nursing dissertation length

Writing Nursing Dissertations, Theses, & Scholarly Projects (Step-by-Step Guide)

Are you a doctoral, master's, or undergraduate nursing student? If yes, this guide has been made with love for you! As long as you will be handling a nursing scholarly project or dissertation, you have all the reasons to fall in love with this well-thought-guide.

The dissertation writing process is complicated to follow for most DNP nursing students. So, we made this guide to simplify it; we created this guide to make life a bit easier for you.

Although this step-by-step guide will not help you design and execute clinical research or implement quality improvement processes, it will help you successfully plan, organize, and write your nursing dissertation or scholarly project.

Let's begin.

What Is a Nursing Dissertation?

A nursing dissertation is a comprehensive research project a doctoral nursing student must complete to graduate. The centerpiece of the research project is the paper documenting the entire thing, and this paper is what is known as a dissertation.

Some nursing programs allow master's and undergraduate students to write dissertation-style scholarly projects.

Generally, nursing dissertations are between 5,000 to 15,000 words long. The length of your dissertation will largely be determined by the dissertation requirements set by your nursing school, and it will take you between three to twelve months to write your dissertation, depending on its length and complexity.

A typical nursing dissertation comprises several chapters, a references section, and an appendices section. And it is formatted following the APA manual. Therefore, when writing your paper, strictly adhere to the APA stylebook or Harvard formatting style (if you study in Australia or UK).

Before you commence your dissertation project, you will be assigned a supervisor. The supervisor is supposed to provide you with the guidance (mentorship) you need to make your dissertation a robust academic paper.

Therefore, you and them will have to meet regularly to discuss your dissertation from start to finish. So if you were very worried about the dissertation writing process thinking you may fail, you now know there will be someone to hold your hand and get you back on track in case you deviate.

As you may have noticed from the information shared above, a nursing dissertation is a complex paper requiring plenty of work and effort, and you must be at the top of your game to write a solid dissertation paper.

Get professional dissertation assistance from us if you need it at any point.

Structure of Nursing Dissertation

The typical nursing dissertation has the following chapters.

Chapter 1: Introduction

Your nursing dissertation paper has to start with an introduction chapter. In the chapter, you have to provide the reader with background information on the topic of your paper.

The chapter introduces your topic and makes a case for its significance. Any reader reading your nursing dissertation should tell the topic by reading the first two sentences.

Therefore, if you are handling a topic related to CAUTIs, make the first sentence about CAUTIs. A good way is to give statistics or statements about the CAUTIs issue in healthcare settings. You can describe the affected population, the depth of the issue, mortality and morbidity rates, and whether the problem is increasing or its impact is becoming greater.

Beginning the introduction with general to specific ideas help you settle in your readers. Therefore, the first paragraph of the introduction chapter should state the problem and its prevalence while making a general statement on its impact. In your succeeding paragraphs, you will have finer details through your problem statement, purpose statement, research or PICOT question, rationale, and aims/objectives. Giving appropriate background information is critical.

When writing the introduction, you should answer four fundamental questions:

• What is happening?
• Why should we care?
• What do we know currently?
• What do we need to find out and why?

Answering these questions should lead to a statement otherwise referred to as the purpose statement. A clear and concise purpose statement is vital to your dissertation introduction. Below is an example of a nursing dissertation purpose statement.

This quality improvement project aims to reduce the number of adverse events resulting from medical errors within 90 days.

This study aims to determine whether educating mothers about the importance of exclusive breastfeeding at a local maternity facility will increase adherence and acceptance to exclusive breastfeeding of newborns rather than relying on alternatives such as supplements.

Sometimes, you might be required to write a PICOT-based problem statement, especially if you are doing quantitative research or a quality improvement project.

PICOT stands for:

• Population: Who is the focus of the project or study?
• Intervention: What activity/behavior is being tested?
• Comparison: What group are you comparing your population to?
• Outcome: What are the outcomes you are examining?
• Time: What is the duration of the intervention or study?

Related Reading: Formulating PICOT questions plus examples.

Since patients with heart failure have high readmission rates, I propose implementing a discharge follow-up program that encompasses a bi-weekly post-discharge home visit by nurse practitioners within two weeks after hospital discharge. I will compare 40-day readmission rates for the patients during the six months before and after the introduction of the program.

Note that not all the purpose statements for nursing dissertations can be formulated as PICOT problem statement the same way; not all nursing research questions can be PICOT questions. If you are doing a qualitative study, you might sometimes not have time for the comparison, outcome, and intervention.

The purpose statement is followed immediately with a brief description of how you plan to accomplish it. If you are researching, detail your methodological approach, including the design, population, data collection and analysis methods, and your research timeline.

You can also state your hypotheses in the last section of your paragraph. It is also wise to include measurable objectives. Below is an example:

In the six months following the implementation of nurse practitioner-led post-discharge home visits, the average 40-day heart failure readmission rate will be lower than 15%.

You can then reformulate the purpose statement into a specific research question or question. For example:

Will biweekly home visits by nursing practitioners for two weeks post-hospital discharge reduce the readmission rates of heart failure patients?

You also have to provide the reader with an explanation of what is known and what is not known. Lastly, it would be best to clarify what you are investigating, why it is important, and how you will do it.

A good dissertation introduction convinces the reader of the importance of the study or project, includes clear and concise background information and a purpose statement, and identifies the research gap. It also has research questions, hypotheses, and aims/objectives as needed.

Chapter 2: Literature Review

In this chapter, you have to provide definitions for concepts and variables, and you also have to provide the theoretical framework for your dissertation. Your chapter two or the literature review should help the readers understand everything you are researching, the issue you are addressing, and why. It offers the context of the study or project and establishes the significance of the topic and the rationale for your study. A comprehensive literature review helps you critically analyze or synthesize all the available information on your topic. Focusing on peer-reviewed scholarly articles published in the last five years is important. You can also include seminal and classic articles. If you have gray literature, identify it as such in your literature review. The gray literature includes non-peer-reviewed articles,

technical reports, conference reports, reports from recognized organizations working in the topic area (such as NGOs), committee reports, white papers, or unpublished research report

Note that chapters one and two of the dissertation are the same as your proposal (if you were initially asked to write one). It should explain your chosen theoretical model or conceptual framework in depth. You can include your search strategy in the literature review, especially for doctoral programs.

Wrap up the literature review by stating the research gaps you identified that your current study would address.

As the literature review is the longest chapter in a dissertation, you can use subheadings to organize information and guide the readers through complex concepts.

Of course, your lit review must have a review of the literature, and you must provide a comprehensive and analytical review of the literature in this chapter, followed by a summary and an identification of the research gaps.

Chapter 3: Methodology

The methodology chapter is one of the most important chapters of a nursing dissertation because it is the chapter where the design of the study is revealed. So you have to discuss the design of your project in this chapter.

The discussion should include your planning activities, the setting, the people, the sample, the ethical considerations, the data collection, the instruments, the data analysis, the anticipated and actual barriers, the strategic plan, the budget, and the project timeline.

As you can see, many important project elements are to be covered in this chapter. Do not forget any of them if you want to ensure your dissertation is not rejected.

Chapter 4: Results/Findings

This chapter is just as crucial as the chapter above, and it is where you discuss the results of your project. The must-have elements of this chapter include the response rate, the sample size, the demographics, the preliminary statistical tests, the final statistical tests/analyses, the qualitative tests, and the project implementation outcomes.

This chapter is written at a sweet time when you have already collected and analyzed your data or fully implemented your science project. Writing it is all about detailing what you did and the outcomes.

Chapter 6: Discussion, Conclusion, and Recommendation

After detailing what you found out in your project, you must discuss it. This is where the rubber meets the road - you show the world you are a worthy doctoral nursing student. The essential elements you should have in this chapter include a summary of the problem, your key findings, what the findings mean, the implications of the findings, recommendations for future studies, the limitations of the study, and your conclusion.

Unlike the previous chapters, this chapter needs a lot of thinking and a lot of interpretation. Therefore, many students consider it challenging to write. Nevertheless, it is just a chapter like the others, so it can be written. It may take some time, but it can be written.

References Section

The references section of your dissertation is where you make clear the sources you used. Here, you must correctly include the citations for all the sources you have used in your dissertation.

You do this to credit other researchers who have worked hard like you to do their research. You also do it to avoid plagiarism, and your dissertation can be dismissed if you are found to have used sources without referencing.

Appendices Section

The appendices section of your dissertation provides your reader with all the images, tables, and other raw data you used in your dissertation.

You do this to enable the reader to find out more without distracting them from the main objective of your paper.

Steps for Writing the Perfect Nursing Dissertation

Follow the steps below to write a brilliant nursing dissertation.

1. Choose A Topic

This may sound easy, but it is not because your chosen topic will determine whether your dissertation is successful. To choose the perfect topic for your dissertation, you need to do a lot of brainstorming.

Do this by thinking about your areas of interest in nursing. What would you like to improve or to know more about? Note down everything significant that comes to mind. Then proceed to look at recently published journal articles in nursing and note down interesting gaps in the research.

All the things you have noted are potential topics for your dissertation. Identify the three most interesting ones and present them to your dissertation supervisor for a discussion. They will help to settle on the perfect topic for your nursing dissertation.

Related Reading:

• Capstone project ideas and topics
• Tips for choosing a nursing dissertation topic
• Epidemiology nursing topics
• Mental health nursing topics
• Nursing informatics topics
• Steps for writing a nursing philosophy statement
• Nursing research topics for nursing papers and essays.

2. Conduct Pre-Research

After settling on the perfect topic for your dissertation, you should research your topic. This research aims to help you refine your topic and your potential research question.

The most efficient way to conduct pilot research into your chosen topic is to find and review relevant scholarly literature. Find the literature by searching your topic or its keywords in broad scholarly databases such as Google Scholar and CINAHL.

Take plenty of notes as you review the literature to understand the topic better.

3. Conduct Deep Research

A nursing dissertation is an opportunity to show your readers (professors) your nursing knowledge, research, and writing skills. And the only way you can confidently do this is by reading a lot of literature on the topic you want to write about.

So conduct deep research into your chosen topic to find relevant literature for your dissertation. Use the notes you took in the step above to conduct the research. And conduct the research into as many nursing databases as you have access to � Google Scholar, CINAHL, Embase, the Cochrane Library, ClinicalKey, PubMed, etc.

As you conduct deep research into the topic, take plenty of notes. Your goal during this step should be to know your topic inside-out, which will help you think clearly about it and know what exactly you need to do.

4. Write A Research Proposal

Before writing your dissertation, you will need to write a research proposal. Your supervisor will assess the proposal, and the format and all the other requirements will be made clear by your supervisor.

The proposal aims to show you understand what you want to investigate and discuss in your dissertation. Therefore, make sure it discusses your dissertation research topic, proposed methodology, and the key literature reviewed. In this step, you will have to think of the best methodology to use for your research.

Upon assessing your proposal, your supervisor will give you feedback on whether you are on the right track. They will tell you what to do to ensure your dissertation is perfect.

5. Research A Lot

After getting feedback from your supervisor, you should incorporate their feedback and then embark on research. Research differentiates an ordinary dissertation from an extraordinary one, so ensure your research is thorough.

What are you researching in this step? You are researching similar dissertations to the one you have proposed, and you should use resources like ProQuest Dissertations to find them.

The purpose of researching similar dissertations to what you have is to understand what it takes to develop an outstanding dissertation. You most likely have never read a published dissertation before. So read several and look at the language, the formatting, the methodology, the discussion, and so on to find out what you need to do.

6. Start Writing

This is where you start pulling everything together. Start writing your introduction chapter, the next chapter, and the next until you conclude. Writing the thousands of words you need to complete your dissertation will take time and effort. Have this in mind when you start writing to avoid getting frustrated.

As you are writing, make sure you properly organize your chapters. If you are unsure what chapter to write next or what to write in a chapter, refer to the outline/structure provided in this post.

One more thing to remember is that each chapter is a building block to your entire research. Therefore, it must agree with the rest of the chapters; nothing in it must sound off or out of place.

7. Present Your Paper to Your Supervisor

After you write your dissertation or thesis paper, present it to your supervisor for discussion. You now have something to show and something concrete for them to assess. Send it to them and await their feedback.

They will assess your dissertation and give you feedback. Upon receiving the feedback, you need to incorporate the feedback into your dissertation. This will ensure your final paper/dissertation is perfect or near perfect.

8. Proofread and Polish Your Dissertation

After incorporating the feedback given by your professor, proceed to proofread and polish your dissertation. Since your dissertation is thousands of words long, you should proofread and polish it chapter by chapter.

Remember, it usually takes days to proofread and polish a dissertation. Therefore, do not feel pressured or frustrated if you feel as if you are moving slowly. Just push forward, and you will get to the end.

9. Make Sure Your Dissertation Is Well-Formatted

After polishing your paper, ensure your dissertation is well-formatted. You need to be very careful when formatting. Do not forget to apply any APA rule to your dissertation.

Move methodically and apply every relevant formatting rule to your paper. Do not forget to correctly add all the references and appendices to your dissertation.

10. Present Your Dissertation to Your Supervisor

After you complete the step above, you will be all but done with writing your dissertation. What you need to do now is to present your dissertation to your supervisor one more time.

They will give you their feedback and help you prepare to defend your dissertation. Of course, you must incorporate their feedback into your academic writing before starting any dissertation defense preparations.

Once you are done with this step, you are done writing your dissertation.

Tips for Writing an Excellent Dissertation for Nursing

Follow the 20 tips below to write a brilliant nursing dissertation paper.

1. Start Immediately

When you know your school's guidelines for writing a nursing dissertation, you should start working toward choosing a dissertation topic. After choosing a topic, you should begin taking steps to prepare your dissertation writing, and then you should go ahead and start writing it.

Students often assume they have much time to write their dissertations, which is frequently untrue. Time flies when you are a DNP student; before you know it, you will have only a few short months to start and complete your dissertation.

2. Cite All the Sources You Use

When writing your dissertation, cite all the sources you use. A dissertation is an opportunity for you to show not only your academic knowledge but also your academic integrity. And academic integrity is all about honesty.

You need to cite all the sources you use. Never present someone else's work as your own. Always cite the source where you've taken information. Failure to cite correctly can result in your dissertation being rejected. Most professors are rigorous on this.

3. Make Sure Your Topic Is Specific

When choosing a topic for your dissertation, ensure it is very specific. Making sure your topic is particular will make your research easier, and it will also make your dissertation much easier to write and better to read.

In contrast, if your topic is too big or ambitious, you will end up with a situation where your dissertation sounds too broad. You will find it somewhat difficult to cover your topic as in-depth as you like. So be realistic and make your topic specific.

4. Don't Use Big Words When Simple Words Can Do

Some students think a dissertation is an opportunity to show how clever or sophisticated they are. Therefore, they use big words, jargon, and complicated sentences to try and prove this. This is unnecessary because it usually doesn't make their work any better.

Using big words, jargon, and complicated sentences will most likely make your work difficult to read and affect the flow of your work. So use simple words instead of big words whenever you can.

5. Save Your Progress Often and in Multiple Places

Starting and completing a dissertation is a massive undertaking. This is because a typical dissertation research project takes months to complete. The number of words to be typed to complete a dissertation is in the thousands, and the formatting is usually a pain in the *ss.

Because starting and completing a dissertation is difficult, you should save your work often and in multiple places. Send it to yourself in your email, WhatsApp, etc. These backup copies will ensure all your hard work is NOT lost in case you lose your laptop to a virus or a thief.

6. Plan Your Dissertation Writing Process

There is a common saying about planning that is almost cliche; failure to plan is planning to fail. If you don't plan for something, you unknowingly plan to fail. In other words, planning is essential for success.

So once you have been given the departmental guidelines for writing your dissertation, you should create a comprehensive plan with deadlines to help you complete your dissertation project. If you create a good plan, you will find the dissertation writing process easier to manage.

7. Make Sure Your Major Decisions Are Research-Informed

Every big decision you make in your paper is informed by research. For example, before you decide on your dissertation's focus, research more about what you want to write about. Before you decide on the methodology, you will use research to discover the most appropriate methods.

Making sure your significant decisions are backed up by research, as shown in the two examples above, will make it very easy for you to explain why you made the decisions to your reader. It will also make your paper more scientific, accurate, and academically sound.

8. Don't Panic If Your Results Are Not What You Expected

If, after the careful planning and execution of your research project, you get unexpected results, do not panic. Unexpected results are as valuable as expected results. The key is to ensure you do more research to explain why you think you got the results in your discussion section.

By carefully explaining your unexpected results, you will show your professors you researched and understood the topic you decided to investigate. This will make your dissertation more likely to get an excellent mark/grade.

9. Show Awareness of Your Research Limits

No matter how good your research skills are, it would help if you showed awareness of your research limits. In other words, you should indicate the limitations of your research. Of course, the limitations you note should be backed by research.

It is essential to show the limitations of your project to let the reader know that you fully understood what you were doing. It will also help the reader better contextualize your results and findings.

10. Take It Easy

Dissertation writing is hard work full of pressure and frustrations. However, it would help if you didn't let all that get to you. Remember, calm heads always prevail in one way or another. So keep your cool no matter how difficult and frustrating things get.

Keeping your cool no matter what will help you to push forward with your dissertation and to complete it successfully. On the other hand, getting frustrated will make you get stuck, which could result in you being among the many students that do not complete their dissertations.

11. First Draft Isn't Perfect

When writing your dissertation, please do not feel too much pressure to perfect it. Your goal should be simple; to complete your first draft, and your goal should be to complete your first draft to get a psychological boost and not make the first draft perfect.

The first draft isn't perfect and doesn't need to be. If you make peace with this, writing and completing your first draft will be easier. The right time to perfect your dissertation is when you proofread and edit it. You will likely need to rewrite huge parts of your first draft to make it brilliant.

12. Be Flexible

You don't need to write the chapters in a perfect sequence when writing your essay. Some students think they must do this to create a good dissertation flow. However, this is unnecessary. You create flow by making sure your sentences and paragraphs are easy to understand and by using transition words and sentences generously.

Write your chapters in any way you like. Write the easiest chapters first to gain momentum in your dissertation. This momentum will make it easier for you to write the trickier chapters.

13. Talk to Your Supervisor Regularly

Your dissertation supervisor/advisor is there to help you. You should plan to meet them biweekly or more frequently to discuss your dissertation and the progress you have made.

Do not be afraid or shy to ask your supervisor questions or clarifications. Your supervisor is there to help you and guide you through your work, and they are there to ensure you stay on track. So meet them regularly and show them your work to get all the tips and advice you need to remain on the proper path.

14. Don't Forget Your Health and Wellbeing

Just because you are writing your dissertation doesn't mean you have to let your health deteriorate. Ensure you eat well, exercise, sleep well, and stay healthy. Maintaining your physical health will ensure you are always in the right physical condition to continue putting in the hard work you need to complete your project.

Also, take care of your mental health. Your mind is the biggest tool you need for your project. Protect it by taking breaks, relaxing, hanging out with friends, and doing the things you love regularly. The more protected your mind is, the easier it will be for you to write your dissertation.

15. Don't Give Up

Dissertating is extremely difficult, and it takes a lot of physical and mental effort to complete a nursing dissertation successfully. Therefore, you will feel like throwing in the towel in many instances. If you ever feel like this, do not do it.

Don't give up. Choosing not to give up and persevering will give you a sweet psychological victory and make you feel stronger and more capable. It will also ensure you graduate with the master's degree you have sacrificed so much to get.

16. Get Professional Assistance

If you ever need assistance to complete your entire dissertation or a part of it, do not be afraid to get professional assistance. Many dissertation writing services can provide you with the help you need at a small fee, and we are one such service.

We can help you write your entire dissertation paper or any part. We can also help with specific parts of the dissertation writing process, e.g., the research, the introduction, the methodology section, the proofreading/editing, and the incorporation of feedback.

As you Ponder the Steps and Tips ...

We hope we have provided all the information you need to write your nursing dissertation paper. Now it is up to you to step up and start dissertating.

Related Articles:

• Step-by-step guide for writing a nursing change project
• A guide for writing a nursing capstone project
• How to write a perfect Evidence-Based Nursing Paper
• Tips for making a poster presentation in nursing .

If you need any assistance in any part of the dissertation writing process, please visit our home page to get the assistance you need.

Our writers are experts with multiple years of experience in dissertation writing, formatting, and editing. You can never go wrong with us.

What is a dissertation?

A dissertation is a comprehensive research paper written to fulfill a graduate degree. A dissertation can be required to graduate with a master's degree in the UK or a doctorate in the US.

How long does it take to write a nursing dissertation?

It usually takes between three to twelve months to write a nursing dissertation. Two things largely determine how short or long a dissertation will be - the departmental requirements and the methodology chosen.

Can you write a nursing dissertation in three months?

Yes, you can. It is certainly not impossible, but it will take you every single day and night to write a good dissertation in such a short time. If you don't have enough time to write a dissertation, work with a dissertation writing service to get the desired results quickly.

Related: Is the WGU RN-BSN worth your time and money?

How long is a nursing dissertation?

Most nursing dissertations are between 6000 to 16000 words long. Of course, some are shorter than 6,000 words, and others are longer than 16000 words.

What is the difference between a thesis and a dissertation?

Masters nursing students need to write a thesis to complete their degree, while doctoral nursing students need to write a dissertation to complete their degree.

Is getting help with a nursing dissertation online illegal?

No, it is not. No law prohibits you or anybody else from getting a nursing dissertation online. So if you need dissertation assistance from a dissertation writing business online, feel free to get it.

Can a nursing dissertation be done as a group?

No. Dissertations are individual research projects, and you can get guidance and assistance from anywhere you want, but your dissertation is your project and will only have a single author - you.

Does a nursing dissertation require an abstract poster?

Yes, if it is going to be presented at a conference. The poster should include a title, a summary, an intro, the methodology used, the results, the discussion, and the conclusions. All these things should be less than 300 words.

Do nursing students defend their nursing theses and dissertations?

Yes, they do. In most colleges, nursing students must defend their theses and dissertations before a committee that usually includes faculty members.

Who writes a nursing dissertation?

In the US, a doctoral student writes a nursing dissertation, while a master's student writes a nursing thesis. In the UK, it is the opposite - a master's student writes a nursing dissertation and a doctoral student writes a nursing thesis.

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A practical approach to the process of writing a dissertation

09 October, 2017

Writing a dissertation does not have to be stressful and should be a vehicle for learning, not a chore. This article offers practical advice for student nurses embarking on the task

While many student nurses find the task daunting, writing a dissertation is essentially a powerful vehicle for learning; it is an opportunity to work on methodology and organisational skills, develop an appreciation of research, and demonstrate critical thinking. With the help of a good supervisor, a carefully planned dissertation will develop almost naturally, as long as students follow a few basic rules. This article considers the essentials of writing a dissertation and offers practical guidance to students.

Citation: Lowry M (2017) A practical approach to the process of writing a dissertation. Nursing Times [online]; 113: 11, 36-39.

Author: Mike Lowry is a freelance writer and former nursing academic.

• This article has been double-blind peer reviewed
• Scroll down to read the article or  download a print-friendly PDF here
• Also read our article Making the most of the relationship with your dissertation supervisor

Introduction

Many student nurses feel overwhelmed by the task of writing a dissertation, uncertain how to approach it and doubtful about their chances of success. Few are fully confident that they know how to go about writing the dissertation, manage the supervisory relationship and highlight the essentials of the topic they wish to examine. However, writing a dissertation is a learning process, and need not be such an onerous task if it is carefully planned.

A dissertation can be defined as the report of a process; it may also be seen as a long essay (Biggam, 2015). By comparison, a thesis is more sophisticated and adds to the knowledge in a field, or challenges accepted norms to bring about changes in established understanding. Undergradu-ates and taught master’s degree students are more likely to produce a dissertation, as do many master’s students, whereas students at doctoral level are more likely to write a thesis.

Writing a dissertation equates to developing an understanding of research or systematic enquiry rather than generating new evidence; that is the purpose of a doctoral thesis. While there are various methods according to the nature of the project, the main purpose of a dissertation is to enable students to demonstrate organisational skills, beginning insights into research, and deeper, more critical understanding of their chosen focal topic. However, there are commonalities be-tween a dissertation and thesis, especially around the importance of good supervisory relationships. This article focuses on dissertations, offering a framework for students embarking on – or stuck in the middle of – the process of writing one.

Purpose of a dissertation

Students are asked to write a dissertation to demonstrate their ability to focus on a subject, examine it in detail through systematic enquiry and identify relevant theories. They need to show they are capable of presenting work in an orderly, academic form, clearly demonstrating a working knowledge of their chosen subject. Equally important is the development of various levels of critical insight, depending on the level of degree for which the dissertation is to be submitted – undergraduate or master’s. Box 1 summarises what is expected from you in a dissertation.

Box 1. What your dissertation must demonstrate

• Ability to delve into a subject through systematic enquiry
• Capacity to present written work in an orderly, academic form
• Working knowledge of a subject
• Clarity of purpose, clarity of thought and sophistication of argument
• Ability to focus, plan, organise and work methodically
• Ability to think critically

Getting started

Acording to Wisker (2013) a dissertation is a large piece of work requiring careful planning, good time management, critical thinking, conceptual understanding and adherence to practices for completion. The time taken initially to decide on the topic, approaches and resources will be time well spent.

Many students consider identifying and refining the topic of their dissertation to be one of the most difficult elements in the process. It is fair to say that once the topic has been defined, the rest unrolls like a carpet – as long as you follow a few basic rules (Box 2).

Box 2. Basic rules for writing a dissertation

• Refine the topic, spending time with your supervisor at this stage
• Choose question(s), where relevant, that will likely produce interesting answers
• Consider resources
• Do not hesitate to write in the first person if appropriate
• Put effort and care into every stage of the process
• Justify your choices rather than simply stating them
• Produce a lively and informed discussion
• Follow the format requirements of your institution/supervisor

It is important to avoid chaos and to put effort and care into every stage of the process; the SCARY checklist contains useful advice on what a dissertation should and should not be (Box 3).

Box 3. The SCARY checklist

Your dissertation should be SCARY , in other words:

S traightforward: avoid waffling or overcomplicating ideas; you should, however, demonstrate complexity when discussing findings and literature

C lear and unambiguous: whatever you set out to do must be easily defined and may be trailed for audit

A chievable: within the time frame, limits of the remit, available resources and size limitations

R ecency, ensure that the material you are using to inform the work is current; it might be wise to ensure that all literature dates from the last 10 years or so, depending on the subject matter. Unless older work is seminal, avoid citing it and seek newer material; never use literature just because it is convenient or to hand

Y ours: do not be tempted to claim anyone else’s work as your own

One key piece of advice is that it must be the student’s own work, which means plagiarism must be avoided (Box 4).

Box 4. Plagiarism: do not go there

As Singh and Remenyi (2016) explain, plagiarism is using, in an essay or dissertation, ideas that have been sourced from work published by other authors without acknowledging them. It is academic misconduct to fail to acknowledge the original source, a point echoed by Biggam (2015). In the worst case scenario, plagiarism can lead to the candidate’s work being disallowed.

If you are tempted to use the work of others and claim it for yourself, the advice is simple: do not go there.

The qualities that distinguish an outstanding dissertation from an average one include clarity of purpose, clarity of thought and sophistication of the argument. A first-class submission will be highly organised and focused, clearly demonstrating critical insight, as opposed to a simple, unquestioned description.

Refining the topic

A topic that may seem obvious at the outset can prove to be too vague or too complex. It can be helpful to distil your ideas using a framework such as Lowry’s reflective triangle (Lowry, 2016). Start by making notes on what interests you and why (the ‘case’), then put these into the ‘context’ and consider all the ‘variables’ (Fig 1). For example, you might have an interest in educating patients and want to explore this case in more depth. The context might be your recent experience of a patient being unclear about information on treatment options. Given the importance of patients understanding treatment options so they can make informed decisions, the scenario might appear more complex than it first seemed. You might want to consider the impact on you as a practitioner, who else was involved, what was particularly important and why (the variables). Your reflections will eventually crystallise into a clearer topic and will help you justify your choice.

This part of a dissertation is often seen as the most challenging. Without a clear focus, the rest of the process is likely to stall, so spending time with your supervisor at this stage is invaluable. Go it alone if you will, but it is far better to nurture the supervisory relationship (Kimani, 2014).

Determining the research question

Not all dissertations need a question or questions; some can be purely observational – for example if they use grounded theory. When questions are involved, however, these must be relevant and have a reasonable chance of producing answers.

Unless the subject matter makes it impossible, you should never use a closed question (questions starting with “is”, “are”, “does” or “can”), as the answer will inevitably be yes or no. For example, the answer to the question “Is the process of completing a dissertation arduous?” is almost certainly yes, to an extent, so the question has no real value. A more interesting alternative would be to ask “To what extent is completing a dissertation arduous?”. This offers something to explore and play with to produce a discussion. If you study human society in any shape or form, you will quickly discover that it is seldom binary and rarely fits an ‘either/or’ format.

Considering resources

While refining your topic and research question, you also need to identify and justify the resources you may need, such as help from a statistician, support with transcribing data or advice from experts. Consider whether these resources will be available within the time frame and budget. It would be unwise to seek answers to questions that require disproportionate resources.

Using discursive writing

Students tend to avoid discursive writing, preferring to report rather than to argue, but Kamler and Thomson (2006) emphasise the importance of producing lively and informed discussions. There are opportunities for discussion in various sections of a dissertation, including in the literature review, and it can be used throughout your work, starting with the justification of your choice of topic and methods.

Choosing the right pronoun

It has long been debated whether to use the personal pronoun in academic work; the upshot is that, where justified, there is no reason to avoid writing in the first person. As Kamler and Thomson (2006) put it, “‘I’ is not just a matter of personal choice. There are epistemological/methodological and rhetorical reasons for choosing to use the first person pronoun”. Conversely, trying to shoehorn the personal pronoun (or third person) into your writing when it is unnecessary detracts from the intrinsic quality of the dissertation.

Discuss your preference with your supervisor and be ready to argue your case; the reason for your choice must be clear from the outset. Whatever choice you make – first or third person – must be adhered to throughout, so never alternate between pronouns.

Format and elements of a dissertation

Once you have a general feel for what your dissertation is going to look like, you can get started. The requirements for format and what elements the dissertation should include vary according to institutions and supervisors, so be guided by them. More information on the practicalities of pre-paring a research-based dissertation can be found in Bowen (2005). Generally, all the elements described below are needed in one form or another. At each step, remember to justify your choices as opposed to alternatives, rather than simply stating them and moving on. In terms of style, avoid colloquialisms and discipline your thinking to search for relevant illustrative expressions.

Although the introduction to the dissertation comes first it should be written last, after everything else is complete. Only then will you know exactly what is in your dissertation and how to introduce it.

The background section tells the story of what led you to undertake this work – for example, a recent placement, clinical experience or a presentation in an academic forum. It brings the reader to the table, so to speak.

Aims and objectives

Aims and objectives must be determined at the outset. Have at least one (main) aim and four (contributory) objectives: fewer than four objectives might appear superficial, especially considering that the aim has been deemed interesting enough to merit a study. Objectives must be relevant to the aim(s), and aims and objectives must be clearly stated and explained.

The aim is the overall destination and the objectives are what you need to do to get there; for example, if your aim was to help women to decide what method of contraception to choose, your objectives would include establishing what methods are available, examining the risks and benefits of each, and evaluating different forms of patient information.

Literature review

The literature review – sometimes called literature search or literature enquiry – is crucial. What you have read must be current and relevant, and you need to show that you have examined it critically. If one author’s assertion is contradicted by another, your role is to unravel the arguments and extract meaning from them. The fact that authors have had their work published does not mean they are necessarily right.

Synthesise what you have read, bring the information together and demonstrate how it has contributed to your thinking. From your reading you will develop ideas on how to investigate your topic – including what design best fits your purpose.

Journal articles are generally more focused and detailed than books. Ensure the journals you cite are peer-reviewed: this means its articles have been scrutinised by people with the relevant spe-cialist expertise before being accepted for publication. How many articles or books you include depends on the nature of your work. You are likely to need at least 20 current articles or books to make sense of your topic. Fewer sources may betray an unwillingness to delve into the subject, whereas featuring a huge amount of literature may indicate you have skimmed through it. Be selective and be prepared to justify your choice of included work.

The design – also referred to as approach or method – is the way in which you explore your topic. This section can adopt various presentations but should be clear and succinct, and you should avoid becoming mired in uncertainties. It may feature:

• The epistemological approach – for example qualitative or quantitative, or perhaps eclectic – and why you made that choice;
• The method – for example, if you have chosen a quantitative approach your method could be a survey, while a qualitative approach could be the observation of informants and interpretation of their behaviour with the help of follow-up interviews. These methods are by no means exhaustive and relevant texts on research principles, such as Parahoo (2014); Moule and Aveyard (2016); Ellis (2016) will help you select your method.
• Resources needed for your project;
• Any perceived limitations, such as availability of informants, response rates or equipment, and how these were dealt with.

Ethical approval

Research is awash with ethical challenges; you need to identify them early and show what steps you have taken to address them. Do refer to the theories on ethics that you have used to guide your thinking. As a general rule, undergraduates should not be encouraged to involve patients in their research projects, but they will still need to secure ethical approval if they intend to involve peers, staff or any other informants who could potentially be harmed. Obtaining ethical approval is a long and sometimes complex process that should not be taken lightly.

This section states what sources you derive information from; for example, this could be literature only, different types of literature, individual informants or observations.

Describe what you have done, what worked and what did not. Do not avoid exploring errors in your work, but when doing so, demonstrate how they have contributed to your understanding.

This is the section where you describe what has emerged from your study and what you think needs to be examined further (and why). Do not merely end with a series of superficial comments about what else could be done, but explain what brought you to these views.

The discussion is your chance to shine. It is likely to be longer than most other sections – if not there may be a problem. Start by stating what resulted from your enquiry, and every time you make a statement, ask yourself: so what? It may seem odd, but this self-enquiry will result in deeper insights, which will impress examiners.

If you want to excel, incorporate the findings from the literature review into your discussion and explore whether the findings from your work concur with or differ from the literature. You can further enhance the discussion by integrating fieldwork, findings and ethical challenges. The more fully you engage with the dissertation at this stage, the more sophisticated the end product will be.

Conclusions

The conclusions (or recommendations) need to be brief, draw everything together and suggest what needs to happen next and why.

Your work must include a carefully compiled list of literature cited in your dissertation. Bear in mind that examiners do check references – especially if they are themselves among the authors cited. They may find incomplete reference lists – or, even worse, their published work misquoted or wrongly interpreted – extremely irritating. Refer to your institution’s guidelines for reference protocols.

A dissertation is a means for students to demonstrate they can work methodically and think critically. It is also a powerful vehicle for learning, and one that may well stimulate students to become further involved with systematic enquiry. At the very least, it will engender an appreciation of the process of research.

• Many students feel overwhelmed by the task of writing a dissertation
• A dissertation that has been carefully thought through should develop naturally
• Time taken initially to decide on the topic, questions and methods will be time well spent
• Dissertations must be clear, organised and focused, and demonstrate critical insight
• Plagiarism is academic misconduct and must be avoided

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171011 a practical approach to the process of writing a dissertation.

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One comment.

I am a 3rd year student nurse embarking on my dissertation so found this article interesting. It is true, most students do feel nervous and overwhelmed at the thought of writing a dissertation especially on top of other assignments and being in practice.

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Dissertation

Candidacy examination, degree credentials, dissertation committee, dissertation status.

The Dissertation Proposal Defense serves as the Candidacy Examination. The purpose of the Candidacy Examination is to demonstrate an understanding of knowledge in the concentration area that supports the student’s dissertation research. Upon successful completion of required coursework and this examination, the student advances to degree candidacy status.

Students are expected to pass the Candidacy Examination no later than the end of the 3rd semester following Dissertation Seminar unless the student obtains written permission of the Graduate Group in Nursing Chair. Students who do not abide by these policies will no longer be in good academic standing (see “Academic Standing”) which will be reported to funding agencies and the Associate Dean for Academic Programs.  

Degree credentials (e.g., AD, BS, BSN, MS, MSN, PhD, EdD, DNP) are commonly used and indicate completion of a particular educational program. The highest degree attained is usually placed immediately after the last name. All or some of degrees can be used.

Terms used to indicate partial completion of a degree or student status such as “SNP” (student nurse practitioner), “PhDc” (PhD candidate) or “ABD” (all but dissertation) are fabricated terms and are not to be used.

The Dissertation Committee oversees and approves the research proposal, and ultimately, the dissertation.

Following Dissertation Seminar, the student will be registered for dissertation status.  Registration is done by the Office of Student Information and is required in each succeeding semester until all degree requirements are met. A student on Dissertation Status who wishes to take additional coursework may do so with approval of the academic advisor and Graduate Group in Nursing Chair depending on available funding for tuition. While supported by School of Nursing or federal funding, students may only take coursework that is directly related to their dissertation question.

The preparation of the dissertation constitutes the final phase of the PhD program. The dissertation should demonstrate a high-level of analytical and research competence and represent an original contribution to the field of nursing science. It is expected that the formation of a topic will begin in the early phases of study in the program and grow out of experience and work in the focused area of science and scholarship. It is also expected that the dissertation topic will build on the research and expertise of two or more members of the Graduate Group in Nursing. 

Dissertation Format

Generally, three dissertation formats are appropriate. The best option depends on the type of research planned. Each format is described in the table below, with an explanation of the nature and scope of work for the dissertation proposal. Note that all three formats are potentially suitable for qualitative and mixed-methods research; students pursuing a qualitative or mixed-methods project should consult with the Chair and the Dissertation Committee to determine the most appropriate format for the student’s specific study. The dissertation format must be approved by the student’s Dissertation Committee. Additional formats may be suggested as nursing science continues to evolve; formats of dissertations (and proposals) that are not addressed below will be considered. In this case, the Dissertation Chair and student will review their recommended format with the Graduate Group in Nursing Chair.

University of Pennsylvania policy permits dissertations based on joint work with other researchers, provided that, in such cases, a unique and separate dissertation is presented by each degree candidate. The candidate must include a concise account of his or her contribution to the whole work. Authorship of a dissertation by more than one degree candidate is not allowed.

Dissertation Formats

* NOTE: The proposal for a five-chapter or three-article dissertation may use the NIH PHS398 subheadings (Specific Aims, Background and Significance, Innovation, and Approach) provided that the background and significance are presented in sufficient depth to demonstrate thorough mastery of the relevant literature. PHS398 page limits do not apply; proposals using the PHS398 subheadings will likely be longer than 10-15 single-spaced pages. An NRSA proposal is not an acceptable dissertation proposal. If using the PHS398 subheadings for the dissertation proposal, the student should negotiate the appropriate scope of the Background and Significance section in advance with the Chair and Committee. An underdeveloped background and significance section may be grounds for failing the Candidacy Exam.   

The three manuscripts option may include manuscripts that are published during the course of the doctoral program; see the “Use of Copyrighted, Previously Published, or Coauthored Material” section of the University’s Doctoral Dissertation Manual  for details.

Requirements and Format of the Three Article Dissertation

The Graduate Group allows students who publish papers during their doctoral program to use these papers as part of their dissertation.  Following are the requirements and format for the Three Article dissertation option:

Dissertation Defense

When the written dissertation is completed to the satisfaction of the dissertation committee, an oral defense with public and closed components will be scheduled for two hours. The examining committee for the dissertation consists of the dissertation committee and two readers from the Graduate Group in Nursing who are appointed by the Graduate Group in Nursing Chair. All members of the Graduate Group and doctoral students as well as other individuals whose presence is desired by the student are invited to the public component. The public component consists of a brief presentation of the findings and their implications by the student followed by a brief question and answer by individuals who are not members of the examining committee. The following component may be either open or closed depending on the preference of the Dissertation Chair. In this portion, guests may be excused while questioning and discussion by the readers, the dissertation committee members, and the student occur. The dissertation defense is graded on a Pass/Fail basis with the majority of the five examiners necessary for a decision.

At least three members of the dissertation committee must participate in the defense. Defense may take place in person or remotely. 

Source: PennBook Academic Rules for PhDs and Research Masters Degrees

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Dissertation Format

“traditional 5-chapter”.

• Front pages and formats
• https://gradsch.osu.edu/completing-your-degree/dissertations-theses/document-preparation
• https://gradsch.osu.edu/completing-your-degree/examinations/doctoral-examinations
• The dissertation proposal includes Chapters 1-3
• Final dissertation includes revised Chapters 1-3 plus Chapters 4 & 5
• Chapter 1: Introduction
• Chapter 2: ROL, Theoretical Framework
• Chapter 3: Methods including analytics
• Chapter 4: Findings
• Chapter 5: Discussion and Recommendations

Manuscript Style Dissertation

• Introduction
• Overview of literature to support significance and rationale
• Methods including proposed analytics
• As above for the proposal, plus:
• Brief summary of all findings with analytics included
• Brief discussion summary with recommendations for research and practice
• Introduction, Methods, Findings Summary, Discussion Summary
• Integrative review or conceptual model or data based paper of findings
• Methods of data based paper of findings
• Data based paper of findings; all research questions proposed for the dissertation must be addressed in the final dissertation. Thus, more than one results paper may be needed.
• The inclusion of these published papers must be specifically approved by the dissertation committee at the proposal stage.
• The inclusion of these papers in the final dissertation must be allowable under the copyright agreement the student signed when the paper was submitted/accepted by the journal and the paper must be in the form that the specific journal allows.
• The student must be the first author on all published papers that are included in the dissertation.
• All proposed research questions/aims must be addressed in the final dissertation.

If after speaking with your advisor you have questions about the dissertation format, please contact the PhD Program Director .

How to Write a Nursing Dissertation: A Comprehensive Guide for Nursing Students

• Carla Johnson
• September 18, 2023
• Academic Writing Guides

As a nursing student, you’ve likely encountered various academic challenges throughout your educational journey. However, one of the most daunting tasks you may face is writing a nursing dissertation . A dissertation is a significant and complex research project that requires careful planning, research, and organization. In this comprehensive guide, we will walk you through the process of writing a nursing dissertation step by step, providing you with valuable insights and tips to help you succeed in this academic endeavor.(nursing dissertation writing process)

A nursing dissertation is a culmination of your academic journey, demonstrating your expertise in a specific area of nursing and your ability to conduct in-depth research. It’s a substantial piece of work that requires dedication, time management, and a structured approach. Whether you’re just beginning your nursing dissertation or have already started, this guide will assist you in navigating the challenges and ensuring your dissertation stands out.

1. How to Write a Nursing Dissertation

Selecting the right topic for your nursing dissertation is the first and crucial step in the process. Your topic should be both interesting to you and relevant to the field of nursing . Here are some tips for choosing a suitable topic:(nursing dissertation writing process)

a. Personal Interest

Consider what aspects of nursing intrigue you the most. Your passion for the topic will keep you motivated throughout the research and writing process.

b. Research Gap

Identify areas within nursing where there is a gap in research or a need for further exploration. Addressing these gaps can make your dissertation more valuable to the nursing community.(nursing dissertation writing process)

c. Feasibility

Ensure that your chosen topic is manageable within the scope of your dissertation. Complex or overly broad topics can lead to difficulties in research and analysis.

2. Crafting a Strong Nursing Dissertation Proposal

Before you start writing your dissertation, you will typically need to submit a dissertation proposal for approval by your academic institution. The proposal outlines your research objectives, methodology, and expected outcomes. Here’s how to craft a compelling proposal:(nursing dissertation writing process)

Provide a clear and concise title that reflects the essence of your research.

b. Introduction

Introduce your topic, explain its significance in the nursing field, and present your research questions or hypotheses.

c. Literature Review

Summarize existing research related to your topic. Identify gaps or areas that your dissertation will address.

d. Methodology

Describe the research methods you will use, including data collection and analysis techniques.

e. Expected Outcomes

Outline the expected outcomes and contributions of your research.

f. References

Include a list of references that you have consulted for your proposal.

3. Conducting a Thorough Literature Review

A literature review is a critical component of your nursing dissertation. It provides the foundation for your research by summarizing and analyzing existing studies related to your topic. Here’s how to conduct an effective literature review :(nursing dissertation writing process)

a. Identify Key Sources

Find relevant scholarly articles, books, and research papers related to your topic. Use academic databases like PubMed, CINAHL, and Google Scholar to search for literature.(nursing dissertation writing process)

b. Organize Your Sources

Create an organized system for storing and referencing your sources. Consider using reference management software like EndNote or Zotero.

c. Analyze and Synthesize

Critically analyze the findings of the studies you’ve reviewed. Identify common themes, gaps in research, and areas where your dissertation can contribute.

d. Cite Properly

Ensure that you properly cite all the sources you use in your literature review. Follow a citation style such as APA, MLA, or Chicago as per your institution’s guidelines.(nursing dissertation writing process)

4. Developing a Nursing Dissertation Structure

A well-structured dissertation is easier for both you and your readers to navigate. Here’s a typical structure for a nursing dissertation:(nursing dissertation writing process)

a. Introduction

• Introduce your topic and research questions .
• Provide context for your study.
• State the significance of your research.

b. Literature Review

• Summarize existing research on your topic.
• Identify gaps in the literature.(nursing dissertation writing process)
• Justify the need for your research.

c. Methodology

• Describe your research methods and procedures.
• Explain how you will collect and analyze data.
• Discuss any ethical considerations .
• Present the findings of your research.(nursing dissertation writing process)
• Use tables, charts, and graphs to illustrate your results.
• Interpret the data and relate it to your research questions.

e. Discussion

• Analyze your results in the context of existing literature.
• Discuss the implications of your findings.
• Suggest recommendations for further research.

f. Conclusion

• Summarize the key points of your dissertation.
• Restate the significance of your research .(nursing dissertation writing process)
• Provide a concise answer to your research questions.

g. References

• List all the sources you’ve cited in your dissertation.
• Follow the citation style recommended by your institution.

5. Writing and Editing Your Nursing Dissertation

Writing your dissertation can be a challenging and time-consuming process, but with proper planning and organization, you can make it more manageable:(nursing dissertation writing process)

a. Start Early

Give yourself plenty of time to research, write, and edit your dissertation. Procrastination can lead to unnecessary stress.

b. Set Goals

Break down your dissertation into smaller, manageable tasks. Set daily or weekly goals to track your progress.

c. Seek Feedback

Share your work with your advisor or mentor regularly to receive constructive feedback . They can help you refine your ideas and improve your writing.(nursing dissertation writing process)

d. Edit Carefully

Proofread and edit your dissertation for grammar, spelling, and clarity. Consider using editing software like Grammarly to assist you.

6. Ethical Considerations in Nursing Dissertations

As a nursing student, it’s essential to be aware of ethical considerations when conducting research involving human subjects. Here are some key points to keep in mind:

a. Informed Consent

Obtain informed consent from participants, ensuring they understand the purpose of the study and their rights.

b. Privacy and Confidentiality

Protect the privacy and confidentiality of research participants. Use pseudonyms or codes to anonymize data.

c. Institutional Review Board (IRB)

If required, obtain approval from your institution’s IRB before conducting any research involving human subjects.

Writing a nursing dissertation is a challenging but rewarding endeavor that demonstrates your expertise and dedication to the field of nursing. Remember to choose a relevant and interesting topic, craft a strong proposal, conduct a thorough literature review, and follow a well-structured format. Additionally, maintain ethical standards in your research and seek feedback from advisors or mentors.(nursing dissertation writing process)

Writing a nursing dissertation is undoubtedly a demanding task, but it’s also an opportunity to make a significant contribution to the field of nursing. If you ever find yourself overwhelmed by the complexity of the process or facing time constraints, consider seeking professional assistance from our dissertation writing services . Our experienced team of writers specializes in nursing dissertations and can provide you with the support you need to excel in your academic journey. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you achieve your academic goals.

In conclusion, writing a nursing dissertation is a challenging but achievable task with careful planning, dedication, and adherence to ethical guidelines. We wish you the best of luck in your dissertation journey and look forward to assisting you if you ever need our expertise.(nursing dissertation writing process)

FAQs: Writing a Nursing Dissertation

1. how do i start writing my dissertation.

To begin writing your nursing dissertation, start by selecting a well-defined topic, creating a proposal, conducting a thorough literature review, and outlining your research methodology. Establish a timeline and set clear goals to guide your progress.

2. How long is a nursing dissertation?

The length of a nursing dissertation can vary, but it typically ranges from 10,000 to 15,000 words, excluding references and appendices. Be sure to follow your institution’s specific guidelines for dissertation length.(nursing dissertation writing process)

3. Do nurses write a dissertation?

Yes, nursing students, particularly those pursuing advanced degrees such as a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), often write dissertations as part of their academic requirements. Dissertations allow nurses to contribute to the field’s knowledge and practice.

4. How do I choose a nursing dissertation topic?

When selecting a nursing dissertation topic, consider your personal interests, research gaps in the field, and the feasibility of the topic within the scope of your dissertation. Ensure that the chosen topic aligns with your academic and career goals in nursing.

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A National Survey Examining Manuscript Dissertation Formats Among Nursing PhD Programs in the United States

Affiliations.

• 1 Assistant Professor, College of Nursing, Washington State University, Spokane, WA, USA.
• 2 Associate Professor, College of Nursing, Washington State University, Puyallup, WA, USA.
• 3 Professor, College of Nursing, Washington State University, Spokane, WA, USA.
• 4 Undergraduate Student, Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
• 5 Program Coordinator, College of Nursing, Washington State University, Spokane, WA, USA.
• 6 Director, PhD Program, Assistant Dean for Research, and Associate Professor, College of Nursing, Washington State University, Spokane, WA, USA.
• PMID: 29517152
• DOI: 10.1111/jnu.12374

Purpose: Among research-focused nursing doctoral (PhD) programs in the United States, the traditional dissertation format has recently given way to a series of publication-ready manuscripts, often bookended by introduction and conclusion chapters. To help programs make decisions about the use of these formats, this study undertook a national survey of programs offering PhDs in nursing. The purpose of this study was to explore the advantages and disadvantages of the traditional format versus manuscript option for dissertations among nursing PhD programs in the United States.

Design: Cross-sectional census survey of U.S. nursing PhD programs.

Methods: A web-based survey was administered to all U.S. nursing PhD programs. Respondents indicated formats offered, factors contributing to decisions of which formats to offer, and lessons learned. Descriptive statistics and inductive content analyses were used for analysis.

Findings: Of 121 eligible institutions, 79 provided eligible responses (66.7%). The majority (59%) offered both formats; 11% offered the manuscript option only, and 24% offered the traditional format only. Faculty support (or lack thereof) contributed to adoption (or not) of the manuscript option. Respondents' approaches to the manuscript option (e.g., number of papers) and advice are summarized.

Conclusions: Manuscript option dissertations are commonly offered and provide benefits to students and faculty; however, thoughtful implementation is critical. Programs need to agree upon clear expectations and have graduate school support (e.g., formatting). Faculty need mentorship in advising manuscript option students who choose to use this format, and the time and support. Finally, students need additional writing skills that could be provided through coursework or via individual work with mentors.

Clinical relevance: As nursing education continues to expand further into doctoral research, programs must examine dissertation formats in order to both prepare future nurse scholars and disseminate nursing research that is critical to improving nursing education, patient care, and clinical practice.

Keywords: Academic dissertations; education; graduate; manuscripts; nursing; publishing; students; writing.

© 2018 Sigma Theta Tau International.

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Supporting Dissertation Work through a Nursing PhD Program Federal Grant Writing Workshop

Kristine m. kulage.

Columbia University School of Nursing, New York, NY

Patricia W. Stone

Arlene m. smaldone.

Columbia University Irving Medical Center, Columbia University School of Nursing, New York, NY

Background:

Nurse researchers need skills to secure external funding; therefore, we created a grant writing workshop for PhD students focused on the F31 Individual Fellowship and R36 Dissertation Grant.

Describe a nursing PhD program federal grant writing workshop and present participant impressions and outcomes.

We designed a three half-day workshop covering essential aspects of grant writing combined with mentor participation and follow-up. We assessed participant satisfaction in evaluations, subsequent grant submissions, project implementation, and time from PhD program entry to completion.

Evaluations were overwhelmingly positive. Seventeen of 29 (58.6%) participants submitted 21 applications; five (23.8%) were funded. The majority (75.0%) conducted the proposed dissertation project regardless of funding. Writing and submitting a grant did not increase time to program completion.

Discussion:

The workshop efficiently supports PhD students’ dissertation research. Timing and mentor participation are key for success. We recommend schools of nursing implement PhD program grant writing workshops.

INTRODUCTION

While Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programs in nursing provide students with advanced skills in research theory, methodology, and design to enable them to combine clinical practice with formal research to advance the science of nursing ( Rice, 2016 ), these programs do not necessarily include formal coursework in grant writing. The ability to secure external grant funding to support research is required for successful independent nurse scientists; therefore, PhD students must not only have knowledge in designing and conducting sound research projects, but must also be able to navigate the complicated processes required for planning, writing, and submitting grant applications to obtain federal funding from agencies such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).

Our school’s current PhD curriculum, designed to accelerate time to program completion and graduation, does not allow time for a credit-bearing grant writing course in the curriculum. Since inception of the program in the mid-1990s, few of our PhD students have pursued grant writing while completing the program, and those who did were highly motivated and encouraged by their mentors. In the increasingly competitive funding landscape, it is apparent that all PhD students need to leave the program with basic grant writing skills to enhance their likelihood of future success. However, in a recent survey exploring barriers and facilitators for PhD nursing students to pursue nurse faculty careers, less than half of participants who planned to seek academic careers after graduation, including those at research-intensive institutions, felt confident about their ability to write a grant proposal ( Fang, Bednash, & Arietti, 2016 ). Recognizing our responsibility to provide training in grant writing, and as proposed in one of our federally-funded institutional training grants (T32 NR014250), in 2014 we launched a zero-credit annual federal grant writing workshop for all first-year PhD students – the Doctoral Student Federal Grant Writing Workshop – to encourage them to write and submit grant applications to support their dissertation research.

While there is a recognized need to prepare PhD students for a future career of grant writing ( Dumanis, Ullrich, Washington, & Forcelli, 2013 ; Fang et al., 2016 ; Parker & Steeves, 2005 ; Rawl, 2014 ), this entirely “home grown” workshop is a unique facet of our school’s PhD program. Several authors provide general guidance and best practices in grant writing and describe various types of grant writing strategies and workshops for predoctoral and graduate students ( Dumanis et al., 2013 ; Hasche, Perron, & Proctor, 2009 ; Mackert, Donovan, & Bernhardt, 2017 ). However, we only identified one book ( Hollenbach, 2013 ) and two peer-reviewed articles ( Parker & Steeves, 2005 ; Rawl, 2014 ) that provide specific guidance on how best to support nursing PhD students preparing a Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Predoctoral Fellowship (F31), often the most relevant federal grant fellowship opportunity.

To fill this gap and assist faculty in schools of nursing seeking to promote and support grant writing by their PhD students, the objectives of this report are to (1) describe strategies for designing and implementing a federal grant writing workshop in a nursing PhD program and (2) present workshop participant impressions and outcomes to date.

The Doctoral Student Federal Grant Writing Workshop focuses primarily on the F31 NRSA and the AHRQ R36 Dissertation Grant but also covers basic information on other funding opportunities such as NIH Administrative and Diversity Supplements and a variety of relevant non-federal funding options (i.e., opportunities from professional organizations and foundations). Workshop content that was developed collaboratively by the PhD Program Director, senior faculty nurse scientists, and an experienced research administrator is refined annually in response to student evaluations and to accommodate periodic changes in federal rules and requirements.

Essential Resources

To organize and manage the workshop, we have found it helpful to use the same web-based course format and file repository system for workshop materials that is used for official university courses. This allows easy access to centrally stored essential workshop resources for all participants, both current and former; students also upload their workshop assignments here for sharing purposes. Each year all materials are updated to ensure participants have the most recent grant writing resources such as: up-to-date program announcements, instructions, and forms; “boiler plate” grant sections that are tailored for the “Facilities and Other Resources” and “Additional Educational Information” attachments; and internal policies and procedures that students must follow in preparing and submitting their grant applications (e.g., instructions on workflow, the role of the grants management office, deadlines, etcetera).

Another useful resource uploaded is a collection of “grant exemplars” – previous applications (with approval of the investigator/mentor) which workshop participants can access securely using their unique identification code and password but cannot be disseminated outside the school. Funded, unfunded, and resubmission applications are included as well as summary statements. These confidential documents, edited to ensure compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, not only provide models for the students to follow, but also serve as teaching tools during key sessions of the workshop.

Finally, recommended timelines for each major funding mechanism are created and uploaded, which include specific targeted deadlines as students work on their applications. These timelines are not only helpful for students and their mentors, but they are also key for managing the overall workflow of the research administrators who assist students on their applications. Additionally, because the timing of preparation for the students’ qualifying exams conflicts with standard grant due dates, we create “accelerated” deadlines for those who want to write and submit their grant well ahead of the deadline. See Table 1 for sample “accelerated” and regular timelines for the F31 NRSA.

Fall 2018 Timelines for Submission of NIH NRSA Individual Predoctoral Fellowship (F31) Application

Note: NIH = National Institutes of Health; SOAR = Specific Objectives and Aims Review; GMO = Grants Management Office; PI = Principal Investigator; SPA = Sponsored Projects Administration

The workshop takes place face-to-face across three half-days at the end of the first academic year of coursework (i.e., May or June). This timing is based on the anticipated student need for completion of two semesters to formulate and refine their research focus and dissertation ideas. Our most recent workshop outline is presented in Table 2 . The workshop length of time has increased over the years, having been expanded as student grant writing needs are identified, and additions are made based on student evaluations. For example, the first three years of the workshop averaged three to four hours per day; it is now approximately five hours per day plus a one-hour lunch break. Also, two summer follow-up meetings have been added. There are two workshop leaders: one is a faculty member (Director of the PhD Program) and the other is a research administrator (Director of Research and Scholarly Development). While leaders present the bulk of the didactic material and oversee group activities, there are several guest presenters such as faculty members who are experienced NIH reviewers and an Informationist (i.e., librarian with advanced expertise in knowledge management services in the context of biomedical research).

Doctoral Student Federal Grant Writing Workshop Outline

Note: NRSA = National Research Service Award; eRA = electronic research administration; NIH = National Institutes of Health; RePORTER = Research Portfolio Online Reporting; PI = Principal Investigator; PMCID = PubMed Central Reference Number; SOAR = Specific Objectives and Aims Review

Workshop Day 1 provides an overview of the content, grant writing resources available to students, and the grant review and scoring process. It also initiates student interaction with the NIH electronic research administration (eRA) Commons and NIH Research Portfolio Online Reporting (RePORTER) Tool. Importantly, students are introduced to a two-part internal review process, which includes a Specific Objectives and Aims Review (SOAR) session and a mock review; these mechanisms, which have been shown to significantly improve the likelihood of grant applications being funded, are described elsewhere ( Kulage & Larson, 2018 ). Day 2 focuses on a detailed “walk through” of funding mechanisms and a mentor session. While faculty mentors are welcome to attend any workshop session, because mentor participation and “buy in” for their mentee considering writing a grant is a critical part of success, all mentors contribute to a one-hour session where they share their expectations and workstyle with mentees while transparently showing support for them to pursue grant writing. Day 3 is dedicated to starting the process of writing the grant application and responding to reviewer comments. An in-depth review of a grant exemplar and its summary statement is conducted, and prior student applicants are invited to share their personal experiences after submitting a grant application. Writing responsibilities, tips, and best practices are presented as well as how to create a MyBibliography link for an NIH biosketch. Finally, recommended timelines are reviewed, and summer follow-up meetings are scheduled.

Over time and in response to feedback from previous cohorts, changes have been implemented to make the workshop more interactive and allow opportunities for students to participate, share their work with their peers, and obtain peer feedback. The workshop now has at least one interactive group activity per day, and small assignments before, during, and after the workshop have been added. For example, students complete a preliminary assignment worksheet (See Appendix 1 ) on their research focus one week before the workshop. Between workshop sessions, students are given “homework” assignments such as completing their eRA Commons profile and reviewing a grant exemplar and its summary sheets. The workshop also has two interactive 90-minute follow-up meetings during the summer to hold students accountable for progress on their applications and determine who will ultimately be following through with grant submissions in the fall or spring. For the first follow-up meeting, students begin working on their specific aims; address significance and innovation in their project; and draft their biosketch (See Appendix 2 for Follow-up Meeting #1 Assignment Worksheet). At the second follow-up meeting, students simulate a SOAR session in small peer groups to prepare for the required SOAR session they will have with faculty members (See Appendix 3 for Follow-up Meeting #2 Assignment Worksheet).

Methods for Evaluating Workshop Outcomes

Four data sources were assessed to evaluate the workshop; these included participant evaluations following the workshop, subsequent grant submissions, project implementation (i.e., conduct of the project described in the grant submission), and time from PhD program entry to program completion. After each workshop, participants were asked to complete a voluntary, anonymous 10-question evaluation to assess satisfaction and the workshop’s effectiveness for quality improvement purposes, similar to the method used to evaluate standard courses. Institutional Review Board approval was not required. Data on workshop participant grant submissions was tracked in our central grants database, and subsequent information on the status of submitted grants and funding decisions was obtained via e-mail communications with students and faculty mentors. Conduct of the project described in the grant submission – whether or not the project was funded – was tracked in the ProQuest database. Finally, each participant’s time to program completion was tracked in the PhD program database.

Five workshops have been conducted to date (2014–2018) with 28 predoctoral students and one postdoctoral fellow completing the workshop. The average annual cohort size has been six participants (range 3 to 7).

Workshop Evaluations

Twenty-six of 29 (89.7% response rate) participants completed post-workshop evaluations. Figure 1 demonstrates the distinct shift in confidence level in grant writing for participants before and after completing the workshop. Prior to the workshop, the majority of participants (73%) indicated a low or below average confidence level in grant writing; the rest indicated an average confidence level while none felt they had above average or high confidence in this skill. After completing the workshop, the majority (63%) indicated an above average or high confidence level in grant writing with the remaining expressing an average confidence level. None of the participants reported a below average or low confidence level with this skill after the workshop.

Participant Evaluation Results: Grant Writing Confidence Pre- and Post-Workshop

Figure 2 , which presents participants’ grant submission plans pre- and post-workshop, illustrates the change in grant writing confidence level. While less than one-third of students (31%) indicated that they planned to write a grant during the PhD program prior to participating in the workshop, most students (42%) were unsure about their grant writing plans. However, after participating in the workshop, the majority of students (62%) indicated that they now planned to submit a grant application.

Participant Evaluation Results: Grant Submission Plans Pre- and Post-Workshop

Importantly, all participants who completed the evaluation indicated that the workshop was a valuable use of their time; that the supplemental materials (i.e., resources, handouts, readings, presentations) were effective; and that they would recommend the workshop to their peers. Regarding the length of workshop, the majority of participants (76.9%) thought length was “just right” while two (7.7%) thought it was too short and four (15.4%) thought it was too long.

Open-ended comments included general positive feedback on the workshop such as the fact that it was “insightful,” “valuable,” “clear and understandable,” “extremely useful,” and “very well organized.” Specific suggestions for improvement were provided, often related to a student’s unique situation. Some students felt the workshop should be spread out over a longer period of time, including sessions earlier in the first year of study. Feedback from the first three cohorts who completed the workshop included suggestions for making the workshop more interactive and having the faculty mentors involved; as previously described, we subsequently made changes to the workshop structure to accommodate these requests.

Grant Submissions

Table 3 presents the number and status of grant submissions by participants. Seventeen of 29 (58.6%) participants to date have submitted a total of 21 grant applications (this includes all resubmissions). Eight NIH NRSA Individual Predoctoral Fellowships (F31), one NIH NRSA Individual Postdoctoral Fellowship (F32), four AHRQ R36 Dissertation Grants, two NIH Diversity Supplements (one submitted by the workshop’s only postdoctoral fellow to date), and five to non-federal funders were submitted. Five applications (23.8%) have been funded including two F31 NRSAs and three non-federal grants (i.e., American Cancer Society; Sigma Theta Tau International). Of the applications eligible to be “scored” (i.e., F31, F32, and R36), 10 of 14 (71.4%) received scores while the remaining were unscored. Two applications are currently pending scientific merit review. Two applications were withdrawn: one R36 was prior to the scientific merit review because the student was accepted to the NIH Graduate Partnership Program, and one F31 NRSA received a score in the fundable range but was withdrawn prior to the advisory council round because the student was on track to graduate shortly after the grant would be funded.

Number and Status of Grant Submissions by Participants, Workshop Years 2014–2018

Note: NIH = National Institutes of Health; NRSA = National Research Service Award; AHRQ = Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

Project Implementation

To date, 12 PhD students who wrote and submitted grants applications as part of the writing workshop have completed the PhD program; nine (75%) conducted the dissertation project proposed in their grants, five (55.6%) of which received external funding. Of the three PhD students who did not conduct the dissertation project proposed in their grant application, one opted to withdraw her application from consideration when she instead received an NIH Graduate Partnership Program award on a different topic. Another was a diversity supplement to her faculty mentor’s R01; when it was not funded, the student opted to conduct a more independent project. The third project not conducted was later deemed unfeasible for several logistic reasons, and the student, in collaboration with faculty mentors, revised the dissertation research plan.

Time to PhD Program Completion

Over the past five years, average time from PhD program entry to completion has been 3.5 ± 0.8 years. The average time decreased from 4.2 ± 1.1 years for those entering the program in fall 2011 to 3.1 ± 0.4 years for those entering the program in 2014 – the year curricular changes were implemented to support feasibility of a more accelerated time to graduation, which included the grant writing workshop. Figure 3 presents the time (in years) from PhD program entry to completion for students who participated in the workshop with no differences in time to program completion for those students who completed and submitted a grant application (n=8) compared to those who did not (n=8) (p=0.06).

Time from PhD Program Entry to Completion, 2014–2018 Grant Writing Workshop Cohorts. Note: 2014 workshop attended by one second year PhD student

The Doctoral Student Federal Grant Writing Workshop has been a value-added adjunct to the PhD program curriculum. Participant evaluations have overwhelmingly indicated that the workshop is a valuable use of their time, and they would recommend the workshop to peers. The workshop not only supports PhD students in their dissertation research but also provides them with best practices in grantsmanship such as promoting interaction with funding agency program officers. Participants are more confident about their grant writing abilities after the workshop and are more likely to submit a grant application as a result. The workshop also provides a forum for student exposure to the institutional infrastructure needed for successful grant submissions, something they may take into consideration in future searches for faculty positions.

Early in the workshop, the highly competitive funding climate is emphasized, and students are told the majority of applications will not be funded. Indeed, data on fiscal year 2017 funding rates for F31 NRSA applications submitted to the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) indicate a success rate of 40.0% ( National Institutes of Health Office of Extramural Research, 2018 ). Therefore, it is critical to highlight the multiple short- and long-term benefits for students participating in the workshop regardless of whether their submitted grant is subsequently funded. The most important benefit is that the workshop serves as an opportunity to jump-start development, refinement, or crystallization of dissertation research ideas at the end of the first year in the program to help inform students’ research trajectories during the remaining two years. For those who opt to write an F31, R36, or other grant application as a result of the workshop, this activity can fulfill the program’s three-credit summer research practicum requirement with the grant application being the deliverable product for the course, creating a distinct incentive for students. While financial benefits from school’s perspective are also possible as the PhD students may enroll in additional tuition-earning elective coursework as part of their fellowship to support their training plan, the main benefits to the school are non-financial; for example, supporting the PhD students to excel and to some extent improve the school’s ranking in NIH funding.

Even if a student chooses either not to write or is not eligible (e.g., international students) to write a federal grant after the workshop, they have been exposed to basic grant writing strategies which are broadly applicable to other types of non-federal grant writing (e.g., foundation grants) and their dissertation proposal. Skills learned and practiced during the workshop become an asset for a career as an independent researcher, leaving the graduate student better poised for success in subsequent years. Finally, sharing of research ideas among peers that occurs during the workshop models expectations as future faculty members working collaboratively and providing critical reviews to colleagues.

While the benefits are significant, there have been multiple challenges to implementation of the workshop, the biggest of which is the feasibility of funding within an accelerated program. Over the past five years, on average, time from program entry to completion for PhD students has been three and one-half years. Because of the timing of the standard NIH due dates, review dates, and funding cycles (see https://grants.nih.gov/grants/how-to-apply-application-guide/due-dates-and-submission-policies/due-dates.htm ), the earliest start date for a funded F31 NRSA is at least nine months after submission; for an AHRQ R36, the time frame is at least eight months. Students typically submit their first applications 15–18 months into the program, and for applications funded on the first submission, this leaves approximately one year to conduct the project for those on track to graduate in three years. Since most applications are not funded on the first submission, the only option for resubmission is if the student elects to extend their time in the program, a delay that carries significant consequences. To counteract these drawbacks, emphasis is placed on work achieved toward the dissertation, and therefore time and effort spent is not wasted. In fact, it is notable that the average time to program completion and graduation for these cohorts has not increased since implementation of the workshop; this suggests that the added time commitment required for writing a grant application during the PhD program does not decrease efficiency in the dissertation process.

Scheduling the workshop can be difficult; it is consistently a challenge to fit a three half-day workshop into already busy faculty and student schedules. We find that planning and scheduling the workshop needs to begin six months in advance to ensure the highest participant and mentor availability and turnout. Although our workshops have historically been held face-to-face to better facilitate interaction, foster learning, and create a ‘community’ for students who decide to move forward with an application, an option to overcome scheduling difficulties would be to allow remote participation. Some of the more robust video conferencing tools with paid subscriptions include Zoom, GoToMeeting™, and Webex™, but others are available free of charge (e.g., Skype, Join.me). Using such technologies, the workshop would be feasible for PhD programs offered by distance learning, and supplemental, online group activities could be added to enhance the workshop for remote participants. Another challenge is that non-citizens are ineligible to apply for most federal awards, including F31s and R36s. To counter this, we tailor workshop material based upon anticipated participants, including sessions on funding opportunities from foundations and professional organizations available to non-citizens. Finally, an important administrative challenge is that application instructions and packages frequently change, and it is time consuming yet essential to review and update all workshop materials annually to ensure accuracy of the information being presented so students utilize the proper forms and follow the appropriate guidance in their grant preparation.

While a well-organized workshop provides a foundation to foster successful grant applications, students do not develop or write F31 and R36 applications in isolation. During this process, the time and effort of research administrative staff, the institutional commitment for allocation of resources, and the contributions of faculty members cannot be underestimated. We are fortunate to have the infrastructure in place to offer training opportunities beyond coursework to our PhD students, and we realize other PhD programs in schools of nursing may not have this advantage. For schools lacking administrative support for such a workshop, we hope that dissemination of our outcomes will serve as a segue for schools to engage in dialogue with leadership to consider an investment in the necessary resources.

The also workshop relies heavily on the involvement and support of faculty mentors in all phases of their students’ writing. The importance of this support is evidenced by findings of a recent survey study which reported that the most influential factor contributing to a school of nursing PhD program not adopting a manuscript option dissertation format is a lack of PhD faculty support ( Graves et al., 2018 ). Thus, the robust commitment and significant time provided by our PhD faculty to their students participating the workshop has been highly influential in its effectiveness. Indeed, mentors spend considerable time working with their students prior to the workshop by refining research questions; during the workshop by providing support and attending the mentor session; and after the workshop by guiding grant development and aiding in the necessary writing and re-writing to enhance the application’s competitiveness. In fact, in a prior examination of time and costs of grant writing ( Kulage et al., 2015 ), it was estimated that 38 hours of administrative staff time was devoted to one F31 NRSA application, a time commitment similar to that of R01 applications. While faculty mentor time was not formally tracked in that study for feasibility reasons, mentor time allocation is likely similar or perhaps even greater. Without that, a student cannot be successful in grant writing regardless of participation in a workshop. In addition, faculty effort spent in the workshop is not calculated as part of designated teaching effort; rather, school leadership views such non-revenue-generating educational activities as part of a faculty member’s mentorship responsibilities. By promoting a culture that recognizes the importance of training and development opportunities for PhD students outside the traditional classroom setting, we have not encountered challenges with faculty participation. Finally, we are fortunate that most, if not all, of our current PhD faculty have grant writing experience and most have federally funded projects - many schools that have PhD programs do not. Schools of nursing need to consider these issues when planning to embark on the student grant writing journey.

In summary, careful consideration of timing and mentor participation are key to workshop success. Regardless of whether formal grant applications are completed and submitted as a product of the workshop, the work performed during the workshop not only launches the dissertation writing process, but also serves as an important pathway for efficient completion of PhD requirements for students. We recommend that schools of nursing implement federal grant writing workshops to expand the scholarly productivity of their PhD students and support their dissertation work.

We created a federal grant writing workshop in a nursing PhD program.

Seventeen of 29 PhD students have submitted 21 applications; five have been funded.

The workshop efficiently supports nursing PhD students in dissertation research.

Nursing schools should consider implementing a PhD program grant writing workshop.

Acknowledgments

Funding: This work was supported by the National Institute of Nursing Research of the National Institutes of Health [Comparative and Cost-Effectiveness Research Training for Nurse Scientists, T32 NR014205].

Appendix 1. Doctoral Student Federal Grant Writing Workshop Preliminary Assignment Worksheet

PhD Student Name: _________________________________

Mentor Name: _________________________________

Provide the broad topic of your research (i.e., what are you focusing on?):

Provide 3 reasons why this research topic is important (2–3 sentences for each):

Provide evidence from the literature to support the importance of the topic (list 5 references):

Appendix 2. Doctoral Student Federal Grant Writing Workshop Follow-up Meeting #1 Assignment Worksheet

Applicant Name: _________________________________

Grant Mechanism: _____ F31 _____ R36 _____ Other (Specify: ________________)

Target NIH Institution (for F31 only): __________________________________________

Application Title:

Briefly describe how your project aligns with the priorities of the funding institution (e.g., NIH/NINR, AHRQ):

Co-Mentor(s):

Provide brief rationale for choice of co-mentor(s):

Provide name, affiliation, and brief rationale for 3 references (for F31 only):

Affiliation:

Name at least 2 additional courses you would propose taking during your fellowship:

Provide names of 3 potential SOAR Session Reviewers (Note: These should not be mentors, co-mentor(s), or reference; can be faculty outside the School of Nursing):

List 3 ways in which you would support the Significance of your proposed project:

List 1 way in which your proposed project is Innovative:

Name/describe/draw the conceptual model that will guide your project:

Provide your proposed Specific Aims (bulleted list only):

Attach a draft of your NIH Biosketch

Note: SOAR = Specific Objectives and Aims Review; NIH = National Institutes of Health; NINR = National Institute of Nursing Research; AHRQ = Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

Appendix 3. Doctoral Student Federal Grant Writing Workshop Follow-up Meeting #2 Worksheet – Guidance for SOAR Sessions

As you read your peers’ Specific Aims documents, please consider the follow points as guidance for each SOAR Session, identifying areas in which the applicant could strengthen their presentation of their aims. You are welcome to write out answers and suggestions and given them to your peers, but you are not required to.

Principal Investigator: __________________________________

Peer Reviewer: __________________________________

• Does the PI effectively ‘set the big picture’ or identify the central challenge in the field of study that needs to be solved?
• Does the PI describe what has been done or is currently being done in the field to solve the problem / address the issue?
• Does the PI identify the ‘gap’ in the field that the study is intended to fill?
• Does the PI detail how their study will address this gap?
• Does the PI explain why they/their mentor(s)/co-mentor(s) are well-suited to conduct this study?
• Does the PI present a single ‘goal’ or ‘objective’ statement that their specific aims are intended to accomplish?
• Do the specific aims indicate ‘how’ they will accomplish their overall ‘goal’ or ‘objective’?
• Are the specific aims actionable, credible, feasible, and realistic?
• Does the PI specify what will potentially change or improve in the field if the study is successful?
• Does the PI address how/why the topic of study is fits within the mission of the funding institute or organization?

Note: SOAR = Specific Objectives and Aims Review; PI = Principal Investigator

Conflicts of Interest: The authors claim no conflicts of interest.

Contributor Information

Kristine M. Kulage, Columbia University School of Nursing, New York, NY.

Patricia W. Stone, Columbia University School of Nursing, New York, NY.

Arlene M. Smaldone, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, Columbia University School of Nursing, New York, NY.

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Nursing student dissertation: why do it and how to manage it

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Integrated sessions: Nursing: Your dissertation template

• Social media for PGRs
• Physician Associates - Writing at level 7
• Modern Researcher
• Presenting with Style & Graphics
• Communication Methods: Establish Media, New Media, Social Media and Your Research
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• Using EndNote: Building a library and citing in Microsoft Word
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• Mastering your use of Word
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• Read this: Don’t be Tricked Online - Phishing
• Read this: Digital wellbeing - Accessibility for all
• Watch this: Using visuals in your work
• Personalising Windows, using shortcuts and managing multiple screens
• Nursing: Your dissertation template
• Read this: Fake news
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Your dissertation template

A template is provided to use for your dissertation. We recommend you use this as soon as you start any writing  rather than trying to apply it afterwards. As well as showing you the structure for your dissertation, it has built in styles than can help you format it as required for a long academic document.

Scroll down the page to find videos to help you with using the template.

Downloading the template

The template for your dissertation is provided here:

Nursing Dissertation Template

This includes a pre-created PRISMA flow diagram (just add the numbers) and the NMC template for Part B. If you are not using this format for Part B then you will of course need to delete/amend this.

Just click on either the link above or the image on the right to download the template. It will usually be automatically saved into your 'downloads' folder. We recommend moving it from there to a dedicated folder where you keep everything for your dissertation.

Important note:

You do not need to alter any of the fonts in the template, they have been approved by your faculty. Please ignore any advice that you see elsewhere about using alternative fonts.

Videos showing you how to use the template

The Skills Team have provided three videos which show you how to use the template. These are:

• An introduction to the template - including filling the title page
• Using the built-in styles and updating the table of contents
• Adding labels to your tables and figures and updating the lists of these

There are also some other videos that support using the generic university template (rather than the Nursing one specifically) that may be useful to some of you. These include using the cross-referencing tool and inserting landscape documents. You can find these videos on the Skills Team's  Undergraduate Dissertation Video Workshop page. Not all of you will find these useful however, so they are not included here.

An introduction to the template

Using styles and updating table of contents

Labelling your figures and tables

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We have a range of online resources to help plan, write and finish your dissertation. Although this is aimed primarily at 3rd Year Undergraduates and Postgraduate Taught students, it contains information that can be useful to Postgraduate Research Students.

• Sage Research Methods (Library Database) Provides a range of useful tools including a Project Planner, which breaks down each stage of your research from defining your topic, reviewing the literature to summarising and writing up.
• Literature Reviews Checklist - Handout
• Components of a Dissertation (document) A useful guide to the central components of a dissertation. By the end you should be able to: --Understand the core elements that should be in your dissertation --Understand the structure and progression of a strong dissertation
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Nursing Dissertation Topics Ideas & Examples

Published by Alvin Nicolas at January 10th, 2023 , Revised On May 8, 2024

Choosing an appropriate nursing dissertation topic is an extremely important step toward producing an exciting and manageable research study. This post aims to help medicine and nursing students select the most appropriate dissertation title according to their research interests.

It should be noted that the subject of nursing encompasses various areas of knowledge, including but not limited to general nursing, community nursing, public health , environmental health, mental health, clinical management, health organization, and occupational health and safety.

So there is plenty to whet your appetite here. Nursing dissertations can be based on either primary research or secondary research. Primary data nursing dissertations incorporate the collection and analysis of data obtained through questionnaires and surveys. Secondary data nursing dissertations, on the other hand, make use of existing literature to test the  research hypothesis .

To help you get started with brainstorming for medicine and nursing topic ideas, we have developed a list of the latest nursing dissertation topics that can be used for writing your dissertation.

These topics have been developed by PhD-qualified writers of our team , so you can trust to use these topics for drafting your dissertation.

You may also want to start your dissertation by requesting  a brief research proposal  from our writers on any of these topics, which includes an  introduction  to the problem,  research questions , aim and objectives ,  literature review  along with the proposed  methodology  of research to be conducted.  Let us know  if you need any help in getting started.

Check our  example dissertations  to get an idea of  how to structure your dissertation .

You can review step by step guide on how to write your dissertation  here.

View our free dissertation topics database.

• Evidence-based Practice Nursing Dissertation Topics
• Child Health Nursing Dissertation Topics
• Adult Nursing Dissertation Topics
• Critical Care Nursing Dissertation Topics
• Dementia Nursing Dissertation Topics

Midwifery Dissertation Topics

• Palliative Care Nursing Dissertation Topics
• Mental Health Nursing Dissertation Topics
• Coronavirus (COVID-19) Nursing Dissertation Topics

2024 Nursing Dissertation Topics

Topic 1: assessing the parental perceptions and attitude towards the adoption of healthy behaviour patterns to control obesity and overweight concerns in young children..

Research Aim: This study aims to analyse the parent’s perceptions and attitudes in relation to healthy behaviours practises to control obesity and overweight disorders in young children. It will also focus on the obstacles parents or caregivers experience when it comes to obesity control in young children.

Topic 2: Investigating the importance of community nursing for the care of Old People suffering from Dementia- A case study of the UK.

Research Aim: This study aims to find the usefulness of nursing practise for the care of people suffering from dementia. This will also focus on how trained nurses are very professional in providing information and support to the people suffering from dementia so that they can prepare themselves to live their life well with dementia. This study will conduct a systematic review of published literature to find the potential roles of nurses in taking care of people living with dementia. Furthermore, it will also look at various characteristics and effectiveness of nurse interventions.

Topic 3: Assessing the role of midwives in providing medical services to pregnant women in low-income countries.

Research Aim: Midwives are health professionals who are specialised in taking care of pregnant women and newborn health. Women living In low-income countries are far less to get midwifery care, and it is very challenging for them to face this situation. The aim of this study is to find the role of midwives in providing medical services to pregnant women in low-income countries. Furthermore, this study will also look at the challenges and factors in getting midwifery care for women faced with low income.

Topic 4: Examining the mental health of nurses working in ICU.

Research Aim: Nurses working in critical care had significantly higher rates of emotional discomfort and poor health than other nurses, which has a negative impact on their mental health. However, it is unknown how intensive care nurses’ physical health impacts the frequency of medical mistakes. This study will examine the mental health of nurses working in ICU and how it affects their work and causes medical errors. Furthermore, it will also analyse the perception of nurses working in ICU.

Topic 5: Examing nursing practices during the stages of newborn development – A comparative study between the UK and US.

Research Aim: This study’s primary goal is to compare nursing staff practises during the stages of newborn development in the US and UK. This study will compare the effects of nurses’ care practises and will look at the challenges that occur during this process and how they handle these challenges.

Covid-19 Medicine and Nursing Research Topics

Topic 1: research to identify the training resources of nurses to combat the covid-19 pandemic.

Research Aim: Nursing staff plays a vital role in treating and recovering patients from illness. This study will identify the training programs and resources designed for nursing staff to combat the Coronavirus pandemic.

Topic 2: Research to find whether robotic nurses will be a long-lasting solution to treat the patients of Coronavirus.

Research Aim: Medical teams across the globe have been on their toes to combat coronavirus, and substantial human resources have also been invested in overcoming this crisis. This study will focus on collecting information about the idea of using robotic nurses to treat patients of Covid-19. It will reveal the advantages and disadvantages of using robotic nurses.

Topic 3: Research to analyse the risk of nurses getting affected while treating Covid-19 patients

Research Aim: This study will focus on analysing the risks faced by nurses and the medical team. It will discuss the safety measures adopted to protect the medical staff, the challenges they face, and appropriate solutions to minimise them.

Topic 4: Research to identify the impacts of Coronavirus on pharmaceutical industries

Research Aim: This study will focus on identifying the impacts of coronavirus on pharmaceutical industries, production, and supply of medicines. It will discuss the possible ways to combat COVID-19.

Topic 5: Research to know the contributions of pharmaceutical industries to combat Covid-19

Research Aim: This study will focus on identifying the contributions of pharmaceutical industries to combat Covid-19. Did COVID-19 increase the business of pharmaceutical sectors?

More Coronavirus and Nursing Dissertation Topics

• Coronavirus research: Keys to diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of SARS.
• Investigating the nurses in Australia issue plea to stop violence, theft of sanitizer and masks.
• To study and analyse the emergency Coronavirus guidelines for nurses and medical staff across the globe with a particular focus on the USA and the UK.
• Coronavirus in nursing homes: ‘We are going to see deaths’ – A case study of the UK nursing homes
• Why are nursing homes at risk during the Coronavirus pandemic? – Case study of any European state
• How nurses and medical staff can help parents and children cope with the mental issues and uncertainly in the midst of coronavirus crisis
• To devise strategies to combat testing and prevention kits in hard-hit nursing homes.
• How coronavirus has the potential to lead shortage of nurses and doctors across the globe?

Nursing and Medicine Dissertation Topics for 2023

Topic 1: impact of coronavirus on the pharmaceutical industry.

Research Aim: This research aims to identify the impact of Coronavirus on the pharmaceutical industry.

Topic 2: The role and impact of occupational safety and health in medical clinics

Research Aim: This research aims to measure the impact of occupational safety and health in medical clinics.

Topic 3: Increasing work pressure and occupational health concerns

Research Aim: This research aims to address increasing work pressure and occupational health concerns during a pandemic.

Topic 4: How researchers’ nurses may enhance the operation of clinical research?

Research Aim: The quality improvement of the performance of health care includes scientific study. The research team from the place where there was a shortage of research has established a steadily growing spectrum of testing within the Bradford Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust. In this research, the main emphasis would be on the key role of research nurses.

Topic 15: Developing effective nursing strategies for dealing with patients possessing acute and chronic pain: A case study of NHS

Research Aim: The concept of nursing has evolved since recent times. Many health care institutions have developed effective strategies to increase nursing efficiency. Therefore, the main purpose of the research is to develop effective nursing strategies for dealing with patients possessing acute and chronic pain by analysing the case study of the NHS.

Topic 6: Critical analysis of community nursing and health care needs: A comparative analysis of UK and USA

Research Aim: Nursing and health care needs have a direct and positive relationship. The main purpose of this research is to conduct a critical analysis of community and health care needs. This research will compare the UK and USA nursing practices and provide recommendations to improve the existing strategy.

Topic 7: Analysing the societal acceptance of Marijuana: The case of developing countries

Research Aim: The purpose of this study is to contemplate upon the key benefits that the use of Marijuana, within a medicinal capacity, has. Ideally, in developing countries, the use of marijuana is considered “Taboo” or unacceptable by the members of the community/society. Hence, the study intends to analyze the societal acceptance of Marijuana within developing countries.

Topic 8: Developing effective nursing strategies for dealing with patients suffering Coronavirus disease: A case study of NHS

Research Aim: The coronavirus has taken the world by storm, infecting millions in nearly 200 countries. Many health care institutions have developed strategies to increase nursing efficiency. Therefore, the main purpose of the research is to identify effective nursing strategies for dealing with patients possessing coronavirus by analysing the case study of NHS.

Topic 9: Coronavirus research: Keys to diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of SARS

Research Aim: This research will discuss the basic life cycle and replication of the well-studied coronavirus, mouse hepatitis virus (MHV), identifying the unique characteristics of coronavirus biology and highlighting critical points where research has made significant advances, and which might represent targets for antivirals or vaccines. Areas where rapid progress has been made in SCV research, will be described. Finally, areas of need for research in coronavirus replication, genetics, and pathogenesis will be summarised.

Mental Health Dissertation Topics

• Investigating the effectiveness of psychiatric treatment and medicine for patients suffering schizophrenia – A qualitative study based on UK mental health nurses and patients
• Exploring the legal aspects of mental health research in the UK
• To study and determine the causes to increasing number of suicides in the urban youth population in the developing world
• The role of socioeconomic backgrounds on the mental health of individuals
• Investigating the impact of early maternal mental illness on children
• Parents with serious mental health problems from the perspective of professionals who offer support
• Treatment of mental health difficulties by combining psychological and complementary therapies
• To perform an interpretative phenomenological analysis to treat older people with long term mental health difficulties
• To identify the barriers and risks associated with personalization within the context of mental illness
• To explore mental illness by conducting a biographical narrative study
• Deconstructing mental health difficulties: A critical enquiry into the views and opinions of professionals dealing with families, parents, and children

How Can ResearchProspect Help?

ResearchProspect writers can send several custom topic ideas to your email address. Once you have chosen a topic that suits your needs and interests, you can order for our dissertation outline service which will include a brief introduction to the topic, research questions , literature review , methodology , expected results , and conclusion . The dissertation outline will enable you to review the quality of our work before placing the order for our full dissertation writing service!

Occupational Health and Safety Nursing Dissertation Topics

• To investigate occupational health and safety risks in the UK health care sector: Preventive techniques and recommended practices
• A quantitative study to evaluate the understanding and knowledge nurses have of occupational risks in an operating theatre environment
• To investigate the impact of occupational safety and health on the job performance of nurses
• To identify and discuss factors affecting the practice of occupational health nursing in London
• The role and impact of occupational safety and health in medical clinics
• To identify and discuss key occupational safety and health risks, challenges, and concerns in China
• Workplace health management and the role of occupational health nurses
• Increasing work pressure and occupational health concerns
• Occupational safety and health risks and practices among Filipino nurses
• Adopting a multi-climate approach to address patient safety issues in the nursing work environment
• To assess and understand occupational risks and nursing duties from an ergo logical perspective
• The need to realise the increasing importance of occupational safety and health issues in industrialised societies

“ Complete  this short online form  and provide as much information as possible to receive instant quotes from our writers specialising in your area of research . “

Environmental Health Dissertation Topics

• Improving awareness on environmental health issues by encouraging community participation
• To identify and analyse various environmental health concerns in the health care sector
• To determine the possibility of food poisoning and foot-related illness in urban regions from the perspective of environmental health
• Constrained ordinal models with application in occupational and environmental health
• To examine the impact of secondhand smoke on public health with particular focus on the relevant control strategies
• An investigation into the attitudes of bar staff workers to environmental tobacco smoke and the varying provision of smoke-free areas within public houses
• To study and understand the impact of traffic calming procedures on local air quality
• Investigating how reusable cleaning cloths can help to reduce cross-contamination within the food industry
• Analysing older driver behaviour and road safety
• To review public health nurses’ opinions on environmental hazards and health effects
• Disposing toxic wastes from the perspective of environmental health
• Recommended sanitary hygiene practices for developing countries – A quantitative study
• A qualitative study to address arsenic and lead poisoning issues

Related:  Environmental Engineering Dissertation Topics

Also Read This:   Occupational And Environmental Health Thesis And Dissertations

Evidence-Based Practice Dissertation Topics

• To identify and discuss evidence-based practices that enable nurses to provide high-quality care
• Use of evidence and knowledge management in clinical practice
• How the health care needs of elderly cancer patients can be satisfied with evidence-based nursing programme
• Investigating the use of evidence-based medicine for disease management
• To study the effectiveness of evidence-based practice in the health care industry
• To investigate the relationship between evidence-based practice and the research process
• To study the basic principles of evidence-based practice in the UK health care industry
• Why is it critical for nurses to base the foundation of their practices on reliable evidence?
• Barriers to implementing evidence-based practice and the strategies/organisations used to avoid these barriers
• The role of ethics and leadership in evidence-based nursing practice

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Health Organisations Dissertation Topics

• The Highest Attainable Standard: The World Health Organisation, Contentious Politics of Human Rights and the global health governance
• Factors contributing to efficient service delivery – A qualitative study on the implementation of health policies in Argentina
• Integrating technology, process and the people in lean healthcare
• Should World Health Organisation do more to satisfy the health care needs of people in the developing world? – The current programmes and future ambitions
• An investigation in the health care plans and associated costs of countries across the globe
• To study strategic management policies and strategies of World Health Organisation
• Investigating the power, culture, and dynamics of National Health Service in the UK
• Factors influencing the healthcare policies of new health organisations
• The extent of NHS focus on providing services to elderly
• Research trends and directions within the World Health Organisation
• Exploring practices and experiences of midwives in regards to the evaluation of maternal postnatal genital tract health
• Investigating midwifery practice in the third stage of labour
• To study the professional care in midwifery practice with a focus on woman centered-care
• To determine the factors contributing to midwives decision to stay in midwifery
• How do midwives perceive normal birth and how their ability to practice and support normality might be influenced by the professional and organisational culture of a maternity unit?
• A feminist technoscience perspective of the midwife’s role
• To investigate the challenges associated with carrying out a water-birth randomised controlled trial
• To what extend do midwives can facilitate informed choices among pregnant women?
• To identify and discuss the factors influencing the competence of midwives in a clinical setting
• The role of midwifery in relation to health risks to women due to postpartum depression

Community Nursing Dissertation Topics

• The impact of community participation on social inclusion, self-perception, and everyday lives of participants
• Quality of life, good practices, and senior citizens in residential care homes
• To investigate the impact of existing welfare ideologies and policies on the elderly in Leicestershire
• To what extent the community care has met the needs of the elderly with mental health difficulties after being discharged from long-stay psychiatric clinics? – A review of literature from the past 10 years
• Exploring the relationship between ethnicity and community nursing facilities in London
• Obesity awareness and prevention: Can food labelling help to deal with obesity problems in the USA?
• The role of community nursing practice in relation to health promotion
• Recommended practices and policies to ensure high-quality community nursing services to pregnant women
• Health care needs of children and the community nursing service in Leicestershire
• Factors affecting the quality of life of older people – A review of community nursing practices and challenges

Children Health Nursing Dissertation Topics

• Improving, recording, and perceiving school children’s health from the perspective of school health nursing
• Critical evaluation of child health nursing through education and practice
• Identifying challenges and support processes of child health nursing in developing countries
• To investigate the skills and abilities required to promote and sustain the emerging practice of child health nursing
• Leadership and intellectual skills are needed to be successful in positions of leadership and caring for children
• Caring for young people and children with complicated health needs
• To explore the effects of child patient death on nursing staff in a clinical setting: A literature review
• To understand children’s perspectives on community nursing
• To identify factors that can help to improve breastfeeding initiation practices among community nurses in the UK
• Children with congenital heart diseases and the role of parents – A literature review

Related:  Top QA on Children Health Nursing

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Clinical Management Dissertation Topics

• Clinical governance strategies and practices at National Health Services
• Hospitalised patients with diabetes and clinical decision support systems
• Developing optimum strategies for management of patients in adult intensive care units
• Clinical management of patients with prostate cancer – The risks and challenges
• Effectively managing elderly patients in a clinical setting
• Optimal management plan for patients with post-traumatic stress issues
• Use of advanced technology tools to improve clinical management efficiency
• To study various management strategies in surgical cases

Important Notes

As a student of medicine and nursing looking to get good grades, it is essential to develop new ideas and experiment with existing medicine and nursing theories – i.e., to add value and interest in the topic of your research.

The field of medicine and nursing is vast and interrelated to so many other academic disciplines like civil engineering ,  construction ,  law ,  healthcare , mental health , artificial intelligence , tourism , physiotherapy , sociology , management , marketing, cryptocurrencies and architecture . That is why it is imperative to create a project management dissertation topic that is articular, sound, and actually solves a practical problem that may be rampant in the field.

We can’t stress how important it is to develop a logical research topic; it is the basis of your entire research. There are several significant downfalls to getting your topic wrong; your supervisor may not be interested in working on it, the topic has no academic creditability, the research may not make logical sense, and there is a possibility that the study is not viable.

This impacts your time and efforts in  writing your dissertation  as you may end up in the cycle of rejection at the very initial stage of the dissertation. That is why we recommend reviewing existing research to develop a topic, taking advice from your supervisor, and even asking for help in this particular stage of your dissertation.

While developing a research topic, keeping our advice in mind will allow you to pick one of the best medicine and nursing dissertation topics that fulfil your requirement of writing a research paper and add to the body of knowledge.

Therefore, it is recommended that when finalizing your dissertation topic, you read recently published literature to identify gaps in the research that you may help fill.

Remember- dissertation topics need to be unique, solve an identified problem, be logical, and be practically implemented. Take a look at some of our sample medicine and nursing dissertation topics to get an idea for your own dissertation.

How to Structure your Dissertation on Medicine and Nursing

A well-structured   dissertation can help students   to achieve a high overall academic grade.

• A Title Page
• Acknowledgements
• Declaration
• Abstract: A summary of the research completed
• Table of Contents
• Introduction : This chapter includes the project rationale, research background, key research aims and objectives, and the research problems to be addressed. An outline of the structure of a dissertation  can also be added to this chapter.
• Literature Review :  This chapter presents relevant theories and frameworks by analysing published and unpublished literature available on the chosen research topic, in light of  research questions  to be addressed. The purpose is to highlight and discuss the relative weaknesses and strengths of the selected research area whilst identifying any research gaps. Break down of the topic, and key terms can have a positive impact on your dissertation and your tutor.
• Methodology:  The  data collection  and  analysis  methods and techniques employed by the researcher are presented in the Methodology chapter which usually includes  research design,  research philosophy, research limitations, code of conduct, ethical consideration, data collection methods and  data analysis strategy .
• Findings and Analysis:  Findings of the research are analysed in detail under the Findings and Analysis chapter. All key findings/results are outlined in this chapter without interpreting the data or drawing any conclusions. It can be useful to include  graphs ,  charts and  tables  to this chapter to identify meaningful trends and relationships.
• Discussion  and  Conclusion: The researcher presents his interpretation of results in this chapter, and states whether the research hypothesis has been verified or not. An essential aspect of this section of the paper is to draw a linkage between the results and evidence from the literature. Recommendations with regards to implications of the findings and directions for the future may also be provided. Finally, a summary of the overall research, along with final judgments, opinions, and comments, must be included in the form of suggestions for improvement.
• References:  This should be completed in accordance with your University’s requirements
• Bibliography
• Appendices:  Any additional information, diagrams, graphs that were used to  complete the  dissertation  but not part of the dissertation should be included in the Appendices chapter. Essentially, the purpose is to expand the information/data.

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How Long Should A Nursing Dissertation Be?

Published by Alvin Nicolas at November 24th, 2022 , Revised On February 1, 2024

There is no definitive answer to the question of how long a nursing dissertation should be. Several factors combine to influence the length of a dissertation. A dissertation in the humanities and engineering is usually longer than in business and finance.

In most cases, it is recommended to follow the guidelines provided by your university to ensure your dissertation paper meets all the necessary criteria, including the length. Different schools and universities have specific goals and objectives, so it is important to read the handbook in detail to avoid any surprises later on.

Also, consider having a word with your assigned supervisor to see if they have any helpful insights and advice about the nursing dissertation project.

Make sure to follow the guidelines from the beginning to understand the requirements and expectations clearly, so it will be easier for you to structure your work and organise ideas.

The number of words for a nursing dissertation varies considerably depending on the research topic, educational organisation and level of education.

A typical dissertation in nursing follows the criteria listed below;

• An Undergraduate dissertation is usually between 8,000 and 15,000 words.
• A master’s dissertation is usually 12,000 to 50,000 words.
• A typical doctoral dissertation (PhD) varies between 70,000 and 100,000 words.

However, these are not fixed guidelines; you may have a word count that is more or less than these numbers, depending on your university’s criteria.

Also read: Nursing Dissertation Topics

1.1 An Undergraduate Nursing Dissertation

An undergraduate dissertation is a comprehensive piece of writing that combines original research and writing on a single topic. The topic is often chosen based on a student’s area of interest, typically finished in the final year of a Nursing degree programme. Compared to a conventional module, it enables the learner to go deeper into a specific subject. Such dissertations range in length from only 8,000 to 15,000 words.

1.1.1 How Long is an Undergraduate Nursing Dissertation

Topic selection: The topic for the dissertation must be chosen by the student at the end of their penultimate year of study. As it is difficult and risky to change the topic once you have started your studies, you should choose a topic that can sustain your interest over a more extended period.

Search For a Supervisor: The process for assigning supervisors at a university can be formal or as simple as a student approaching a faculty member they would like to work with. Before registering a desired area of research, it may be beneficial to contact potential supervisors as they may offer suggestions on improving your proposed topic and begin the research process.

Outline: At the beginning of the module for the UG nursing dissertation, you must prepare a short overview of the topic, not exceeding two to three pages. A full bibliography and chapter summary should also be included. By this time, you should have decided on a more focused part of your topic, which you should shape into a study title with the help of your supervisor.

Writing the Nursing Dissertation Paper . At this point, your research will focus on achieving your nursing dissertation objectives. It would help if you also started writing as soon as possible. Most nursing schools require students to deliver a short research proposal or an early draft at the end of the first semester.

Final Piece: When you have finished writing, you should have about five to six chapters, including an introduction, literature review, methodology, findings, discussion and a conclusion. You must follow the format according to the university’s requirements and make sure that you cite all your sources correctly.

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1.2 Master’s Nursing Dissertation Length

The length of a Master’s dissertation in nursing is longer than that of an undergraduate dissertation. It is usually between 12 000 and 50 000 words, although the course length, academic institution and country of nationality can significantly influence this figure. You will need to define and explore certain nursing aspects of your research to address your overall research topic.

A Master’s dissertation in nursing allows you to;

• Conduct more in-depth research on your topic than is possible at the undergraduate level.
• Organise your work effectively so that each part serves as a stage in a clear and compelling overall argument.
• Crate outline and fine-tune a suitable study approach between a qualitative and quantitative method.

1.2.1 How Long is a Masters Nursing Dissertation

As you might imagine, no two dissertations have the same format, especially considering that Nursing Master’s programmes vary from university to university and country to country.

However, the typical structure of a Master’s dissertation consists of a few essential elements.

Abstract: The abstract, usually around 300 words long, serves as a concise summary of your dissertation.

Introduction: In this chapter, you set out your aims and the scope of your study and provide the framework for the remaining chapters of your dissertation. The introduction, usually between 1,000 -2,500 words, sets up the problem, provides background information and establishes the precise aim and objectives of the research.

Literature Review: In the literature review chapter, the previously published literature on your topic is examined, and several arguments and counter-arguments are made. Sometimes the introduction is included in the literature review or follows directly after the introduction. Most literature reviews are between 3000 and 6000 words.

Research methods: This nursing dissertation chapter typically has a word count of between 1500- 2500 words.

Findings/outcomes: Here, you will present the findings of your work if your research involved a survey or experiment of some kind. This chapter contains between 4000-6000 words.

Discussion: The discussion makes up most of your dissertation and should be thoughtfully organised using several connected chapters. The length of this section will be determined by the total number of words in your dissertation.

Conclusion: Here, you should summarise the findings from the previous discussion chapters and present the conclusions of your thesis based on the data and rationale you have examined. The length of this part of the Master’s thesis is between 1 500 and 2000 words.

Citations and bibliography: You should keep a detailed, orderly list of all the works, references or books you have cited in planning and writing your dissertation.

Appendix: Many dissertations do not require appendices, but you may need to include additional information to support your arguments. This may be questionnaires or the transcripts of interviews.

You can expect a higher academic grade if your dissertation ticks the criterion. Regardless of the university, every student can find something they like about their field. Choose your area of interest, check that you meet the specific guidelines, and you’re done!

1.3 PhD Nursing Dissertation Length

It is essential to plan your PHD nursing dissertation before you start writing. A PhD student should know how to divide their time and energy between many parts of the dissertation. Also, some things need to be written first and cannot be written last, and the reverse is also true. Therefore, sound planning is essential.

1.3.1 How Long is a PhD Nursing Dissertation?

Abstract: The abstract, which should be written last, is the first section of the actual dissertation. It briefly describes the study conducted, explaining the aims and results to the reader. There is usually a strict word limit of 200 to 300 words.

Introduction: The introduction chapter highlights the relevance and importance of the research as well as the historical context. The main challenge is highlighting problems and knowledge gaps while developing substantial research questions. The average length of a thesis introduction is about 15-20 pages, as the introduction usually accounts for 10% of the total word count.

Literature Review: The literature review aims to present the results of previous studies. It serves as a starting point for your further work. It is important to consider all aspects. This chapter is, on average, 30 to 40 pages long.

Methodology: The next step is to describe the strategy and the research methods for the nursing dissertation you chose for your research. You need to describe each one and explain why you are using it. Expect to write about 15-20 pages.

Findings: The research results should then be presented. Each result must be relevant and linked back to the objectives. The findings chapter is 10 and 15 % of the total word count.

Discussion: The results, their implications and the limitations of the research should be interpreted next. This is the most critical aspect of the thesis. It accounts for about 30-40% of the total word count. How much time should be spent on completing a dissertation?

Conclusion/Recommendations: The conclusion should summarise the whole study. It takes between 5 and 7 percent of the total word count.

Still, despite these standard rules, each institute has its own set of rules. You’re to be informed on the minimal and maximal word count permitted, which will assist you significantly.

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What should be the length of a nursing dissertation?

Typically, a nursing dissertation is of the following length. 

For Undergraduate nursing dissertation: 8000 to 15000 words  

For master nursing dissertation: 12000 to 15000 words

For PhD nursing dissertation: 70000 to 100000 words  

However, this is just the average number. The number of words required to write an impeccable nursing dissertation depends on various factors, including the research topic. Level of study and the institution etc. 

How much time is required to complete a nursing dissertation?

Generally, a nursing dissertation may take anywhere from several months to a year or more to complete, with most students spending between 6-12 months on their dissertation. However, some students may be able to complete their dissertations in less time, while others may require more time.

The amount of time required to complete a nursing dissertation can vary depending on several factors, including the complexity of the research topic, the availability of research materials, the research methods used, and the student’s individual research and writing abilities.

How long is a Master's nursing dissertation?

A Masters’s nursing dissertation is usually between 12000 and 15000 words. The number of words is influenced by your institution’s requirements and study level etc. a master’s nursing dissertation is longer than the undergraduate as it requires in-depth research and organisation. 

The average length of the different chapters in a nursing dissertation is:

• Abstract – Around 300 words
• Introduction: Around 1000 to 2500 words 
• Literature Review: Between 3000 to 6000 words 
• Research Methods: 1500 to 2500 words 
• Findings: 4000 to 6000 words 
• Conclusion: 1500 to 2000 words

How long is an undergraduate nursing dissertation?

On average, an undergraduate nursing dissertation is between 8000 to 15000 words. On the undergraduate level, a nursing dissertation is written at the end of the degree program. It enables readers to get in-depth knowledge on the topic.

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Start writing the results section of your dissertation when your research data has been gathered and analysed. The results section of a dissertation or thesis can be the most engagingand difficult to write.

After you have finished writing the main body of your dissertation or thesis, you must worry about coming to your conclusions. The final chapter of your thesis or dissertation is the conclusion.

The thesis or dissertation introduction is positioned immediately after the glossary or the table of contents if the front matter does not include the glossary.

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Nursing homes wield pandemic immunity laws to duck wrongful death suits

Some families who lost loved ones say they were misled about safety

This is a KFF Health News story.

In early 2020, with reports of COVID-19 outbreaks making dire headlines, Trever Schapers worried about her father's safety in a nursing home in Queens.

She had delighted in watching her dad, John Schapers, blow out the candles on his 90th birthday cake that February at the West Lawrence Care Center in the New York City borough. Then the home went into lockdown.

Soon her father was dead. The former union painter spiked a fever and was transferred to a hospital, where he tested positive for COVID, his daughter said, and after two weeks on a ventilator, he died in May 2020.

But when Trever Schapers sued the nursing home for negligence and wrongful death in 2022, a judge dismissed the case, citing a New York state law hastily passed early in the pandemic. It granted immunity to medical providers for "harm or damages" from an "act or omission" in treating or arranging care for COVID. She is appealing the decision.

MORE: Number of NY nursing home residents lost to COVID-19 underreported by up to 50%, probe says

"I feel that families are being ignored by judges and courts not recognizing that something needs to be done and changed," said Schapers, 48, who works in the medical field. "There needs to be accountability."

The nursing home did not return calls seeking comment. In a court filing, the home argued that Schapers offered no evidence that the home was "grossly negligent" in treating her father.

More than four years after COVID first raged through many U.S. nursing homes, hundreds of lawsuits blaming patient deaths on negligent care have been tossed out or languished in the courts amid contentious legal battles.

Even some nursing homes that were shut down by health officials for violating safety standards have claimed immunity against such suits, court records show. And some families that allege homes kept them in the dark about the health of their loved ones, even denying there were cases of COVID in the building, have had their cases dismissed.

Schapers alleged in a complaint to state health officials that the nursing home failed to advise her that it had admitted COVID-positive patients from a nearby hospital in March 2020. In early April, she received a call telling her the facility had some COVID-positive residents.

"The call I received was very alarming, and they refused to answer any of my questions," she said.

About two weeks later, a social worker called to say that her father had a fever, but the staff did not test him to confirm COVID, according to Schapers' complaint.

The industry says federal health officials and lawmakers in most states granted medical providers broad protection from lawsuits for good-faith actions during the health emergency. Rachel Reeves, a senior vice president with the American Health Care Association, an industry trade group, called COVID "an unprecedented public health crisis brought on by a vicious virus that uniquely targeted our population."

In scores of lawsuits, however, family members allege that nursing homes failed to secure enough protective gear or tests for staffers or residents, haphazardly mixed COVID-positive patients with other residents, failed to follow strict infection control protocols, and brazenly misled frightened families about the severity of COVID outbreaks among patients and staff.

"They trusted these facilities to take care of loved ones, and that trust was betrayed," said Florida attorney Lindsey Gale, who has represented several families suing over COVID-related deaths.

"The grieving process people had to go through was horrible," Gale said.

A deadly toll

KFF Health News found that more than 1,100 COVID-related lawsuits, most alleging wrongful death or other negligent care, were filed against nursing homes from March 2020 through March of this year.

MORE: Cuomo not charged with COVID nursing home deaths: Manhattan DA

While there's no full accounting of the outcomes, court filings show that judges have dismissed some suits outright, citing state or federal immunity provisions, while other cases have been settled under confidential terms. And many cases have stalled due to lengthy and costly arguments and appeals to hash out limits, if any, of immunity protection.

In their defense, nursing homes initially cited the federal Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act , which Congress passed in December 2005. The law grants liability protection from claims for deaths or injuries tied to vaccines or "medical countermeasures" taken to prevent or treat a disease during national emergencies.

The PREP Act steps in once the secretary of Health and Human Services declares a " public health emergency ," which happened with COVID on March 17, 2020 . The emergency order expired on May 11, 2023.

The law carved out an exception for "willful misconduct," but proving it occurred can be daunting for families – even when nursing homes have long histories of violating safety standards, including infection controls.

Governors of at least 38 states issued COVID executive orders, or their legislatures passed laws, granting medical providers at least some degree of immunity , according to one consumer group's tally. Just how much legal protection was intended is at the crux of the skirmishes.

Nursing homes answered many negligence lawsuits by getting them removed from state courts into the federal judicial system and asking for dismissal under the PREP Act.

For the most part, that didn't work because federal judges declined to hear the cases. Some judges ruled that the PREP Act was not intended to shield medical providers from negligence caused by inaction, such as failing to protect patients from the coronavirus. These rulings and appeals sent cases back to state courts, often after long delays that left families in legal limbo.

"These delays have been devastating," said Jeffrey Guzman, a New York City attorney who represents Schapers and other families. He said the industry has fought "tooth and nail" trying to "fight these people getting their day in court."

Empire State epicenter

New York, where COVID hit early and hard, is ground zero for court battles over nursing home immunity.

Relatives of residents have filed more than 750 negligence or wrongful death cases in New York counties since the start of the pandemic, according to court data KFF Health News compiled using the judicial reporting service Courthouse News Service. No other area comes close.

Chicago's Cook County, a jurisdiction where private lawyers for years have aggressively sued nursing homes alleging poor infection control , recorded 121 COVID-related cases.

Plaintiffs in hundreds of New York cases argue that nursing homes knew early in 2020 that COVID would pose a deadly threat but largely failed to gird for its impact. Many suits cite inspection reports detailing chronic violations of infection control standards in the years preceding the pandemic, court records show. Responses to this strategy vary.

"Different judges take different views," said Joseph Ciaccio, a New York lawyer who has filed hundreds of such cases. "It's been very mixed."

Lawyers for nursing homes counter that most lawsuits rely on vague allegations of wrongdoing and "boilerplate" claims that, even if true, don't demonstrate the kind of gross negligence that would override an immunity claim.

New York lawmakers added another wrinkle by repealing the immunity statute in April 2021 after Attorney General Letitia James noted the law could give nursing homes a free pass to make "financially motivated decisions" to cut costs and put patients at risk.

So far, appeals courts have ruled lawmakers didn't specify that the repeal should be made retroactive, thus stymying many negligence cases.

"So these cases are all wasting the courts' time and preventing cases that aren't barred by immunity statutes from being resolved sooner and clogging up the court system that was already backlogged from COVID," said attorney Anna Borea, who represents nursing homes.

Troubled homes deflect suits

Some nursing homes that paid hefty fines or were ordered by health officials to shut down at least temporarily because of their inadequate response to COVID have claimed immunity against suits, court records show.

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Among them is Andover Subacute and Rehabilitation nursing home in New Jersey, which made national headlines when authorities found 17 bodies stacked in a makeshift morgue in April 2020.

Federal health officials fined the facility $220,235 after issuing a critical 36-page report on COVID violations and other deficiencies, and the state halted admissions in February 2022.

MORE: Long-term care industry facing changes as pandemic pushes more families toward home care

Yet the home has won court pauses in at least three negligence lawsuits as it appeals lower-court rulings denying immunity under the federal PREP Act, court records show. The operators of the home could not be reached for comment. In court filings, they denied any wrongdoing.

In Oregon, health officials suspended operations at Healthcare at Foster Creek, calling the Portland nursing home "a serious danger to the public health and safety." The May 2020 order cited the home's "consistent inability to adhere to basic infection control standards."

Bonnie Richardson, a Portland lawyer, sued the facility on behalf of the family of Judith Jones, 75, who had dementia and died in April 2020. Jones' was among dozens of COVID-related deaths at that home.

"It was a very hard-fought battle," said Richardson, who has since settled the case under confidential terms. Although the nursing home claimed immunity, her clients "wanted to know what happened and to understand why." The owners of the nursing home provided no comment.

No COVID Here

Many families believe nursing homes misled them about COVID's relentless spread. They often had to settle for window visits to connect with their loved ones.

Relatives of five patients who died in 2020 at the Sapphire Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing in the Flushing neighborhood in Queens filed lawsuits accusing the home's operators of keeping them in the dark.

When they phoned to check on elderly parents, they either couldn't get through or were told there was "no COVID-19 in the building," according to one court affidavit.

One woman grew alarmed after visiting in February 2020 and seeing nurses wearing masks "below their noses or under their chin," according to a court affidavit.

The woman was shocked when the home relayed that her mother had died in April 2020 from unknown causes, perhaps "from depression and not eating," according to her affidavit.

A short time later, news media reported that dozens of Sapphire Center residents had died from the virus – her 85-year-old mother among them, she argued in a lawsuit.

The nursing home denied liability and won dismissal of all five lawsuits after citing the New York immunity law. Several families are appealing. The nursing home's administrator declined to comment.

Broadening immunity

Nursing home operators also have cited immunity to foil negligence lawsuits based on falls or other allegations of substandard care, such as bedsores, with little obvious connection to the pandemic, court records show.

The family of Marilyn Kearney, an 89-year-old with a "history of dementia and falls," sued the Watrous Nursing Center in Madison, Connecticut, for negligence. Days after she was admitted in June 2020, she fell in her room, fracturing her right hip and requiring surgery, according to court filings.

She died at a local hospital on Sept. 16, 2020, from sepsis attributed to dehydration and malnutrition, according to the suit.

Her family argued that the 45-bed nursing home failed to assess her risk of falling and develop a plan to prevent that. But Watrous fired back by citing an April 2020 declaration by Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont, a Democrat, granting health care professionals or facilities immunity from "any injury or death alleged to have been sustained because of the individual's or health care facility's acts or omissions undertaken in good faith while providing health care services in support of the state's COVID-19 response."

Watrous denied liability and, in a motion to dismiss the case, cited Lamont's executive order and affidavits that argued the home did its best in the throes of a "public health crisis, the likes of which had never been seen before." The operators of the nursing home, which closed in July 2021 because of COVID, did not respond to a request for comment. The case is pending.

Attorney Wendi Kowarik, who represents Kearney's family, said courts are wrestling with how much protection to afford nursing homes.

"We're just beginning to get some guidelines," she said.

One pending Connecticut case alleges that an 88-year-old man died in October 2020 after experiencing multiple falls, sustaining bedsores, and dropping more than 30 pounds in the two months he lived at a nursing home, court records state. The nursing home denied liability and contends it is entitled to immunity.

MORE: In coronavirus fight, new mandate for nursing homes: Test or face fines

So do the owners of a Connecticut facility that cared for a 75-year-old woman with obesity who required a lift to get out of bed. She fell on April 26, 2020, smashing several teeth and fracturing bones. She later died from her injuries, according to the suit, which is pending.

"I think it is really repugnant that providers are arguing that they should not be held accountable for falls, pressure sores, and other outcomes of gross neglect," said Richard Mollot, executive director of the Long Term Care Community Coalition, which advocates for patients.

"The government did not declare open season on nursing home residents when it implemented COVID policies," he said.

Protecting the vulnerable

Since early 2020, U.S. nursing homes have reported more than 172,000 residents' deaths, according to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services data. That's about one in seven of all recorded U.S. COVID deaths.

As it battles COVID lawsuits, the nursing home industry says it is "struggling to recover due to ongoing labor shortages, inflation, and chronic government underfunding," according to Reeves, the trade association executive.

She said the American Health Care Association has advocated for "reasonable, limited liability protections that defend staff and providers for their good faith efforts" during the pandemic.

"Caregivers were doing everything they could," Reeves said, "often with limited resources and ever-changing information, in an effort to protect and care for residents."

MORE: In first federal count, over 25,000 coronavirus deaths in nursing homes

But patients' advocates remain wary of policies that might bar the courthouse door against grieving families.

"I don't think we want to continue to enact laws that reward nursing homes for bad care," said Sam Brooks, of the Coalition for the Protection of Residents of Long-Term Care Facilities, a patient advocacy group.

"We need to keep that in mind if, God forbid, we have another pandemic," Brooks said.

Bill Hammond, a senior fellow at the Empire Center for Public Policy, a nonpartisan New York think tank, said policymakers should focus on better strategies to protect patients from infectious outbreaks, rather than leaving it up to the courts to sort out liability years later.

"There is no serious effort to have that conversation," Hammond said. "I think that's crazy."

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May 10, 2024

Governor Newsom Unveils Revised State Budget, Prioritizing Balanced Solutions for a Leaner, More Efficient Government

Para leer este comunicado en español, haga clic aquí .

The Budget Proposal — Covering Two Years — Cuts Spending, Makes Government Leaner, and Preserves Core Services Without New Taxes on Hardworking Californians

Watch Governor Newsom’s May Revise presentation here

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: The Governor’s revised budget proposal closes both this year’s remaining $27.6 billion budget shortfall and next year’s projected $28.4 billion deficit while preserving many key services that Californians rely on — including education, housing, health care, and food assistance.

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today released a May Revision proposal for the 2024-25 fiscal year that ensures the budget is balanced over the next two fiscal years by tightening the state’s belt and stabilizing spending following the tumultuous COVID-19 pandemic, all while preserving key ongoing investments.

Under the Governor’s proposal, the state is projected to achieve a positive operating reserve balance not only in this budget year but also in the next. This “budget year, plus one” proposal is designed to bring longer-term stability to state finances without delay and create an operating surplus in the 2025-26 budget year.

In the years leading up to this May Revision, the Newsom Administration recognized the threats of an uncertain stock market and federal tax deadline delays – setting aside $38 billion in reserves that could be utilized for shortfalls. That has put California in a strong position to maintain fiscal stability.

Even when revenues were booming, we were preparing for possible downturns by investing in reserves and paying down debts – that’s put us in a position to close budget gaps while protecting core services that Californians depend on. Without raising taxes on Californians, we’re delivering a balanced budget over two years that continues the progress we’ve fought so hard to achieve, from getting folks off the streets to addressing the climate crisis to keeping our communities safe.

Governor Gavin Newsom

Below are the key takeaways from Governor Newsom’s proposed budget:

A BALANCED BUDGET OVER TWO YEARS. The Governor is solving two years of budget problems in a single budget, tightening the state’s belt to get the budget back to normal after the tumultuous years of the COVID-19 pandemic. By addressing the shortfall for this budget year — and next year — the Governor is eliminating the 2024-25 deficit and eliminating a projected deficit for the 2025-26 budget year that is $27.6 billion (after taking an early budget action) and $28.4 billion respectively.

CUTTING SPENDING, MAKING GOVERNMENT LEANER. Governor Newsom’s revised balanced state budget cuts one-time spending by $19.1 billion and ongoing spending by $13.7 billion through 2025-26. This includes a nearly 8% cut to state operations and a targeted elimination of 10,000 unfilled state positions, improving government efficiency and reducing non-essential spending — without raising taxes on individuals or proposing state worker furloughs. The budget makes California government more efficient, leaner, and modern — saving costs by streamlining procurement, cutting bureaucratic red tape, and reducing redundancies.

PRESERVING CORE SERVICES & SAFETY NETS. The budget maintains service levels for key housing, food, health care, and other assistance programs that Californians rely on while addressing the deficit by pausing the expansion of certain programs and decreasing numerous recent one-time and ongoing investments.

NO NEW TAXES & MORE RAINY DAY SAVINGS. Governor Newsom is balancing the budget by getting state spending under control — cutting costs, not proposing new taxes on hardworking Californians and small businesses — and reducing the reliance on the state’s “Rainy Day” reserves this year.

HOW WE GOT HERE: California’s budget shortfall is rooted in two separate but related developments over the past two years.

• First, the state’s revenue, heavily reliant on personal income taxes including capital gains, surged in 2021 due to a robust stock market but plummeted in 2022 following a market downturn. While the market bounced back by late 2023, the state continued to collect less tax revenue than projected in part due to something called “capital loss carryover,” which allows losses from previous years to reduce how much an individual is taxed.
• Second, the IRS extended the tax filing deadline for most California taxpayers in 2023 following severe winter storms, delaying the revelation of reduced tax receipts. When these receipts were able to eventually be processed, they were 22% below expectations. Without the filing delay, the revenue drop would have been incorporated into last year’s budget and the shortfall this year would be significantly smaller.

CALIFORNIA’S ECONOMY REMAINS STRONG: The Governor’s revised balanced budget sets the state up for continued economic success. California’s economy remains the 5th largest economy in the world and for the first time in years, the state’s population is increasing and tourism spending recently experienced a record high. California is #1 in the nation for new business starts , #1 for access to venture capital funding , and the #1 state for manufacturing , high-tech , and agriculture .

Additional details on the May Revise proposal can be found in this fact sheet and at www.ebudget.ca.gov .

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