical foreground question:

P = Population/Patient/Problem - How would I describe the problem or a group of patients similar to mine?

I = Intervention - What main intervention, prognostic factor or exposure am I considering?

C = Comparison - Is there an alternative to compare with the intervention?

O = Outcome - What do I hope to accomplish, measure, improve or affect?

 Fill in the blanks with information from your clinical scenario: THERAPY In_______________, what is the effect of ________________on _______________ compared with _________________?

PREVENTION For ___________ does the use of _________________ reduce the future risk of ____________ compared with ______________? DIAGNOSIS OR DIAGNOSTIC TEST Are (Is) ________________ more accurate in diagnosing _______________ compared with ____________? PROGNOSIS Does ____________ influence ______________ in patients who have _____________? ETIOLOGY Are ______________ who have _______________ at ______________ risk for/of ____________ compared with _____________ with/without______________? MEANING How do _______________ diagnosed with _______________ perceive __________________? Melnyk, B. M., & Fineout-Overholt, E. (2011). Evidence-based practice in nursing & healthcare: A guide to best practice . Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

• PubMed PICO Tool
• TRIP Database PICO Builder
• PICO Worksheet
• << Previous: What is EBP?
• Next: CINAHL >>
• Last Updated: Apr 15, 2024 9:34 AM
• URL: https://libguides.ohsu.edu/nursing

50 interesting PICO question examples.

Pico questions are a type of question used to guide research. They are typically used in clinical settings to help direct and focus research studies. Pico questions are composed of four elements: population, intervention, comparison, and outcome. Continue reading this blog to learn why you may need to answer a PICO question and 50 compelling PICO question examples to guide you in writing your nursing research paper. PICO question examples.

Why you should ask PICO Questions in your nursing research.

Asking PICO questions can help you to focus your research question and make sure that it is answerable. Once you have formulated your PICO question, you can use it to search for relevant evidence. PICO questions are also useful for structuring a literature review or systematic review. PICO question examples.

If you are writing a research paper, you will need to formulate a good research question. Asking a PICO question can help you to focus your question and make sure that it is answerable. Once you have formulated your PICO question, you can use it to search for relevant evidence. PICO questions are also useful for structuring a literature review or systematic review. PICO question examples.

If you are doing a systematic review, you will need to identify all of the studies that address your PICO question. You can do this by searching in databases such as PubMed or Google Scholar. Once you have identified all of the relevant studies, you will need to critically appraise them to determine which are the most reliable. PICO question examples.

When writing a research paper, it is important to formulate a good research question. Asking a PICO question can help you to focus your question and make sure that it is answerable. Once you have formulated your PICO question, you can use it to search for relevant evidence. PICO questions are also useful for structuring a literature review or systematic review. PICO question examples.

50 compelling PICO question examples.

Here are 50 compelling PICO question examples that you can use for your nursing research papers and nursing essays:

• What is the effectiveness of x intervention for y patient/population?
• What are the most effective interventions for y patient/population?
• What is the evidence for x intervention in y patient/population?
• What are the benefits and harms of x intervention for y patient/population?
• Is x intervention more effective than y intervention for y patient/population?
• What is the cost-effectiveness of x intervention for y patient/population?
• What are the barriers to implementing x intervention for y patient/population?
• How does x intervention compare to y intervention for y patient/population?
• What are the benefits and harms of x intervention compared to y intervention for y patient/population?
• Is x intervention more effective than no intervention for y patient/population?
• What is the evidence for x intervention in preventing y patient/population from developing z condition?
• What is the evidence for x intervention in managing y patient/population with z condition?
• What are the benefits and harms of x intervention for y patient/population with z condition?
• What is the evidence for x intervention in reducing the symptoms of y patient/population with z condition?
• What is the evidence for x intervention in improving the quality of life for y patient/population with z condition?
• What are the benefits and harms of x intervention for y patient/population undergoing z procedure
• What are the best ways to prevent pressure ulcers?
• How can nurses most effectively reduce the risk of falls in the elderly?
• What are the most effective interventions for managing pain in cancer patients?
• What are the most effective methods for teaching patients about their medications?
• How can nurses best support patients with chronic illnesses?
• What are the most effective ways to reduce stress in nurses?
• What are the most effective methods for managing diabetes?
• What are the most effective interventions for managing obesity?
• What are the most effective ways to quit smoking?
• What are the most effective methods for managing hypertension?
• What are the most effective interventions for reducing anxiety in patients prior to surgery?
• What are the most effective interventions for reducing anxiety in patients prior to a medical procedure?
• What are the most effective interventions for reducing anxiety in patients prior to an exam?
• What are the most effective interventions for reducing anxiety in patients prior to a presentation?
• What are the most effective interventions for reducing anxiety in patients prior to an interview?
• What are the most effective interventions for reducing anxiety in patients prior to a stressful event?
• What are the most effective interventions for reducing anxiety in patients prior to a difficult situation?
• What are the most effective interventions for reducing anxiety in patients that have a fear of flying?
• What are the most effective interventions for reducing anxiety in patients that have a fear of public speaking?
• What are the most effective interventions for reducing anxiety in patients that have a fear of heights?
• What are the most effective interventions for reducing anxiety in patients that have a fear of enclosed spaces?
• What are the most effective interventions for reducing anxiety in patients that have a fear of the dark?
• What are the most effective interventions for reducing anxiety in patients that have a fear of dogs?
• What are the most effective interventions for reducing anxiety in patients that have a fear of snakes?
• What are the most effective interventions for reducing anxiety in patients that have a fear of spiders?
• What are the most effective interventions for reducing anxiety in patients that have a fear of water?
• What are the most effective interventions for reducing anxiety in patients that have a fear of the dentist?
• What are the most effective interventions for reducing anxiety in patients that have a fear of the doctor?
• What are the most effective interventions for reducing anxiety in patients that have a fear of needles?
• What are the most effective interventions for reducing anxiety in patients that have a fear of injections?
• What are the most effective interventions for reducing anxiety in patients that have a fear of blood tests?
• What are the most effective interventions for reducing anxiety in patients that have a fear of x-rays?
• What are the most effective interventions for reducing anxiety in patients that have a fear of MRIs?
• What are the most effective interventions for reducing anxiety in patients that have a fear of CT scans?

Conclusion.

To sum up, it is crucial to ask PICO questions because it helps you to focus your research question and make sure that it is answerable. You can use the 50 compelling PICO question examples in this blog to spart insight on how to write your next PICO question nursing essay. PICO question examples.

References.

Kloda, L. A., & Bartlett, J. C. (2013). Formulating answerable questions: question negotiation in evidence-based practice.  Journal of the canadian health libraries association ,  34 (2), 55-60.

Work with professional online writers

• Affordable Nursing Papers
• Nursing Coursework Writing
• Nursing Essay Writing Service
• Nursing Essay Assignments
• Nursing Assignment Writing
• Nursing Case Study Writing
• Nursing Process Essay Writing
• Nursing Capstone Project
• BSN Capstone Project
• Reliable Nursing Writers
• PICO Question Examples
• Nursing Speeches
• Nursing PowerPoint Presentations
• Online Nursing Essay Writers
• Nursing Thesis
• Nursing Coursework
• Nursing Term Papers
• Legit Nursing Writers
• Best Nursing Writing Company
• Nursing Students Writing Help
• Cheap Nursing Term Paper

• Refund Guarantee
• On time delivery
• Plagiarism-free papers
• Safe and Confidential
• Trained Writers
• Nursing Essay Writing
• Nursing Coursework Help
• Nursing Dissertations
• Nursing Case Studies
• Nursing Assignment Help

Contact Info

• 123 Fifth Ave, New York, NY 12004, United States.
• +1(413) 798-7210
• [email protected]

An official website of the United States government

The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

• Publications
• Account settings

Preview improvements coming to the PMC website in October 2024. Learn More or Try it out now .

• Advanced Search
• Journal List
• Wiley-Blackwell Online Open

A practice‐based model to guide nursing science and improve the health and well‐being of patients and caregivers

Sherry s. chesak.

1 Nursing Research Division, Mayo Clinic, Rochester MN, USA

Lori M. Rhudy

Cindy tofthagen.

2 Nursing Research Division, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville FL, USA

Linda L. Chlan

Associated data.

Data sharing not applicable to this article as no datasets were generated or analyzed during the current study.

Aims and Objectives

The purpose of this paper is to describe a model to guide nursing science in a clinical practice‐based setting. Exemplars are provided to highlight the application of this nursing research model, which can be applied to other clinical settings that aim to fill evidence gaps in the literature.

Nurse scientists are well positioned to develop new knowledge aimed at identifying global health solutions to multiple disparities. The generation and application of this knowledge are essential to inform and guide professional nursing practice. While a number of evidence‐based practice models exist to guide the integration of literature findings and other sources of evidence into practice, there is a need for additional models that serve as a guide and focus for the conduct of research in distinct scientific areas in practice‐based settings.

Model development and description.

Mayo Clinic is a large, comprehensive healthcare system with a mission to address unmet patient needs through practice, research and education. PhD‐prepared nurse scientists engage in practice‐based research as an integral component of Mayo Clinic's mission. A practice‐based nursing research model was developed with the intent to advance nursing research in a clinical setting.

The components of the Mayo Clinic Nursing Research model include symptom science, self‐management science and caregiving science. The generation of nursing science is focused on addressing needs of patients with complex health conditions, inclusive of caregivers.

Conclusions

While clinical settings provide rich opportunities for the conduct of research, priorities need to be established in which to focus scientific endeavours. The Mayo Clinic Nursing Research model may be applicable to nurses around the globe who are engaged in the generation of knowledge to guide practice.

Relevance to Clinical Practice

The Mayo Clinic Nursing Research model can be used by nurse scientists embedded in healthcare settings to address clinically relevant questions, advance the generation of new nursing knowledge and ultimately improve the health and well‐being of patients and caregivers.

What does this paper contribute to the wider global clinical community?

• There is a need for additional models to guide the conduct of nursing research in clinical settings.
• The Mayo Clinic Nursing Research Model was developed as a model to guide the generation of new nursing knowledge in a clinical, practice‐based setting.
• The model can be used in a variety of clinical settings for researchers who aim to fill evidence gaps in the literature.

1. INTRODUCTION

Nursing is the largest profession in health care, with continued growth expected over the next several years (Grady & Hinshaw, 2017 ). Nursing science plays a critical role in addressing health challenges, generating new knowledge and translating evidence to practice to improve patient outcomes (Grady, 2017 ; Powell, 2015 ). Furthermore, nursing science integrates biobehavioural approaches to better understand patients' needs and preferences, develop individualised symptom management interventions (Trego, 2017 ), advance interventions to promote self‐management of chronic conditions and thus promote well‐being and quality of life (Grady, 2017 ; Powell, 2015 ). Patients' healthcare needs are becoming increasingly more complex, giving rise to the need for practice‐based research. The clinical practice setting provides an opportunity to conduct research, by which patients' and caregivers needs and outcomes may be addressed and improved.

The purpose of this paper is to present the Mayo Clinic Nursing Research (MCNR) model (Figure ​ (Figure1)—a 1 )—a model developed to guide and focus nursing science generation in a practice‐based setting with an emphasis on promoting the health and well‐being of patients and caregivers with complex needs. The components of the model are described, and exemplars of the generation of practice‐based nursing knowledge are presented.

Mayo clinic nursing research model [Color figure can be viewed at wileyonlinelibrary.com ]

2. BACKGROUND

Over a century ago, Florence Nightingale recognised not only the need for formal training for nurses but also the power of the nurse to improve patient outcomes (Nightingale, 1992 ). This is still true in today's healthcare environment. Nurses can help fill a critical need not only for the education and training of healthcare workers, but also for the design and testing of solutions to common health problems (National Institutes of Health, 2015 ). As noted by Dr. Patricia Grady, director emeritus of the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR), ‘…nurse scientists can use their expertise in clinical research and their understanding of the relationship between behaviour and biology to further expand the reach and impact of nursing science in the larger community’ (National Institute of Nursing Research, 2016 , p. 6). However, recommended models for the structure and organisation of nursing research in clinical settings are scarce.

PhD‐prepared nurse scientists (sometimes referred to as nurse researchers) design and implement research studies to improve health‐related outcomes. Although most nurse scientists are employed in academic settings such as schools/colleges of nursing, there is an emerging trend for nurse scientists to have full‐time appointments in practice settings (Robichaud‐Ekstrand, 2016 ). The nurse scientist role has wide variability in how it is operationalised but can be described in three ways. First, in academic settings, Boyer's model of scholarship includes discovery, integration, application and teaching to frame the discussion of discovery and practice in nursing (Boyer, 1990 ; Hickey et al., 2019 ). Academic service partnerships have emerged as strategies to close the academic‐practice gap by connecting clinical practice with academia in order to meet mutually beneficial goals (Sadeghnezhad et al., 2018 ). Examples of programmes in academic‐service partnerships include preparation of new graduate nurses, patient safety initiatives, transitions‐in‐care programmes, advancement of evidence‐based nursing and opportunities for clinical research (Sadeghnezhad et al., 2018 ). While such programmes inform the advancement of nursing research as a component of evidence‐based practice in clinical settings, they are less informative in guiding the generation of knowledge among nurse scientists embedded in clinical settings.

In a second approach, a nurse scientist supports evidence‐based practice, quality improvement, the conduct of research by clinical nurses and, if applicable, ANCC Magnet Recognition Program® activities (Kowalski, 2020 ). A third approach similarly involves embedding nurse scientists in clinical practice settings but the role is focused on the conduct and facilitation of nursing‑oriented research, rather than simply providing support for research conducted by others (Chan et al., 2010 ). This third approach is used in the setting in which this model was developed.

Evidence‐based practice models such as the Iowa Model and the Johns Hopkins Nursing Evidence‐Based Practice Model have been adopted to guide translation of evidence to practice but they have limited utility in describing the infrastructure, focus and outcomes of nursing research in a clinical setting. The Iowa Model Revised: Evidence‐Based Practice to Promote Excellence in Health Care uses an algorithm to guide evidence‐based practice processes from identification of a trigger to integrating and sustaining a practice change (Buckwalter et al., 2017 ). The conduct of research is included in the Iowa Model as a strategy to be used when insufficient evidence exists to recommend a practice change. The Johns Hopkins Nursing Evidence‐Based Practice Model (Dang & Dearholt, 2018 ) includes a patient‐centred approach and incorporates a continuum of Inquiry–Practice/Learning–Practice Improvement as a method to ensure that best practices are applied to patient care. However, the model is centred on an evidence‐based practice approach, which differs from research in that research involves systematic investigation of phenomena to discover new information or reach new understandings and conclusions to generate new knowledge (Cohen et al., 2015 ; Hickey et al., 2019 ). The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) (Joanna Briggs Institute, 2016 ), based in the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences at the University of Adelaide, South Australia, aims to promote evidence‐based decision‐making by promoting the use of the best available evidence. JBI, through its JBI Collaboration, works with universities and hospitals around the world to synthesise, transfer and implement evidence that is culturally relevant and applicable across diverse healthcare settings internationally.

The NINR sets strategic funding and training priorities that advance nursing science to enhance the health and well‐being of individuals across diverse populations (National Institute of Nursing Research, 2016 ). Current research priorities established by the NINR include four scientific foci: symptom science, wellness, self‐management of chronic conditions, and end‐of‐life and palliative care (National Institute of Nursing Research, 2016 ). In addition, all areas of NINR's research programmes place an emphasis on promoting innovation and developing the nurse scientists of the 21st century (National Institute of Nursing Research, 2016 ). Recognising that symptoms are the primary reason patients seek care, the NINR developed the symptom science model to advance research. The symptom science model describes an analytical sequence beginning with a sequelae or cluster of symptoms, which are then characterised into a phenotype with biological correlates, followed by the application of research methods that can be used to identify targets for therapeutic and clinical interventions (Cashion & Grady, 2015 ).

Nurse scientists are well positioned to develop new knowledge aimed at identifying global health solutions to social, economic, psychological and biological disparities. The generation and application of this knowledge are essential to provide the best available evidence to inform and guide professional nursing practice. While a number of evidence‐based practice models exist to guide the integration of literature findings and other sources of evidence into practice, there is a need for additional models that serve as a guide and focus for the conduct of research in distinct scientific areas in practice‐based settings. Therefore, the project team identified a need for the development of a model articulating the goals and strategies to advance nursing research within their institution, and which would have broad applicability to other institutions and nurse scientists embedded in the clinical practice.

Mayo Clinic is a large academic medical centre that incorporates practice, education and research into its mission, which has been emulated in the Department of Nursing and the Division of Nursing Research for over three decades. Today, the Mayo Clinic Nursing Research Division is an enterprise‐wide unit providing infrastructure and support for nursing research at its sites in Mayo Clinic. A cadre of PhD‐prepared nurse scientists lead independent programmes of research and provide consultation to all staff in research‐related matters, including scientific review of research protocols. In addition, small cadres of registered nurses providing direct patient care conduct research studies under the mentorship of a nurse scientist. These clinical nurse scholars identify clinically relevant questions that are investigated by an independent research study (Chlan et al., 2019 ). Details of this programme are described elsewhere (Chlan et al., 2019 ; National Institute of Nursing Research, 2016 ).

The project team developed a model of nursing research to guide the foci for nurse scientists' research at the institution and to generate new nursing knowledge based on needs that arise from the practice setting. The model was also intended to encompass strategic priorities established both by the institution and the field of nursing science. No ethics approval was required for this project.

The team started the process of model development by conducting a literature review regarding (1) existing models of nursing research and evidence‐based practice, (2) nursing science, (3) the nurse scientist role, (4) national and international nursing research strategic priorities and (5) research strategies to transform health care. In addition, the team sought input from multidisciplinary stakeholders at the institution regarding their perception of the current and potential future contributions of nursing science to the practice. Finally, organisational resources describing the research environment were used to inform the model. Thus, it is a model rooted in practice, rather than a theory‐based model.

4.1. The Mayo Clinic nursing research model

The MCNR model is focused on three primary areas across multiple diseases, illnesses, and healthcare settings: symptom science, self‐management science and caregiving science. With a focus in these areas, nurse scientists leverage team science, big data, innovation and technology to move knowledge generation quicker along the discovery, translation and application continuum to meet the needs of patients and caregivers.

The following assumptions informed the development of the model. First, nursing research is vital for the generation of new knowledge to improve the health and well‐being of patients and their caregivers. Second, the health and well‐being of individuals with complex conditions are enhanced by developing and testing patient‐centred interventions through research that focuses on the science of symptom assessment and management, self‐management and caregiving. The MCNR model was developed to guide how this vision will be implemented in a clinical setting with programmes of nursing research aligned to inform and transform health care.

4.2. Patients and caregivers as the focal point of the model

At the centre of the model (Figure ​ (Figure1) 1 ) are the patient and caregiver with complex needs—medical, physical or psychosocial—around which all other elements in the model centre. The nurse scientist focuses on a better understanding of those needs and the testing of interventions used to address them, with the definitive goal of improving patients' and caregivers' health and well‐being. For the purposes of this model, health is defined from a holistic, phenomenological perspective of optimal overall physical, mental, spiritual, social and role functioning (Saylor, 2004 ; Watson, 2008 ); and well‐being is designated as individuals' perceptions, judgements and expectations regarding their health (Saylor, 2004 ; Sullivan, 2003 ). These foci are consistent with the patient‐centred model of care in which patients are viewed as a whole and their individual viewpoints and characteristics are taken into consideration when making decisions regarding care (Zhao et al., 2016 ). It is also congruent with the mission and values of Mayo Clinic (Mayo Clinic, 2021 ), as well as the profession of nursing (Spurlock, 2019 ).

4.3. MCNR model scientific foci

The generation of symptom science, self‐management science and caregiving science are the scientific foci that promote the health and well‐being of patients and caregivers in a practice‐based, patient‐centred clinical setting. It is through the conduct of scientific investigation in these three main areas, described below, that nursing research seeks solutions to unmet, complex health needs of patients and caregivers.

Symptom science seeks to transform the practice using biological, clinical and/or behavioural approaches to investigate symptoms aiming to individualise care and assess patient‐reported outcomes such as quality of life and well‐being (Grady, 2017 ). Self‐management science is based on a complex set of cognitive and behavioural self‐regulation responses that individuals engage in to manage chronic illnesses or factors that increase the risk for illness (Araújo‐Soares et al., 2019 ). Research to support self‐management includes developing and evaluating a broad range of interventions often focused on providing education and guidance for managing specific illnesses, partnering with healthcare providers and coping with challenges of living with chronic illness (Allegrante et al., 2019 ).

Caregiving science is research that explores effective approaches to reduce burden on and promote the health and well‐being of professional and lay caregivers (Grady, 2017 ). Research that examines methods to include caregivers in the care process and to design and test interventions that include them has the potential to significantly contribute to improved patient outcomes and patient‐centred care (Littleton‐Kearney & Grady, 2018 ).

4.4. Leveraging team science, big data, innovation, and technology

In addition to cutting‐edge research methods, nurse scientists leverage team science, big data, innovation and technology as tools, resources and methods to seek solutions to unmet health needs of patients and caregivers (Brennan & Bakken, 2015 ; Conn, 2019 ; Grady & Gough, 2018 ). Within the MCNR model, these four resources and methodologies contribute to the advancement of nursing science in the areas of symptom, self‐management, and caregiving. Team science leverages the strengths and expertise of professionals trained in different disciplines or nursing specialties through a collaborative effort to address a scientific challenge (Bennett & Gadlin, 2012 ). Team‐based research initiatives can be uni‐ or multidisciplinary groups, and teams can be large or small (Conn, 2019 ). In team science, multiple stakeholders contribute unique perspectives on the topic at hand and are deeply engaged in the project (Bennett et al., 2018 ). The World Health Organisation has acknowledged the importance of team‐based research through implementation of nursing collaborating centres, which focus on collaborative research of global or regional importance (National Institutes of Health, 2015 ).

Big data science allows researchers to analyse large and complex volumes of information that are newly available at unprecedented rates from sources such as electronic health records, large databases, sensor‐enabled equipment, imaging techniques, smart devices and high‐throughput genetic sequencing methods (Fernandes et al., 2012 ). Through the application of big data research methods, including artificial intelligence, researchers can discover new ways of understanding and addressing the needs of the patient (Fernandes et al., 2012 ). For example, big data methodologies can be implemented to maximise the utility of patient‐reported outcome data in order to capture the patients' perspectives on how their disease, and the treatment of their disease, is impacting their lives. These data can be used to inform clinical decision‐making, predict long‐term outcomes and identify future innovations in health technologies and other interventions (Calvert et al., 2015 ). This patient‐centric approach ultimately allows healthcare providers to have a better understanding of how individuals are living with and managing their illness, and to make more informed decisions regarding personalised interventions that will have a measurable impact on the patient experience (Brennan & Bakken, 2015 ).

Innovation is defined as a creative, fast‐moving endeavour that involves scientific methods and improvisation to design unique solutions that change the world (Mayo Clinic Center for Innovation, 2020 ). Innovative research uses novel theoretical concepts, methodologies and interventions to challenge current clinical practice paradigms. Innovations in health care can be seen in product innovation for the introduction of new types of goods and services, and in process innovation, which is centred on enhancing internal processes for the production of high‐quality care (Arshad et al., 2018 ; Govindasamy & Wattal, 2018 ; Thune & Mina, 2016 ).

Technology in medical research involves innovations that impact health or healthcare delivery (Healthcare News & Insights, 2020 ; Martins & Del Sasso, 2008 ). Biotechnology, machine learning, pharmaceuticals, information technology, remote monitoring and medical devices are examples of technology. Other technologies include software and applications for self‐management and symptom tracking. Technologies can maximise efficiency and access to health care, such as digital solutions to connect patients to the appropriate provider (National Institute of Mental Health, 2020 ).

4.5. Discovery‐translation‐application continuum

Research conducted at Mayo Clinic occurs along a continuum to address unmet patient needs. The process by which new information makes its way into practice along this continuum is through discovery, translation and application, depicted in the outermost ring of the model in Figure ​ Figure1. 1 . Discovery uses scientific methods to seek solutions to improve the health and well‐being of patients with complex conditions; translation is the development and testing of possible solutions; and application is the dissemination, integration, and evaluation of solutions into practice (Ammerman et al., 2014 ).

Nursing research contributes to innovation at all points along the discovery‐translation‐application continuum, continually advancing science, transforming patient care and improving outcomes (Grady, 2017 ). Guided by the MCNR model, nurse scientists discover answers to puzzling clinical questions that can be translated and applied directly to clinical practice to improve patient care as rapidly and as safely as possible. There are at least seven implementation science models or frameworks available to guide translation of findings to practice. Systematic reviews show variability in their scope and application so selection of an implementation framework according to the context of change is key (Dintrans et al., 2019 ; Moullin et al., 2015 ). In our setting, translation is achieved through clinical partnerships where the department's evidence‐based practice model is used to guide implementation. As depicted in the model in circular form (Figure ​ (Figure1), 1 ), this process is iterative rather than linear. Discoveries are made through observation, discussion or other forms of data. These discoveries, seen through the nursing lens, may have broader applications to be considered. Further, empirical evidence is needed prior to implementing new discoveries into practice. During implementation, new discoveries and applications may come to light.

5. EXEMPLARS OF THE MAYO CLINIC NURSING RESEARCH MODEL

The overall purpose of the MCNR model is to provide a coordinated focus and consistent approach that guides and prioritises practice‐based nursing research. Nurse scientists use the model in their own focused areas of research as well as to guide nurses in the conduct of research that arises from their practice. Outlined below are exemplars of how the MCNR model guides the conduct of practice‐based research among nurse scientists at Mayo Clinic. Examples of how the model has informed research are presented. Not all aspects of the model are evident in each exemplar.

The first nursing research exemplar, within the domain of symptom science (second ring of the MCNR model), aims to address unmet needs of critically ill patients (centre of model) related to comfort‐promoting interventions. Under the mentorship of a PhD‐prepared nurse scientist, this descriptive, cross‐sectional study is being conducted by two practising ICU nurses who first identified in their own clinical setting the problems of: (1) numerous sources of discomfort among ICU patients; (2) the absence of objective assessment of these discomforts as distinct from objective assessment of pain; and (3) the inability to intervene appropriately with effective comfort‐promoting interventions. Next, they identified the distinction between discomfort and pain. They are currently assessing, describing and quantifying the contributing sources of discomfort experienced by nonmechanically ventilated ICU patients using the Discomforts Perceived by ICU Patients instrument, a modified version of the French instrument Inconforts des Patients de REAnimation (IPREA) questionnaire (Baumstarck et al., 2019 ). The end‐product of this study will be the discovery of new knowledge (outer ring of model) to inform ICU nursing practice regarding discomfort‐producing stimuli. Future areas of investigation would include developing and testing interventions (translation of possible solutions through clinical trials), of which those that are found to be effective would then be directly applied in the setting of ICU clinical nursing practice contributing to symptom science for critically ill patients.

An exemplar within the domain of caregiving science (second ring of MCNR model) is a multidisciplinary trial co‐led by a nurse scientist and physician (team science—third ring of model). The investigators noted that patients with advanced cancer or those nearing the end‐of‐life experience significant, unique distress related to their disease, treatment and impending mortality. In addition, they noted a lack of evidence on best methods to manage psychosocial distress in patients and caregivers with complex needs (centre of model). Thus, they designed a study to determine the feasibility of a modified version of the Resilient Living Program (The Resilient Option, 2020 ) that is tailored to the needs of patients with advanced cancer and their adult caregivers. Outcomes of the study include feasibility of participant recruitment, acceptability of the intervention and self‐reports of resilience, quality of life, stress, anxiety, sleep, fatigue and caregiver role overload. Findings from this study will lead to the discovery (outer ring of model) of best practices for integrating a resilience training programme within the care of patients with complex needs (centre of model), and their caregivers. Future studies will examine the outcomes of revised training programmes that are more effectively tailored to the unique needs of these populations.

Recognising the emotional distress their patients endure, a group of nurses working on the bone marrow transplant (BMT) unit expressed interest in specific nursing interventions to support their patients' emotional well‐being. Although they knew from their clinical experience that hospitalisation for BMT is quite stressful, they wanted to have a better understanding of when the most distressing times were for the patients, and what aspects of undergoing BMT were the most stressful. A review of the literature did not identify the specific information they were seeking. In collaboration with a nurse scientist and social workers on the unit, they implemented a descriptive study aimed at answering their questions. The study is in progress, and when finished, the results will inform both nursing and social work practice. This is an example of how clinical nurses identified a need centred around the health and well‐being of complex patients (centre of the MCNR model), focused on symptom science (second ring of the model), and used team science (third ring of the model) to discover new information (outer ring of the model) from which nursing interventions can be developed and tested.

The final nursing research exemplar is within the domains of symptom science and self‐management science (second ring of the MCNR model) to address the unmet needs of complex critically ill patients (centre of model). As of this writing, a randomised controlled clinical trial is testing the efficacy of self‐administered versus intensive care unit (ICU) nurse‐administered sedative therapy for anxiety in critically ill patients receiving mechanical ventilatory support (1R01 {"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"HL130881","term_id":"1051909465","term_text":"HL130881"}} HL130881 ). Primary outcomes of the study include anxiety, duration of mechanical ventilation, delirium, level of arousal, alertness and sedative exposure. Post‐ICU outcomes are also being examined and include functional status, depression and health‐related quality of life. Findings from this clinical trial will be applied to the practice setting (outer ring of the model) to implement patient‐centred interventions that improve not only ICU outcomes but also quality of life during the trajectory of recovery from critical illness and injury.

6. DISCUSSION

The MCNR model guides nursing research across settings and prioritises inquiry on symptom science, self‐management science and caregiving science. The model is unique in that it specifically focuses on generation of nursing knowledge through the focus and conduct of research in a practice‐based clinical setting. Few such models have been found in the literature; those that are available focus on advancing bedside nurses' involvement in research (Brewer et al., 2009 ; Stutzman et al., 2016 ). Robust programmes of nursing research remain relatively uncommon in clinical settings (Robichaud‐Ekstrand, 2016 ). Availability of time and resources needed to facilitate clinical research are often constrained. Even in large academic medical centres with institutional commitment, the contributions of nursing research often go unrecognised, even from within the nursing profession. The MCNR model can be used to communicate the scope and focus of nursing research, from which studies can be developed to address significant problems impacted by nursing practice.

In creating the MCNR model, we sought to demonstrate the unique contributions of nursing research at our institution and develop a framework to guide the overall direction of nursing research. This model may have limited application in nonclinical settings; however, other institutions may glean information to develop similar models tailored to their settings. Adaptation of the model to fit a specific organisational context and available resources may be necessary. Although the model is implemented in a setting rich in human and other resources to guide nursing science, it could easily be used in settings with more limited resources to help frame the scope and function of nursing science. However, this model was primarily developed for use in clinical settings in which some resources for the conduct of research exist. Unfortunately, there are still many settings where the resources needed to facilitate nursing research are sparse or non‐existent.

The MCNR model can also be integrated with existing models of nursing research. The National Institutes of Health Symptom Science Model is one example of a complementary model that can be used in tandem with the MCNR. The Symptom Science Model provides a guide for researchers to study complex symptoms experienced by individuals and incorporates the components of phenotypic characterisation, biomarker discovery and clinical application, with an overall goal of symptom reduction and improvement (Cashion et al., 2016 ). These methodologic components can be used to advance the care of patients with complex needs in the context of the institutional priorities and infrastructure described in the model. The MCNR model can be applied in several ways to advance scientific knowledge in the areas of symptoms, self‐management and caregiving. The model incorporates advancements in biological sciences, technology and big data methods to meet the needs of patients in a holistic way using nursing's unique body of knowledge (Henly et al., 2015 ). While nurse scientists may not have extensive expertise in all areas, collaborating with other scientists and clinicians who have complementary expertise ensures that investigations incorporate the best science and technology from other fields to inform nursing knowledge and practice.

As nurse scientists are increasingly employed in clinical settings, it will become more important to evaluate and publish outcomes of models, including this one. Nursing research within our institution is evolving to best meet the needs of patients. The MCNR model is a step in the process to define our direction and differentiate our areas of expertise from those of other disciplines.

The model is not without limitations. The MCNR Model was developed by nurse scientists within the Division of Nursing Research to serve as a guide and focus for our conduct of research, and to communicate our work with others. It is a reflection of the current foci of nursing research at a single institution and, as noted earlier, may need to be adapted to meet the needs of other institutions. It is intended to serve as a starting point for the infrastructure needed to generate research ideas and to serve as a guide to focus the conduct of research in distinct scientific areas in practice‐based settings. It is not intended to constrain research foci that are outside of this model. The model may be of lower utility in settings where nurse scientists are not available. It will be revisited periodically by the research team and stakeholders to ensure that it reflects the current focus of nursing research throughout the institution.

7. CONCLUSION

Nurse scientists embedded in healthcare settings are uniquely positioned to inform translation of research findings to practice. As health care evolves and the needs of patients and caregivers become more complex, the importance of studying symptoms, self‐management and caregiving is becoming increasingly critical. Nurse scientists leverage team science, big data, innovation and technology to move knowledge generation along the continuum of discovery, translation and application. The MCNR model can be used to advance generation of new nursing knowledge to improve the health and well‐being of patients and caregivers.

8. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

The MCNR model can be used by nurse scientists embedded in healthcare settings to address clinically relevant questions and ultimately improve the overall physical, mental, spiritual, social and role functioning of patients and caregivers, as well as to enhance individuals' perceptions, judgements and expectations regarding their health. The model provides a structure for addressing nursing science priorities through the discovery, translation and application continuum, and advancing the generation of new nursing knowledge.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

The authors report no conflicts of interest with this manuscript.

AUTHOR CONTRIBUTIONS

Conception and design of the work, drafting of the article, critical revisions of the article and final approval of the version to be published: All authors.

DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT

• Allegrante, J. P. , Wells, M. T. , & Peterson, J. C. (2019). Interventions to support behavioral self‐management of chronic diseases . Annual Review of Public Health , 40 , 127–146. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Ammerman, A. , Smith, T. W. , & Calancie, L. J. A. (2014). Practice‐based evidence in public health: Improving reach, relevance, and results . Annual Review of Public Health , 35 , 47–63. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Araújo‐Soares, V. , Hankonen, N. , Presseau, J. , Rodrigues, A. , & Sniehotta, F. F. (2019). Developing behavior change interventions for self‐management in chronic illness: An integrative overview . European Psychologist , 24 ( 1 ), 7. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Arshad, H. , Radić, M. , & Radić, D. (2018). Patterns of frugal innovation in healthcare . Technology Innovation Management Review , 8 ( 4 ), 28–37. [ Google Scholar ]
• Baumstarck, K. , Boucekine, M. , Estagnasie, P. , Geantot, M.‐A. , Berric, A. , Simon, G. , Floccard, B. , Signouret, T. , Fromentin, M. , Nyunga, M. , Sossou, A. , Venot, M. , Robert, R. , Follin, A. , Audibert, J. , Renault, A. , Garrouste‐Orgeas, M. , Collange, O. , Levrat, Q. , … Kalfon, P. (2019). Assessment of patients' self‐perceived intensive care unit discomforts: Validation of the 18‐item version of the IPREA . Health and Quality of Life Outcomes , 17 ( 1 ), 29. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Bennett, L. M. , & Gadlin, H. (2012). Collaboration and team science: from theory to practice . Journal of Investigative Medicine , 60 ( 5 ), 768–775. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Bennett, L. M. , Gadlin, H. , & Marchand, C. (2018). Collaboration team science: Field guide . US Department of Health & Human Services, National Institutes of Health. [ Google Scholar ]
• Boyer, E. (1990). Scholarship reconsidered: Priorities for the professoriate . Retrieved from Princeton, NJ: https://www.hadinur.com/paper/BoyerScholarshipReconsidered.pdf [ Google Scholar ]
• Brennan, P. F. , & Bakken, S. (2015). Nursing needs big data and big data needs nursing . Journal of Nursing Scholarship , 47 ( 5 ), 477–484. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Brewer, B. B. , Brewer, M. A. , & Schultz, A. A. (2009). A collaborative approach to building the capacity for research and evidence‐based practice in community hospitals . Nursing Clinics of North America , 44 ( 1 ), 11–25, ix. 10.1016/j.cnur.2008.10.003 [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Buckwalter, K. C. , Cullen, L. , Hanrahan, K. , Kleiber, C. , McCarthy, A. M. , Rakel, B. , Steelman, V. , Tripp‐Reimer, T. , & Tucker, S. (2017). Iowa model of evidence‐based practice: Revisions and validation . Worldviews on Evidence‐Based Nursing , 14 ( 3 ), 175–182. 10.1111/wvn.12223. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Calvert, M. , Thwaites, R. , Kyte, D. , & Devlin, N. (2015). Putting patient‐reported outcomes on the ‘Big Data Road Map’ . Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine , 108 ( 8 ), 299–303. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Cashion, A. K. , Gill, J. , Hawes, R. , Henderson, W. A. , & Saligan, L. (2016). National Institutes of Health Symptom Science Model sheds light on patient symptoms . Nursing Outlook , 64 ( 5 ), 499–506. 10.1016/j.outlook.2016.05.008. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Cashion, A. K. , & Grady, P. A. (2015). The National Institutes of Health/National Institutes of Nursing Research intramural research program and the development of the National Institutes of Health Symptom Science Model . Nursing Outlook , 63 ( 4 ), 484–487. 10.1016/j.outlook.2015.03.001. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Chan, R. , Gardner, G. E. , Webster, J. , & Geary, A. (2010). Building research capacity in the nursing workforce: The design and evaluation of the nurse researcher role . Australian Journal of Advanced Nursing , 27 ( 4 ), 62–69. [ Google Scholar ]
• Chlan, L. L. , Johnson, P. O. , Peterson, P. E. , Striegel, L. , Au, G. , Fritsche, A. , Bursiek, A. , Engelmann, A. , & Tofthagen, C. (2019). Strategies to promote nurses' engagement in clinical research: Description of two nurse scholar programs . Journal of Professional Nursing , 36 ( 3 ), 111–115. 10.1016/j.profnurs.2019.11.001. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Cohen, M. Z. , Thompson, C. B. , Yates, B. , Zimmerman, L. , & Pullen, C. H. (2015). Implementing common data elements across studies to advance research . Nursing Outlook , 63 ( 2 ), 181–188. 10.1016/j.outlook.2014.11.006. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Conn, V. S. (2019). Team science: Challenging opportunity . SAGE Publications. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Dang, D. , & Dearholt, S. L. (Eds.) (2018). Johns Hopkins nursing evidence‐based practice: Model and guidelines (3rd ed.). Sigma Theta Tau International. [ Google Scholar ]
• Dintrans, P. V. , Bossert, T. J. , Sherry, J. , & Kruk, M. E. (2019). A synthesis of implementation science frameworks and application to global health gaps . Global Health Research and Policy , 4 ( 1 ), 25. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Fernandes, L. M. , O'Connor, M. , Weaver, V. J. J. O. A. (2012). Big data, bigger outcomes: Healthcare is embracing the big data movement, hoping to revolutionize HIM by distilling vast collection of data for specific analysis . Journal of AHIMA , 83 ( 10 ), 38–43. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Govindasamy, S. , & Wattal, S. (2018). Linking dynamic capabilities and healthcare innovations: A case study approach. Paper presented at the 2018 engaged management scholarship conference: Philadelphia, PA . [ Google Scholar ]
• Grady, P. A. (2017). Advancing science, improving lives: NINR's new strategic plan and the future of nursing science . Journal of Nursing Scholarship , 49 ( 3 ), 247. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Grady, P. A. , & Gough, L. L. (2018). Using nursing science to inform health policy: The role of the National Institute of Nursing Research . Annual Review of Nursing Research , 36 ( 1 ), 131–149. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Grady, P. A. , & Hinshaw, A. S. (2017). Using nursing research to shape health policy . Springer Publishing Company. [ Google Scholar ]
• Healthcare News & Insights (2020). Medical technology . Healthcare Business & Technology. http://www.healthcarebusinesstech.com/medical‐technology/ [ Google Scholar ]
• Henly, S. J. , McCarthy, D. O. , Wyman, J. F. , Stone, P. W. , Redeker, N. S. , McCarthy, A. M. , & Conley, Y. P. (2015). Integrating emerging areas of nursing science into PhD programs . Nursing Outlook , 63 ( 4 ), 408–416. 10.1016/j.outlook.2015.04.010. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Hickey, J. , Duffy, L. V. , Hinkle, J. L. , Prendergast, V. , Rhudy, L. M. , Sullivan, C. , & Villanueva, N. E. (2019). Scholarship in neuroscience nursing . Journal of Neuroscience Nursing , 51 ( 5 ), 243–248. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Joanna Briggs Institute (2016). The JBI model of evidence‐based healthcare . https://joannabriggs.org/jbi‐approach.html [ Google Scholar ]
• Kowalski, M. O. (2020). Nursing research at an ANCC Magnet® designated medical center . Applied Nursing Research , 55 , 151290. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Littleton‐Kearney, M. T. , & Grady, P. A. (2018). The science of caregiving bringing voices together: summary of National Institute of Nursing Research's 2017 summit . Nursing Outlook , 66 ( 2 ), 157–159. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Martins, C. R. , & Dal Sasso, G. T. M. (2008). Technology: definitions and reflections for nursing and health care practice . Texto & Contexto ‐ Enfermagem , 17 ( 1 ), 13–14. [ Google Scholar ]
• Mayo Clinic (2021). Mayo Clinic mission and values . https://www.mayoclinic.org/about‐mayo‐clinic/mission‐values [ Google Scholar ]
• Mayo Clinic Center for Innovation (2020). What we do . http://centerforinnovation.mayo.edu/what‐we‐do/ [ Google Scholar ]
• Moullin, J. C. , Sabater‐Hernández, D. , Fernandez‐Llimos, F. , & Benrimoj, S. I. (2015). A systematic review of implementation frameworks of innovations in healthcare and resulting generic implementation framework . Health Research Policy and Systems , 13 ( 1 ), 16. 10.1186/s12961-015-0005-z. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• National Institute of Mental Health (2020, September 2019). Technology and the future of mental health treatment . https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/technology‐and‐the‐future‐of‐mental‐health‐treatment/index.shtml [ Google Scholar ]
• National Institute of Nursing Research (2016). The NIINR strategic plan: Advancing science, improving lives . https://www.ninr.nih.gov/sites/files/docs/NINR_StratPlan2016_reduced.pdf [ Google Scholar ]
• National Institutes of Health (2015). Global health matters . https://www.fic.nih.gov/News/GlobalHealthMatters/january‐february‐2015/Documents/fogarty‐nih‐global‐health‐matters‐newsletter‐january‐february‐2015.pdf [ Google Scholar ]
• Nightingale, F. (1992). Notes on nursing: What it is, and what it is not . Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. [ Google Scholar ]
• Powell, K. (2015). Nursing research: Nurses know best . Nature , 522 ( 7557 ), 507–509. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Robichaud‐Ekstrand, S. (2016). New Brunswick nurses' views on nursing research, and factors influencing their research activities in clinical practice . Nursing & Health Sciences , 18 ( 2 ), 246–255. 10.1111/nhs.12261. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Sadeghnezhad, M. , Heshmati Nabavi, F. , Najafi, F. , Kareshki, H. , & Esmaily, H. (2018). Mutual benefits in academic‐service partnership: An integrative review . Nurse Education Today , 68 , 78–85. 10.1016/j.nedt.2018.05.019. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Saylor, C. (2004). The circle of health: A health definition model . Journal of Holistic Nursing , 22 ( 2 ), 97–115. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Spurlock, D. Jr (2019). Toward an inclusive vision of both nursing practice and nursing science . Journal of Nursing Education , 58 ( 6 ), 319–320. 10.3928/01484834-20190521-01. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Stutzman, S. , Olson, D. , Supnet, C. , Harper, C. , Brown‐Cleere, S. , McCulley, B. , & Goldberg, M. (2016). Promoting bedside nurse‐led research through a dedicated neuroscience nursing research fellowship . Journal of Nursing Administration , 46 ( 12 ), 648–653. 10.1097/nna.0000000000000421. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Sullivan, M. (2003). The new subjective medicine: taking the patient's point of view on health care and health . Social Science & Medicine , 56 ( 7 ), 1595–1604. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• The Resilient Option (2020). Our research . https://www.resilientoption.com/p/our‐research [ Google Scholar ]
• Thune, T. , & Mina, A. (2016). Hospitals as innovators in the health‐care system: A literature review and research agenda . Research Policy , 45 ( 8 ), 1545–1557. [ Google Scholar ]
• Trego, L. L. (2017). Developing a military nurse scientist program of research: A military women's health exemplar . Nursing Outlook , 65 ( 5 ), S130–S139. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Watson, J. (2008). Nursing: The philosophy and science of caring (Rev ed.). University Press of Colorado. [ Google Scholar ]
• Zhao, J. , Gao, S. , Wang, J. , Liu, X. , & Hao, Y. (2016). Differentiation between two healthcare concepts: Person‐centered and patient‐centered care . International Journal of Nursing Sciences , 3 ( 4 ), 398–402. [ Google Scholar ]

• Joyner Library
• Laupus Health Sciences Library
• Music Library
• Digital Collections
• Special Collections
• North Carolina Collection
• Teaching Resources
• The ScholarShip Institutional Repository
• Country Doctor Museum

Evidence-Based Practice for Nursing: Asking the Clinical Question

• What is Evidence-Based Practice?
• Asking the Clinical Question
• Finding Evidence
• Evaluating the Evidence
• Articles, Books & Web Resources on EBN

Identifying the Problem

Clinical questions arise from various cues, problems, and/or observations from patient care, nursing practice, or broader changes in healthcare knowledge and delivery. The most important step in Evidence-Based Nursing (EBN) is to correctly identify a problem through patient assessment or practice assessment, processes that require reflection by the nurse on clinical practice, in conjunction with a knowledge of the patient's present circumstances. The ability to identify the problem is the foundation for evidence-based nursing ; if a nurse fails to identify a problem correctly, then all the evidence she/he locates and the resulting decision-making will be irrelevant (Haddock, 2005).

The information below describes how to frame the question once the patient or practice assessment and the resulting problem identification have occurred.

Background vs. Foreground

An early step in framing the clinical question is to determine the type of question:  background  or  foreground . The type of question helps to determine the resource to access to answer the question.

• A question root (who, what, when, etc.) with a verb
• A disorder, treatment, test, or other aspect of healthcare
• e.g.  What causes migraines? How often do women over 40 need a mammogram?
• Books  are generally better resources for answering background questions.
• ​Patient/population characteristics, problem
• Interventions or Exposures 
• Articles are typically more specific and current, making them better suited for foreground questions.

Types of Questions

Clinical questions

Clinical questions typically fall into one of four main categories:

• Etiology (or harm/risk factors) : What causes the problem?
• Diagnosis: Does this patient have this problem?
• Therapy: What is the best treatment for this problem?
• Prognosis: What will the outcome of the problem be?

* Knowing the type of clinical question is important later in the EBN process--once the nurse goes to look for studies that will answer his/her question.

Nursing Practice Questions:

In nursing, many other questions about practice will also arise, with some of the questions resulting from the nursing principle of working with  rather than  on  the patient. These questions can be quantitative or qualitative in nature. Examples include:

• What other, validated instruments for measuring this condition or phenomenon (e.g. pain) exist and how do they compare to the one we currently use? 
• Should a nurse deliver patient education on the patient's disease/condition near the beginning or the end of an appointment or consultation?
• How do caregivers of patients with [x] cope with the burden of care and how can nurses assess the level of caregiver burden and/or support the caregivers?
• << Previous: What is Evidence-Based Practice?
• Next: Finding Evidence >>
• Last Updated: Jan 12, 2024 10:03 AM
• URL: https://libguides.ecu.edu/ebn

• [email protected]

Get Instant Help From 5000+ Experts For

Get instant help with your pico research questions.

• #1 PICO Research Questions | Assignment Help
• Over 100 Nursing Tutors Live Now!
• 5600+ Students Improved Grades using the Excellent Service provided by HelpWithAssignment.com

PICO is required for creating clinical questions in evidence-based research in nursing. Evidence-based research papers constitute a major part of the nursing assignments . In such papers, you need to design your PICO research questions in accordance with the PICO framework. The framework is actually divided into four major elements. 

A good clinical question will address most, if not all, aspects of the PICO.  The following are the parameters defined by PICO (T) when it comes to designing of clinical questions: 

P: Patient, Problem, Population 

I: Intervention 

C: Comparison 

O: Outcome 

T: Time frame, Type of Question, Type of study (this additional parameter is not always present but nonetheless it helps in the determination of a perfect clinical question) 

Get Nursing Thesis Writing Help Now

Get Nursing PPT Presentation Help  

These elements will help you define the perfect clinical question for your evidence-based nursing report. You will be required to frame the entire nursing research paper based on this framework. Now if you need assistance with your PICO Research Questions or nursing research homework then do not hesitate to contact us. 

Helpwithassignment.com is the most reliable nursing research assignment help provider. We provide top quality help and assistance to nursing students all across the globe. If you are still worried about framing your perfect clinical question then do not hesitate to contact us expert nursing tutors today. Meanwhile, here is a list of 101 PICO Research Questions for you to get an idea:

101 PICO Research Questions

• Is using toys as distractions during giving needle vaccinations to toddlers an effective pain response management? 
• Do pain diaries work in pain management for cancer patients?
• Is the use of anti-bacterial foam dispensers a healthy choice for the nurses?
• Do bedside shift reports help in the overall patient care for nurses?
• Is the lithotomy position an ideal position for giving birth for women in labor? 
• Is cup feeding an infant is better than feeding through tubes in a NICU set up?
• Does raising the head of the bed of a mechanically ventilated patient reduce the chances of pneumonia? 
• Is home visitation a better way of dealing with teen pregnancy when compared to regular school visits in rural areas?
• What is the result of a higher amount of potassium intake amongst children with low blood pressure?
• Is spironolactone a better drug for reducing the blood pressure of teenagers when compared to clonidine?
• What are the health outcomes of having a high amount of potassium for adults over the age of 21 years?
• Do workout routines actually help patients who are suffering from hypertension?
• Does the intervention of flushing the heroine via lines a more effective way of treating patients with CVLs/PICCs? 
• Nasal swab or nasal aspirate? Which one is more effective for children suffering from seasonal flu? 
• Is the use of intravenous fluid intervention a better remedy for infants under fatal conditions?
• What is the most effective way of cutting down the oxygen saturation levels during oxygen therapy for children suffering from urinary tract infections?
• What is the best way of giving oxygen during the process of oxygenation for children between 2 and 3 months old?
• Does controlling the amount of sublingual sugar help completely conscious children suffering from hypoglycaemia?
• What are the best standards of beginning and ending oxygen therapy?
• Is a wound vac a better alternative compared to a standard moist whilst treating an ulcer for a patient suffering from blood pressure?
• Is negative therapy wound pressure a better therapy when compared to a standard moist for dealing with patients over the age of 60 years?
• Does group therapy help patients with schizophrenia to help their conversational skills?
• What are the probable after effects, in the form of bruises and other injuries, of herapin injection therapy for COPD patients?
• Does music therapy is an effective mode of PACU pain management for patients who are slowly coming out from their anesthesia? 
• Is the intake of zinc pills more effective than Vitamin C for preventing cold during winter for middle-aged women? 
• Is skin-to-skin contact of the infant with the mother a more assured way of ensuring neonatal mortality when compared to drying and wrapping?
• Do non-smoking adults have any risk of oeseophagal cancer?
• Is vitamin K prophylaxis effective in preventing Vitamin K deficiency caused during bleeding in a neonatal?
• What are the roles of a pre-surgery cardiac nurse in order to prevent depression amongst patients awaiting cardiac operation?
• Is medical intervention a proper way of dealing with childhood obesity among school-going children?
• Can nurse-led presentation of mental health associated with bullying help in combating such tendencies in public schools?
• What are the effects of adding beta-blockers for lowering blood pressure for adult men over the age of 70 years? 
• Does the habit of washing hands among healthcare workers decrease the events of infections in hospitals? 
• Is psychological intervention for people suffering from dementia a more effective measure than giving them placebo? 
• What are the measurable effects of extending ICU stays and antibiotic consumption amongst children with sepsis? 
• How is antenatal care effective for pregnant women under the age of 20 years?
• Is fentanyl more effective than morphine in dealing with the pain of adults over the age of 50 years?
• Is new regime exercises effective in preventing fatal heart diseases among women with a family history of cardiac disorder?
• Are alarm sensors effective in preventing accidents in hospitals for patients over the age of 65 years?
• Is using continuous feed during emesis a more effective way of intervention when compared to the process of stopping the feed for a short period of time?
• Is the process of stopping lipids for 4 hours an effective measure of obtaining the desired TG level for patients who are about to receive TPN?
• What is it difficult to detect any C difficile for children below the age of 5 years?
• Is the syringe pump more effective than a kangaroo pump in storing breast milk for pediatric patients?
• What is the usefulness of an LP/spinal tap after the beginning of antivirals for a pediatric population suffering from fever?
• Is an annual mammogram necessary for detecting breast cancer for women over the age of 40 years?
• Is it necessary to test blood glucose level, 4 times a day, for a patient suffering from Type 1 diabetes? 
• Are oral contraceptives effective in stopping pregnancy for women above 30 years?
• Are oral contraceptives more likely to cause blood clotting problems for women above the age of 40 years?
• What are the expected outcomes of pediatric patients with MRSA?
• Are inline suction catheters more effective when compared to regular catheters for reducing the risk of infection?
• What are the uses of insuflon port in herapin therapy for pediatric population?
• Is the process of flushing GT with Pedialyte a healthy measure for the prevention of NA depletion? 
• What are the ethical considerations for providing placebo medication for a pediatric population suffering from mental health issues?
• Is monitoring NJT placement by aspiration is a better method for NJT placement in case of infants?
• What is the average bill-level to offer hyperbili amongst newborn patients? 
• Does the use of MDI derive better results, when compared to regular nebulizers, for pediatric patients suffering from asthma?
• What are the reasons for getting an infant afebrile, for an entire day, before getting a VCUG? 
• Is the sudden change of temperature harmful for patients who are neurologically devastated? 
• What is the accuracy level of oral thermometers when compared to the tympanic thermometer for the pediatric population?
• What are the standards of vital signs for a pediatric population?
• Does psychological intervention help in the increase of self-confidence amongst patients who are suffering from chronic diseases?
• What are the impacts of managing Prevacid before a ph probe study for pediatric patients with GERD? 
• Are cold packs more effective than heat packs for IV infiltrates? 
• Is placing a toddler in a prone situation better in preventing any air leak, considering he/she is using chest tubes?
• What are the impacts of using  an intermittent straight catheter for children suffering from UTI? 
• What is the clinical relation between congenital central hypoventilation syndrome and Hirschsprung?
• Are there any advantages of utilizing TPA in the tubes as a thrombolytic therapy for patients with chest tubes?
• What is the effectiveness of RASKIN protocol for dealing with patients with migraine? 
• What is the significance of using three banks of lights for infants suffering from hyperbilirubinemia?
• Do bilirubin levels decrease faster when more banks of lights are being used for treating infants with hyperbilirubinemia?
• What are the effects of IVF bolus in controlling the amount of Magnesium Sulfate for patients who are suffering from asthma? 
• Are ethanol locks effective in preventing catheter-based infections amongst infants?
• What are the consequences of vaccination amongst children when compared to adults?
• Is the use of infrared skin thermometers justified when compared to the tympanic thermometers for a pediatric population?
• What are the basic protocols of AFB culture for diagnosing patients with tuberculosis?
• Infants suffering from SGS normally throws-up when Imodium is being introduced. What are the alternatives to this?
• Is the use of modern syringes help in the reduction of needle injuries among healthcare workers in America?
• Is the increase in the intake of anti-depressants among 30 years and older urban women affecting their maternal health? 
• What is the direct connection between VAP and NGT?
• Is sodium bicarb absorption better done through tubes when compared to swallowing it? 
• Is the increase of the use of mosquito net in Uganda helped in the reduction of malaria among the infants? 
• Does the increase in the habit of smoking marijuana among Dutch students increase the chances of depression? 
• Does the increase in the intake of oral contraceptives increase the chances of breast cancer among 20-30 years old women in the UK? 
• Is bullying in the boarding schools of Scotland increase the chances of domestic violence in a 20 years’ time frame?
• Does the use of pain relief medication during the process of the surgery reduce the pain more effectively when compared to the intake of the same medicine given post-surgery? 
• Do breastfeeding toddlers in the urban United States decrease their chances of obesity as pre-schoolers? 
•  Does encouraging male work colleagues to talk about sexual harassment decrease the rate of depression in the workplace? 
• Does forming workgroups to discuss domestic violence among the rural population of the United States decrease stress and depression among women? 
• Do peer-supported intervention programs help prevent school suicide rates among female students of New York?
• Is yoga an effective medical therapy in the reduction of lymphedema in patients who are recovering from neck cancer?
• Does receiving phone tweets lower blood sugar levels for people suffering from Type 1 diabetes? 
• Are males over the age of 30 years who have smoked for more than 1 year exposed to greater risk of esophageal cancer when compared to the same age group of men who has no history of smoking? 
• Do women, between the age of 25 and 40 years, who takes regular oral contraceptives are in greater risk of blood clots when compared to the women in the same age group who avoid oral contraceptives?
• For women under the age of 50 years is yearly mammogram more effective in the prevention of breast cancer when compared to the mammogram done every 3 years?
• Are cancer patients receiving aggressive protocols involving radiation and chemotherapy more vulnerable to cachexia when compared to the patients who are not receiving those treatments?
• Can colon cancer be more effectively determined when colonoscopy is supported by an occult blood test when compared to colonoscopy alone?
• Does a regular 30 minutes exercise regime effectively reduce the chances of heart diseases in adults over 65 years?
• Is daily blood pressure monitoring helps in addressing the triggers of hypertension among males over 65 years?
• After diagnosed with blood sugar levels does a 4 times a day blood glucose monitoring process more effective in controlling the advent of Type 1 diabetes?
• Does prolonged exposure to chemotherapy increase the chances of cardiovascular diseases among teenagers who are suffering from cancer?
• Do first-time mothers giving birth to premature babies are more prone to postpartum depression when compared to second or third-time mothers with the same condition?

These are a few examples of the PICO Research Questions which are based on the PICO parameters of population, problem, patient, intervention, comparison, and outcome. You should note that not all the question covers all the parameters of the PICO or PICOT but they most definitely define the outline of the nursing essay help or nursing thesis . If you need help with designing your clinical research question or need help with your nursing assignment , then do not hesitate to contact us today!

Want to know how to proceed?

Fill up the assignment help request form on the right or drop us an email at [email protected].  Feel free to contact our customer support on the company 24/7 Live chat or call us on 312-224-1615.

More Nursing Related services we cater to:

Get Nursing Assignment Help New Zealand

Get Nursing Dissertation Help

Get Nursing Essay Help

References: 

https://guides.nyu.edu/c.php?g=276561&p=1847897

https://guides.mclibrary.duke.edu/ebm/pico

Book Your Assignment

Recent Posts

51 Top Topics for Masters Thesis in Biomedical Engineering

200+ exclusive legal thesis topics for 2024, how to write methodology in thesis, boost your thesis writing: 11 proven tips with statement examples, the ultimate guide to crafting a killer thesis statement, popular categories, get assignment help from subject matter experts.

4.7/5 rating | 10,000+ happy students | Great tutors 24/7

ONLINE TO HELP YOU 24X7

OR GET MONEY BACK!

OUT OF 38983 REVIEWS

List of 350 Brilliant Nursing Research Topics to Investigate in 2024

Nursing education is challenging. Writing hundreds of tedious nursing research pieces is the most frustrating part. But we know how to help you! Discover 350 exciting nursing research topics and learn how to choose the best one.

• Primary Care Topics
• Public Health Topics
• Emergency Nursing Topics
• Midwifery Topics
• Neonatal Nursing Topics
• Pediatric Research Topics
• Nutrition Topics
• Mental Health Topics
• Healthcare Management Topics
• Medical Ethics Topics
• Nursing Leadership Topics
• Qualitative and Quantitative Research
• How to Choose a Nursing Topic

Process of Nursing Research

350 interesting nursing research topics.

Nursing research topics for college students can cover various areas of this field. Below you will find a list of 350 exciting ideas, which we have divided into different areas of activity. No matter what nursing research is in your sphere of interest. We’ve got you covered! You can also check research essay samples on the same topic for more inspiration.

Primary Care Research Topics

Primary care is the leading clinical service that sustains the health of an entire nation. The study of this topic is mandatory for the stable development of the healthcare system. Here are primary nursing research titles examples:

• What healthcare problems can be in primary care?
• The role of private health care providers in primary care.
• Peculiarities of vaccination in rural areas.
• Basic methods for assessing the quality of primary care .
• The role of modern technology in primary care .
• Basic techniques of evaluating the patient’s health .
• Private sector activities in primary care .
• The necessity to provide childcare services.
• Primary care and chronic pain problem .
• Vaccination programs : pros and cons.
• The role of social workers in primary care.
• Responsibility of the pharmacist for public health.
• Effective methods of asthma prevention.
• Advantages and disadvantages of home nursing care.
• How can primary care system help fight depression?
• Vaccination of the elderly: challenges and potential benefits.
• Principles of preventive medicine: primary care for the elderly.
• Migraine diagnosis and treatment methods.
• Innovative methods in cardiology .
• Major causes of anxiety disorders in adults.
• The problem of obesity treatment in primary care .
• Effective ways of taking anamnesis.
• Methods for diagnosing stroke in the elderly.
• Basic precautions for Parkinson’s disease .
• Basic requirements for intensive care .
• Connection of primary care and information technology training .
• Sleep disorders in women.
• Standard protocol for the treatment of headache in adults.
• Basic guidelines for primary care for disaster victims.
• The role of government agencies in primary care.

Based on previous papers, you can try to come up with your nursing research topics, for example, on infection control.

Research Topics in Public Health

The public health area has a strong connection with government issues. However, it is doctors who study the basis of all problems. So, let’s check out these special nursing research paper topics!

• The role of governmental organizations in the public health system .
• Effectiveness of government programs to prevent drug addiction .
• What role do parents play in promoting children’s health?
• Features of the school nurses’ work.
• The importance of proper nutrition and exercise .
• Telemedicine : advantages and disadvantages.
• The role of government in providing nursing education .
• The importance of long-term care facilities to the healthcare system .
• Discovering public health’s primary functions .
• Promoting healthy lifestyle in old age.
• Sedentary change programs for adolescents.
• Educational strategies for healthcare organizations in social media.
• Ways to educate young people about a positive body image .
• Formation of public behavior in the problem of cancer prevention.
• Occupational health and safety for workers in hazardous professions.
• Connection of modern technologies and public health system .
• Government AIDS awareness programs.
• State programs to increase awareness of heart disease .
• Government programs aimed at maintaining a healthy work environment .
• Health promotion methods.
• Companies against alcohol: examples from history.
• Public health policies: sugary drink tax .
• Raising awareness of the importance of vaccines .
• How is lung cancer related to air condition?
• Promotion of activity among children with disabilities .
• Disease eradication as a leading public health policy target .
• Government mental health awareness programs.
• Improving individual health as a way to counter epidemics .
• Ways of transmission of infectious diseases .
• Educating children about the importance of sports .

Public health is an excellent topic choice for a nursing dissertation. Try it!

Emergency Nursing Research Topics

New studies are essential for new practical approaches for nurses in emergencies. Try to discover new methods with these critical care nursing research topics!

• What role can stress play in emergency nursing?
• How to deal with anaphylactic shock?
• Effective methods of providing emergency care .
• Features of decision-making by a nurse in critical situations.
• Analysis of the effectiveness of emergency assistance in case of accidents.
• Analysis of the extreme degrees of pain in a patient.
• Diagnosing problems in ER.
• Emergency training methods.
• How to increase chances to save a drowning person?
• Models for reducing violence in emergency departments .
• The problem of rural residents’ access to ambulance services.
• Can family stay close to the patient during resuscitation?
• What effect do tasers have on the development of heart disease ?
• Diagnosing sepsis in emergencies.
• Effective methods of dealing with the effects of using pepper sprays.
• Screening for alcohol and drug addiction in adolescents.
• The role of ambulance crews in the fight against human trafficking .
• Identification and assistance to victims of violence.
• How to deal with unwanted patient behavior?
• Pediatric trauma and shock.
• Psychiatric screening in first aid cars.
• Ways to develop tolerance in first-aid workers.
• Effective ER worker behavior models.
• The role of private clinics in providing emergency services.
• The role of nurses in the ambulance crew.
• Common causes of death in ER patients.
• Correct gender policy towards ER staff.
• How to organize a working emergency care system?
• How to help relatives survive the death of a patient?
• Techniques for teaching nurses to diagnose and respond to life threats quickly.

These nursing research topics for critical care would be an excellent choice for your papers!

Midwifery Research Topics

Midwifery is one of the more challenging medical areas. We picked 30 of the best nursing research topics on pregnancy and prenatal care to help you improve your knowledge! Take a look:

• How can midwifery recognize domestic violence?
• Excess weight problems during pregnancy .
• How to analyze the effectiveness of childbirth ?
• Disease prevention during pregnancy.
• Effective methods of newborn resuscitation.
• Features of adolescent education in gynecology.
• Prenatal nursing care.
• Precautions for preterm labor.
• Rules of conduct for staff in the delivery room.
• Basic rules for saving mother and child.
• Preparing staff and the patient for a caesarean section.
• Preventing depression during pregnancy .
• Features and importance of family planning .
• Childbirth in water: advantages and disadvantages.
• Features of caring for pregnant women with breast cancer .
• The influence of the autonomic nervous system on the course of pregnancy.
• Methods for predicting preeclampsia.
• Diseases of the cervix associated with human papillomavirus .
• Frequency and possible complications of pregnancy and cervical disease.
• Treatment tactics of pregnancy complications in women with disorders of the upper urinary tract.
• Identifying asymptomatic pregnancy complications.
• The use of modern technologies in the treatment of fetal diseases.
• Features of the reproductive system after termination of pregnancy.
• Reasons for using iodine supplementation during pregnancy.
• Prevention of complications after operations on the pelvic organs .
• Impact of epilepsy on reproductive health .
• Features of reproductive behavior in students and ways to correct it.
• The effect of oral contraceptives on the contents of immune complexes in the blood.
• Operative delivery and influence on the child.
• Psychological assistance to patients with infertility .

Remember some of these nursing research topics on midwifery. Profs love them!

Neonatal Nursing Research Topics

Neonatal studies are one of the most innovative medical spheres. Check out this brilliant list of research topics for nursing students in the neonatal area. They will help you better understand the neonatal care importance.

• The importance of hand hygiene in neonatal units .
• Features of neonatal practice in rural areas.
• The leading causes of child mortality .
• How neonatal care has evolved in recent decades.
• Hygiene of newborns and skincare for babies.
• Postpartum infant care basics.
• Principles of breastfeeding infants.
• Predicting feeding problems and treatments.
• The leading causes of seizures in newborns and methods of treatment.
• Eating disorder in infants.
• Methods for predicting diseases in newborn children.
• Effective medical practices for babies.
• Nursing ethics for newborn care.
• Features of modern neonatal practices.
• Features of the development of the pulmonary tract of newborns.
• Studies of the lungs of a newborn: functions and structural features.
• Influence of inflammatory processes on the infant’s brain.
• The role of biomarkers in the diagnosis of traumatic brain injury in infants.
• The importance of neonatal health services.
• Basic strategies for modeling neonatal education.
• Monitoring the quality of neonatal services.
• Influence of neonatal care on the further treatment of a newborn.
• Impact of maternal obesity on infant development.
• Causes of abnormal neurological development in children.
• Use of hormones to regulate fetal lung development.
• Diagnosis of diaphragmatic hernia in infants.
• Potential lung disease in premature babies.
• Using nitric oxide to treat premature babies.
• Parental drug use and effects on fetal neurological development.
• Use of biomarkers for neonatal sepsis.

A nursing dissertation on neonatal issues is always a wise choice!

Pediatric Nursing Research Topics

Studies in pediatrics are aimed to help students discover children’s health issues to solve. Innovative approaches are mandatory to fight modern challenges. Check out these research topics for nursing students; they’ll help you become more informed:

• The importance of self-care nursing in pediatrics.
• Features of the treatment of children with autism .
• Childhood obesity problem.
• Features of vaccination of minors.
• Therapy for speech disorders .
• Causes of diabetes in young people.
• Music therapy and phlebotomy.
• Suboptimal diabetes: causes and methods of intervention.
• Causes of increased fatigue in adolescents.
• HIV prevention in adolescence.

• Preventing unwanted teenage pregnancies .
• Features of the use of painkillers in children.
• Methods for analyzing adolescent behavior.
• Features of the work of the pediatric department in schools.
• The importance of health promotion in pediatrics .
• Ways to connect with your child.
• Pediatric care basics.
• How can a healthcare professional deal with adolescent aggression ?
• Reducing the risk in children receiving oxygen therapy .
• The role of molecular markers in the diagnosis of childhood leukemia .
• Psychological help for children with cancer .
• Assessment of language models in children with autism .
• The use of stem cells in the treatment of childhood diseases.
• How do environmental problems affect the development of a child’s body?
• Implications of passive smoker syndrome for children.
• Possible complications of measles in children .
• Methods for diagnosing asthma in children .
• Common causes of Tourette’s syndrome in children.
• How does anorexia affect cognitive function in children?
• Diagnosis of ear infections in childhood.

We guess this ultimate list of research topics in pediatric nursing will be helpful for you!

Nutrition Research Topics for College Students

The eating habits of modern people can be harmful to the body. Therefore, doctors are seriously studying the current problems in this area. Here you can find tons of excellent nursing research topics on nutrition and its possible issues.

• What are referral reasons for the dietary assessment?
• Nutrition assistance for the elderly.
• Effects of stress on childhood metabolism .
• Prevention of obesity in adolescents.
• Linking diet to behavioral changes.
• How social media influences teen food choices .
• Patient nutrition problem in healthcare policy .
• Predicting and assessing diabetes .
• The problem of dietary intervention in the elderly.
• Promoting healthy eating as a way to fight obesity.
• Nursing promotion of healthy homemade food.
• Effects of good nutrition on fetal development .
• How does nutrition affect a child’s development ?
• Root causes of weight gain : a clinical study.
• Common diseases caused by poor nutrition .
• Nutrition screening for the elderly.
• The nutritional problem of children with autism .
• The importance of proper nutrition during pregnancy .
• Baby food: preventing eating disorders.
• Diet as a cause of dementia development in adults.
• Osteoporosis : the role of diet in disease prevention.
• The role of diet in healthy aging.
• What is the relationship between cancer and diet ?
• Nursing role in the safety of nutrition.
• The main benefits of a healthy diet : advice to patients.
• The role of parents in maintaining healthy eating habits in children.
• The relationship between healthy eating and cognitive development .
• Modern trends in youth nutrition.
• The nurse’s role in maintaining quality nutrition for pregnant women .
• Innovative nursing nutritional care.

Now let’s move to the next section – research topics in mental health!

Mental Health Nursing Research Topics

Mental health problems are more relevant now than ever. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness , nearly 20% of the US adult population suffers from mental health problems. That’s why psychiatry research topics capture the interest of college students.

• The importance of nursing in mental health safety .
• Features of mental disorder in alcohol dependence .
• How does police work affect mental health?
• The connection between video games and the development of teenage aggression.
• How is schizophrenia diagnosed?

• Main theories in mental health studies .
• Features of bipolar mental disorder .
• Causes and prevention of drug addiction .
• Mental health problems of athletes after physical injuries .
• Conditions for the use of psychotherapy .
• Reasons and methods for tackling health imbalances.
• The influence of phone usage on mental health .
• Brain stimulation techniques.
• Diversity of sexual orientation psychology features.
• Methods for dealing with physical violence.
• The effectiveness of traditional methods of treating mental illness .
• Features of mental support for the patient’s relatives.
• The role of nurses in the management of geriatric patients with mental disorders.
• Combating burnout in the practice of healthcare professionals.
• The problem of war veterans’ mental health .
• The phenomenon of occupational deformation as a type of mental disorder.
• Chest pain as a symptom of mental health problems in adults.
• The relationship between increased risk of cancer and depression.
• Basic treatments for dementia .
• Nursing refugee mental health help .
• The practice of mirror therapy in rehabilitation.
• Methods to help victims of violence.
• Helping patients after a stroke .
• The use of antipsychotics : benefits and harms.
• How belly massage helps fight residual stomach volume.

We believe you’re going to find one of the best psychiatric nursing research topics!

Healthcare Management Research Topics

The effective functioning of the health care system is impossible without competent leadership. Therefore, nursing research study topics on healthcare management are as important as the others!

• The importance of financial management for the healthcare industry .
• Assessment of the economic component of primary health care .
• How does bias affect healthcare funding?
• How to properly organize health care at home?
• The Importance of a Unified Nursing Code.
• How risk management affects healthcare projects?
• Gender policy in health management .
• Features of the initial stages of private medical practice.
• The importance of the apology law.
• Features of selling medical marijuana .
• Features of healthcare contracts.
• The problem of human resources in the healthcare industry .
• The problem of the shortage of men in healthcare.
• Medicare : how to get benefits.
• How to improve the minimum level of nursing training ?
• Modern trends in the healthcare management area .
• Staff uniform rules.
• Legal risks of medical personnel .
• Gender bias in nursing.
• Features of the organization of the first aid service in private sector.
• Risk management in healthcare.
• The connection of healthcare and conflict management .
• Ways to solve staffing problems in healthcare.
• Ensuring the personnel safety from infectious diseases .
• Strategies to improve the emotional health of employees.
• What is the danger of not having enough nursing staff for patients?
• Personnel policy in public medical institutions.
• International nursing training.
• Basic principles of management in healthcare facilities.
• Possible ways to get a nursing promotion.

These nursing research titles on healthcare management will impress your professors!

Medical Ethics Research Paper Topics

Controversial issues in the field of medical ethics are felt more and more acutely every year. That is why they need to be solved, and research topics related to nursing ethics present a good opportunity for highlighting them:

• The role of ethical values in the nursing decision-making process .
• Particular ethics of data collection in primary care.
• The ethical dilemma of abortion.
• Moral choice in opioid addiction .
• Features of ethics in helping the homeless .
• Ethics of care for patients with mental disorders .
• Phantom pain phenomenon.
• Features of cultural perception in the work of nurses.
• How can religious beliefs affect medical ethics?
• The role of relatives in the treatment of geriatric patients .
• Ethics of the need to increase sales in medicine.
• The problem of sexualizing the image of a nurse.
• The importance of solving moral dilemmas in nursing .
• Assisting female patients by male nurses .
• What are the main medical ethics principles?
• Ethics of care for geriatric patients.
• The problem of compulsory vaccination : solutions.
• The dilemma of artificial feeding of patients.
• Ethics of nursing in preventive medicine.
• The importance of a hospital work ethic.
• The U.S. standard of ethics for nursing .
• The dilemma of medical ethics .
• The difference in medical ethics in Asian countries and European countries.
• How can medical ethics conflict with religious beliefs?
• Assisting suicide as a dilemma in medical ethics.
• The ethical problem of marijuana usage for medical purposes .
• The impact of cultural patterns on medical ethics .
• Child maltreatment : a medical ethics dilemma.
• Implementation of international medical ethics standards for healthcare development.
• Methods for monitoring compliance with medical ethics.

Nursing ethics research questions have a tendency to be the most interesting ones!

Nursing Leadership Paper Topics

The principle of developing leadership among nurses is vital for improving the performance of any clinic. This list consists of 30 nursing research topics about leadership in healthcare field:

• What role does leadership play in nursing?
• Which skills are necessary for effective nursing leadership performance?
• The nurse’s role in providing quality health care .
• Why is it important for nurses to attend medical conferences?
• Features of the classification of nurses.
• What is a retention strategy for experienced nurses?
• How does nursing leadership development affect patient outcomes?
• The problem of obtaining a diploma for a nurse.
• Nursing leadership : key challenges and opportunities.
• Ethical issues in nursing leadership .
• Protecting staff interests in nursing management .
• Analyzing college students’ nursing leadership experience .
• Effective nursing leadership styles .
• Ways to develop nursing leadership in private healthcare facilities.
• Nursing manual: Betty Newman theory.
• The importance of intuitiveness in the workplace.
• The importance of conflict resolution in the nursing leadership sphere .
• Patient advocacy opportunities for the lead nurse.
• Nursing manual: theory of intellectual capital.
• Effective models of professional practice in nursing.
• Professional opportunities for nursing graduates in nursing leadership .
• What are modern approaches in nursing leadership?
• Transformational leadership model for nursing.
• Fundamental theories for effective nursing leadership .
• Methods for applying leadership theories to nursing .
• What is the need for effective nursing leadership ?
• Methods for monitoring the effectiveness of nursing leadership .
• Principles of delegation of authority in nursing leadership practice.
• The importance of nursing leadership in strategic hospital planning.
• Nursing leadership as a method to retain experienced staff.

Evidence-based nursing topics on leadership can become a great start to your career!

Easy Topics for Nursing Qualitative and Quantitative Research

The division into qualitative and quantitative research can be confusing. But don’t worry, we’ll help you figure it out! Each type of nursing research topic and other materials may depend on dry numbers or subjective opinions. Keep reading for more detailed information and examples of quantitative and qualitative research topics in nursing!

Qualitative vs. Quantitative Nursing Research

Empirical research methods can be divided into two broad categories: quantitative and qualitative. As their name suggests, each view relies on specific types of data. Therefore, your nursing paper topics can also reveal either qualitative or quantitative aspects of the problem. Let’s take a quick look at the main differences between these two methods.

The quantitative method relies entirely on numbers and statistics. Your task is to find patterns and come to a conclusion by analyzing a large amount of data. This type of nursing research is as structured and objective as possible. These are the quantitative method characteristics:

• Sources of information are polls, reviews, records, documents.
• The deductive methodology involved.
• As objective as possible.
• The main content is numbers and data.
• Validity depends on the selected analysis tools.

The qualitative method , on the contrary, is a reflection of the author’s thoughts and conclusions. It depends entirely on the depth of understanding of the problem and the existing materials on the nursing thesis topics. The task of the researcher is to analyze previous works and create their theory through reflection. Check the qualitative method characteristics:

• Sources of information: focus groups, document reviews, interviews.
• The inductive process is involved.
• The subjective opinion of the author is allowed.
• The main content is text and reflections.
• Validity depends on the skill of the author.

You can check lists of topics for nursing research ideas in these spheres below!

Qualitative Nursing Research Topics

Qualitative analysis is a complex but critical aspect of medical practice. Nursing qualitative research topics are designed for students to develop skills of analyzing challenging issues and make proper conclusions:

• The role of technology in improving the quality of nursing care .
• Empowering nurses to prescribe: advantages and disadvantages.
• The problem of equality between doctors and nurses .
• Nursing stereotypes.
• Issues of accreditation of medical schools.
• The problem of systemic racism in the healthcare system.
• How nursing has changed in the 20th and 21st centuries.
• The importance of nursing staff in primary care .
• Priority of cancer in adults.
• Advantages and disadvantages of qualitative research in nursing .

These qualitative nursing research topics can help you improve your analytical skills significantly!

Quantitative Nursing Research Topics

Quantitative type of scientific work is all about statistics, percentages, and numbers. Prepare yourself to analyze tons of information with these nursing quantitative research topics:

• Evaluation of the effectiveness of primary patient care.
• The leading causes of heart disease .
• Analysis of the efficacy of telemedicine .
• The problem of an overabundance of information noise in the modern world.
• Evaluation of methods of assistance in suicide attempts.
• Statistical analysis of the benefits of diets .
• Causes of mental illness in women.
• Using unconventional methods to treat diabetes .
• Benefits of probiotics for treating diarrhea .
• Methods for assessing pain in critically ill patients.

For a successful paper, it’s importnt to pick a good research topics for nursing students based on quantitative evidence.

How to choose a Nursing Research Topic?

Choosing a quality nursing research topic idea can be a daunting task. This is mainly because the variety of possible options is simply too large. But don’t worry, here are some simple tips to help you choose the theme that’s right for you!

📜 Remove large-scale topics . You should not waste your energy on massive topics. Instead, choose narrow evidence-based ideas that allow you to focus on one issue. 📜 Use personal experience . One cannot be informed in all aspects of medicine. So when you write about a topic you have no experience with, you risk getting bogged down in hours of tedious research. Try to remember what problems you faced yourself. This way, you will already have a basic knowledge of the topic. 📜 Review literature . A large amount of ready-made research a topic will be an excellent help in writing about it. Try to do a systematic nursing topics review to find more examples. This does not mean that you should copy the work of another medic. On the contrary, it will be a good opportunity for you to highlight additional information. Therefore, before choosing from easy nursing research topics, look at how much information is already in the public domain.

What is the process of nursing research? Oh, that’s a tricky question. Let’s look at the main stages you need to go through!

✨ Define the research problem . To solve a problem, you first need to find it. That is why the first thing you should do is choose a nursing research question. If you have any experience with the topic, that will be a big plus! ✨ Develop hypothesis . Now, you need to think and create your theory. It can be of any form. The main thing is to make a connection between the data pieces and find a pattern. Of course, the hypothesis must be consistent with the current nursing research topics. ✨ Literature review . Before you start writing, it’s important to tighten your knowledge of the central thesis of the topic you’ve selected. Try reading other people’s research, finding the statistics you want, and just surfing the internet. ✨ Prepare an outline . It is essential to formulate a plan for your work before you start working on it. The more detailed you describe each paragraph of your article, the less time you will need to write it. Quality work begins with a quality plan! ✨ Conduct research . Now you start the longest and most important part of the whole nursing project. You should delve deeper into the problem and find the information you need. Everything that you write should help you prove your hypothesis in one way or another. ✨ Make a conclusion and develop further recommendations . After you have processed all the material, it is time to write a conclusion. Here, you must indicate whether you have succeeded in proving the hypothesis and recommend the application for your scientific work.

Congratulations, you did it! Writing a good paper is not that difficult. It all depends on a well-chosen research topic in the nursing field; luckily, you have a list of 350 topics to look through in this article! You can find more nursing research ideas on our website!

❓ What Is Translational Research in Nursing?

Translational research is a kind of scientific work, and its task is to transform theory into new practical approaches. In other words, discoveries made in laboratories become the basis for creating a new actionable framework in nursing.

❓ What Is an Example of a Clinical Question?

The clinical question is an integral part of your scientific work. It can relate to categories such as the cause of the problem, the manifestation of the disease in the patient, possible solutions, and potential results. A well-formulated clinical question helps you write a quality article.

❓ How to Determine Level of Evidence in Nursing Research?

Several criteria determine the level of evidence in nursing research. These include quality of design, validity, and applicability of results to patient care. Therefore, you should constantly monitor the reliability of your sources and the correctness of your conclusions.

❓ What Are Some Controversial Issues in Nursing?

In modern nursing, there are some controversial issues, mainly of an ethical nature. Such problems include the issue of vaccination of people who are against it, artificial nutrition, opioid addiction, and others. There is a lively discussion about how to act correctly in some instances and what factors the decision may depend on.

📎 References:

• Evidence-Based Practice: PICO. Duke University .
• Asking the clinical question. Penn State University
• Evidence-Based Practice Toolkit. Darrell W. Krueger Library
• Top 5 Ethical Issues in Nursing. American Mobile
• Differences Between Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods.
• Qualitative vs. Quantitative Research – What Is the difference? Imotions
• The Seven Steps of the Research Process. Teacherph
• Research Paper Writing Guide. Grammarly
• Choosing a research topic. Florida Gulf Coast University
• Nursing Process. NCBI
• Sample Research Topics. CFAES
• Selecting a Research Topic: Overview. MIT Libraries
• Three Important Nursing Subjects Students Should Know. Distant learning systems
• Evidence-Based Practice Tutorial: Asking Clinical Questions. University of Maryland
• Top 5 Ethical Issues in Nursing. Avant Healthcare
• Ethical Issues in Nursing: Explanations & Solutions. Duquesne University
• Clinical & Translational Research. UNC
• Writing a Thesis for Nursing School | Nursejournal.org
• A practical approach to the process of writing a dissertation. Nursing Times
• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter X
• Share to LinkedIn

You might also like

Memorable human trafficking essay: topics & outline [2024], credible sources 101: how to evaluate them + 60 reliable websites for students, 265 powerful research proposal topics to consider [+ writing tips].

290 Good Nursing Research Topics & Questions

Florence Nightingale is called “the mother of modern nursing.” She was the first one who started incorporating research into her practice. While providing patients with health care and support, nurses observe things that may need further investigation. This way, they become not only caretakers but also scientists.

Our specialists will write a custom essay specially for you!

Research topics in nursing are a way to gain valuable evidence-based knowledge while providing patient care. Moreover, they offer an opportunity to help other nurses by contributing to global healthcare. Some of the most pressing nursing research questions concern medical surgery, midwifery, and geriatrics, as well as the issues of leadership and management.

Need some inspiring topics for nursing students? Look no further! This article by Custom-writing.org experts contains 290 hot nursing research topics, as well as useful additional information and writing tips.

• 🔝 Top 10 Topics
• ☑️ How to Choose a Topic?
• 🐥 Pediatric Topics
• 👴 Geriatric Topics
• 🍼 Midwifery Topics
• 💆 Mental Health Topics
• 🏊 Health Promotion Topics
• 💡 Topics for Discussion
• 🔝 10 Research Questions
• 🔢 Quantitative Research
• 🔬 Qualitative Research

👋 Conclusion

🔝 top 10 nursing research topics 2024.

• The social effect of the opioid crisis.
• Cancel culture and women’s health.
• Economic aspects of euthanasia.
• Nursing adaptation for a digital era.
• The gender pay gap in nursing.
• Health issues of immigrant women.
• Should futile medical care be provided?
• Ways to improve diversity in nursing.
• Ethics of artificial hydration and nutrition.
• Overcoming vaccine hesitancy during pregnancy.

☑️ Research Topics in Nursing: How to Choose?

BSc students and interns often find it challenging to come up with a nursing research paper topic. Healthcare covers a lot of very diverse topics. It’s easy to get confused while trying to choose the most interesting one.

First of all, t is very important to narrow your focus. If the problem you’ve chosen is too large, it can be impossible to examine it properly. Remember: you don’t have to solve world problems in order to contribute to medical science. Choose a current topic which already has plenty of literature studies , and add something new to it. There are interesting nursing research questions in any area, be it social work, psychology, obstetrics, or clinical nursing.

You can choose a topic based on your personal experience. It can be something you observe in your family or an issue that made you interested in the nursing profession in the first place. You can look at the situation in your hometown or city to help you come up with an idea for evidence-based practice nursing research topics.

Just in 1 hour! We will write you a plagiarism-free paper in hardly more than 1 hour

📜 Nursing Research Topics

Once you’ve chosen your area of interest, you are ready to formulate your thesis and write a research proposal. Below is a list of research questions examples for you to choose from.

🐥 Pediatric Nursing Research Topics

Ways of enhancing language development for children with developmental disabilities

• Evaluation of pragmatic language patterns in autistic children
• Taking care of children with congenital heart disease : psychological issues
• Childhood cancer treatment optimization: new ways
• Children with cancer and their families: psychological issues
• Cancer: health service delivery efficiency
• Childhood obesity: a population health issue
• Radiation therapy: the response of the hematopoietic system in oncology patients
• Leukemia cells and the immune system: mechanisms of interaction
• Childhood acute leukemia : the use of molecular markers in diagnosis
• Blindness in children receiving oxygen therapy : risk-reducing strategies

• Early life exposures that promote heart disease later in life
• Role of early-life exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals in childhood obesity
• Obesity in children and adolescents : prevention strategies
• Childhood obesity and other cardiovascular risk factors: epidemiologic research
• Childhood obesity : identification, screening, prevention, and management
• Stem cells and their usage in the treatment of pediatric diseases
• Early-life exposure to air pollution : health effects
• Prenatal exposure to nicotine : health effects
• Effects of early life stress on metabolic and cognitive development of children
• Asthma in children: diagnosis and management
• Asthma in children : monitoring techniques
• Opportunistic fungal infections: pathogenesis and treatment
• HHV6: pathogenesis, immunology, and treatment
• Meningitis in children: prevention and vaccination
• Vaccination against influenza in children: reactions and complications
• Common measles complications in children
• Surfactant replacement therapy for premature infants: beneficial effects
• Animal models for respiratory diseases : the investigation of pathogenesis
• Cells and molecules in lung health and disease: understanding the function
• Neurotrophin and neurotransmitter receptors: a molecular study
• New therapeutic approaches to developmental diseases of the nervous system
• Movement disorders in children: understanding and treatment
• Tourette syndrome in children: causes and treatment
• Neuroblastoma in children: understanding racial differences
• Understanding Metabolic Syndrome : symptoms and causes
• Anorexia and related changes in brain function and behavior
• Eating disorders in children : effects on growth and health
• Infant nutrition: prevention of obesity and eating disorders
• ADHD medication for children: long-term effects
• ADHD in children: efficacy of dance and music therapy
• Efficacy of mind-body therapy in children with ADHD
• Autism in children : benefits of meditation techniques
• Ear infections in children: diagnosis and treatment
• Acute renal insufficiency: nursing care and treatment
• Childhood nephrotic syndrome : nursing care and management
• Kidney stones in children: preventive strategies
• Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy : development and symptoms
• Hypoplastic left heart syndrome: management strategies
• Type 1 diabetes in children: genetic and environmental factors
• Children with type 1 diabetes from ethnic minorities: risk factors

👴 Geriatric Nursing Research Topics

• Age-Related Changes in Health: cardiovascular system
• Age-Related Changes in Nervous System and Cognition abilities in older adults
• Physiologic changes in the musculoskeletal system in older adults
• The effects of aging on the immune system
• Vaccination for older adults: benefits and challenges
• Urinary tract infections in older adults: risk factors and diagnosis
• Malnutrition in older adults: consequences and effects on organ systems
• Gastrointestinal tract disorders in older age: nursing care strategies
• Nursing: long-term care facilities
• Sensory system changes and impairments in older adults: nursing care strategies
• Assessment of physical function in older adults: effects of regular physical activity
• Oral health conditions in older adults: effects and treatment
• Ways of improving oral care for older people
• Oral hydration in older adults: ways of maintaining
• Dehydration in older adults: prevention, recognition, and treatment
• Diet as a risk factor for dementia

• Personalized diets for older adults and their role in healthy aging
• The role of diet in reducing the risk of osteoporosis
• Family caregiving of older cancer patients: psychological issues
• Taking care for seniors with chronic illness : psychological issues
• Risk factors for functional decline in older patients: ways of optimization
• Physical environment as a risk factor for functional decline in older patients
• Later-life depression: cause and risk factors
• Ophthalmic care for older patients: nursing strategies
• Medication adherence in patients with dementia : development and implementation of interventions
• Use of machine learning in predicting dementia in older adults: effectiveness and accuracy assessment
• Alzheimer’s disease : biological mechanisms and preventive measures
• Cognitive therapy for older patients with Alzheimer’s disease : effectiveness and strategies
• Delirium in elderly patients: prevention strategies
• Massage Therapy vs. Simple Touch to Improve Pain and Mood in Patients with Advanced Cancer: A Randomized Trial
• Improving pain management in older patients: care strategies
• Falls and injury risk in older adults: prevention and management
• Adverse drug effects in elderly patients: interventions and care strategies
• Use of physical restraints : ethics of the issue
• Ethnicity as a risk factor for pressure ulcer development
• Excessive sleepiness as a risk factor of cognitive decline in elderly patients
• Alcohol use disorders in elderly patients: care strategies
• Substance use disorders in older adults: treatment and care options
• Management of sepsis in critically ill elderly patients
• Complications in critically ill patients due to prolonged hospital stay
• Heart failure in older adults: current therapeutic options
• Care of elderly surgical patients: ways of optimization
• The concept of geriatric dehydration
• Perioperative care of older adults: nursing strategies
• Medical emergencies associated with cancer treatment of elderly patients
• Cancer surgery in elderly patients: risk assessment
• Pancreatic cancer surgery in older adults: balancing risks and benefits
• Bladder cancer in older adults: risk factors and challenges
• Older patients with fragility hip fracture: care strategies
• Handling pressure ulcers in hip fracture patients
• Care of the older patients in the ED: nursing intervention
• Transitional care for elderly patients with chronic disease : care strategies
• Advanced care planning : nurse’s roles and strategies

🍼 Midwifery Nursing Research Topics

• Women with a disability: pregnancy and childbirth
• The effect of midwifery care in pregnancy, labor, birth, and the postnatal period
• Maternal and infant outcomes of caseload care
• Caseload midwifery care in ethnic minorities
• Ways of improving health outcomes for women and babies from ethnic minorities
• Depression and anxiety in new mothers : effects on the health of mothers and infants
• Postnatal depression: risk factors
• Complication of pregnancy: Pregnancy Induced Hypertension (PIH)
• Effectiveness of peer support in preventing postnatal depression
• Telephone support as a means of reducing postnatal depression : a cost-effectiveness analysis
• Diabetes in pregnancy: risk factors and management
• Hypoglycemia in newborns: preventive measures
• Women’s experience of motherhood: attachment and mother-infant bonding
• Stress in midwives and nurses: causes and prevalence
• Group antenatal care: feasibility and acceptability
• The positive impact of early parenting education

• Midwifery continuity of care and its effectiveness.
• The role of community support in maintaining emotional health during pregnancy
• Birth plan and its effects on the birth experience
• Effects of prenatal yoga on women and infants
• Prolonged labor and its effect on birth experience in women
• Childbirth experience for autistic women
• Pain management in labor: relaxation techniques and therapies
• Cesarean section : risks and long-term effects
• Fear of childbirth: symptoms and treatments
• Parental experiences with premature and low birth weight infants
• Sleep disorders in new mothers: effects on mothers and infants
• Perinatal palliative care : the role of midwives in providing care and support to families
• Childbirth expectations and experience: effect on new mother’s mental health
• Advanced maternal age: risk factors
• Adverse pregnancy outcomes: causes and risk factors
• Periodontitis: effect on preterm birth and low birth weight in babies
• Spirituality in midwifery: effects on labor and delivery
• Obesity and pregnancy: labor intervention and outcomes
• Teamwork in midwifery: key concepts
• Power dynamics in midwifery care: initiating, building, and maintaining relationships
• Domestic violence against women: raising awareness among midwives
• Midwifery care for women of low socioeconomic status: benefits of understanding social context
• Psychological traumatic childbirth: contributing factors
• The role of midwives in the monitoring process of emergency care
• Fetal monitoring, screening, and other tests during pregnancy
• Weight management and physical activity in pregnancy
• Handling physical and emotional changes during pregnancy
• Facilitating and maintaining normal childbirth: strategies and practices
• Decision-making during birth: the role of midwives
• Midwifery care during the immediate postnatal period
• Engaging fathers in perinatal services: ways and strategies
• Skincare and hygiene for newborns and infants
• Immediate care of the newborns
• Infant feeding : methods and techniques
• Common feeding problems: identification and management

💆 Mental Health Research Topics in Nursing

• The connection between air pollution and Alzheimer’s disease
• Vitamin D Deficiency and long-term cognitive impairment among older patients
• Effects of meditation on patients with cognitive impairment
• The connection between social phobia and selective mutism
• Post-traumatic stress disorder : new prevention techniques
• Social media : effects on mental health among teenagers
• Stimulant treatments of ADHD
• Bipolar disorder : early detection and risk factors
• Bipolar disorder in families: genetic factors
• Effectiveness of deep brain stimulation in patients with depression

• Reconstruction of the sense of self in schizophrenia patients
• Understanding personal experience and phenomenology in patients with schizophrenia
• The effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy for panic attack treatment
• The connection between panic disorder and maladaptive behavior
• The connection between brain inflammation and OCD
• White matter abnormalities in patients with OCD
• The combined effects of TMS and therapy on patients with depression
• Changes in task performance under stress in patients with anxiety disorders
• Biological processes of generalized anxiety
• Depression in perimenopausal women
• Schizophrenia: genetic factors
• Schizophrenia: environmental factors
• Ways of diagnosing autism spectrum disorder in adults
• Ways of detecting early-stage dementia
• The connection between dopamine levels and autism spectrum disorders
• The connection between serotonin levels and autism spectrum disorders
• The connection between screen time and inattention problems in children with ADHD
• ADHD : prevention strategies
• The efficacy of mindfulness techniques in patients with social phobia
• The efficacy of paroxetine in treating patients with anxiety
• Etiology of anorexia nervosa
• The role of socio-cultural factors in the development of eating disorders
• Treatment of agoraphobia : new ways
• Phobias and the ways to deal with them
• Seasonal affective disorder: summer and winter patterns
• Brain differences in patients with insomnia
• Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder: brain mechanisms and risk factors
• The physical response to a traumatic experience in patients with PTSD
• Borderline personality disorder : brain factors
• Effects of music therapy for adolescents with autism
• The connection between traumatic events during childhood and the development of borderline personality disorder
• Dialectical behavior therapy in the treatment of patients with a borderline personality disorder
• Ways of diagnosing of psychogenic movement disorders
• Conduct disorder in children : ways of increasing awareness
• Adverse childhood experiences : the long-term effects
• Body dysmorphic disorder : diagnosis and treatment
• The mechanisms of body dysmorphic disorder : the use of brain imaging studies
• Adjustment disorder : diagnosis and treatment
• Schizotypal personality disorder : neurobiology and symptoms
• The efficacy of exposure therapy in the treatment of PTSD
• Codependency : ways of raising awareness
• Mood disorders in children: treatment options

🏊 Health Promotion Research Topics in Nursing

• Preventative medicine practices for seniors
• New ways of maintaining a healthy lifestyle in older age
• Communication and sharing of preventative medicine techniques: new ways
• Community-based exercise programs for older adults
• Late-life depression management programs for the elderly
• Planning meaningful activities with older adults as a means of reducing depressive symptoms
• Smoking cessation : the study of obstacles
• Ideas for quitting smoking : new techniques
• Youth inactivity : ways of raising awareness
• Health promotion strategies for obesity
• Motivation to change inactive behavior in young people
• Involvement of children in various physical activities: promotion strategies
• New ways of educating young people about the importance of having a positive body image
• The relationship between a healthy lifestyle promotion and social media: new educational strategies
• Improving diabetes lifestyle
• New ways of increasing cancer screening rates
• New strategies in fostering cancer-preventive behaviors
• Workplace wellness programs as ways of supporting healthy behavior
• Occupational health and safety programs for people working in dangerous conditions
• Maintenance of healthy work environments : new ways
• Workplace programs for raising awareness of AIDS
• Workplace programs for raising awareness of heart disease
• Workplace health promotion among low-paid workers: new strategies
• New ways of increasing workers’ participation in shaping the working environment
• Non-occupational factors in the general environment: ways of raising awareness
• Award-system as means of promotion of participation in workplace initiatives
• New ways of reducing exposure to cancer risk factors
• The effects of second-hand smoking: ways of raising awareness
• Healthy eating habits as a means of preventing the development of diet-associated cancers
• The connection between obesity and cancer: ways of raising awareness
• Alcohol use as a risk factor for cancer: ways of raising awareness
• The importance of vaccines for the hepatitis B virus in cancer prevention
• Cancer-causing air pollution : ways of raising awareness
• The connection between air pollution and lung cancer
• UV radiation and skin cancer : ways of raising awareness
• Physical inactivity as a major cause of death in developed countries
• Physical activity promotion among people of low socioeconomic background: challenges and opportunities
• Physical activity promotion among people with disabilities: challenges and opportunities
• Eating habits and behaviors in children: ways of influencing
• The efficacy of school-based sex education programs
• Cyberbullying : ways of raising awareness and prevention
• Workplace policies: depression management promotion
• The efficacy of school health promotion
• The role of school-based interventions in preventing childhood mental health problems
• Brain health programs: creating new strategies on a small budget
• Brain exercise: understanding key principles
• Communication of useful health information to lay community: new ways
• Managing the global epidemic: ways of raising health awareness
• Disease outbreaks : the role of health promotion
• HIV prevention : new ways of health promotion
• Ways of raising awareness on the routes of transmitting infectious diseases
• Healthy childhood development : health education for children

💡 Nursing Topics for Discussion

• Concept comparison and analysis across nursing theories
• New technologies in nursing
• Undergraduate nursing program and resnick’s theory
• Contemporary nursing knowledge components
• Nurse-patient interactions and outcomes in clinical practice
• Continuing nursing education: a 3-5 year plan
• Evidence-based practice & applied nursing research
• Nursing communication process
• Certified nurse assistant preparatory school: business plan
• Nurse roles in practice
• Self-employed nurses as agents of change in Canada
• Joint Commission: national patient safety goals

🔝 Top 10 Nursing Research Questions

• What’s the connection between psychiatric ward design and aggressive behavior?
• How can computerized nursing records improve the outcomes for patients?
• Do changes that occur in the brain due to dementia cause pain?
• How can tweet reminders help teenagers with type 1 diabetes maintain lower blood sugars?
• What’s the efficacy of yoga as a treatment in reducing lymphedema in cancer patients?
• How can peer support intervention help to prevent suicides among female high school students?
• Is it possible to link veterans’ suicide rates to the timing and location of suicide prevention appointments?
• What can be done to improve the sustainability of operating rooms?
• What are the roles of nurse managers in turnover intervention among nursing staff?
• What are the ways of preventing cachexia in cancer patients receiving radiation and chemotherapy?

📑 Types of Nursing Research

When writing nursing research, you need to use a particular research design. Typically, the choice of design depends on your research question. There can be qualitative and quantitative nursing research topics.

🔢 Quantitative Research In Nursing

Quantitative research is aimed at gaining empirical evidence using deduction and generalization. This means gathering evidence to support or refute a particular theory and deciding to what extent the results can be generalized to a larger population.

Quantitative research can be non-experimental and experimental in design.

Receive a plagiarism-free paper tailored to your instructions. Cut 20% off your first order!

Non-experimental designs imply a description of what happens naturally, without intervention. They are usually not used to detect causes and effects and are not effective for making predictions. Non-experimental designs are classified as follows:

• Descriptive. Descriptive studies are centered on under-researched subjects and phenomena. You describe it, see how often it occurs, and categorize the information you’ve gained.
• Correlational. Correlational studies are aimed at the examination of relationships between the variables. You must measure the variables, analyze the results, and present statistics.

Experimental designs imply strict control from the researcher. They can be used for establishing cause-and-effect relationships, as well as predictions. The experiments are usually blind, which helps to avoid bias. Experimental designs are classified in the following way:

• True-experimental designs , in which cause-and-effect relationships are examined in a controlled environment. It includes studying two groups of people who receive different treatments, assigned randomly.
• Quasi-experimental designs , which differ from true experiments by the absence of random assignments.

🔬 Qualitative Research In Nursing

Qualitative research studies are focused on one’s personal experience. It is conducted through observation and interaction with patients via interviews, notes, and diaries. Induction is often used, by which you gain evidence to support a theory without generalizing the results.

Qualitative research study designs include four types:

• Phenomenology. Phenomenological research is aimed at describing the phenomena as it is experienced by an individual. In this study, you need to select people who are familiar with the particular phenomenon. You gain information from each participant and make a conclusion.
• Grounded theory. This type of study includes the influence of social processes on individuals. You would need to interview the subjects themselves, as well as their relatives, spouses, etc. Then you synthesize the data into one theory.
• Ethnography. This type of research design is associated with the influence of a particular culture on individuals. It involves describing unique attributes of a culture from the insider’s perspective.
• Narrative inquiry. Narrative inquiry is a research study design that is based on an interpretation of personal accounts of the participants. You ask your subjects to talk about their experiences, and then you analyze their narratives. Contents, as well as the structure of the narratives, must be taken into account.

As you can see, there are great many research topics for nursing students to choose from! See what suits you best and formulate the idea for your own project. You can then publish your results in a nursing research journal article and start a discussion with other nurses around the world.

Get an originally-written paper according to your instructions!

If you’ve chosen an evidence-based practice nursing research topic, make sure that you find suitable human subjects for your experiment. You can ask your friends or make online questionnaires to help you conduct your research. Always take care of your subjects and protect their rights.

Once you’ve chosen your topic, study the available literature. See if there’s anything you can critique or question. This type of research is just as useful as applied research, as it helps to keep medical science relevant by constantly checking for obsolete information.

Find the topic, choose the design for your research, set yourself clear goals – and write your best nursing research paper or reflective essay ! Good luck!

🤔 Nursing Research FAQs

Nursing research is a type of study conducted by nurses during their practice. It helps them to gain evidence on the effectiveness of different treatments. Nursing research can be used to demonstrate the trustworthiness of new methods in medicine, as well as to predict outcomes for patients with illnesses or injuries.

The scientific activity of nurses is essential for the medical community. Nurses help to move medicine forward by challenging traditional practices with fresh ideas. Their research is usually aimed at enhancing professional practice and improving nursing activities. The topics include both physical and mental health.

The primary sources of nursing research are experience and scientific knowledge. Your personal experience as a nurse is especially important because it allows you to observe and gather first-hand information about various medical conditions. Scientific knowledge is then used for the evaluation and analysis of the collected data.

Sampling theory in medical science is a study of gathering information about a population by investigating only a part of it. To do that, you need to collect samples from a group of individuals who all share a common trait. A statistic is then estimated and applied to the whole population. Sampling is often conducted as part of nursing research because it allows making conclusions without testing it with all people.

Qualitative research in nursing is aimed at gathering information about patients’ subjective experiences. It is usually conducted in the form of interviews, notes, and diaries. It helps in understanding complex phenomena and is often used in psychology. Sometimes nurses themselves are interviewed about their working conditions. This type of research allows nurses to make their practice better by continually learning from experience.

Extraneous variables may affect the results of your research and even threaten its validity. They are hard to control, but their influence can be reduced in the following ways:

• Assign the subjects to treatment and control groups as randomly as possible.
• Match your samples by distributing people with different variables, such as age and gender, as evenly as possible.
• Maintain objectivity by avoiding bias.
• Adjust the results for the effects of extraneous variables through statistical analysis.

You might also be interested in:

• 226 Research Topics on Criminal Justice & Criminology
• 204 Research Topics on Technology & Computer Science
• 178 Best Research Titles about Cookery & Food
• 497 Interesting History Topics to Research
• 180 Best Education Research Topics & Ideas
• 110+ Micro- & Macroeconomics Research Topics
• 417 Business Research Topics for ABM Students
• 190+ Research Topics on Psychology & Communication
• 512 Research Topics on HumSS
• 281 Best Health & Medical Research Topics
• 501 Research Questions & Titles about Science
• A List of Research Topics for Students. Unique and Interesting
• Good Research Topics, Titles and Ideas for Your Paper

🔎 References

• Find a Topic Idea: Questia
• Nursing: Choosing a Research Topic (FGCU Library)
• Examples of Research Questions: Vanderbilt School of Nursing
• Current Issue: Nursing Research
• Nursing Research: Definitions and Directions (NCBI)
• Table of Contents (Nursing Research and Practice – Volume 2023)
• Nursing, research, and the evidence: Evidence-Based Nursing
• Psychiatry & Mental Health Topics: Medscape
• Geriatric Topics: ConsultGeri
• Major Research Areas: Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester
• An overview of research designs relevant to nursing: Part 1: Quantitative research designs: SciELO
• An overview of research designs relevant to nursing: part 2: qualitative research designs: SciELO
• Clinical Nursing Research: Academia
• Innovation and scientific discovery: School of Nursing, University of Washington
• Center for Nursing Research: Duke University
• Research: Penn Nursing
• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter
• Share to LinkedIn
• Share to email

Do you have to write a research proposal and can’t choose one from the professor’s list? This article may be exactly what you need. We will provide you with the most up-to-date undergraduate and postgraduate topic ideas. Moreover, we will share the secrets of the winning research proposal writing. Here,...

A history class can become a jumble of years, dates, odd moments, and names of people who have been dead for centuries. Despite this, you’ll still need to find history topics to write about. You may have no choice! But once in a while, your instructor may let you pick...

Argumentative research paper topics are a lot easier to find than to come up with. We always try to make your life easier. That’s why you should feel free to check out this list of the hottest and most controversial argumentative essay topics for 2024. In the article prepared by...

One of the greatest problems of the scholarly world is the lack of funny topics. So why not jazz it up? How about creating one of those humorous speeches the public is always so delighted to listen to? Making a couple of funny informative speech topics or coming up with...

After the recent heartbreaking mass shootings, the gun control debate has reached its boiling point. Do we need stricter gun control laws? Should everyone get a weapon to oppose crime? Or should guns be banned overall? You have the opportunity to air your opinion in a gun control argumentative essay....

Many people believe that childhood is the happiest period in a person’s life. It’s not hard to see why. Kids have nothing to care or worry about, have almost no duties or problems, and can hang out with their friends all day long. An essay about childhood gives an opportunity...

Just when you think you’re way past the question “How to write an essay?” another one comes. That’s the thing students desperately Google: “What is an informative speech?” And our custom writing experts are here to help you sort this out. Informative speaking is a speech on a completely new issue....

Literature courses are about two things: reading and writing about what you’ve read. For most students, it’s hard enough to understand great pieces of literature, never mind analyzing them. And with so many books and stories out there, choosing one to write about can be a chore. But you’re in...

The success of any college essay depends on the topic choice. If you want to impress your instructors, your essay needs to be interesting and unique. Don’t know what to write about? We are here to help you! In this article by our Custom-Writing.org team, you will find 335 interesting...

Social studies is an integrated research field. It includes a range of topics on social science and humanities, such as history, culture, geography, sociology, education, etc. A social studies essay might be assigned to any middle school, high school, or college student. It might seem like a daunting task, but...

If you are about to go into the world of graduate school, then one of the first things you need to do is choose from all the possible dissertation topics available to you. This is no small task. You are likely to spend many years researching your Master’s or Ph.D....

Looking for a good argumentative essay topic? In need of a persuasive idea for a research paper? You’ve found the right page! Academic writing is never easy, whether it is for middle school or college. That’s why there are numerous educational materials on composing an argumentative and persuasive essay, for...

thanks for the presentation, now I know who to turn to for help

Hello dear Thank you for your kind presentation like this hot topics . Am nursing master student and I need topic for my thesis.if you can help me

Budget Clomid

• Research article
• Open access
• Published: 09 November 2005

A qualitative study of nursing student experiences of clinical practice

• Farkhondeh Sharif 1 &
• Sara Masoumi 2  

BMC Nursing volume  4 , Article number:  6 ( 2005 ) Cite this article

357k Accesses

167 Citations

9 Altmetric

Metrics details

Nursing student's experiences of their clinical practice provide greater insight to develop an effective clinical teaching strategy in nursing education. The main objective of this study was to investigate student nurses' experience about their clinical practice.

Focus groups were used to obtain students' opinion and experiences about their clinical practice. 90 baccalaureate nursing students at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery) were selected randomly from two hundred students and were arranged in 9 groups of ten students. To analyze the data the method used to code and categories focus group data were adapted from approaches to qualitative data analysis.

Four themes emerged from the focus group data. From the students' point of view," initial clinical anxiety", "theory-practice gap"," clinical supervision", professional role", were considered as important factors in clinical experience.

The result of this study showed that nursing students were not satisfied with the clinical component of their education. They experienced anxiety as a result of feeling incompetent and lack of professional nursing skills and knowledge to take care of various patients in the clinical setting.

Peer Review reports

Clinical experience has been always an integral part of nursing education. It prepares student nurses to be able of "doing" as well as "knowing" the clinical principles in practice. The clinical practice stimulates students to use their critical thinking skills for problem solving [ 1 ]

Awareness of the existence of stress in nursing students by nurse educators and responding to it will help to diminish student nurses experience of stress. [ 2 ]

Clinical experience is one of the most anxiety producing components of the nursing program which has been identified by nursing students. In a descriptive correlational study by Beck and Srivastava 94 second, third and fourth year nursing students reported that clinical experience was the most stressful part of the nursing program[ 3 ]. Lack of clinical experience, unfamiliar areas, difficult patients, fear of making mistakes and being evaluated by faculty members were expressed by the students as anxiety-producing situations in their initial clinical experience. In study done by Hart and Rotem stressful events for nursing students during clinical practice have been studied. They found that the initial clinical experience was the most anxiety producing part of their clinical experience [ 4 ]. The sources of stress during clinical practice have been studied by many researchers [ 5 – 10 ] and [ 11 ].

The researcher came to realize that nursing students have a great deal of anxiety when they begin their clinical practice in the second year. It is hoped that an investigation of the student's view on their clinical experience can help to develop an effective clinical teaching strategy in nursing education.

A focus group design was used to investigate the nursing student's view about the clinical practice. Focus group involves organized discussion with a selected group of individuals to gain information about their views and experiences of a topic and is particularly suited for obtaining several perspectives about the same topic. Focus groups are widely used as a data collection technique. The purpose of using focus group is to obtain information of a qualitative nature from a predetermined and limited number of people [ 12 , 13 ].

Using focus group in qualitative research concentrates on words and observations to express reality and attempts to describe people in natural situations [ 14 ].

The group interview is essentially a qualitative data gathering technique [ 13 ]. It can be used at any point in a research program and one of the common uses of it is to obtain general background information about a topic of interest [ 14 ].

Focus groups interviews are essential in the evaluation process as part of a need assessment, during a program, at the end of the program or months after the completion of a program to gather perceptions on the outcome of that program [ 15 , 16 ]. Kruegger (1988) stated focus group data can be used before, during and after programs in order to provide valuable data for decision making [ 12 ].

The participants from which the sample was drawn consisted of 90 baccalaureate nursing students from two hundred nursing students (30 students from the second year and 30 from the third and 30 from the fourth year) at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery). The second year nursing students already started their clinical experience. They were arranged in nine groups of ten students. Initially, the topics developed included 9 open-ended questions that were related to their nursing clinical experience. The topics were used to stimulate discussion.

The following topics were used to stimulate discussion regarding clinical experience in the focus groups.

How do you feel about being a student in nursing education?

How do you feel about nursing in general?

Is there any thing about the clinical field that might cause you to feel anxious about it?

Would you like to talk about those clinical experiences which you found most anxiety producing?

Which clinical experiences did you find enjoyable?

What are the best and worst things do you think can happen during the clinical experience?

What do nursing students worry about regarding clinical experiences?

How do you think clinical experiences can be improved?

What is your expectation of clinical experiences?

The first two questions were general questions which were used as ice breakers to stimulate discussion and put participants at ease encouraging them to interact in a normal manner with the facilitator.

Data analysis

The following steps were undertaken in the focus group data analysis.

Immediate debriefing after each focus group with the observer and debriefing notes were made. Debriefing notes included comments about the focus group process and the significance of data

Listening to the tape and transcribing the content of the tape

Checking the content of the tape with the observer noting and considering any non-verbal behavior. The benefit of transcription and checking the contents with the observer was in picking up the following:

Parts of words

Non-verbal communication, gestures and behavior...

The researcher facilitated the groups. The observer was a public health graduate who attended all focus groups and helped the researcher by taking notes and observing students' on non-verbal behavior during the focus group sessions. Observer was not known to students and researcher

The methods used to code and categorise focus group data were adapted from approaches to qualitative content analysis discussed by Graneheim and Lundman [ 17 ] and focus group data analysis by Stewart and Shamdasani [ 14 ] For coding the transcript it was necessary to go through the transcripts line by line and paragraph by paragraph, looking for significant statements and codes according to the topics addressed. The researcher compared the various codes based on differences and similarities and sorted into categories and finally the categories was formulated into a 4 themes.

The researcher was guided to use and three levels of coding [ 17 , 18 ]. Three levels of coding selected as appropriate for coding the data.

Level 1 coding examined the data line by line and making codes which were taken from the language of the subjects who attended the focus groups.

Level 2 coding which is a comparing of coded data with other data and the creation of categories. Categories are simply coded data that seem to cluster together and may result from condensing of level 1 code [ 17 , 19 ].

Level 3 coding which describes the Basic Social Psychological Process which is the title given to the central themes that emerge from the categories.

Table 1 shows the three level codes for one of the theme

The documents were submitted to two assessors for validation. This action provides an opportunity to determine the reliability of the coding [ 14 , 15 ]. Following a review of the codes and categories there was agreement on the classification.

Ethical considerations

The study was conducted after approval has been obtained from Shiraz university vice-chancellor for research and in addition permission to conduct the study was obtained from Dean of the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery. All participants were informed of the objective and design of the study and a written consent received from the participants for interviews and they were free to leave focus group if they wish.

Most of the students were females (%94) and single (% 86) with age between 18–25.

The qualitative analysis led to the emergence of the four themes from the focus group data. From the students' point of view," initial clinical anxiety", "theory-practice gap", clinical supervision"," professional role", was considered as important factors in clinical experience.

Initial clinical anxiety

This theme emerged from all focus group discussion where students described the difficulties experienced at the beginning of placement. Almost all of the students had identified feeling anxious in their initial clinical placement. Worrying about giving the wrong information to the patient was one of the issues brought up by students.

One of the students said:

On the first day I was so anxious about giving the wrong information to the patient. I remember one of the patients asked me what my diagnosis is. ' I said 'I do not know', she said 'you do not know? How can you look after me if you do not know what my diagnosis is?'

From all the focus group sessions, the students stated that the first month of their training in clinical placement was anxiety producing for them.

One of the students expressed:

The most stressful situation is when we make the next step. I mean ... clinical placement and we don't have enough clinical experience to accomplish the task, and do our nursing duties .

Almost all of the fourth year students in the focus group sessions felt that their stress reduced as their training and experience progressed.

Another cause of student's anxiety in initial clinical experience was the students' concern about the possibility of harming a patient through their lack of knowledge in the second year.

One of the students reported:

In the first day of clinical placement two patients were assigned to me. One of them had IV fluid. When I introduced myself to her, I noticed her IV was running out. I was really scared and I did not know what to do and I called my instructor .

Fear of failure and making mistakes concerning nursing procedures was expressed by another student. She said:

I was so anxious when I had to change the colostomy dressing of my 24 years old patient. It took me 45 minutes to change the dressing. I went ten times to the clinic to bring the stuff. My heart rate was increasing and my hand was shaking. I was very embarrassed in front of my patient and instructor. I will never forget that day .

Sellek researched anxiety-creating incidents for nursing students. He suggested that the ward is the best place to learn but very few of the learner's needs are met in this setting. Incidents such as evaluation by others on initial clinical experience and total patient care, as well as interpersonal relations with staff, quality of care and procedures are anxiety producing [ 11 ].

Theory-practice gap

The category theory-practice gap emerged from all focus discussion where almost every student in the focus group sessions described in some way the lack of integration of theory into clinical practice.

I have learnt so many things in the class, but there is not much more chance to do them in actual settings .

Another student mentioned:

When I just learned theory for example about a disease such as diabetic mellitus and then I go on the ward and see the real patient with diabetic mellitus, I relate it back to what I learned in class and that way it will remain in my mind. It is not happen sometimes .

The literature suggests that there is a gap between theory and practice. It has been identified by Allmark and Tolly [ 20 , 21 ]. The development of practice theory, theory which is developed from practice, for practice, is one way of reducing the theory-practice gap [ 21 ]. Rolfe suggests that by reconsidering the relationship between theory and practise the gap can be closed. He suggests facilitating reflection on the realities of clinical life by nursing theorists will reduce the theory-practice gap. The theory- practice gap is felt most acutely by student nurses. They find themselves torn between the demands of their tutor and practising nurses in real clinical situations. They were faced with different real clinical situations and are unable to generalise from what they learnt in theory [ 22 ].

Clinical supervision

Clinical supervision is recognised as a developmental opportunity to develop clinical leadership. Working with the practitioners through the milieu of clinical supervision is a powerful way of enabling them to realize desirable practice [ 23 ]. Clinical nursing supervision is an ongoing systematic process that encourages and supports improved professional practice. According to Berggren and Severinsson the clinical nurse supervisors' ethical value system is involved in her/his process of decision making. [ 24 , 25 ]

Clinical Supervision by Head Nurse (Nursing Unit Manager) and Staff Nurses was another issue discussed by the students in the focus group sessions. One of the students said:

Sometimes we are taught mostly by the Head Nurse or other Nursing staff. The ward staff are not concerned about what students learn, they are busy with their duties and they are unable to have both an educational and a service role

Another student added:

Some of the nursing staff have good interaction with nursing students and they are interested in helping students in the clinical placement but they are not aware of the skills and strategies which are necessary in clinical education and are not prepared for their role to act as an instructor in the clinical placement

The students mostly mentioned their instructor's role as an evaluative person. The majority of students had the perception that their instructors have a more evaluative role than a teaching role.

The literature suggests that the clinical nurse supervisors should expressed their existence as a role model for the supervisees [ 24 ]

Professional role

One view that was frequently expressed by student nurses in the focus group sessions was that students often thought that their work was 'not really professional nursing' they were confused by what they had learned in the faculty and what in reality was expected of them in practice.

We just do basic nursing care, very basic . ... You know ... giving bed baths, keeping patients clean and making their beds. Anyone can do it. We spend four years studying nursing but we do not feel we are doing a professional job .

The role of the professional nurse and nursing auxiliaries was another issue discussed by one of the students:

The role of auxiliaries such as registered practical nurse and Nurses Aids are the same as the role of the professional nurse. We spend four years and we have learned that nursing is a professional job and it requires training and skills and knowledge, but when we see that Nurses Aids are doing the same things, it can not be considered a professional job .

The result of student's views toward clinical experience showed that they were not satisfied with the clinical component of their education. Four themes of concern for students were 'initial clinical anxiety', 'theory-practice gap', 'clinical supervision', and 'professional role'.

The nursing students clearly identified that the initial clinical experience is very stressful for them. Students in the second year experienced more anxiety compared with third and fourth year students. This was similar to the finding of Bell and Ruth who found that nursing students have a higher level of anxiety in second year [ 26 , 27 ]. Neary identified three main categories of concern for students which are the fear of doing harm to patients, the sense of not belonging to the nursing team and of not being fully competent on registration [ 28 ] which are similar to what our students mentioned in the focus group discussions. Jinks and Patmon also found that students felt they had an insufficiency in clinical skills upon completion of pre-registration program [ 29 ].

Initial clinical experience was the most anxiety producing part of student clinical experience. In this study fear of making mistake (fear of failure) and being evaluated by faculty members were expressed by the students as anxiety-producing situations in their initial clinical experience. This finding is supported by Hart and Rotem [ 4 ] and Stephens [ 30 ]. Developing confidence is an important component of clinical nursing practice [ 31 ]. Development of confidence should be facilitated by the process of nursing education; as a result students become competent and confident. Differences between actual and expected behaviour in the clinical placement creates conflicts in nursing students. Nursing students receive instructions which are different to what they have been taught in the classroom. Students feel anxious and this anxiety has effect on their performance [ 32 ]. The existence of theory-practice gap in nursing has been an issue of concern for many years as it has been shown to delay student learning. All the students in this study clearly demonstrated that there is a gap between theory and practice. This finding is supported by other studies such as Ferguson and Jinks [ 33 ] and Hewison and Wildman [ 34 ] and Bjork [ 35 ]. Discrepancy between theory and practice has long been a source of concern to teachers, practitioners and learners. It deeply rooted in the history of nurse education. Theory-practice gap has been recognised for over 50 years in nursing. This issue is said to have caused the movement of nurse education into higher education sector [ 34 ].

Clinical supervision was one of the main themes in this study. According to participant, instructor role in assisting student nurses to reach professional excellence is very important. In this study, the majority of students had the perception that their instructors have a more evaluative role than a teaching role. About half of the students mentioned that some of the head Nurse (Nursing Unit Manager) and Staff Nurses are very good in supervising us in the clinical area. The clinical instructor or mentors can play an important role in student nurses' self-confidence, promote role socialization, and encourage independence which leads to clinical competency [ 36 ]. A supportive and socialising role was identified by the students as the mentor's function. This finding is similar to the finding of Earnshaw [ 37 ]. According to Begat and Severinsson supporting nurses by clinical nurse specialist reported that they may have a positive effect on their perceptions of well-being and less anxiety and physical symptoms [ 25 ].

The students identified factors that influence their professional socialisation. Professional role and hierarchy of occupation were factors which were frequently expressed by the students. Self-evaluation of professional knowledge, values and skills contribute to the professional's self-concept [ 38 ]. The professional role encompasses skills, knowledge and behaviour learned through professional socialisation [ 39 ]. The acquisition of career attitudes, values and motives which are held by society are important stages in the socialisation process [ 40 ]. According to Corwin autonomy, independence, decision-making and innovation are achieved through professional self-concept 41 . Lengacher (1994) discussed the importance of faculty staff in the socialisation process of students and in preparing them for reality in practice. Maintenance and/or nurturance of the student's self-esteem play an important role for facilitation of socialisation process 42 .

One view that was expressed by second and third year student nurses in the focus group sessions was that students often thought that their work was 'not really professional nursing' they were confused by what they had learned in the faculty and what in reality was expected of them in practice.

The finding of this study and the literature support the need to rethink about the clinical skills training in nursing education. It is clear that all themes mentioned by the students play an important role in student learning and nursing education in general. There were some similarities between the results of this study with other reported studies and confirmed that some of the factors are universal in nursing education. Nursing students expressed their views and mentioned their worry about the initial clinical anxiety, theory-practice gap, professional role and clinical supervision. They mentioned that integration of both theory and practice with good clinical supervision enabling them to feel that they are enough competent to take care of the patients. The result of this study would help us as educators to design strategies for more effective clinical teaching. The results of this study should be considered by nursing education and nursing practice professionals. Faculties of nursing need to be concerned about solving student problems in education and clinical practice. The findings support the need for Faculty of Nursing to plan nursing curriculum in a way that nursing students be involved actively in their education.

Dunn SV, Burnett P: The development of a clinical learning environment scale. Journal of Advanced Nursing. 1995, 22: 1166-1173.

Article   CAS   PubMed   Google Scholar  

Lindop E: Factors associated with student and pupil nurse wastage. Journal of Advanced Nursing. 1987, 12 (6): 751-756.

Beck D, Srivastava R: Perceived level and source of stress in baccalaureate nursing students. Journal of Nursing Education. 1991, 30 (3): 127-132.

CAS   PubMed   Google Scholar  

Hart G, Rotem A: The best and the worst: Students' experience of clinical education. The Australian Journal of Advanced Nursing. 1994, 11 (3): 26-33.

Sheila Sh, Huey-Shyon L, Shiowli H: Perceived stress and physio-psycho-social status of nursing students during their initial period of clinical practice. International Journal of Nursing Studies. 2002, 39: 165-175. 10.1016/S0020-7489(01)00016-5.

Article   Google Scholar  

Johnson J: Reducing distress in first level and student nurses. Journal of Advanced Nursing. 2000, 32 (1): 66-74. 10.1046/j.1365-2648.2000.01421.x.

Admi H: Nursing students' stress during the initial clinical experience. Journal of Nursing Education. 1997, 36: 323-327.

Blainey GC: Anxiety in the undergraduate medical-surgical clinical student. Journal of Nursing Education. 1980, 19 (8): 33-36.

Wong J, Wong S: Towards effective clinical teaching in nursing. Journal of Advanced Nursing. 1987, 12 (4): 505-513.

Windsor A: Nursing students' perceptions of clinical experience. Journal of Nursing Education. 1987, 26 (4): 150-154.

Sellek T: Satisfying and anxiety creating incidents for nursing students. Nursing Times. 1982, 78 (35): 137-140.

PubMed   Google Scholar  

Krueger RA: Focus Groups: A Practical Guide for Applied Research. Sage Publications: California. 1988

Google Scholar  

Denzin NK: The Research Act. 1989, Prentice Hall: Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 3

Stewart DW, Shamdasani PN: Analysing focus group data. Focus Groups: Theory and Practice. Edited by: Shamdasani PN. 1990, Sage Publications: Newbury Park

Barbour RS, Kitzinger J: Developing focus group research : politics, theory and practice. Sage. 1999

Patton MQ: Qualitative Evaluation and Research Methods. 1990, Sage publications, 2

Graneheim UH, Lundman B: Qualitative content analysis in nursing research: concepts, procedures and measures to achieve trustworthiness. Nurse Education Today. 2004, 24: 105-112. 10.1016/j.nedt.2003.10.001.

Streubert HJ, Carpenter DR: Qualitative Research in Nursing. Advancing the Humanistic Imperative. 1995, J.B. Lippincott Company: Philadelphia

Polit DF, Hungler BP: Nursing research: Principles and Methods. Philadelphia newyork. 1999

Allmark PA: classical view of the theory-practice gap in nursing. Journal of Advanced Nursing. 1995, 22 (1): 18-23. 10.1046/j.1365-2648.1995.22010018.x.

Tolley KA: Theory from practice for practice: Is this a reality?. Journal of Advanced Nursing. 1995, 21 (1): 184-190. 10.1046/j.1365-2648.1995.21010184.x.

Rolfe G: Listening to students: Course evaluation as action research. Nurse Education Today. 1994, 14 (3): 223-227. 10.1016/0260-6917(94)90085-X.

Johns Ch: clinical supervision as a model for clinical leadership. Journal of Nursing Management. 2003, 11: 25-34. 10.1046/j.1365-2834.2002.00288.x.

Article   PubMed   Google Scholar  

Berggren I, Severinsson E: Nurses supervisors'action in relation to their decision-making style and ethical approach to clinical supervision. Journal of Advanced Nursing. 2003, 41 (6): 615-622. 10.1046/j.1365-2648.2003.02573.x.

Begat I, Severinsson E: Nurses' satisfaction with their work environment and the outcomes of clinical nursing supervision on nurses' experiences of well-being. Journal of Nursing Management. 2005, 13: 221-230. 10.1111/j.1365-2834.2004.00527.x.

Bell P: Anxiety in mature age and higher school certificate entry student nurses – A comparison of effects on performance. Journal of Australian Congress of Mental Health Nurses. 1984, 4/5: 13-21.

Ruth L: Experiencing before and throughout the nursing career. Journal of Advanced Nursing. 2002, 39: 119-10.1046/j.1365-2648.2000.02251.x.

Neary M: Project 2000 students' survival kit: a return to the practical room. Nurse Education Today. 1997, 17 (1): 46-52. 10.1016/S0260-6917(97)80078-0.

Jinks A, Pateman B: Nither this nor that: The stigma of being an undergraduate nurse. Nursing Times. 1998, 2 (2): 12-13.

CAS   Google Scholar  

Stephen RL: Imagery: A treatment for nursing student anxiety. Journal of Nursing Education. 1992, 31 (7): 314-319.

Grundy SE: The confidence scale. Nurse Educator. 1993, 18 (1): 6-9.

Copeland L: Developing student confidence. Nurse Educator. 1990, 15 (1): 7-

Ferguson K, Jinks A: Integrating what is taught with what is practised in the nursing curriculum: A multi-dimensional model. Journal of Advanced Nursing. 1994, 20 (4): 687-695. 10.1046/j.1365-2648.1994.20040687.x.

Hewison A, Wildman S: The theory-practice gap in nursing: A new dimension. Journal of Advanced Nursing. 1996, 24 (4): 754-761. 10.1046/j.1365-2648.1996.25214.x.

Bjork T: Neglected conflicts in the discipline of nursing: Perceptions of the importance and value of practical skill. Journal of Advanced Nursing. 1995, 22 (1): 6-12. 10.1046/j.1365-2648.1995.22010006.x.

Busen N: Mentoring in advanced practice nursing. Journal of Advanced Nursing Practice. 1999, 2: 2-

Earnshaw GP: Mentorship: The students' view. Nurse Education Today. 1995, 15 (4): 274-279. 10.1016/S0260-6917(95)80130-8.

Kelly B: The professional self-concepts of nursing undergraduates and their perceptions of influential forces. Journal of Nursing Education. 1992, 31 (3): 121-125.

Lynn MR, McCain NL, Boss BJ: Socialization of R.N. to B.S.N Image:. Journal of Nursing Scholarship. 1989, 21 (4): 232-237.

Article   CAS   Google Scholar  

Klein SM, Ritti RR: Understanding Organisational Behaviour. 1980, Kent: Boston

Corwin RG: The professional employee: A study of conflict in nursing roles. The American Journal of Sociology. 1961, 66: 604-615. 10.1086/223010.

Lengacher CA: Effects of professional development seminars on role conception, role deprivation, and self-esteem of generic baccalaureate students. Nursing Connections. 1994, 7 (1): 21-34.

Pre-publication history

The pre-publication history for this paper can be accessed here: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6955/4/6/prepub

Download references

Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank the student nurses who participated in this study for their valuable contribution

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

Psychiatric Nursing Department, Fatemeh (P.B.U.H) College of Nursing and Midwifery Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Zand BlvD, Shiraz, Iran

Farkhondeh Sharif

English Department, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran

Sara Masoumi

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Farkhondeh Sharif .

Additional information

Competing interests.

The author(s) declare that they no competing interests.

Authors' contributions

FSH: Initiation and design of the research, focus groups conduction, data collection, analysis and writing the paper, SM: Editorial revision of paper

Rights and permissions

Open Access This article is published under license to BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0 ), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article.

Sharif, F., Masoumi, S. A qualitative study of nursing student experiences of clinical practice. BMC Nurs 4 , 6 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6955-4-6

Download citation

Received : 10 June 2005

Accepted : 09 November 2005

Published : 09 November 2005

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6955-4-6

Share this article

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

• Focus Group
• Nursing Student
• Professional Role
• Nursing Education
• Focus Group Session

BMC Nursing

ISSN: 1472-6955

• General enquiries: [email protected]

Nursing Doctoral Programs: DNP & PhD

• Where to Start?
• Find Articles/Databases
• Reference Resources
• Evidence Summaries & Clinical Guidelines
• Drug Information
• Health Data & Statistics
• Patient/Consumer Facing Materials
• Images and Streaming Video
• Grey Literature
• Mobile Apps & "Point of Care" Tools
• Test Instruments This link opens in a new window
• Framing Research Questions
• Selecting Databases
• Building the Search
• Expanding a Search
• Filtering / Narrowing the Search
• Cited Reference Searching
• Saving Searches
• Alerting Services
• Finding Full Text
• What are Literature Reviews?
• Conducting & Reporting Systematic Reviews
• Finding Systematic Reviews
• Tutorials & Tools for Literature Reviews
• Locating Qualitative Research This link opens in a new window
• Critical Appraisal Resources
• Citing Sources
• Writing/Publishing
• Data Management This link opens in a new window
• Deposit in the Institutional Repository

Defining the Question: Foreground & Background Questions

In order to most appropriately choose an information resource and craft a search strategy, it is necessary to consider what  kind  of question you are asking: a specific, narrow "foreground" question, or a broader background question that will help give context to your research?

Foreground Questions

A "foreground" question in health research is one that is relatively specific, and is usually best addressed by locating primary research evidence. 

Using a structured question framework can help you clearly define the concepts or variables that make up the specific research question. 

 Across most frameworks, you’ll often be considering:

• a who (who was studied - a population or sample)
• a what (what was done or examined - an intervention, an exposure, a policy, a program, a phenomenon)
• a how ([how] did the [what] affect the [who] - an outcome, an effect). 

PICO is the most common framework for developing a clinical research question, but multiple question frameworks exist.

PICO (Problem/Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome)

Appropriate for : clinical questions, often addressing the effect of an intervention/therapy/treatment

Example : For adolescents with type II diabetes (P) does the use of telehealth consultations (I) compared to in-person consultations  (C) improve blood sugar control  (O)?

Framing Different Types of Clinical Questions with PICO

Different types of clinical questions are suited to different syntaxes and phrasings, but all will clearly define the PICO elements.  The definitions and frames below may be helpful for organizing your question:

Intervention/Therapy

Questions addressing how a clinical issue, illness, or disability is treated.

"In__________________(P), how does__________________(I) compared to_________________(C) affect______________(O)?"

Questions that address the causes or origin of disease, the factors which produce or predispose toward a certain disease or disorder.

"Are_________________(P), who have_________________(I) compared with those without_________________(C) at_________________risk for/of_________________(O) over_________________(T)?" 

Questions addressing the act or process of identifying or determining the nature and cause of a disease or injury through evaluation.

In_________________(P) are/is_________________(I) compared with_________________(C) more accurate in diagnosing_________________(O)?

Prognosis/Prediction:

Questions addressing the prediction of the course of a disease.

In_________________(P), how does_________________(I) compared to_________________ (C) influence_________________(O)?

Questions addressing how one experiences a phenomenon or why we need to approach practice differently.

"How do_________________(P) with_________________(I) perceive_________________(O)?" 

Adapted from: Melnyk, B. M., & Fineout-Overholt, E. (2011). Evidence-based practice in nursing & healthcare: A guide to best practice. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Beyond PICO: Other Types of Question Frameworks

PICO is a useful framework for clinical research questions, but may not be appropriate for all kinds of reviews.  Also consider:

PEO (Population, Exposure, Outcome)

Appropriate for : describing association between particular exposures/risk factors and outcomes

Example : How do  preparation programs (E) influence the development of teaching competence  (O) among novice nurse educators  (P)?

SPIDER (Sample, Phenomenon of Interest, Design, Evaluation, Research Type)

Appropriate for : questions of experience or perspectives (questions that may be addressed by qualitative or mixed methods research)

Example : What are the experiences and perspectives (E) of  undergraduate nursing students  (S)  in clinical placements within prison healthcare settings (PI)?

SPICE (Setting, Perspective, Intervention/phenomenon of Interest, Comparison, Evaluation)

Appropriate for : evaluating the outcomes of a service, project, or intervention

Example : What are the impacts and best practices for workplace (S) transition support programs (I) for the retention (E) of newly-hired, new graduate nurses (P)?

PCC (Problem/population, Concept, Context)

Appropriate for : broader (scoping) questions

Example : How do nursing schools  (Context) teach, measure, and maintain nursing students ' (P)  technological literacy  (Concept))throughout their educational programs?

Background Questions

To craft a strong and reasonable foreground research question, it is important to have a firm understanding of the concepts of interest.  As such, it is often necessary to ask background questions, which ask for more general, foundational knowledge about a disorder, disease, patient population, policy issue, etc. 

For example, consider the PICO question outlined above:

"For adolescents with type II diabetes does the use of telehealth consultations compared to in-person consultations  improve blood sugar control ?

To best make sense of the literature that might address this PICO question, you would also need a deep understanding of background questions like:

• What are the unique barriers or challenges related to blood sugar management in adolescents with TII diabetes?
• What are the measures of effective blood sugar control?
• What kinds of interventions would fall under the umbrella of 'telehealth'?
• What are the qualitative differences in patient experience in telehealth versus in-person interactions with healthcare providers?
• << Previous: Tutorials/Help
• Next: Selecting Databases >>
• Last Updated: Apr 13, 2024 9:13 PM
• URL: https://guides.nyu.edu/doctoralnursing

30 Research Nurse Interview Questions and Answers

Common Research Nurse interview questions, how to answer them, and example answers from a certified career coach.

Embarking on a career as a research nurse is an opportunity to combine your clinical expertise with scientific curiosity and contribute to advancements in healthcare. It’s a rewarding field that requires not only exceptional nursing skills but also the ability to navigate complex research projects and collaborate well with multidisciplinary teams. As you prepare for your interview, it’s important to showcase these essential qualities alongside your passion for making a difference.

In this article, we’ve gathered common research nurse interview questions along with guidance on how to answer them effectively so that you can confidently approach your upcoming meeting and demonstrate your readiness for this vital role.

1. What motivated you to become a research nurse?

Understanding your motivation for becoming a research nurse provides insight into your passion and dedication to the field. This question helps interviewers gauge your enthusiasm for research, your commitment to improving patient care, and your desire to contribute to the medical community. They want to see that you’re driven by more than just a paycheck, and that you have a genuine interest in advancing healthcare through research and evidence-based practice.

Example: “My motivation to become a research nurse stemmed from my passion for both nursing and scientific discovery. As a registered nurse, I found great satisfaction in providing care and support to patients during their most vulnerable moments. However, I also recognized the importance of advancing medical knowledge to improve patient outcomes and overall healthcare.

Becoming a research nurse allowed me to combine these two passions by contributing to clinical trials and studies that have the potential to revolutionize treatments and therapies. This role enables me to not only provide direct patient care but also play an active part in shaping the future of medicine. Knowing that my work can potentially impact countless lives and lead to better treatment options is what truly drives me as a research nurse.”

2. Describe your experience with clinical trials and the role you played in them.

Clinical trials are a critical component of advancements in medical treatments and the role of a research nurse is pivotal in their success. Interviewers want to understand your experience in this area, how you contributed to the clinical trial process, and how you ensured patient safety and ethical standards. By assessing your knowledge and experience in managing clinical trials, they can gauge your ability to contribute to their research team and handle real-world situations.

Example: “During my time as a research nurse, I have been involved in several clinical trials, primarily focusing on oncology treatments. My role in these trials has been multifaceted and included responsibilities such as patient recruitment, informed consent, data collection, and monitoring patients’ progress throughout the study.

I worked closely with the principal investigator to ensure that all trial protocols were followed and that any adverse events or deviations were reported promptly. Additionally, I collaborated with other healthcare professionals, including physicians, pharmacists, and laboratory technicians, to coordinate patient care and maintain accurate records of their treatment plans and outcomes. This experience allowed me to contribute significantly to the success of the clinical trials while ensuring the safety and well-being of our participants.”

3. How do you ensure that study participants fully understand the informed consent process?

Conducting ethical research is of utmost importance, especially when it involves human subjects. The informed consent process is a critical part of research studies, ensuring that participants are fully aware of the risks, benefits, and their rights. By asking this question, interviewers want to assess your ability to effectively communicate complex information and ensure participants’ comprehension, ultimately protecting their safety and autonomy throughout the research process.

Example: “To ensure that study participants fully understand the informed consent process, I prioritize clear communication and take a patient-centered approach. First, I provide them with an easy-to-understand written document outlining the study’s purpose, procedures, potential risks, benefits, and their rights as participants. I then walk them through each section of the document, using layman’s terms to explain complex concepts and medical jargon.

After discussing the document, I encourage participants to ask questions and address any concerns they may have. This open dialogue allows me to gauge their understanding and clarify any misconceptions. Additionally, I make sure to emphasize that participation is voluntary and that they can withdraw from the study at any time without penalty. Ultimately, my goal is to create an environment where participants feel comfortable, well-informed, and empowered to make decisions about their involvement in the research study.”

4. Can you explain the difference between Phase I, II, III, and IV clinical trials?

Understanding the different phases of clinical trials is essential for a research nurse, as each phase has its own unique objectives, protocols, and responsibilities. Demonstrating your knowledge of these phases shows that you are well-prepared for the complexities of the research process and can navigate the various requirements to ensure patient safety, data accuracy, and overall trial success.

Example: “Certainly. Phase I clinical trials are the first stage of testing a new drug or treatment in humans, typically involving a small group of healthy volunteers. The primary goal is to evaluate safety, determine appropriate dosage, and identify any potential side effects.

Phase II trials involve a larger participant group, usually consisting of patients with the specific condition the drug or treatment aims to address. This phase focuses on evaluating the effectiveness of the intervention, while continuing to monitor its safety and further refine the optimal dosage.

Phase III trials are conducted on an even larger scale, often involving hundreds or thousands of participants across multiple sites. These trials aim to confirm the efficacy of the drug or treatment, compare it to existing standard treatments, and gather more information about its safety and side effects. Successful completion of Phase III trials can lead to regulatory approval for public use.

Phase IV trials, also known as post-marketing surveillance studies, occur after a drug or treatment has been approved and released to the market. These trials continue to monitor the long-term safety and effectiveness of the intervention in real-world conditions, detect rare side effects, and assess its impact on different populations and under various circumstances.”

5. How do you handle situations where patients are hesitant or unwilling to participate in a study?

When interviewers ask this question, they’re seeking insights into your interpersonal skills and ability to empathize with patients. It’s critical for research nurses to respect patients’ autonomy, while also being able to educate and alleviate their concerns. Your response should demonstrate your ability to navigate sensitive situations and find ways to help patients feel comfortable and informed about their participation in research studies.

Example: “When encountering patients who are hesitant or unwilling to participate in a study, I believe it’s essential to approach the situation with empathy and understanding. First, I take the time to listen to their concerns and address any misconceptions they may have about the research process. This helps build trust and rapport with the patient.

If the patient still remains hesitant, I provide them with clear and concise information about the study’s purpose, potential benefits, risks, and how their participation could contribute to advancements in medical knowledge. It’s important to ensure that the patient feels well-informed and comfortable asking questions. Ultimately, I respect their decision whether or not to participate, as voluntary consent is a fundamental principle in clinical research.”

6. What strategies do you use to recruit and retain study participants?

Recruitment and retention of study participants are vital to the success of clinical research, as this directly impacts the validity and generalizability of the study results. Interviewers want to know that you, as a research nurse, have effective strategies in place to attract and maintain the engagement of participants, ensuring the study’s smooth progression and timely completion. Demonstrating your understanding of ethical considerations and cultural sensitivity will further emphasize your commitment to the well-being of participants while achieving the research goals.

Example: “Recruiting and retaining study participants is essential for the success of clinical research. To recruit participants, I first ensure that our promotional materials are clear, concise, and highlight the benefits of participating in the study. This includes using targeted advertising on social media platforms and collaborating with local healthcare providers to identify potential candidates.

Once participants are enrolled, retention becomes a priority. Building trust and rapport with them is key, so I make sure to maintain open communication channels and provide regular updates about the study’s progress. Additionally, I emphasize the importance of their contribution to advancing medical knowledge and improving patient care. Providing flexible scheduling options and addressing any concerns or questions promptly also helps keep participants engaged and committed to the study.”

7. Describe your experience working with Institutional Review Boards (IRBs).

Navigating the complex world of research ethics and regulations is a fundamental aspect of being a research nurse. Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) play a critical role in ensuring that research studies protect the rights, safety, and well-being of participants. Your experience working with IRBs demonstrates your understanding of the ethical considerations in research and highlights your ability to collaborate with these oversight bodies to maintain compliance and uphold the highest standards of patient care.

Example: “Throughout my career as a research nurse, I have had multiple opportunities to work with Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) in the context of clinical trials and studies. My experience includes preparing and submitting study protocols, consent forms, and other necessary documents for IRB review and approval. I understand the importance of adhering to ethical guidelines and ensuring that all research activities are conducted in compliance with regulations.

I also maintain open communication with the IRB throughout the course of a study, providing updates on any protocol amendments or adverse events that may occur. This collaboration ensures that patient safety remains a top priority while conducting research. Additionally, I participate in regular training sessions to stay updated on changes in regulatory requirements and best practices related to working with IRBs.”

8. How do you maintain patient confidentiality while conducting research?

Maintaining patient confidentiality is a critical aspect of any healthcare profession, and research nursing is no exception. When interviewers ask this question, they want to assess your understanding of the ethical responsibilities and legal requirements surrounding patient privacy. They also want to gauge your ability to balance the need for accurate research data with protecting the identity and personal information of the patients involved in the study.

Example: “Maintaining patient confidentiality is a top priority in research nursing, as it ensures the protection of patients’ privacy and upholds ethical standards. To achieve this, I adhere to strict protocols when handling sensitive information. Firstly, I anonymize all data collected from patients by assigning unique identification codes or pseudonyms, ensuring that personal identifiers are removed before analysis.

Furthermore, I store all confidential information securely, using password-protected databases and encrypted files. Access to these records is limited only to authorized personnel who have signed confidentiality agreements. When sharing research findings with colleagues or presenting them at conferences, I ensure that any identifiable information is omitted or aggregated to protect individual identities.

This diligent approach to maintaining patient confidentiality not only complies with legal requirements but also fosters trust between patients and researchers, ultimately contributing to the success of clinical studies.”

9. Explain the importance of Good Clinical Practice (GCP) guidelines in research nursing.

Compliance with Good Clinical Practice (GCP) guidelines is essential in research nursing to ensure the safety and well-being of study participants, the quality and integrity of data collected, and adherence to ethical standards. By asking this question, interviewers seek to evaluate your understanding of these guidelines and your commitment to maintaining high-quality research practices in a clinical setting. This knowledge is critical for maintaining the trust of patients, regulatory authorities, and sponsors in the research process.

Example: “Good Clinical Practice (GCP) guidelines are essential in research nursing as they provide a framework for conducting clinical trials ethically and with scientific rigor. Adhering to GCP ensures that the rights, safety, and well-being of trial participants are protected while maintaining the integrity and credibility of the data collected.

Following GCP guidelines also facilitates consistency across different studies, making it easier to compare results and draw meaningful conclusions. This is particularly important when seeking regulatory approval for new treatments or interventions, as adherence to GCP demonstrates that the study has been conducted professionally and responsibly. In summary, GCP plays a vital role in ensuring high-quality research outcomes and safeguarding the interests of all stakeholders involved in clinical trials.”

10. Have you ever encountered an ethical dilemma during a research project? If so, how did you handle it?

A research nurse’s role often involves navigating complex ethical issues that arise during clinical trials and studies. By asking about your experience with ethical dilemmas, interviewers aim to gauge your understanding of research ethics, your ability to identify potential problems, and your problem-solving skills in addressing such challenges. This insight helps them determine if you’re a good fit for their team and if you’re equipped to maintain the highest ethical standards in research activities.

Example: “Yes, I have encountered an ethical dilemma during a research project. We were conducting a clinical trial for a new medication, and one of the participants reported experiencing severe side effects that were not anticipated in the study protocol. The participant was concerned about continuing with the trial but also didn’t want to jeopardize their access to potential treatment.

To handle this situation, I first ensured that the participant’s well-being was our top priority by closely monitoring their condition and reporting the adverse event to the principal investigator. Next, we discussed the issue as a team, including the medical professionals overseeing the trial, to determine the best course of action. It was decided that the participant should be withdrawn from the study for their safety while still receiving appropriate care and support.

Throughout the process, I maintained open communication with the participant, ensuring they understood their options and rights within the study. This experience reinforced the importance of adhering to ethical guidelines and prioritizing patient safety in research projects.”

11. Describe your experience with data collection and management in a research setting.

Research nurses work in environments where data is integral to the success of clinical trials and studies. They need to demonstrate their ability to collect, manage, and maintain accurate data to ensure the integrity of the research. Interviewers ask this question to assess your experience and skills in handling data, as well as your understanding of its importance in a research setting. This will help them determine if you are a good fit for the role and can contribute to the success of their research projects.

Example: “During my time as a research nurse, I have been involved in several clinical trials where data collection and management were essential components. In one particular study, we were investigating the efficacy of a new medication for diabetes patients. My role included collecting patient information, such as medical history, vital signs, and laboratory results, as well as monitoring their progress throughout the trial.

To ensure accurate and consistent data collection, I followed strict protocols and used standardized forms to record all relevant information. Additionally, I utilized electronic data capture systems to input and manage the collected data securely. This allowed for easy access by the research team while maintaining patient confidentiality. Regular communication with the principal investigator and other team members was also critical to address any discrepancies or issues that arose during the data collection process. Ultimately, my attention to detail and adherence to established procedures contributed to the successful completion of the study and provided valuable insights into the potential benefits of the new medication.”

12. How do you stay current on new developments and best practices in research nursing?

Keeping up with the latest developments and best practices in research nursing is essential for success in the field. Interviewers want to ensure that you are dedicated to staying informed about new techniques, technologies, and research findings, so you can provide the highest level of care to patients and contribute effectively to research projects. This also demonstrates your commitment to continuous professional growth and improvement.

Example: “Staying current on new developments and best practices in research nursing is essential for providing the highest quality care to patients and ensuring that research studies are conducted effectively. To achieve this, I actively engage in continuous professional development through various channels.

One of my primary methods is attending conferences and workshops related to research nursing and clinical trials. These events provide valuable opportunities to learn from experts, network with peers, and gain insights into emerging trends and innovations. Additionally, I subscribe to several reputable journals and newsletters within the field, such as the Journal of Clinical Nursing Research and the American Journal of Nursing, which help me stay informed about recent findings and advancements.

Furthermore, I am an active member of professional organizations like the Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) and the International Association of Clinical Research Nurses (IACRN). These memberships grant access to educational resources, webinars, and online forums where I can discuss challenges and share experiences with fellow research nurses. This multifaceted approach ensures that I remain up-to-date and well-equipped to contribute effectively to research projects and patient care.”

13. What is your approach to educating patients about their participation in a clinical trial?

Educating patients about clinical trials is a critical aspect of a research nurse’s role. The interviewer wants to know if you can effectively communicate complex information to patients in a way that’s easy to understand, while ensuring they feel comfortable and informed. Your approach to patient education should demonstrate empathy, clarity, and a commitment to ethical research practices.

Example: “When educating patients about their participation in a clinical trial, my primary focus is on ensuring they have a clear understanding of the study’s purpose, potential benefits, and risks. I begin by explaining the objectives of the research and how it relates to their specific condition. This helps establish the context and relevance of the trial for the patient.

I then provide them with detailed information about the study protocol, including the treatment or intervention being tested, the duration of the trial, and any required follow-up visits. It’s essential to present this information in layman’s terms so that patients can easily comprehend the process. Additionally, I emphasize the voluntary nature of their participation and their right to withdraw at any time without affecting their standard care.

Throughout the education process, I encourage patients to ask questions and voice any concerns they may have. Addressing these queries promptly and thoroughly helps build trust and ensures that patients feel comfortable and well-informed before consenting to participate in the clinical trial.”

14. Can you discuss any challenges you have faced when implementing a research protocol?

Research nurses play a critical role in ensuring that research protocols are implemented effectively and ethically. Interviewers ask this question to gauge your ability to identify potential challenges, troubleshoot issues, and find creative solutions. They want to see that you can maintain the integrity of the study while adapting to unforeseen circumstances and ensuring the safety of the participants.

Example: “One challenge I faced while implementing a research protocol was related to patient recruitment. The study required participants with specific criteria, and it was difficult to find enough eligible patients within the given timeframe. To address this issue, I collaborated closely with the principal investigator and other team members to develop an effective recruitment strategy.

We expanded our search by reaching out to local clinics and healthcare providers who might have patients meeting the eligibility criteria. We also utilized social media platforms and online forums to raise awareness about the study. This proactive approach helped us overcome the recruitment challenge and ensured that we had a sufficient number of participants for the study, ultimately contributing to its success.”

15. Describe your experience collaborating with interdisciplinary teams in a research setting.

Collaboration is key when it comes to research, especially in a healthcare setting. Research nurses often work alongside physicians, scientists, and other healthcare professionals to develop and implement clinical trials, assess patient care, and analyze data. Your ability to communicate effectively and work cohesively with a diverse group of professionals is vital to the success of the research project. Interviewers want to ensure that you have the experience and skills necessary to contribute positively to their team.

Example: “During my time as a research nurse, I have had the opportunity to work with interdisciplinary teams on various clinical trials. This has involved collaborating closely with physicians, pharmacists, laboratory technicians, and data analysts, among others. Each team member brings their unique expertise to the table, which is essential for the success of the research project.

One specific example was when we were conducting a study on a new medication for diabetes management. My role included patient recruitment, obtaining informed consent, administering the medication, monitoring patients’ progress, and collecting data. Throughout this process, I worked closely with the principal investigator to ensure that the study protocol was followed accurately. Additionally, I collaborated with the pharmacists to manage drug dispensation and storage, while also liaising with lab technicians to coordinate sample collection and analysis. This teamwork allowed us to efficiently conduct the trial, analyze the results, and ultimately contribute valuable insights to the field of diabetes treatment.”

16. How do you manage your time effectively when juggling multiple research projects?

Balancing multiple research projects is a common challenge for research nurses, and this question aims to uncover your time management and organizational skills. Employers want to know that you can handle the workload, prioritize tasks, and keep each project on track without sacrificing the quality of your work or patient care. Demonstrating your ability to manage competing priorities is key to proving your value as a research nurse.

Example: “Effective time management is essential when handling multiple research projects, and I have developed a system that helps me stay organized and on track. First, I prioritize tasks based on their deadlines and importance to each project’s progress. This allows me to allocate my time efficiently and ensure that critical milestones are met.

To keep everything organized, I use a combination of digital tools and traditional methods like calendars, spreadsheets, and checklists. These tools help me visualize my workload, set reminders for important dates, and monitor the progress of each project. Additionally, I maintain open communication with my team members and supervisors, providing regular updates on project status and promptly addressing any issues or concerns that may arise. This collaborative approach ensures that everyone stays informed and aligned with our shared goals.”

17. What steps do you take to ensure patient safety during a clinical trial?

Patient safety is paramount in any medical setting, but it takes on a heightened importance in clinical trials where new treatments and procedures are being tested. Interviewers ask this question to gauge your commitment to ethical research practices, your understanding of study protocols, and your ability to identify and mitigate potential risks—all key components of a successful and responsible research nurse.

Example: “Patient safety is paramount during clinical trials, and as a research nurse, I take several steps to ensure their well-being. First, I thoroughly review the study protocol and inclusion/exclusion criteria to confirm that each participant meets the requirements and fully understands the potential risks and benefits of participating in the trial.

During the trial, I closely monitor patients for any adverse events or side effects, maintaining open communication with them and encouraging them to report any concerns. This allows me to promptly identify and address any issues that may arise. Additionally, I collaborate with the principal investigator and other healthcare professionals involved in the study to discuss patient progress and share relevant information, ensuring a comprehensive approach to patient care.

Furthermore, I meticulously document all observations, interventions, and outcomes throughout the trial, which not only helps maintain accurate records but also contributes to the overall quality and integrity of the study. Ultimately, my goal is to provide the highest level of care while safeguarding the well-being of each patient participating in the clinical trial.”

18. How do you handle adverse events or unexpected outcomes during a study?

Addressing adverse events or unexpected outcomes is a critical aspect of a research nurse’s role. Interviewers ask this question to assess your ability to remain composed, adhere to protocols, and ensure patient safety in the face of unforeseen challenges. Additionally, they want to gauge your problem-solving skills and ability to communicate effectively with the research team and patients when complications arise.

Example: “When handling adverse events or unexpected outcomes during a study, my first priority is to ensure the safety and well-being of the participants. I closely monitor their condition and provide appropriate care as needed, while documenting all relevant information about the event in detail.

Once the participant’s safety is secured, I promptly report the adverse event to the principal investigator and other relevant team members. We then review the situation together, assess potential causes, and determine if any changes need to be made to the study protocol or informed consent documents. If required, we also communicate with the institutional review board (IRB) and regulatory authorities to keep them informed and seek guidance on further actions.

Throughout this process, maintaining clear communication with all stakeholders, including the participants, is essential. This ensures that everyone involved understands the implications of the event and any necessary adjustments to the study. Ultimately, by following established protocols and working collaboratively with the research team, I strive to minimize risks and maintain the integrity of the study while prioritizing participant safety.”

19. Describe your experience with administering investigational medications or treatments.

The interviewer wants to gauge your understanding and experience in handling investigational medications or treatments, which are vital aspects of a research nurse’s role. Your ability to safely administer these treatments and maintain accurate documentation is essential to contribute to the success of clinical trials and the development of new therapies. This question helps to determine if you possess the necessary skills and knowledge to manage the complexities of clinical research.

Example: “During my time as a research nurse, I have had the opportunity to administer investigational medications and treatments in various clinical trials. One notable experience was working on a phase II trial for a new cancer immunotherapy drug. My responsibilities included preparing and administering the investigational medication according to the study protocol, closely monitoring patients for any adverse reactions, and documenting their responses.

To ensure patient safety and maintain the integrity of the trial, I strictly adhered to the study guidelines and Good Clinical Practice (GCP) principles. This involved obtaining informed consent from participants, verifying eligibility criteria, and maintaining accurate records of medication administration and patient outcomes. Through this experience, I gained valuable insights into the complexities of clinical research and honed my skills in managing investigational treatments while prioritizing patient care.”

20. How do you communicate study results to patients and their families?

Effectively conveying research findings to patients and their families is a critical skill for research nurses. Interviewers ask this question to assess your ability to translate complex medical information into clear, digestible language. They want to ensure you have the empathy, patience, and communication skills necessary to help patients and families understand the outcomes and potential implications of the study results.

Example: “When communicating study results to patients and their families, my primary focus is on ensuring that the information is presented in a clear, concise, and empathetic manner. I begin by scheduling a dedicated meeting with the patient and their family members, providing ample time for discussion and questions.

During the meeting, I use layman’s terms to explain the study findings, avoiding medical jargon that may be confusing or overwhelming. I present the key outcomes and discuss how they relate to the patient’s specific condition. Additionally, I emphasize the importance of these results in contributing to the overall understanding of the disease and potential treatment options.

Throughout the conversation, I remain sensitive to the emotional state of the patient and their family, offering support and reassurance as needed. I also encourage them to ask any questions they might have and provide resources for further information if desired. Ultimately, my goal is to ensure that the patient and their family feel informed and empowered regarding the study results and their implications.”

21. What role does cultural competence play in research nursing?

Cultural competence is critical in research nursing because it helps ensure that study participants from diverse backgrounds feel respected, understood, and valued. Research nurses who are culturally competent can better establish trust and rapport with participants, leading to improved communication and more accurate data collection. Additionally, understanding and addressing cultural differences can reduce disparities in healthcare and contribute to more inclusive and effective research outcomes.

Example: “Cultural competence plays a significant role in research nursing, as it ensures that we provide equitable care and effectively communicate with diverse patient populations. Understanding cultural differences helps us build trust with patients, which is essential for obtaining informed consent and ensuring their active participation in clinical trials.

Moreover, being culturally competent allows us to identify potential barriers to participation and develop strategies to overcome them. This can lead to more inclusive research studies, resulting in findings that are generalizable across different populations. Ultimately, incorporating cultural competence into our practice contributes to the advancement of healthcare by promoting diversity and inclusivity in clinical research.”

22. Have you ever had to terminate a patient’s participation in a study? If so, how did you handle it?

Terminating a patient’s participation in a study can be a sensitive and emotional event. Interviewers ask this question to gauge your ability to make tough decisions while prioritizing the safety and well-being of the patients. They want to know that you can navigate these situations with empathy, professionalism, and adherence to ethical guidelines, and still maintain the integrity of the study.

Example: “Yes, I have had to terminate a patient’s participation in a study due to non-compliance with the protocol. It was a difficult decision because we understand that patients may face various challenges during their participation. However, ensuring the integrity of the study and maintaining patient safety are our top priorities.

When faced with this situation, I first discussed the issue with the principal investigator and other team members to ensure that all perspectives were considered before making the final decision. Once it was determined that termination was necessary, I scheduled a meeting with the patient to discuss the reasons for their removal from the study. During the conversation, I maintained a professional and empathetic tone, explaining the importance of adhering to the study protocol and how their non-compliance could impact both their safety and the overall results of the research.

After addressing any questions or concerns they had, I provided them with information on alternative treatment options and resources available outside the study. Although it was a challenging experience, I believe that handling the situation with transparency, empathy, and professionalism helped maintain a positive relationship with the patient while upholding the integrity of the study.”

23. Describe your experience with electronic health records and other research-related software.

Understanding your aptitude with electronic health records (EHR) and research-related software demonstrates your ability to effectively manage patient information, maintain data accuracy, and contribute to the research process. Research nurses must be proficient in utilizing these systems to ensure seamless communication, data organization, and adherence to research protocols, all of which are essential for the success of clinical trials and studies.

Example: “Throughout my nursing career, I have gained extensive experience working with electronic health records (EHR) systems such as Epic and Cerner. These systems have been invaluable in streamlining patient care, allowing me to efficiently access and update patient information, track medications, and monitor vital signs. My familiarity with EHRs has enabled me to maintain accurate documentation and ensure seamless communication among healthcare professionals.

Regarding research-related software, I have worked with REDCap for data collection and management in clinical trials. This platform allowed me to securely input, store, and analyze participant data while maintaining compliance with regulatory requirements. Additionally, I have used statistical analysis tools like SPSS and SAS to interpret study results and draw meaningful conclusions. My proficiency in these software programs has significantly contributed to the success of the research projects I’ve been involved in and enhanced my ability to provide evidence-based care to patients.”

24. How do you address language barriers when working with diverse patient populations?

Addressing language barriers is essential in the healthcare field, as effective communication with patients is vital for ensuring proper care and understanding of medical treatments. When working with diverse patient populations, interviewers want to know your strategies for overcoming these barriers, ensuring that all patients receive the highest quality of care, and that you can foster a trusting and supportive relationship with them.

Example: “Addressing language barriers is essential to ensure effective communication and provide quality care for diverse patient populations. In my experience, I first try to identify the preferred language of the patient using visual aids or simple questions. If a language barrier exists, I utilize available resources such as professional medical interpreters or translation services, either in-person or via phone or video call. This ensures accurate information exchange between the patient and healthcare team while maintaining confidentiality.

Moreover, I make use of translated educational materials and consent forms whenever possible to facilitate understanding. It’s also important to be mindful of non-verbal cues and cultural differences when interacting with patients from diverse backgrounds. Being patient, empathetic, and respectful helps build trust and rapport, ultimately enhancing the overall patient experience and the success of research projects.”

25. What strategies do you use to maintain a strong rapport with study participants?

Establishing and maintaining a strong rapport with study participants is essential in the role of a research nurse. Interviewers want to know if you possess the necessary interpersonal skills and empathy to engage with participants, encourage their consistent involvement, and ensure their comfort throughout the study. Your approach to building relationships with participants can directly impact the quality of data collected and the overall success of the research project.

Example: “Building and maintaining a strong rapport with study participants is essential for successful research outcomes. One strategy I use is effective communication, which involves actively listening to their concerns and providing clear explanations about the study procedures and expectations. This helps establish trust and ensures that participants feel comfortable asking questions or sharing any issues they may encounter during the study.

Another strategy is being empathetic and respectful of each participant’s unique situation. I make an effort to understand their individual needs and preferences, and accommodate them whenever possible within the study protocol. This personalized approach not only fosters a positive relationship but also encourages adherence to the study requirements and improves overall participant satisfaction.”

26. Can you discuss any innovative approaches you have used in your research nursing practice?

In the ever-evolving field of medicine and research, it’s important to stay on top of new techniques and approaches to improve patient care and outcomes. By asking this question, interviewers want to gauge your creativity, adaptability, and willingness to explore new methods in your nursing practice. They are looking for candidates who think critically, embrace change, and are committed to continuous learning and improvement.

Example: “Certainly, in a recent clinical trial I was involved in, we were studying the effects of a new medication on patients with chronic pain. One challenge we faced was ensuring consistent and accurate reporting of pain levels from participants. To address this issue, I proposed implementing an innovative approach using a mobile app for real-time pain tracking.

The app allowed patients to log their pain levels throughout the day, along with any additional notes or observations they wanted to share. This not only provided us with more accurate data but also helped improve patient engagement in the study. The real-time feedback enabled our research team to monitor trends and make timely adjustments to treatment plans when necessary.

This innovative approach proved successful in enhancing the quality of our data collection and ultimately contributed to the overall success of the clinical trial. It demonstrated the importance of embracing technology and creative solutions in research nursing practice to overcome challenges and improve outcomes.”

27. Describe your experience with grant writing or securing funding for research projects.

Securing funding is a critical aspect of research nursing, as it enables the continuation of essential research projects and the advancement of medical knowledge. Interviewers ask this question to assess your ability to navigate the complex process of grant writing, your understanding of funding sources, and your capability to effectively communicate the value and importance of a research project to potential funders.

Example: “During my time as a research nurse, I have been involved in several projects that required grant writing and securing funding. One notable experience was when our team sought funding for a study on the impact of patient education on medication adherence in chronic disease management. My role in this process included conducting literature reviews to gather supporting evidence, collaborating with colleagues to develop a compelling proposal, and identifying potential funding sources.

I worked closely with the principal investigator and other team members to ensure that our proposal clearly outlined the project’s objectives, methodology, and expected outcomes. We also emphasized how our research would contribute to improving patient care and align with the priorities of the funding organizations. After submitting our application, we successfully secured funding from a national healthcare foundation, which allowed us to carry out the study and ultimately improve patient outcomes in our target population. This experience has honed my skills in grant writing and collaboration, enabling me to effectively secure resources for future research endeavors.”

28. How do you handle situations where the results of a study may not be favorable for the patient?

In the realm of clinical research, it’s not uncommon for studies to yield results that may be less than ideal for patients. As a research nurse, you’ll be tasked with balancing the pursuit of scientific discovery and the need to provide compassionate care for your patients. Interviewers want to ensure that you’re able to navigate these delicate situations, prioritize patient well-being, and communicate the outcomes in a sensitive, empathetic manner.

Example: “As a research nurse, I understand that not all study results will be favorable for the patients involved. In such situations, my priority is to maintain open and honest communication with the patient while providing emotional support. I would first ensure that I have a thorough understanding of the study results and their implications before discussing them with the patient.

When presenting unfavorable results, I focus on delivering the information in a clear and empathetic manner, allowing the patient to ask questions and express concerns. It’s important to acknowledge their feelings and provide reassurance about the next steps, whether it involves alternative treatment options or additional resources available to them. Ultimately, my goal is to help the patient navigate through this challenging experience by offering guidance and support, while maintaining their trust and confidence in the research process.”

29. What role does evidence-based practice play in your approach to research nursing?

Evidence-based practice is a cornerstone of modern nursing and healthcare, and interviewers ask this question to assess your commitment to using the latest research and evidence to inform your practice. As a research nurse, your role involves generating new evidence and implementing it into clinical practice, and your ability to understand, evaluate, and apply this evidence is essential for successful patient outcomes and the advancement of nursing knowledge.

Example: “Evidence-based practice is the cornerstone of my approach to research nursing. It ensures that I provide the highest quality care and make informed decisions based on current, relevant scientific evidence. This involves staying up-to-date with the latest research findings in my field and integrating them into my daily practice.

When designing or implementing a clinical study, I rely on evidence-based guidelines and best practices to ensure the study’s validity and reliability. This includes selecting appropriate methodologies, adhering to ethical standards, and carefully analyzing data to draw accurate conclusions. Ultimately, incorporating evidence-based practice not only improves patient outcomes but also contributes to the advancement of medical knowledge and the overall healthcare system.”

30. In your opinion, what are the most important qualities for a successful research nurse?

Research nursing is a specialized field that requires a unique skill set. Interviewers want to know if you possess the necessary qualities—such as attention to detail, strong communication skills, adaptability, ability to work in a team, and a genuine passion for research—to excel in the role. Your understanding of these qualities and ability to apply them in your work can demonstrate your commitment to contributing positively to research outcomes and patient care.

Example: “A successful research nurse should possess strong attention to detail and excellent organizational skills. These qualities are essential for accurately collecting, recording, and analyzing data from clinical trials while ensuring that all protocols are followed. This meticulous approach helps maintain the integrity of the study and contributes to reliable results.

Another important quality is effective communication and interpersonal skills. Research nurses interact with various stakeholders, including patients, physicians, and other healthcare professionals. They must be able to clearly explain complex information related to the study, address concerns, and build trust with participants. Additionally, they need to collaborate effectively with their colleagues to ensure a smooth and efficient research process.”

30 Correctional Nurse Interview Questions and Answers

30 help desk analyst interview questions and answers, you may also be interested in..., 30 inside sales associate interview questions and answers, 20 must-know storyboard artist interview questions (with answers), 20 acquisition program manager interview questions and answers, 20 construction project engineer interview questions and answers.

17 Clinical Research Nurse Interview Questions (With Example Answers)

It's important to prepare for an interview in order to improve your chances of getting the job. Researching questions beforehand can help you give better answers during the interview. Most interviews will include questions about your personality, qualifications, experience and how well you would fit the job. In this article, we review examples of various clinical research nurse interview questions and sample answers to some of the most common questions.

or download as PDF

Common Clinical Research Nurse Interview Questions

What inspired you to pursue a career in clinical research nursing, what do you think sets clinical research nurses apart from other types of nurses, what do you think are the biggest challenges faced by clinical research nurses, what do you think are the biggest benefits of working as a clinical research nurse, what do you think is the most important thing for clinical research nurses to remember, what do you think is the best part of working as a clinical research nurse, what do you think is the worst part of working as a clinical research nurse, what do you think are the biggest challenges faced by clinical research patients, what do you think are the biggest benefits of participating in clinical research, what do you think is the most important thing for clinical research patients to remember, what do you think is the best part of participating in clinical research, what do you think is the worst part of participating in clinical research, what do you think are the biggest challenges faced by clinical researchers, what do you think are the biggest benefits of working as a clinical researcher, what do you think is the most important thing for clinical researchers to remember, what do you think is the best part of working as a clinical researcher, what do you think is the worst part of working as a clinical researcher.

There are a few reasons why an interviewer might ask this question. First, they may be trying to get a sense of why the nurse decided to enter this particular field of nursing. Second, they may be interested in hearing about the nurse's motivations for pursuing a career in clinical research nursing specifically. This question can be important because it can help the interviewer to understand the nurse's passion for the field and her reasons for wanting to enter it. Additionally, it can give the interviewer some insight into the nurse's thought process and how she goes about making decisions regarding her career.

Example: “ I have always been interested in the medical field and helping others. When I learned about clinical research nursing, I saw it as a way to combine my two passions. I believe that clinical research nurses play a vital role in advancing medical knowledge and improving patient care. I am excited to be a part of this important work. ”

Clinical research nurses are specially trained to work with patients who are participating in clinical trials. They are responsible for ensuring that the trial is conducted according to protocol and that the patients are safe and comfortable. They also collect data from the patients that will be used to assess the efficacy of the new treatment.

It is important for the interviewer to understand what sets clinical research nurses apart from other types of nurses so that they can gauge whether the candidate is a good fit for the position. Clinical research nurses must have excellent communication and organizational skills, as well as a strong knowledge of clinical research methodology. They must also be able to maintain a high level of professional conduct at all times.

Example: “ There are several factors that set clinical research nurses apart from other types of nurses. First, clinical research nurses have a deep understanding of the scientific process and how to apply it to patient care. They are able to work closely with investigators to design and implement clinical trials that will answer important questions about new treatments and therapies. Second, clinical research nurses have the skills and training necessary to care for patients with complex medical needs. They are able to provide comprehensive care during all phases of a clinical trial, from screening and enrollment through follow-up and data collection. Finally, clinical research nurses are passionate advocates for their patients. They work tirelessly to ensure that patients receive the best possible care and that their rights are protected throughout the clinical trial process. ”

There are a few reasons why an interviewer might ask this question. First, they may be trying to gauge the clinical research nurse's level of experience and expertise. Second, they may be trying to identify any areas where the clinical research nurse may need additional training or education. Finally, they may be trying to get a sense of the clinical research nurse's priorities and focus when it comes to their work. Ultimately, it is important for the interviewer to get a sense of the clinical research nurse's understanding of the challenges faced by their field in order to ensure that they are the right fit for the position.

Example: “ There are a few challenges that come to mind when thinking about the role of a clinical research nurse. First, coordinating and managing the care of patients who are participating in clinical trials can be complex and time-consuming. Second, keeping up with the constantly changing landscape of clinical research can be challenging, as new trials are constantly being developed and new treatments are emerging. Finally, educating and communicating with patients about their participation in clinical trials is crucial, but can be difficult, especially if the trial is complex or the patient is experiencing a serious illness. ”

One of the reasons why an interviewer might ask this question is to gauge the clinical research nurse's understanding of the role. It is important for the clinical research nurse to be able to articulate the benefits of the role in order to effectively sell themselves to potential employers. Additionally, this question allows the interviewer to get a sense of the clinical research nurse's motivation for pursuing this career.

Example: “ The biggest benefits of working as a clinical research nurse are the ability to make a difference in people's lives and the opportunity to work with cutting-edge treatments. Clinical research nurses have the unique opportunity to be on the frontlines of medical research and to help bring new treatments and therapies to patients. In addition, clinical research nurses often form close bonds with their patients and their families, which can be incredibly rewarding. ”

There are a few reasons why an interviewer might ask this question to a clinical research nurse. First, it allows the interviewer to gauge the nurse's understanding of the role of a clinical research nurse. Second, it allows the interviewer to see how the nurse prioritizes the various aspects of the job. Finally, it provides the interviewer with insight into the nurse's thought process and how they approach their work.

The most important thing for clinical research nurses to remember is that they are responsible for the safety and well-being of the patients in their care. They must always put the needs of the patients first and ensure that all procedures are followed correctly and that all medications are administered properly. Clinical research nurses must also be able to effectively communicate with both patients and doctors in order to ensure that everyone is on the same page and that all instructions are understood.

Example: “ The most important thing for clinical research nurses to remember is to always put the safety of the patients first. This means that they should never sacrifice patient safety in order to meet deadlines or budget constraints. Additionally, clinical research nurses should always be aware of the latest research and developments in their field in order to ensure that their patients are receiving the best possible care. ”

The interviewer is trying to gauge the Clinical Research Nurse's level of satisfaction with their job in order to determine how likely they are to stay with the company. It is important to know how satisfied employees are with their jobs because turnover can be very costly for businesses.

Example: “ The best part of working as a clinical research nurse is the opportunity to be involved in cutting-edge research and to make a difference in the lives of patients. Clinical research nurses have the unique opportunity to work closely with patients and their families, providing them with support and care during a difficult time. In addition, clinical research nurses often have the chance to work with leading researchers in their field and to be involved in groundbreaking research. ”

There are a few reasons why an interviewer might ask this question. First, they may be trying to gauge your level of experience and see if you have a realistic view of the challenges of the job. Second, they may be trying to identify any areas of improvement that they can help you with. Finally, they may be trying to get a sense of your overall attitude towards the job and see if you are likely to be a good fit for the position.

Example: “ The worst part of working as a clinical research nurse is the long hours. Sometimes you may have to work 12-hour shifts or even longer if there is a clinical trial going on. This can be very tiring and stressful, especially if you are working with patients who are very sick. ”

There are many potential challenges that clinical research patients may face. These can include logistical challenges such as transportation to and from research sites, financial challenges related to the costs of participating in a clinical trial, or psychological challenges associated with the stress of participating in research.

It is important for clinical research nurses to be aware of these potential challenges so that they can effectively support and advocate for their patients. By understanding the challenges that patients may face, nurses can help to ensure that clinical trials are accessible and safe for all participants.

Example: “ There are many potential challenges that clinical research patients may face. Some of the most common and significant ones include: 1. Informed consent: Patients must be fully informed about all aspects of the research study before they can give their consent to participate. This can be a challenge if the study is complex or if the patient has limited literacy or cognitive abilities. 2. Adherence to protocol: Patients may find it difficult to adhere to the requirements of the study protocol, such as taking medication as prescribed or attending all scheduled appointments. 3. Side effects: Some clinical research studies involve interventions that carry a risk of side effects. These may be mild, such as headache or nausea, or more serious, such as organ damage or death. 4. Financial burden: Clinical research studies often require patients to cover some or all of the costs associated with participation, such as travel expenses and laboratory tests. This can be a significant financial burden for some patients. 5. Time commitment: Participation in a clinical research study often requires a significant time commitment, which may not be possible for some patients due to work or family obligations. ”

There are many benefits to participating in clinical research, including gaining access to new treatments, contributing to medical knowledge, and improving the quality of healthcare. As a clinical research nurse, you play a vital role in ensuring that these benefits are realized by patients and families. By asking this question, the interviewer is gauging your understanding of the importance of clinical research and your commitment to ensuring that patients and families receive the full benefit of participating in studies.

Example: “ There are many benefits of participating in clinical research, including: 1. Contributing to medical knowledge and advances: By participating in clinical research, patients can help contribute to the development of new treatments and therapies. This is particularly important for rare diseases or conditions where there is limited research available. 2. Access to new treatments: Patients who participate in clinical research often have access to new and innovative treatments that are not yet available to the general public. This can be an invaluable opportunity for patients with serious or life-threatening conditions. 3. Close monitoring: Patients who participate in clinical research are usually closely monitored by medical staff. This allows for early detection and treatment of any potential problems that may arise. 4. Personalised care: Clinical trials often involve a higher level of personalised care than standard medical care, as patients are typically seen more frequently by medical staff. This can be beneficial for both the patient and their caregivers. 5. Improved quality of life: Many patients who participate in clinical research report an improved quality of life as a result of their involvement. This can be due to a number of factors, including access to new treatments, close monitoring, and personalised care. ”

There are a few reasons why an interviewer might ask this question to a clinical research nurse. First, it allows the interviewer to gauge the nurse's level of experience and knowledge about clinical research patients. Second, it allows the interviewer to get a sense of the nurse's bedside manner and whether they would be able to effectively communicate with and care for clinical research patients. Finally, this question allows the interviewer to get a sense of the nurse's priorities when it comes to patient care. In general, it is important for clinical research nurses to remember that every patient is different and that each patient's needs should be considered on an individual basis.

Example: “ The most important thing for clinical research patients to remember is to follow their treatment plan and medication schedule as prescribed by their doctor. It is also important to keep track of their symptoms and report any changes to their doctor. ”

An interviewer might ask this question to get a sense of why the nurse is interested in clinical research, and what they think the benefits of participating in research are. This can help the interviewer understand the nurse's motivations and whether they are a good fit for the position. Additionally, this question can help the interviewer gauge the nurse's level of experience and knowledge about clinical research.

Example: “ The best part of participating in clinical research is the opportunity to contribute to advances in medical knowledge and treatment. Clinical research helps develop new treatments and improve existing ones. It also provides patients with access to new and innovative treatments that may not be available through traditional channels. Participation in clinical research can be a rewarding experience for both patients and researchers. ”

The interviewer is asking this question to get a sense of the clinical research nurse's experience and to see if they have any negative feedback about participating in clinical research. It is important to know if the clinical research nurse has any concerns about the research process so that these can be addressed. Additionally, this question can help to identify any areas where the clinical research nurse feels that improvements could be made.

Example: “ There are a few potential worst parts of participating in clinical research, depending on the individual's perspective. One possibility is that the research treatments may not be effective, and may even cause harm. There is also the possibility of feeling like a guinea pig or lab rat, as the research subjects are often closely monitored and may have little control over the situation. Additionally, there is always the chance that something could go wrong, either with the research itself or with the health of the participants. ”

The interviewer is trying to gauge the clinical research nurse's understanding of the research process and the challenges that can arise. It is important for the interviewer to know if the nurse is aware of the potential difficulties that may be encountered during a study, as this can impact the study's success. Additionally, the interviewer wants to know if the nurse is able to identify and solve problems that may arise.

Example: “ There are many challenges faced by clinical researchers, but some of the biggest ones include: 1. Ensuring that research is ethical and responsible 2. Conducting research that is high quality and rigorous 3. Obtaining funding for research projects 4. Recruiting and retaining participants for studies 5. Managing data effectively ”

There are several reasons why an interviewer might ask this question. First, it allows the interviewer to gauge the nurse's understanding of the role of a clinical researcher. Second, it gives the interviewer some insight into the nurse's motivations for pursuing a career in clinical research. Finally, it allows the interviewer to assess the nurse's ability to articulate the benefits of the role.

The role of a clinical researcher is important because they are responsible for conducting research that will improve the quality of patient care. They work closely with other healthcare professionals to design and implement studies that will generate new knowledge about diseases and treatments. Clinical researchers must be able to effectively communicate the results of their studies to other healthcare professionals, so that this new knowledge can be used to improve patient care.

Example: “ The biggest benefits of working as a clinical researcher are the ability to make a difference in people's lives and the satisfaction of knowing that you are contributing to improving public health. As a clinical researcher, you have the opportunity to work on groundbreaking research that has the potential to change the way we treat diseases and improve patient care. This is an extremely rewarding career choice for those who are passionate about making a difference in the world. ”

There are a few reasons why an interviewer might ask this question to a clinical research nurse. First, it allows the interviewer to gauge the nurse's understanding of the clinical research process. Second, it allows the interviewer to see how the nurse prioritizes the various aspects of clinical research. Finally, it gives the interviewer insight into the nurse's personal philosophy on clinical research.

The most important thing for clinical researchers to remember is that they are working with human subjects. This means that the research must be designed and conducted in a way that protects the subjects' safety and well-being. Clinical researchers must also be aware of the ethical implications of their work and ensure that they are acting in the best interests of their subjects.

Example: “ There are a few things that clinical researchers should keep in mind in order to be successful. First and foremost, it is important to remember that clinical research is all about helping people. Researchers should always keep the patients’ best interests at heart and work to find treatments that will improve their quality of life. Secondly, clinical research takes a lot of time and patience. It is important to be prepared for long hours and setbacks. Finally, clinical research is a team effort. No one researcher can do it all alone. It is important to build strong relationships with fellow researchers and support staff in order to create a successful clinical research program. ”

There are several reasons why an interviewer might ask this question. First, they may be trying to gauge your level of satisfaction with your current position. Second, they may be curious about what you believe are the most important aspects of your job. Finally, they may be hoping to gain insights into your future career plans.

It is important for clinical research nurses to be able to articulate the best parts of their job because it demonstrates that they are engaged with their work and are committed to their career. Additionally, this question can provide the interviewer with valuable information about what you believe are the most important aspects of clinical research and what motivates you to continue working in this field.

Example: “ There are many great aspects to working as a clinical researcher. One of the best parts is the opportunity to be on the cutting edge of medical science and help develop new treatments that can improve people's lives. Additionally, clinical researchers often have the chance to work closely with patients and see firsthand the impact that their work can have. This can be a very rewarding experience. ”

The interviewer is likely trying to gauge the clinical research nurse's experience and understanding of the research process. It is important for the clinical research nurse to be able to identify potential problems that could occur during a study and have a plan to mitigate those risks. By asking this question, the interviewer can get a sense of the clinical research nurse's critical thinking skills and their ability to identify and solve problems.

Example: “ The worst part of working as a clinical researcher is the long hours. Clinical researchers often work long hours, including evenings and weekends. This can be very demanding and can take a toll on your personal life. ”

Related Interview Questions

• Clinical Research Coordinator
• Clinical Research Manager
• Clinical Research Associate
• Clinical Research Assistant
• Clinical Nurse Specialist
• Clinical Nurse Educator

The Ohio State University

Cleaning up our great lake, a healthier society with sustainable farming, brushing through burnout, take your next step:.

• Schedule a visit
• Explore majors

Creating a world people need now.

The future is not only what you dream about; it’s what you create. Together, we’re finding solutions for challenges that can’t wait.

Important financial aid information

Meet nobel laureate pierre agostini, ohio impact in all 88 counties, explore campus.

The Buckeye heart of The Ohio State University, located right in the heart of Ohio

Developing leaders with the resources and strength of the state’s top university

Bringing higher education opportunities to a broader community, throughout Ohio and beyond

Smaller campus, smaller class sizes but big opportunities to leverage the strength of Ohio State

Excellence in academics and innovative research opportunities paired with a supportive community

A critical component of our state-wide research enterprise with boundless opportunities

Ohio State News

Dentistry students play 'price is right'.

In Matthew Messina's Introduction to Clinical Dentistry class, students played games similar to the popular game show to learn the cost of dental equipment.

Fatty food pre-surgery impairs memory

Events celebrate graduate, professional students, climate change impacts lake erie zooplankton, president carter visits regional campuses, key issues at ohio state.

Ohio State strongly condemns all terrorist groups and terrorist attacks, including those perpetrated by Hamas on Israeli civilians, Americans and others the weekend of October 7, 2023. The university is deeply committed to supporting all students, faculty and staff and will address national and global matters through direct actions and interventions that actively support the university community and afford educational dialogue in safe and supportive environments.

Strauss Investigation

Ohio State condemns Strauss' reprehensible conduct and the university's failure at the time to prevent the abuse.

Additional Links and Resources

• Buckeye Link

Health and Wellness

• Wexner Medical Center
• Student Health Center
• Dental Clinics
• Optometry Services
• Buckeye Wellness
• Counseling Services
• Veterinary Medicine
• Board of Trustees
• Strategic Plan

Around Campus

• Visit, Stay and Dine
• Wexner Center for the Arts
• Schottenstein Center
• Ohio Stadium