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HOW CAN STUDENTS ENSURE THAT THEIR CAPSTONE PROJECTS HAVE A MEANINGFUL IMPACT ON ADDRESSING THE COVID-19 CRISIS?

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The COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented challenges across society that students are well-positioned to help address through their capstone projects. With innovation, compassion, and a willingness to work collaboratively, students can develop solutions that save lives and ease suffering. It is crucial that any student-led efforts are carefully planned and executed to maximize positive impact while avoiding potential harms.

When selecting a project topic, students should conduct thorough research to identify which areas are most in need yet receiving the least attention and resources. This could include assisting vulnerable groups left isolated due to physical distancing measures. For example, developing a web platform or phone app to organize delivery of essential goods to high-risk elders or the immunocompromised could help protect lives. Students with medical or public health expertise may focus on improving health communication through culturally-sensitive educational materials or partnerships with community organizations.

Students should also explore how their skills could aid overburdened frontline workers. One option is creating digital tools to streamline tedious administrative tasks, freeing up clinicians’ time for direct patient care. Engineering and design students may develop prototypes for low-cost medical equipment like reusable face shields or no-contact thermometers to ease supply shortages. Of course, any health-related projects require close supervision by medical professionals to ensure protocols are followed precisely.

When assisting individuals or working with sensitive data, student teams must prioritize privacy and consent. Projects handling personal identifiers like health or location data demand stringent security protocols and oversight by university research boards. Students should consult experts, follow all regulations, and avoid risks of unintended harm from breaches or misuse. If unsure about legal or ethical aspects, it is always best to modify the project scope rather than proceeding without guidance.

To collaborate effectively with outside organizations, mutual understanding and clear expectations are critical. It is prudent for student teams to formalize partnership agreements specifying responsibilities, deliverables, timelines, and how the project aligns with partners’ priorities and resources. Ongoing, transparent communication helps build trust and catch issues early. Students must balance flexibility to adapt solutions with partners’ needs versus maintaining academic integrity expected in a capstone project.

Given the fast-moving nature of the pandemic response, iterative project development is wise. Pilot smaller components and gather feedback frequently rather than striving for a single all-encompassing launch. Early wins boost motivation for all involved and allow mid-course corrections as circumstances change. Rather than attachments to predetermined goals, students should focus on thoughtful, empathetic responses to emerging challenges defined by partners. Success comes from empowering communities through respectful, mutually-beneficial collaboration.

Disseminating project results also matters. Present findings not just to academic peers but also public health leaders and communities served who can best determine impact. Partnerships may continue informally after graduation if solutions prove worthwhile. With permission, details on methodology, adaptations, and lessons learned should be publicly shared to inspire replication and spread of helpful innovations wherever needed globally. Progress against COVID-19 relies on people worldwide cooperating openly.

Above all, student capstone teams must be mindful that this public health crisis strains not just bodies but also mental health. Showing compassion for overworked partners and maintaining optimism, flexibility, and forgiveness if problems arise helps alleviate unnecessary stress for all. With diligent, thoughtful and community-centered efforts, capstone projects offer immense potential to relieve COVID-19’s many medical, social and economic burdens. By embracing a spirit of service, empathy and shared progress, today’s students can play their part addressing this unprecedented challenge confronting humanity.

WHAT ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF DNP CAPSTONE PROJECTS THAT HAVE HAD A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON HEALTHCARE OUTCOMES?

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The DNP capstone project provides Doctor of Nursing Practice students the opportunity to design and implement an evidence-based project aimed at improving healthcare outcomes. These projects allow DNP graduates to fulfill their role as clinical scholars and change agents in the healthcare system. Some examples of impactful DNP capstone projects include:

One project implemented an evidence-based practice guideline for managing hypertension in primary care. Hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease but rates of control have been suboptimal. The student created an intervention that included staff education, appointment reminders, home blood pressure monitoring, and pharmacist medication management for patients not at goal. After implementation, blood pressure control rates increased from 45% to 75% which is significant for reducing heart attacks, strokes, and deaths. Improving rates of hypertension control through practice changes achieved in a DNP project can have lasting benefits to patient and population health.

Another project focused on reducing 30-day hospital readmissions among patients with heart failure. Heart failure readmissions are costly to the healthcare system and disruptive for patients. The DNP student implemented a transitional care model including post-discharge home visits by advanced practice nurses, daily weight and symptom monitoring, and follow up with cardiac providers and pharmacists. Readmission rates dropped from 28% pre-intervention to only 12% post-intervention. Fewer readmissions directly translates to improved outcomes, better quality of life, and substantial cost savings that validate the project’s clinical significance and impact.

A third example involved implementing an evidence-based depression screening and treatment guideline in primary care. Untreated depression is associated with poor quality of life, worse medical outcomes, higher healthcare costs, and even increased mortality. The student provided staff training, instituted routine screening of all patients using the PHQ-9 tool, and developed a protocol for prompt treatment and longitudinal management of depression if identified. After one year, the percentage of patients achieving remission of their depressive symptoms increased from 34% to nearly 70%. Reducing the physical and mental health burden of depression through early identification and treatment demonstrates how DNP projects can powerfully affect patient wellbeing.

Another notable project focused on reducing 30-day hospital readmissions in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) through an intensive home-based self-management program. Features included individualized education on medications, action plans for exacerbations, respiratory therapy, smoking cessation counseling and pulmonary rehabilitation referrals as needed. Readmission rates decreased from 25% pre-intervention to only 10% after program implementation. Such sustainable improvements in lung health greatly enhance quality of life and activities of daily living among vulnerable COPD patients through greater independence and less dependence on urgent healthcare services.

A final outstanding example involved developing and piloting a cervical cancer screening decision support tool and individualized patient education materials to boost participation in underserved populations. Cervical cancer disproportionately impacts low-income, uninsured, and minority women due to lower screening rates despite the availability of highly effective primary prevention through Pap tests. After implementing validated educational interventions aimed at addressing cultural beliefs and barriers, screening rates jumped from 54% to over 90% in the target population. Reducing cancer disparities and improving access to lifesaving preventive services strongly aligns with nursing’s goals of promoting health equity and has profoundly meaningful consequences.

DNP capstone projects offer tangible opportunities to design and test care delivery innovations with proven capacity to significantly better population health outcomes. The highlighted examples demonstrate how evidence-based practice changes implemented even on a local scale have successfully decreased rates of uncontrolled chronic diseases, reduced preventable hospital readmissions, increased screening and treatment of mental illness, and boosted access to important cancer prevention strategies among underserved groups. Such impact-driven projects exemplify the DNP graduate’s clinical scholarship role in driving healthcare transformation and quality improvement through practice.

WHAT ARE SOME OTHER TOPICS THAT STUDENTS HAVE EXPLORED FOR THEIR CAPSTONE PROJECTS

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Business/Management:

Developing a business plan for a start-up company
Conducting a market research study and analysis for a new product launch
Creating an employee training/development program for a local small business
Analyzing the strategic operations and performance of a public company
Proposing recommendations to improve business processes and operations

Engineering:

Designing and prototyping an automated assembly line for a manufacturing process
Developing architectural plans for a sustainable residential building
Researching and testing innovative materials and technologies for transportation applications
Conducting experiments on fluid dynamics properties to optimize machinery performance
Creating software programs and algorithms to solve complex computational problems

Health Sciences:

Investigating epidemiological trends and developing public health intervention plans
Conducting clinical research trials to test new medical treatments or devices
Designing rehabilitation protocols for patients with specific health conditions
Analyzing health policies and healthcare systems to address issues like access and affordability
Proposing and piloting nutritional and lifestyle programs to manage chronic diseases

Education:

Developing and evaluating new teaching methods, lesson plans, and curricula for different subjects
Researching education policies and reform initiatives to improve student outcomes
Designing e-learning modules and online courses for continuing education programs
Creating multimedia resources and interactive learning tools for the classroom
Conducting needs-assessments and proposing programs to support student populations

Social Sciences:

Studying demographic trends and their socio-economic impacts through surveys and interviews
Analyzing community development initiatives to promote sustainability and empowerment
Researching and reporting on social, political or economic issues through field work
Proposing new models, frameworks and theories based on critical analysis of literature
Conducting program evaluations of social services and interventions to address issues like poverty, inequality etc.

WHAT ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF TOPICS THAT PA STUDENTS HAVE CHOSEN FOR THEIR CAPSTONE PROJECTS

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Many PA students choose to do their capstone projects on topics related to common medical conditions. For example, one student did a project titled “Improving Treatment Adherence in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes through Telehealth Interventions.” For this project, the student conducted a literature review on telehealth programs that have been shown to help diabetic patients better manage their condition. She then proposed a plan for how her future clinical site could implement a similar telehealth program. Another popular medical topic is cancer. One project proposal was called “Increasing Lung Cancer Screening Rates Through Patient Education.” The student developed an educational brochure and video to teach at-risk patients about the benefits of early lung cancer screening with low-dose CT scans. She then planned to survey patients at her site on their knowledge before and after viewing the materials.

Infectious diseases are another common area for PA capstone topics. One project focused on “Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT) as a Safe Alternative to Inpatient IV Antibiotics.” Through a review of the literature, the student demonstrated that OPAT can reduce healthcare costs and improve patient satisfaction compared to traditional inpatient IV treatment of certain infections. She proposed developing OPAT discharge protocols and educational materials for providers and patients at her clinical site. Another capstone involved a needs assessment on improving HPV vaccine rates in teenage girls through various implementation strategies tested at local urban clinics. Public health and preventative healthcare are popular areas for PA capstone projects given the emphasis on this in the PA profession.

In addition to treating medical conditions, some PA students choose to focus their capstone projects on other important healthcare issues like access to care, health policy, mental/behavioral health, and medical ethics. For example, one student proposed a project called “Addressing Barriers to Specialty Care Access in Underserved Rural Communities.” Through interviews with patients and providers, she identified transportation, long wait times for appointments, and lack of awareness of available services as key barriers. The student then designed and planned to implement new referral pathways and community education strategies to help bridge these gaps. Another capstone explored models of integrated primary care/behavioral health and made recommendations for how this collaborative care approach could better address high rates of depression and anxiety at the student’s future clinical rotation site. Projects involving ethics topics, like improving advanced care planning discussions or informing policy on issues like medical aid in dying, are also commonly seen.

With the heavy emphasis on research and evidence-based practice in the PA profession, public health epidemiology capstone topics are not uncommon. One project looked at “The Association Between Vaping and Respiratory Infections in Adolescents.” The student conducted a thorough literature review on current studies and compiled local health department data on vaping rates and respiratory illness diagnoses in teen patients. Statistical analysis was then planned to explore potential correlations. Another epidemiology-focused proposal titled “The Impact of Air Pollution on Asthma Exacerbations” involved collecting air quality and asthma emergency department visit data from a major city to examine seasonal or location-based trends. The student identified policy changes or education efforts that could help vulnerable groups based on the findings.

No matter the specific topic, PA capstone projects always require developing a comprehensive proposal and outline for how the student would implement the proposed research, analysis, needs assessment, program development or quality improvement initiative at their future clinical site. This provides them valuable experience in planning meaningful evidence-based practice projects that could directly impact patient care. By choosing topics related to conditions they may frequently encounter or broader healthcare issues, PA students are well-positioning themselves for their careers through these substantive senior-year capstone experiences.

COULD YOU GIVE EXAMPLES OF HOW NURSING CAPSTONE PROJECTS HAVE ADVANCED THE PROFESSION

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Nursing capstone projects provide an opportunity for students to demonstrate their cumulative knowledge and skills by conducting an applied research project related to a topic in nursing. These projects allow nursing students to explore real problems facing the profession and test potential solutions through rigorous scientific inquiry. While just student projects, many capstones have contributed valuable insights and recommendations that have helped advance nursing practice.

One major way capstone projects have impacted nursing is by identifying gaps in care delivery and proposing interventions to address them. For example, a 2010 capstone at Johns Hopkins evaluated discharge teaching provided to heart failure patients. Students found many patients lacked full understanding of self-care behaviors and were re-hospitalized within 30 days at worrying rates. Their recommendations for a standardized educational program with reinforcement calls were later pilot tested by the hospital with success in reducing readmissions. Nationwide, many capstones exploring transitions of care and chronic disease self-management informed the development of evidenced-based programs now widely adopted.

Other capstones have illuminated underrecognized patient populations or issues. A 2009 project at the University of Pennsylvania analyzed barriers to primary care access among homeless individuals in Philadelphia. Through interviews, students uncovered many structural obstacles like lack of identification and long wait times that discouraged usage. Their findings supported the city’s planning of a dedicated homeless health clinic. Similarly, numerous capstones on topics like adolescent substance abuse, veteran mental healthcare needs, and the psychosocial concerns of uninsured immigrants brought attention to marginalized groups and challenges within the larger healthcare system.

Technological innovations are another significant area where capstone work has furthered the field. For instance, a 2008 University of Washington project developed and tested a mobile app to help pediatric cancer patients better manage pain and side effects at home through games and guided meditations. Feedback from child participants supported the feasibility and engagement benefits of the app, which was later commercially developed. Countless other capstones have piloted telehealth systems, electronic documentation tools, and virtual reality simulations with useful outcomes assessment applied to refining new technologies in clinical practice.

At the level of nursing education itself, capstones have helped drive curricular improvements. For example, a 2013 research project at the University of Michigan evaluated the effectiveness of a new end-of-life care simulation experience added to their curriculum. Survey results and objective structured clinical exams showed students had stronger communication skills and greater comfort discussing advanced directives afterward. This provided empirical support to expand similar simulation use beyond their school of nursing. Many capstones exploring teaching methods or specific course content applications have similarly supported data-driven enhancements to nursing pedagogy.

Advocacy is one other significant way student research has benefitted the nursing field. For instance, a 2018 project at Duke University presented survey findings on nurse burnout levels and work environment concerns to state legislators with associated policy recommendations. This helped build momentum for new safe staffing ratio bills and workplace wellness resources. Likewise, numerous capstones on topics such as domestic violence screening legislation, paid family leave policies, and provider shortages in rural communities have equipped nurses with research to promote better laws and shape public policy agendas.

Nursing capstone projects provide a valuable opportunity for students to gain applied research skills while making meaningful contributions to improving the profession. Whether identifying unmet patient needs, testing innovations, enhancing education models, or informing advocacy efforts – student scholarship has consistently advanced the standards and delivery of nursing care. Going forward, nursing programs would do well to emphasize the potential social impact of capstone work and strategically align topics with priority issues to further maximize their benefits for the field.