Nursing capstone projects conducted by students in their final year of Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) programs have great potential to add to the body of evidence that can inform practices, programs, and policies in the field. As a requirement for graduation, capstone projects allow students the opportunity to explore a topic of their choice related to nursing in significant depth through primary research. The results of these projects, when disseminated properly, can provide real-world data that can advance evidence-based practices in the profession.
There are several ways in which nursing student capstone projects can contribute valuable evidence. First, capstone topics frequently focus on implementing evidence-based interventions or programs on a small scale within the clinical settings where students complete their practicums. For example, a student may evaluate a new patient education approach, staff training protocol, discharge planning process, or care coordination model. If shown to achieve positive outcomes, these pilot programs demonstrated through capstone research could serve as models to be adopted more broadly within an organization or healthcare system. The projects essentially function as a low-risk testing ground for evidence-based innovations before wider implementation.
Secondly, many capstone projects examine patient outcomes related to existing nursing practices, treatments, or models of care. For instance, a student may study the efficacy of a particular treatment regimen for a certain diagnosis, postoperative recovery associated with different surgical approaches, or relationships between nursing interventions and complications. This type of outcomes research generated by capstones adds to the body of evidence informing decisions about clinical guidelines and standards of practice. It also helps identify areas where practices could be improved to achieve better results.
Some nursing students use their capstones as an opportunity to survey clinicians, patients, or other stakeholders to assess things like satisfaction with services, awareness of available resources, barriers to optimal care, and unmet needs. This feedback gathered through capstone research may point to gaps or weaknesses in existing programs that could be addressed through policy changes. It also provides a mechanism to evaluate the impact of previous changes. Results of surveys and needs assessments contribute important evidence to guide decisions about developing or modifying healthcare services, community resources, and support systems.
Capstone projects further assist with developing evidence to support advocacy and address larger systemic issues in healthcare. For example, a student may study disparities in access to services, social determinants of health in a population, impact of regulatory policies, allocation of resources, or gaps between guidelines and real-world practices. Research on this macro level through capstones sheds light on policy-level factors influencing outcomes and identifies areas for systemic improvements through legislative or regulatory action. It gives nursing students an opportunity to assume increased leadership roles as evidence-based advocates for their patients and profession.
As requirements for graduation, nursing capstones are formally evaluated which provides quality assurance that the resulting evidence is valid and methodologically rigorous. Students undergo an extensive process to design sound research proposals that are reviewed and approved by academic advisors with advanced research expertise. Capstones also integrate scientific writing standards to ensure findings are clearly communicated and data interpreted appropriately. The end products are therefore trustworthy contributions that healthcare organizations, clinical leaders, lawmakers, and other stakeholders can safely incorporate into decision making.
Nursing capstone projects represent a considerable untapped resource for generating valuable evidence to advance evidence-based practices, programs and policies in the profession. By giving students hands-on experiences implementing pilot programs, evaluating outcomes, assessing needs, and addressing broader systemic issues, capstones produce real-world data that can be used to guide continuous quality improvement across all levels of the increasingly complex healthcare system. With proper dissemination, the results of these student research projects have great potential to positively impact patient care and strengthen the nursing profession overall.