nursing assessment essay examples

How to Write a Nursing Reflective Essay as a BSN Nursing Student

• November 29, 2023

Welcome to NursingWriters.net, your go-to resource for expert information and guidance on writing nursing essays. In this article, we will provide you, as a BSN nursing student , with a comprehensive guide on how to write a compelling nursing reflective essay. Reflective essays are a personal reflection on your experiences in the nursing profession, and we are here to help you navigate this writing challenge.

As a busy nursing student, we understand that you may have limited time to spare. That’s where NursingWriters.net comes in, empowering you to excel in your BSN program by providing expert guidance on different writing and comprehension challenges you may face. Let’s dive into the world of nursing reflective essays and discover how you can effectively express your thoughts and insights.

Key Takeaways:

• Reflective essays allow nursing students to reflect on their experiences and personal growth in the profession.
• A nursing reflective essay is different from a personal statement, focusing on self-reflection rather than academic achievements.
• Key elements to include in a nursing reflective essay are the inciting incident, personal reflections, vivid details, and actions taken.
• The introduction should grab the reader’s attention and provide a clear thesis statement.
• The body paragraphs should delve into the writer’s reflections and emotions with specific examples and anecdotes.

What Is a Reflective Essay in Nursing?

A reflective essay in nursing is a powerful tool that allows nursing students to analyze their experiences, emotions, and actions related to their nursing practice. It provides an opportunity for self-reflection, critical thinking, and personal growth. Reflective writing can help nurses develop a deeper understanding of their own practice, improve patient care, and enhance their professional development.

Reflective essays in nursing differ from personal statements in that they focus on specific experiences and their impact on the writer’s growth and development. These essays require the writer to critically reflect on their actions, emotions, and thoughts, and identify ways to improve their practice. By examining their experiences and applying reflective frameworks, nursing students can gain valuable insights into their strengths, weaknesses, and areas for growth.

When writing a reflective essay in nursing , it is important to follow a structured approach. This includes describing the incident or experience, analyzing personal thoughts and feelings, exploring the actions taken, and reflecting on the outcomes and implications. By structuring the essay effectively, nursing students can communicate their reflections in a clear and organized manner.

Key Elements to Include in a Nursing Reflective Essay

When writing a nursing reflective essay, it is important to include key elements that will make your essay comprehensive and impactful. These elements will help you convey your thoughts and experiences clearly, allowing the reader to gain a deeper understanding of your reflections on nursing practice.

Inciting Incident or Event

The first key element to include in your nursing reflective essay is the inciting incident or event. This is the moment or experience that triggered your reflection and made a significant impact on your practice. It could be a challenging patient encounter, an ethical dilemma, or a personal realization. By describing this event in detail, you set the stage for your reflective journey.

Personal Reflections

Your nursing reflective essay should also include personal reflections on the experience. This is where you delve into your thoughts, feelings, and emotions related to the inciting incident. Reflect on how the event made you feel, what you learned from it, and how it has influenced your growth as a nursing professional. Be honest and vulnerable in your reflections, as this will allow the reader to connect with your experience on a deeper level.

Vivid Setting and Descriptive Details

To create a vivid and engaging narrative, include specific details that paint a picture of the setting and the people involved. Describe the physical environment, the interactions between healthcare professionals and patients, and any other relevant details that contribute to the overall context of the experience. This will help the reader visualize the situation and understand the complexities of the event.

Actions Taken

Finally, it is important to describe the actions you took in response to the inciting incident. Discuss how you applied your nursing knowledge and skills to address the challenges or opportunities presented by the event. Reflect on the effectiveness of your actions and whether there were any areas for improvement. This demonstrates your ability to critically analyze your own practice and make informed decisions.

By including these key elements in your nursing reflective essay, you can create a comprehensive and impactful piece of writing that showcases your growth and development as a nursing professional.

How to Write the Introduction of a Nursing Reflective Essay

The introduction of a nursing reflective essay plays a crucial role in capturing the reader’s attention and setting the tone for the entire essay. It should provide a concise overview of the main points that will be discussed and create a sense of curiosity and engagement. Here are some tips to help you write an effective introduction for your nursing reflective essay:

• Start with an intriguing opening line: Begin your introduction with a captivating statement or anecdote that relates to the topic of your essay. This will grab the reader’s attention and make them eager to continue reading.
• Provide context and background information: Give a brief overview of the event or experience that you will be reflecting on in your essay. This will help the reader understand the context and significance of your reflections.
• Present a clear thesis statement: Your thesis statement should clearly state the main purpose of your essay and the specific points or themes that you will be exploring. This will give the reader a preview of what to expect in the body of the essay.

By following these tips, you can craft an introduction that captivates the reader and sets the stage for a compelling nursing reflective essay.

“As I walked into the busy hospital ward on my first day of clinical rotation, I couldn’t help but feel a mix of excitement and nervousness. Little did I know that this experience would become a pivotal moment in my nursing journey, shaping my understanding of empathy, communication, and patient-centered care. In this reflective essay, I will delve into the details of this encounter and explore the personal and professional growth that resulted from it.”

With an attention-grabbing opening, providing context, and presenting a clear thesis statement, your introduction will set the stage for a compelling nursing reflective essay that captures the reader’s attention and lays the foundation for your reflections.

Nursing Reflection Essay Tips and Examples

Writing a nursing reflective essay requires careful consideration and thoughtful analysis. Here are some tips to help you craft an impactful and meaningful reflection essay as a BSN nursing student . Additionally, we will provide examples to illustrate how these tips can be applied.

Tips for Writing a Nursing Reflection Essay:

• Start by choosing a specific experience or event that had a significant impact on your nursing practice. This could be a challenging patient encounter, a critical incident, or a personal realization that transformed your perspective.
• Reflect on the experience and consider how it affected your emotions, thoughts, and actions. What did you learn from the experience? How has it shaped your growth as a nursing professional?
• Focus on the key aspects of the experience that were particularly impactful or meaningful to you. Avoid including unnecessary details or deviating from the main message of your reflection.
• Use specific examples, anecdotes, or patient scenarios to support your reflections. This will make your essay more engaging and relatable to the reader.
• Consider the ethical implications of the experience and reflect on how it has influenced your approach to patient care and decision-making.
• End your essay with a reflection on the implications of your learning for future nursing practice. How will you apply the lessons learned to provide better care and improve patient outcomes?

Now, let’s take a look at two examples of nursing reflective essays to further illustrate these tips:

“During my clinical rotation in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), I encountered a complex patient case that challenged my critical thinking skills and decision-making abilities. The patient was a middle-aged woman who had undergone a complicated surgery and experienced numerous post-operative complications. This experience taught me the importance of collaboration within the healthcare team and the significance of advocating for the patient’s best interests…”

“One of the most significant experiences during my nursing education was my time spent in the pediatric oncology unit. Witnessing the resilience and bravery of children facing life-threatening illnesses had a profound impact on my perspective as a nurse. It taught me the importance of providing holistic care, not only addressing physical needs but also supporting emotional well-being and promoting a positive environment for healing…”

These examples demonstrate how personal reflections, specific details, and professional insights can be incorporated to create a compelling nursing reflective essay. Remember to structure your essay in a clear and organized manner, ensuring that your reflections flow logically and coherently.

By following these tips and utilizing examples, you can create a compelling nursing reflective essay that showcases your growth and development as a nursing professional.

How to Conclude a Nursing Reflective Essay

The conclusion of a nursing reflective essay serves as the final reflection on the writer’s growth and learning from the experience. It is an essential part of the essay that summarizes the main points discussed and leaves a lasting impression on the reader. The reflective essay conclusion should bring closure to the essay by restating the thesis statement and highlighting the key takeaways from the essay.

To write a strong and impactful conclusion, start by restating the thesis statement in a clear and concise manner. This reminds the reader of the main focus of the essay and reinforces its significance. Next, summarize the key points discussed in the body paragraphs, highlighting the most important insights and reflections. This helps to reinforce the main ideas and ensures that they are not overlooked in the final reflection.

In addition to summarizing the main points, a thought-provoking statement or future outlook can be included to provide a sense of closure and leave the reader with something to ponder. This can be a reflection on how the experience has influenced the writer’s future practice or a call to action for continued personal and professional growth. By ending the essay on a strong and meaningful note, the conclusion enhances the overall impact of the nursing reflective essay.

A well-crafted conclusion is essential for a nursing reflective essay as it reinforces the main ideas, leaves a lasting impression on the reader, and provides a sense of closure. By following these tips, nursing students can create a powerful and impactful conclusion that enhances the overall effectiveness of their reflective essays.

Tips for Writing a Nursing Reflective Essay

Writing a nursing reflective essay can be a challenging task, but with the right approach, it can also be a rewarding experience. Here are some helpful tips and strategies to guide nursing students in their essay writing process:

• Start early: Give yourself plenty of time to brainstorm ideas, reflect on your experiences, and write and revise your essay. Starting early will help you avoid last-minute stress and allow for a more thoughtful and polished essay.
• Conduct thorough self-reflection: Before you begin writing, take the time to reflect on your experiences and emotions related to your nursing practice. Consider how these experiences have shaped your growth and development as a nurse, and what lessons you have learned along the way.
• Organize your thoughts and ideas: Create an outline or a rough structure for your essay to ensure a logical flow of ideas. Group similar thoughts and reflections together to create cohesive paragraphs, and use headings or subheadings to further organize your essay.
• Seek feedback: Share your essay with trusted peers or instructors and ask for their feedback. They can offer valuable insights, provide constructive criticism, and help you refine your essay to make it stronger and more impactful.

Additionally, it is important to pay attention to the technical aspects of your essay:

• Grammar and spelling: Proofread your essay carefully to ensure it is free of any grammatical or spelling errors. Use grammar and spell-check tools, and consider asking someone else to review your essay for a fresh perspective.
• Coherent writing style: Use clear and concise language to convey your thoughts and reflections. Avoid excessive jargon or technical terms, and focus on communicating your ideas effectively.
• Formatting guidelines: Follow any formatting guidelines provided by your instructor or institution. Pay attention to font style, size, spacing, and citation style if required.

By following these tips and strategies, nursing students can approach their reflective essay writing with confidence and produce compelling and insightful essays that showcase their growth and development in the nursing profession.

Reflective Tools and Models for Nursing Reflective Essays

Reflective tools and models can provide structure and guidance for nursing students when writing reflective essays. These tools help organize thoughts and experiences, allowing for a more comprehensive and meaningful reflection. By utilizing reflection models , nursing students can enhance their reflective writing skills and deepen their understanding of their own growth and development as healthcare professionals.

Gibbs’ Reflective Model

“Reflective practice is both an art and a science that requires ongoing commitment and practice.” – Gibbs

Gibbs’ Reflective Model is a widely used reflection framework in nursing. It consists of six stages: description, feelings, evaluation, analysis, conclusion, and action plan. This model encourages a structured approach to reflection, allowing the writer to systematically explore their thoughts and emotions, analyze the situation, and identify areas for improvement or further development.

Dewey’s Reflective Thinking Model

“We do not learn from experience, we learn from reflecting on experience.” – Dewey

Dewey’s Reflective Thinking Model focuses on the importance of reflection as a tool for learning and growth. It emphasizes the need to actively engage with experiences, thoughts, and emotions, and to critically evaluate them in order to gain deeper insights and understanding. This model encourages nursing students to think analytically and develop a continuous learning mindset.

Kolb Reflective Model

“Knowledge results from the combination of grasping experience and transforming it.” – Kolb

The Kolb Reflective Model is based on the concept of experiential learning. It consists of four stages: concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation. This model encourages nursing students to engage in a cyclical process of learning, where they actively participate in experiences, reflect on them, conceptualize their insights, and apply their learning in real-life situations.

Schön Reflective Model

“Reflection-in-action is the heart of the learning process.” – Schön

Schön Reflective Model emphasizes the importance of reflection in the midst of action. It focuses on the ability to think and adapt in real-time, making decisions based on professional knowledge and experiences. This model encourages nursing students to develop a reflective mindset that allows them to learn and grow while actively engaging in their practice.

Benefits of Reflective Writing in Nursing

Reflective writing plays a crucial role in nursing practice, offering numerous benefits for nursing students and professionals alike. By engaging in reflective writing, nurses can enhance their self-awareness, develop their critical thinking skills, and gain a deeper understanding of patient experiences. This section will explore the advantages of reflective writing in nursing and its significance in healthcare.

Enhanced Self-Awareness

Reflective writing fosters self-reflection, allowing nurses to examine their thoughts, emotions, and actions in various clinical situations. Through this process, they gain a deeper understanding of their strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement. This heightened self-awareness enables nurses to provide more effective and compassionate patient care, fostering a patient-centered approach.

Improved Critical Thinking

Reflective writing encourages nurses to think critically about their experiences and the impact of their actions. It requires them to analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of their decision-making and problem-solving skills. By reflecting on past experiences, nurses can identify areas where they can enhance their clinical practice and make informed decisions based on evidence and best practices.

Increased Empathy and Understanding

Through reflective writing, nurses develop a deeper empathy and understanding of patient experiences. By reflecting on their interactions with patients, nurses can recognize the emotions, fears, and challenges faced by individuals in their care. This increased empathy enables nurses to provide more holistic and patient-centered care, improving the overall healthcare experience for patients.

Continuous Professional Development

Reflective writing is an essential tool for nurses’ continuous professional development. It allows them to document their growth, learning, and achievements throughout their nursing career. By regularly engaging in reflective writing, nurses can identify areas for further development, set goals for improvement, and ensure they are providing the best possible care to their patients.

Overall, reflective writing in nursing is a powerful tool that empowers nurses to enhance their self-awareness, critical thinking skills, and empathy. By engaging in this practice, nurses can continuously improve their clinical practice, provide high-quality patient care, and contribute to the ongoing development of the nursing profession.

Nursing Reflective Essay Examples

Looking for inspiration for your nursing reflective essay? Here are some examples that showcase different experiences, reflections, and growth in the nursing profession.

These examples demonstrate how nursing reflective essays can provide valuable insights into personal experiences, reflections, and professional growth. They serve as excellent references to help nursing students develop their own reflective writing skills and gain a deeper understanding of the nursing profession.

Writing a Nursing Reflective Essay for Nursing School Application

A nursing reflective essay can be a powerful tool for nursing school applications. It allows applicants to showcase their self-awareness, critical thinking skills, and passion for the nursing profession. When writing a nursing reflective essay for a nursing school application, there are a few key tips to keep in mind.

Reflect on your passion for nursing

Start by reflecting on what drew you to the nursing profession and why you are passionate about it. Consider your personal experiences, such as volunteering or shadowing healthcare professionals, and how they have shaped your desire to become a nurse. Highlight your commitment to providing compassionate and quality patient care.

Share personal experiences in healthcare settings

Provide specific examples of your experiences in healthcare settings, such as clinical rotations or internships. Reflect on the challenges you faced, the lessons you learned, and how those experiences have impacted your growth and development as a future nurse. Discuss any significant interactions with patients, healthcare teams, or mentors that have shaped your understanding of the nursing profession.

Align with the nursing school’s values and mission

Research the nursing school’s values, mission, and educational philosophy. Ensure that your reflective essay aligns with these principles and demonstrates your commitment to the school’s mission. Use the nursing school’s prompts or essay questions as a guide to structure your essay and address the specific criteria they are looking for in applicants.

By following these tips, you can write a compelling nursing reflective essay that effectively conveys your passion for nursing, showcases your experiences, and aligns with the nursing school’s values. Remember to proofread your essay carefully for grammar and spelling errors and seek feedback from mentors or trusted individuals in the nursing profession to ensure your essay is clear, concise, and impactful.

(Table) Tips for Writing a Nursing Reflective Essay for Nursing School Application

Writing a nursing reflective essay can be a transformative experience for BSN nursing students. It allows them to gain valuable insight into their own growth and development as future healthcare professionals. Throughout this comprehensive guide, we have provided expert information and guidance on how to write a compelling nursing reflective essay.

By understanding the purpose of a reflective essay and the key elements to include, nursing students can effectively showcase their personal experiences and reflections. Incorporating reflection models such as Gibbs’ Reflective Model or Kolb Reflective Model can also provide structure and depth to their essays.

At NursingWriters.net, we are dedicated to empowering busy nurses and providing them with the tools they need to excel in their BSN programs. Whether it’s writing a reflective essay or any other writing challenge, we are here to support and guide nursing students towards success.

What is a nursing reflective essay?

A nursing reflective essay is a personal essay where the writer reflects on their own experiences and how those experiences have shaped their growth and development in the nursing profession.

How is a reflective essay in nursing different from a personal statement?

While a reflective essay in nursing focuses on the writer’s personal experiences and reflections, a personal statement is more of a formal document that highlights the writer’s qualifications, achievements, and future goals in the nursing profession.

What are the key elements to include in a nursing reflective essay?

The key elements to include in a nursing reflective essay are the inciting incident or event, personal reflections on the experience, specific details to create a vivid setting, and a description of the actions taken by the writer. It is important to avoid including academic details and excessive focus on emotions.

How should I write the introduction of a nursing reflective essay?

To write an engaging and informative introduction for a nursing reflective essay, you can grab the reader’s attention with an intriguing opening line, provide context and background information, and present a clear thesis statement. Focus on the specific event or experience that will be the main focus of the essay.

How should I structure the body paragraphs of a nursing reflective essay?

The body paragraphs of a nursing reflective essay should have a clear structure. Use the first paragraph to present the thesis statement and provide background information on the event. Use subsequent paragraphs to explore your reflections, emotions, and actions taken. Use specific examples and anecdotes to make the essay more engaging.

How should I conclude a nursing reflective essay?

To write a strong conclusion for a nursing reflective essay, you can summarize the main points discussed in the essay, provide a final reflection on your growth and learning from the experience, restate the thesis statement, and leave the reader with a thought-provoking statement or future outlook.

What are some tips for writing a nursing reflective essay?

Some tips for writing a nursing reflective essay include starting early, conducting thorough self-reflection, organizing your thoughts and ideas, and seeking feedback from peers or instructors. Pay attention to proper grammar and spelling, coherent writing style, and adhere to any formatting guidelines provided.

How can reflective tools and models help with nursing reflective essays?

Reflective tools and models provide structure and guidance for nursing students when writing reflective essays. Models such as Gibbs’ Reflective Model, Dewey’s Reflective Thinking Model, Kolb Reflective Model, and Schön Reflective Model can be used as frameworks for organizing thoughts and experiences in a nursing reflective essay.

What are the benefits of reflective writing in nursing?

Reflective writing in nursing offers benefits such as enhanced self-awareness, improved critical thinking skills, increased empathy and understanding of patient experiences, and continuous professional development. It promotes lifelong learning and helps improve patient care.

Where can I find nursing reflective essay examples?

You can find nursing reflective essay examples that showcase different experiences, reflections, and growth. These examples incorporate personal reflections, specific details, and professional insights into nursing practice. They demonstrate the diversity of topics and experiences that can be explored in nursing reflective essays.

How can I write a nursing reflective essay for nursing school applications?

To write a nursing reflective essay for nursing school applications, reflect on your passion for nursing, personal experiences in healthcare settings, and future goals in the nursing profession. Address specific prompts and align the content with the nursing school’s values and mission.

How can writing a nursing reflective essay benefit BSN nursing students?

Writing a nursing reflective essay allows BSN nursing students to gain insight into their own growth and development as future healthcare professionals. It helps improve critical thinking skills, self-awareness, and understanding of patient experiences. It also promotes continuous professional development.

Have a subject expert Write for You Now

Have a subject expert finish your paper for you, edit my paper for me, have an expert write your dissertation's chapter, table of contents.

• Our Guarantees
• Client Reviews
• Privacy Policy
• Terms and Conditions

Knowledge Base

• All Writing Guides 
• Nursing Essay Writing Guides 
• Topics Ideas
• Nursing Guides
• Nursing Exemplar Papers
• DNP Nursing Paper Examples 
• MSN Nursing Paper Writing 

Nursing Writers Service

• Write My Nursing Paper
• Nursing Paper Writers
• Nursing Assignment Writers
• Nursing research paper writers
• Nursing Paper Writing Services
• Online Nursing Papers
• Personal Nursing Philosophy Paper
• Nursing Paper Writing Services reviews
• Nursing School Paper Writing Service
• Nursing Research Paper Writing Service
• Nursing Paper Writing Service
• Research Paper Writing Service nurses
• Paper Writing Service Nursing
• Paper Writing Service Reddit nursing
• Paper Writing Service chamberlain nursing

Writing Tools

• Citation Generator
• Topic Generator
• Thesis Generator
• Sentence Rewriter
• Title Page Generator
• Research Paper Title Generator

Use our resources and guides to write perfect papers. You can use our writing service and order customized sample papers without plagiarism!

Disclaimer 

NursingWriters.net helps students cope with college assignments and write papers on various topics. We deal with academic writing, creative writing, and non-word assignments.

All the materials from our website should be used with proper references. All the work should be used per the appropriate policies and applicable laws.

Our samples and other types of content are meant for research and reference purposes only. We are strongly against plagiarism and academic dishonesty.

✍️ Nursing Writers

Typically replies within minutes

Hey! 👋 Need help with an assignment?

WhatsApp Us

🟢 Online | Privacy policy

WhatsApp us

Best Guide for Writing a Nursing Process Essay

Are you struggling with a nursing process essay assignment? Worry not. Our online nursing writers understand that a nursing process essay is challenging to write because it requires a deep understanding of all the critical steps involved. For this reason, our writers have come up with a comprehensive guide to help you. We have also defined what a nursing process essay is, its purpose, and its characteristics. We have also provided an outline to guide you through the process of writing the essay and included a sample.

Short History of the Nursing Process

The term nursing process was first uttered in 1955 by Lydia Hall, a nursing theorist. She introduced three significant steps to the process: observation, administration of care, and validation.

But in 1967, Yura and Walsh further developed the process by adding assessment as the fourth step. From there, the process was referred to as (APIE). However, it wasn't until 1974 that the North American Nursing Diagnosis Association (NANDA) added the nursing diagnosis to the process, making it a five-step process.

What is a Nursing Process?

A nursing process is a systematic method used by healthcare professionals, including nurses, to provide care to patients in healthcare facilities. It involves a series of steps that lead one to accomplish the set goals. A nursing process ensures that caregivers offer individualized, holistic, effective, patient-focused care to all.

The process is based on the Standards of Professional Nursing Practice established by the American Nurses Association (ANA). These standards guide nurses' behaviors and actions regardless of their roles, positions, populations, or capacities. To provide care to patients, caregivers must adopt critical thinking skills, client-centred approaches to treatment, goal-oriented tasks, evidence-based practice (EDP) recommendations, and nursing intuition.

A nursing process consists of the following components: assessment (data collection), Nursing Diagnosis, Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation. Use the mnemonic ADPIE to help remember these steps.

What is the Purpose of a Nursing Process?

Many nursing students, at some point, will ask themselves what the purpose of the nursing process essay is without realizing how essential it is in the medical field. That said, the following are all the reasons why the nursing process is needed:

• To establish the needs of a patient.
• Develop plans that meet the identified.
• Develop specific nursing interventions that meet those needs.
• Provide professional nursing care to all.
• To properly guide nursing practices for activities that include health promotion and protection and disease prevention.
• Providing a foundation for nurses and nurses students to practice to understand their critical thinking skills.
• The nursing process is important to pharmacotherapeutics as it guides drug administration decisions.

Research has shown that incorporating the nursing process into patient care is critical in the dynamic, complex world of patient care. It is especially important in the care of the aging population who suffer from various health problems and are also at risk of experiencing missed chances to spot life-threatening illnesses.

Characteristics of the Nursing Process

The nursing process has some distinguishing characteristics that you must be aware of before writing a nursing process essay.

• Goel-oriented - a nursing process essay must be guided by specific goals and purposes based on the health of the patient. Please note that the goals should be driven by the patient's problems and report your problems as a nurse.
• The organized/systematic process comprises five significant steps , each depending on the others.
• Cyclic and dynamic —the nursing process is continuous because it is hard to predict health issues, as they can change over time.
• Individualized & Humanistic Care— The nursing process provides a foundation of care based on each patient's needs. This means that the plan of care for one patient will not be the same as that of another. For example, a 10-year-old patient with diabetes will not have the same plan of care as that of a 70-year-old man.
• Involves decision-making skills - caregivers make critical decisions for the sake of the patient's life. The nursing process provides a systematic step in which they can make these decisions.

Outline of a Nursing Process Essay

Now that you know what a nursing process is, it's time to determine what should be included in a nursing process essay.

Introduction

This is the first paragraph of your nursing process essay, which introduces the readers to what the paper is about. In any healthcare setting, every nurse must address patients' needs and concerns. When this is not done at all or done inefficiently, the life of the patient is jeopardized.

One must understand that nurses must consider the patient holistically. In other words, they should focus on the patient's physical, spiritual, mental, and social well-being to understand how to effectively care for them.

Nurse Process

After the introduction, jump right into the process and discuss each of them individually.

Please note that each step in the nursing process is critical and requires patients' collaboration to ensure its effectiveness. Furthermore, it doesn't have any specified time; it can last days, months, or years, depending on the client's health status.

At this stage, Talk about these steps in relation to the patient under discussion.

Steps of a Nursing Process

The following are the five stages of the nursing process that you can use to write your essay. Each step relies on the efficiency of the others, so it's important to master all of them.

Step 1: Assessment

Assessment refers to the systematic and dynamic way of collecting, analyzing, and communicating patient data, which is key in determining the proper plan of care. Sources of patient data include:

• Patient - the primary source of information.
• Family, spouses, and other friends.
• Patient records, records from members of health care.
• Medical history, physical examination, and progress notes.
• Laboratory tests &other health professions.

The nurses use various data collection strategies by assessment to gather this information. These strategies include:

• Interviews— this includes asking the patient questions about their health, what brought them to the hospital, etc. It consists of three key stages: 1. Introduction, 2. Working, 3. Closure.
• Observations involve noting the patient's general appearance and behaviours. They are crucial in determining the client's health status, both physical and mental.
• Physical examination is done through the following techniques:
• Auscultation

After assessment, the data must be documented to ensure smooth communication among the healthcare team that will be attending to the patient.

There are various types of assessment:

• Comprehensive assessment- is completed upon patient admission to the hospital and provides a complete overview of the patient's health history and current needs.
• Focused assessment is limited to a particular healthcare need or risk. It is mostly used when screening for specific issues.
• An ongoing assessment is for following up with the patient to see how they are faring. It can also be used to monitor specific problems.

Step 2: Diagnosis

This refers to the clinical judgment given to the patient based on the results of their assessment. According to the NANDA diagnosis is the judgment based on clinical knowledge that helps in determining potential or actual patient experiences and responses to health problems and life processes.

Through diagnosis, nurses can understand the patient’s actual response to potential health problems.

Please note that there is a difference between nursing diagnosis and medical diagnosis. A medical diagnosis is given by a physician and identifies a specific disease, condition, or pathological state.

Activities conducted at this stage include:

• Interpreting and analyzing data
• Identifying the strengths and health problems of the patient.
• Formulating and validating diagnosis
• Developing a prioritized list of diagnosis
• Detecting and referring signs and symptoms indicating a problem that nurses can’t handle

At this point, there are various types of diagnosis:

• Actual diagnosis— a problem that the existence of its characteristics has validated.
• Risk nursing diagnosis- a clinical judgment that an individual is more likely to develop a certain problem.
• Possible nursing diagnosis- describe the suspected problem.
• Wellness diagnosis is judgment about a person or group of people who are transitioning from a certain level of wellness to a higher level of wellness.
• Syndrome nursing diagnoses

Step 3: Planning

Planning involves the formulation of guidelines to prevent, reduce, or resolve the identified client health problems. Some of the activities at this point include:

• Establish priorities.
• Identify what the expected patient is.
• Select the appropriate evidence-based nursing intervention for the patient.
• Communicate the plan of care to the patient and their close family.
• Record the nursing care plan in the patient's records.

For each patient issue, the nurse must assign a goal for the patient’s positive outcome. The goals of a nurse care plan must be:

• Measurable /Meaningful
• Attainable /Action-Oriented
• Realistic /Results-Oriented
• Timely /Time-Oriented

Good planning enhances communication, documentation, reimbursement, and continuity of care in every healthcare facility.

Please note that the nursing plan occurs in three stages:

• Initial plan —This is developed by the nurse who takes the patient to the hospital and performs the assessment.
• Ongoing planning— this occurs at a later stage, and the purpose is to update the patient's plan of care.
• Discharge planning — this occurs when the patient is being discharged from the hospital. The aim is to update the care plans that the patient will need after discharge.

The main goals here are to prevent disease and illness, restore health, and enable the patient to cope with altered functioning.

Related: How to format a paper in APA.

Stege 4: Implementation

What are the actions that the nurse will take to ensure the goals conducted in the planning stages come to fruition? Implementation refers to any actions/ interventions the nurse will do to improve the life of the patient.

For instance, if the goal is pain management for conditions such as arthritis, some examples of nursing interventions include Teaching critical exercises that can help reduce pain.

When writing your essay, you must highlight these interventions and ensure they are related to the patient's condition.

Nursing interventions are classified into three:

• Independent—these are those that a nurse can provide without needing a prescription. For example, monitoring a patient's 24-hour fluid intake is necessary because of the risk of imbalanced fluid volume.
• Dependent—These interventions require a prescription from a physician before they can be administered, such as the administration of prescribed scheduled diuretics.
• Collaborative— these are actions that nurses carry out in collaboration with the patient healthcare team. For example, the nurses manage oxygen therapy in consultation with the patient's respiratory therapist.

Every intervention administered must be documented to help in evaluating and examining the patient’s health status.

Step 5: Evaluation

This is the final phase of the nursing process. The evaluation aims to check whether the interventions have worked and whether the desired goals have been met. To do this, the nurse must review all the stages in the nursing process.

Evaluation is done when the nurse interacts with the patient. This phase is systematic and ongoing because the aim is to identify the factors that contribute to the patient's health success or failure. Depending on the results, the nurse can modify the plan of care.

A successful evaluation is achieved when the nurse is in constant communication with the patient throughout the process. Nurses can get feedback about what they did right or wrong, which can help them make improvements for the future.

Please note that it is important to apply critical thinking skills at every stage of the nursing process to recognize health issues that could put the life of the patient at risk and develop effective ways of dealing with them. As you write the paper, remember to include references, preferably peer-reviewed journals published in the last 5 years.

Related Read: Great Capstone Project Topics for Nursing Students.

Nursing Process Essay Example

To show you exactly how to write a nursing assessment process essay, we have put together the following example.

The example is based on a case of a 20-year-old female admitted to the hospital. Her body temperature is elevated, and she has a chesty cough producing green phlegm. Her breathing is fast with difficulty.

Pneumonia is a respiratory infection that, if not treated, could lead to serious complications. Through the nursing process, I can guide my approach to determining the best form of care for the patient.

For this patient, my first step involved taking the vital signs, which include the temperature, blood pressure, respiratory rate, and pulse oximetry. I also assessed the lungs to determine the sounds, oxygen saturation levels, and cough produced. I went through the patient's medical history and reviewed all the medications that the patient was taking or taking for their symptoms.

Through my assessment, I found that V/S is temperature 39.1C, pulse 92 b/m, respiration rate 28 b/m, and blood pressure 122/80 mm/hg. Chest auscultation revealed respiratory crackles.

Some other signs I observed include the following:

• Adventitious breath sounds
• Abnormal respiratory rate, rhythm, and depth
• Restlessness
• Change in level of consciousness
• Ineffective or absent cough reflex

Ineffective airway clearance is caused by the accumulation of sputum, as manifested by chesty and productive cough. She is breathing rapidly and with difficulty.

The sputum cultures and sensitivities revealed the presence of infecting organisms.

The chest X-rays showed that the patient's lungs had areas of increased density. This is an indication of possible infection.

Related Reading: How to write a nursing concept analysis paper.

To help the patient, the following are the desired goals and expected outcomes:

• The patient will maintain optimal gas exchange.
• They will display and maintain a patent airway with breath sounds clearing.
• The patient will demonstrate effective coughing.
• There will be the absence of dyspnea( shortness of breath) and cyanosis by periodically clearing secretions in their airways.
• The patient will display and maintain optimal air exchange with a respiratory rate of 12 to 20 cycles per minute.

Implementations

To help the patient deal with ineffective airway clearance, I used the following interventions:

• I elevated the patient’s head at a 45-degree angle to prevent mucus secretion accumulation.
• Periodically suctioned when the patients had difficulty breathing.
• Monitor the patient’s vital signs
• Monitor their level of consciousness
• Monitor respiratory status: labored respirations, cyanosis,
• Monitor their pulse oximetry.
• Administer oxygen as prescribed.
• Monitor for complications.

My plan at this point is to monitor the progress of the patient and whether the interventions administered are working. The goal of the evaluation was to help me determine whether to continue, stop, or change the interventions used.

My evaluation involved the following;

• The patient managed to move three times a day.
• The patient took all the prescribed medications, including antibiotics.
• The patient received the needed fluids.
• The patient and their family understood information about their care

My conclusion is that the interventions used helped improve the patient’s health. The patient responded positively to all the interventions.

Related Reading: How to write a nursing care plan.

Issues of Concern with the Nursing Process

Even though the nursing process is an important tool in providing quality care to patients, studies have raised issues of concern. For instance, a 2011 study conducted in Mekelle Zone hospitals showed that the majority of nurses lacked the right knowledge necessary to implement the nursing process into health practice. It showed that these nurses were inhibited by factors that included nurse-patient ratios.

90% of the study participants lacked the necessary experience to apply the process to standard practice. Other issues that inhibit nurses from applying the nursing process in providing patient care include a shortage of available resources and increased workloads caused by high patient-nurse ratios.

The nursing process is a critical tool that helps improve patient care. For nurses, the nursing care plan helps show whether your actions helped improve the health of the patient. On the other hand, patients benefit, and the nursing process is effective. When they are an active participant in their care, their health status improves.

Thus, as a nursing student, it is important to learn how to write a good nursing process essay to prepare yourself for a future career as a nurse.

If you need further help understanding this critical process or writing the essay, our writers can help. Place an order today for more information.  GradeCrest is a leading nursing custom writing website that guarantees you 100% human-hand-crafted papers that are 100% original and plagiarism-free.

Gradecrest is a professional writing service that provides original model papers. We offer personalized services along with research materials for assistance purposes only. All the materials from our website should be used with proper references. See our Terms of Use Page for proper details.

How to Write a Nursing Essay with a Quick Guide

Ever felt the blank-page panic when assigned a nursing essay? Wondering where to start or if your words will measure up to the weight of your experiences? Fear not, because today, we're here to guide you through this process.

Imagine you're at your favorite coffee spot, armed with a cup of motivation (and maybe a sneaky treat). Got it? Great! Now, let's spill the secrets on how to spin your nursing tales into words that not only get you that A+ but also tug at the heartstrings of anyone reading. We've got your back with nursing essay examples that'll be your inspiration, an outline to keep you on the right path, and more!

What Is a Nursing Essay

Let's start by dissecting the concept. A nursing essay serves as a focused exploration of a specific aspect of nursing, providing an opportunity for students to demonstrate their theoretical knowledge and its practical application in patient care settings.

Picture it as a journey through the challenges and victories of a budding nurse. These essays go beyond the classroom, tackling everything from tricky ethical dilemmas to the impact of healthcare policies on the front lines. It's not just about grades; it's about proving, 'I'm ready for the real deal.'

So, when you read or write a nursing essay, it's not just words on paper. It's like looking into the world of someone who's about to start their nursing career – someone who's really thought about the ins and outs of being a nurse. And before you kick off your nursing career, don't shy away from asking - write my essay for me - we're ready to land a professional helping hand.

How to Start a Nursing Essay

When you start writing a nursing essay, it is like gearing up for a crucial mission. Here's your quick guide from our nursing essay writing service :

Choosing Your Topic: Select a topic that sparks your interest and relates to real-world nursing challenges. Consider areas like patient care, ethical dilemmas, or the impact of technology on healthcare.

Outline Your Route : Plan your essay's journey. Create a roadmap with key points you want to cover. This keeps you on track and your essay on point.

Craft a Strong Thesis: Assuming you already know how to write a hook , kick off your writing with a surprising fact, a thought-provoking quote, or a brief anecdote. Then, state your main argument or perspective in one sentence. This thesis will serve as the compass for your essay, guiding both you and your reader through the rest of your writing.

How to Structure a Nursing Essay

Every great essay is like a well-orchestrated performance – it needs a script, a narrative that flows seamlessly, capturing the audience's attention from start to finish. In our case, this script takes the form of a well-organized structure. Let's delve into the elements that teach you how to write a nursing essay, from a mere collection of words to a compelling journey of insights.

Nursing Essay Introduction

Begin your nursing essay with a spark. Knowing how to write essay introduction effectively means sharing a real-life scenario or a striking fact related to your topic. For instance, if exploring patient care, narrate a personal experience that made a lasting impression. Then, crisply state your thesis – a clear roadmap indicating the direction your essay will take. Think of it as a teaser that leaves the reader eager to explore the insights you're about to unfold.

In the main body, dive into the heart of your essay. Each paragraph should explore a specific aspect of your topic. Back your thoughts with examples – maybe a scenario from your clinical experience, a relevant case study, or findings from credible sources. Imagine it as a puzzle coming together; each paragraph adds a piece, forming a complete picture. Keep it focused and let each idea flow naturally into the next.

Nursing Essay Conclusion

As writing a nursing essay nears the end, resist the urge to introduce new elements. Summarize your main points concisely. Remind the reader of the real-world significance of your thesis – why it matters in the broader context of nursing. Conclude with a thought-provoking statement or a call to reflection, leaving your reader with a lasting impression. It's like the final scene of a movie that leaves you thinking long after the credits roll.

Nursing Essay Outline

Before diving into the essay, craft a roadmap – your outline. This isn't a rigid skeleton but a flexible guide that ensures your ideas flow logically. Consider the following template from our research paper writing service :

Introduction

• Opening Hook: Share a brief, impactful patient care scenario.
• Relevance Statement: Explain why the chosen topic is crucial in nursing.
• Thesis: Clearly state the main argument or perspective.

Patient-Centered Care:

• Definition: Clarify what patient-centered care means in nursing.
• Personal Experience: Share a relevant encounter from clinical practice.
• Evidence: Integrate findings from reputable nursing literature.

Ethical Dilemmas in Nursing Practice

• Scenario Presentation: Describe a specific ethical challenge faced by nurses.
• Decision-Making Process: Outline steps taken to address the dilemma.
• Ethical Frameworks: Discuss any ethical theories guiding the decision.

Impact of Technology on Nursing

• Current Trends: Highlight technological advancements in nursing.
• Case Study: Share an example of technology enhancing patient care.
• Challenges and Benefits: Discuss the pros and cons of technology in nursing.
• Summary of Key Points: Recap the main ideas from each section.
• Real-world Implications: Emphasize the practical significance in nursing practice.
• Closing Thought: End with a reflective statement or call to action.

A+ in Nursing Essays Await You!

Ready to excel? Let us guide you. Click now for professional nursing essay writing assistance.

Nursing Essay Examples

Here are the nursing Essay Examples for you to read.

Writing a Nursing Essay: Essential Tips

When it comes to crafting a stellar nursing essay, a few key strategies can elevate your work from ordinary to exceptional. Here are some valuable tips from our medical school personal statement writer :

Connect with Personal Experiences:

• Approach: Weave personal encounters seamlessly into your narrative.
• Reasoning: This not only adds authenticity to your essay but also serves as a powerful testament to your firsthand understanding of the challenges and triumphs in the nursing field.

Emphasize Critical Thinking:

• Approach: Go beyond describing situations; delve into their analysis.
• Reasoning: Nursing essays are the perfect platform to showcase your critical thinking skills – an essential attribute in making informed decisions in real-world healthcare scenarios.

Incorporate Patient Perspectives:

• Approach: Integrate patient stories or feedback into your discussion.
• Reasoning: By bringing in the human element, you demonstrate empathy and an understanding of the patient's experience, a core aspect of nursing care.

Integrate Evidence-Based Practice:

• Approach: Support your arguments with the latest evidence-based literature.
• Reasoning: Highlighting your commitment to staying informed and applying current research underscores your dedication to evidence-based practice – a cornerstone in modern nursing.

Address Ethical Considerations:

• Approach: Explicitly discuss the ethical dimensions of your topic.
• Reasoning: Nursing essays provide a platform to delve into the ethical complexities inherent in healthcare, showcasing your ability to navigate and analyze these challenges.

Balance Theory and Practice:

• Approach: Connect theoretical concepts to real-world applications.
• Reasoning: By bridging the gap between theory and practice, you illustrate your capacity to apply academic knowledge effectively in the dynamic realm of nursing.

Highlight Interdisciplinary Collaboration:

• Approach: Discuss collaborative efforts with other healthcare professionals.
• Reasoning: Acknowledging the interdisciplinary nature of healthcare underscores your understanding of the importance of teamwork – a vital aspect of successful nursing practice.

Reflect on Lessons Learned:

• Approach: Conclude with a thoughtful reflection on personal growth or lessons from your exploration.
• Reasoning: This not only provides a satisfying conclusion but also demonstrates your self-awareness and commitment to continuous improvement as a nursing professional.

As we wrap up, think of your essay as a story about your journey into nursing. It's not just about getting a grade; it's a way to share what you've been through and why you want to be a nurse.

Imagine the person reading it – maybe a teacher, a future coworker, or someone starting their nursing journey. They're trying to understand your passion and why you care about nursing.

So, when you write, remember it's more than just an assignment. It's your chance to show why nursing matters to you. And if you ever need help – there's always support from our essay writer online .

Ready to Excel in Your Nursing School Essay?

Order now and experience the expertise of our professional writers!

How to Write a Nursing Essay?

How can a nursing essay effectively address ethical considerations, what are some examples of evidence-based practices in nursing essays.

Daniel Parker

is a seasoned educational writer focusing on scholarship guidance, research papers, and various forms of academic essays including reflective and narrative essays. His expertise also extends to detailed case studies. A scholar with a background in English Literature and Education, Daniel’s work on EssayPro blog aims to support students in achieving academic excellence and securing scholarships. His hobbies include reading classic literature and participating in academic forums.

is an expert in nursing and healthcare, with a strong background in history, law, and literature. Holding advanced degrees in nursing and public health, his analytical approach and comprehensive knowledge help students navigate complex topics. On EssayPro blog, Adam provides insightful articles on everything from historical analysis to the intricacies of healthcare policies. In his downtime, he enjoys historical documentaries and volunteering at local clinics.

Nursing Pros

Reflective Nursing Essay Writing Guide With Examples

How to write a nursing reflective essay.

By the end of this nursing reflective essay guide, you’ll be an expert reflective nursing essay writer. Lol.

In the journey of becoming an accomplished nurse, there is one essential skill that a student nurse should master: writing reflective essays . Reflective essays are crucial in nursing as they provide a platform for students to critically and thoughtfully reflect on their clinical practice or any specific nursing event. They allow nurses to explore, understand, and learn from their experiences, which subsequently aids in improving their nursing practice.

Reflective essays in nursing also serve as a means of developing clinical expertise and professional growth. By reflecting on various situations, nurses can identify their strengths and areas that need improvement, enhancing their nursing skills and knowledge. Reflective writing is not just about recounting what happened; it is an analytical practice that involves making sense of the events, interactions, and observations in the clinical setting.

What Is a Reflective Essay?

A reflective essay is a type of writing that explores the writer’s thoughts, feelings, and insights about a specific experience or event. This type of essay is reflective, allowing the writer to delve deep into their reflections and express them in a structured format.

Join Our 10k Happy Nursing Students

• Get original papers written according to your instructions.
• Save time for what matters most.

In nursing school , a reflective essay often focuses on experiences within a clinical environment, patient care, or experiences with peers and medical professionals. These essays promote critical thinking, enhance understanding of nursing concepts, and improve patient care.

What Is a Reflection in a Nursing Essay?

Reflection in a nursing essay is when a nurse takes a step back to ponder on their experiences and interactions during their practice. It involves analyzing situations, making judgments, and forming conclusions to improve future practices. Reflection can occur immediately after the event or after some time, but the crucial aspect is that it enables continuous learning and improvement.

Reflection in a nursing essay should ideally involve a description of the event, an examination of the feelings and emotions it evoked, an evaluation of the positive and negative aspects, an analysis to make sense of the experience, a conclusion drawing, and the development of an action plan for future similar situations.

Reflective writing in nursing is a practical tool to foster critical thinking, improve communication skills, and promote professional development. Not only does it contribute to academic growth, but it also aids in becoming a thoughtful and responsive practitioner.

Reflective Tools and Models

Reflective models offer a structured approach to the reflection process and can serve as beneficial tools for nursing students in their reflective writing. Using these models helps ensure that all aspects of an experience are considered and reflected upon. Here are some of the key models used:

Gibbs’ Reflective Model

Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle is a popular model used in the nursing profession. It comprises six stages: Description, Feelings, Evaluation, Analysis, Conclusion, and Action Plan. This model encourages individuals to think systematically about the phases of an experience or activity.

Dewey’s Reflective Thinking Model

John Dewey’s Reflective Thinking Model is based on the idea that learning is active and experiential. This model emphasizes that reflection should involve careful and persistent examination of beliefs or practices in light of supporting evidence.

Kolb Reflective Model

Kolb’s Reflective Model , or the Experiential Learning Cycle, transforms experience into knowledge. This model involves four stages: Concrete Experience, Reflective Observation, Abstract Conceptualization, and Active Experimentation.

Schön Reflective Model

Schön’s Reflective Model divides reflection into Reflection-on-action (thinking about something that has happened in the past) and Reflection-in-action (thinking about something while you are doing it). This model benefits practice-based professional learning settings where people learn from their experiences.

Bouds Reflective Model

Boud’s Reflective Model focuses on three key steps: Returning to the experience, attending to feelings, and re-evaluating the experience. This model acknowledges the role of feelings and emotions in reflection.

Driscoll Reflective Model

Driscoll’s Reflective Model is a straightforward and easy-to-use framework based on three simple questions: What? (describing the event), So What? (discussing the relevance or importance of the event), and Now What? (identifying changes or learning for future practice).

5R Framework

The 5Rs of Reflection ( Report, Respond, Relate, Reason, and Reconstruct ) provide a process for ensuring that reflection leads to learning, offering a comprehensive guide to the different stages of reflection.

CARL Framework

The CARL ( Consider, Act, Reflect, Learn ) framework is a simple yet effective tool for reflection. It encourages individuals to consider a situation, take action, reflect on the outcomes of that action, and learn from the process.

Steps for Writing a Good Reflective Essay for Nursing Students

Writing a reflective essay involves a series of steps that help to structure the reflection process. Here are the typical steps that a nursing student can follow when writing a reflective essay:

Step 1: Description

In this initial step, you aim to provide a detailed and objective description of the event or experience. Discuss what happened, where it happened, who was involved, and why it happened. You aim to provide enough detail so that anyone reading your reflection would understand the circumstances of the event. Be careful to maintain a neutral tone in this section – you’re merely setting the stage for your readers, not expressing your opinions or insights yet.

Step 2: Feelings

In this step, you reflect on how you felt during the incident. Being honest and straightforward about your emotions is essential because they play a significant role in reflection. Describe your feelings before, during, and after the event. Also, consider how your emotions may have influenced your actions. Try to be as specific as possible – instead of saying you felt “bad,” for example, you could say you felt “anxious,” “frustrated,” or “overwhelmed.”

Step 3: Evaluation

Next, you make a judgment about the experience. Was it a positive or negative experience? What was right or wrong about the situation? This step involves taking a critical look at the event and your actions. Consider the event’s consequences and whether it lived up to your expectations. Discuss what worked well and what didn’t, and why.

Step 4: Analysis

In this stage, you delve deeper into your reflection by analyzing the incident. You aim to make sense of the situation. What did you learn from the experience? How has it affected your understanding of your practice? This is where you can incorporate theory and relate it to your experience. You might discuss concepts or ideas from your field of study and how they apply to your experience. The analysis should lead to a deeper understanding of the event.

Step 5: Conclusion

The conclusion involves synthesizing all the stages of reflection. It’s where you determine what else you could have done in the situation and consider whether any changes or improvements could be made for future practice. You might also discuss the broader implications of your reflection – for example, how it has changed your perspective or how it will impact your future actions.

Step 6: Action Plan

Finally, the action plan is crucial in identifying what you will do if a similar situation arises. This step transforms the reflection into practical application, allowing you to learn from your experiences and improve your future practice. You might discuss specific strategies or steps you plan to take or how you will apply the lessons you’ve learned.

Writing a Reflective Essay Outline

How do you craft a reflective essay? Begin with an outline.

Every paper is a contemplation on an essay topic , and an outline serves as a blueprint where you can organize these thoughts. The first step towards a compelling and detailed essay is generating this outline.

What would constitute an effective outline for a reflective essay? It’s about organizing your thoughts coherently. Determine what you want to include in the essay’s introduction , body, and conclusion.

Here’s a template for a reflective essay outline:

This outline is structured to organize your thoughts and ideas in a reflective essay, ensuring a coherent and impactful piece. Remember, a reflective essay is personal and subjective, so it’s essential to express your thoughts and feelings throughout the essay authentically.

Final Thoughts (How to Write a Reflective Nursing Essay)

Writing a reflective essay in nursing is a journey into personal experiences, emotions, and insights within the context of your nursing practice. It demands sincerity, self-examination, and an eagerness to learn and evolve. Even though the journey can present challenges, it is an invaluable instrument for personal and professional growth.

FAQs on How to Write a Reflective Nursing Essay

What is the purpose of writing a reflective essay.

The purpose of writing a reflective essay is to provide a platform for the author to recount a particular life experience and explore how they have changed or learned from those experiences. Reflective essays can be academic or feature more broadly as a part of a general piece of writing for a magazine, for instance.

What Makes a Good Reflective Essay?

A good reflective essay effectively communicates the author’s thoughts and feelings about a particular experience or set of experiences. It involves clear and vivid descriptions, honest introspection, and the conclusion’s evident transformation or realization. The reader should be able to understand the author’s journey and the impact of the experience on their life or perspective.

What Are the 3 Basic Parts of a Reflection Paper?

The three essential parts of a reflection paper are the introduction, body, and conclusion. The introduction typically includes a brief overview of the experience or topic and a thesis statement . The body paragraphs delve into the details of the experience and the author’s reflections. The conclusion summarizes the key points and the overall impact of the experience on the author.

What Is the Best Reflective Model to Use in Nursing?

The best reflective model to use in nursing depends on the specific situation and the individual’s personal preference. Some popular models include Gibbs’ Reflective Model, Dewey’s Reflective Thinking Model, Kolb’s Reflective Model , Schön Reflective Model, Bouds’s Reflective Model , Driscoll’s Reflective Model , 5R Framework, and the CARL framework. Each model has its strengths and is designed to facilitate reflection slightly differently.

What is the Main Objective of a Reflective Essay?

The main objective of a reflective essay is to allow the author to explore their personal experiences on a deeper level and communicate the insights and personal growth that have resulted from those experiences. It’s a way of understanding and interpreting one’s life experiences to gain new understanding or appreciation.

What Can Be Good Topics for a Reflective Essay?

Good topics for a reflective essay can come from various experiences. In the context of nursing, this might include a particularly impactful patient interaction, dealing with death or illness, a challenging ethical dilemma, a significant learning moment during training or practice, or any other experience that has significantly impacted one’s nursing practice or perspective.

How is a Reflective Essay Different From a Narrative Essay?

While both types of essays involve personal experiences, a narrative essay focuses on telling the story of the experience. In contrast, a reflective essay focuses on analyzing and reflecting on that experience. A reflective essay emphasizes how the experience affected the writer and what they learned from it rather than the chronological details of the event or story.

What is the Importance of Personal Experience in a Reflective Essay?

Personal experience is crucial in a reflective essay as it forms the basis for the reflection. It’s the event or series of events that the writer is reflecting on and drawing insights from. The personal nature of these experiences allows for deep introspection and personal growth.

How Should I Structure my Reflective Essay?

Your reflective essay should typically be structured with an introduction, body, and conclusion. The introduction should introduce the experience you’ll reflect on and your thesis or main point. The body paragraphs should explore the experience in-depth and your reflections on it, and the essay conclusion should wrap up your points and reflect on the overall impact of the experience.

Get a high-quality paper in under 3 hours!

10 Tips to Write an Effective Nursing School Essay

Each blog post is dated and contains accurate information as of that date. Certain information may have changed since the blog post publication date. If you would like to confirm the current accuracy of blog information, please visit our ABSN overview page or contact admissions at (866) 892-3819.

The nursing school essay is crucial to your application. It’s an opportunity to convince the nursing school admissions committee to accept you. First, articulate why you want to be a nurse. Then, develop an outline, write a compelling intro and carefully proofread the completed document.

When applying for an Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program , some of the best advice to follow is to optimize your ABSN application to increase your chances of getting accepted. While the application process requires considering prerequisites, GPA and other general admissions requirements , several factors go beyond hard data.

Writing an excellent nursing school essay is one of the most important factors. Many accelerated nursing programs require a nursing school essay that outlines why you’d like to be a nurse and why you are a good candidate for the nursing program.

The essay shows who you are, providing a more well-rounded perspective of your career goals and passion for nursing. This will help the nursing school admissions committee see whether you are a good fit for their program.

Learning how to craft a compelling nursing school essay can yield excellent results when applying for nursing school. Follow these 10 nursing school tips for a more impactful essay.

1. Read the Essay Guidelines Thoroughly

Following the directions is essential, as every nursing school establishes its own nursing school essay policies, topics and procedures. For example, you may need to write within a minimum or maximum word count range, and you’ll likely need to address a specific essay prompt. Always follow the directions carefully to avoid disqualification.

2. Plan Your Nursing School Essay

Writing a good nursing school essay is essential to getting your application accepted for enrollment. To do this effectively, spend some time planning your essay. Highlight the items you want to include in your essay, summarize your personal story and remember to incorporate your qualifications. (You don’t need prior nursing experience or education to enroll in an ABSN program. Your qualifications might include soft skills, a passion for helping others and perhaps volunteer experience at a healthcare facility.)

Start your essay with an attention-grabbing topic statement to draw the reader in. You want to let the reader know who you are and what nursing means to you. Plan your main reasons for choosing nursing and elaborate by following your outline. Your outline can help you stay focused and cohesive throughout the essay.

Wondering how to prepare for nursing school ? Check out these top 7 tips.

3. Make Yourself Stand Out

An effective nursing school essay expresses your personality while convincing the reader you are the right candidate for the program. A great way to do this is by sharing a story about yourself. For example, you could discuss an experience that led you to apply for nursing school or sparked your desire to be a nurse.

You want to use your essay to show why you should go to their school rather than tell them why you want to go there. Use personal examples to make your writing more candid and intriguing. Share your motivation for wanting to attend that program and what inspires you.

4. Share Your Dreams

Getting into a good accelerated nursing school and earning your degree is essential for making your dreams of becoming a successful nurse come true. Your personal statement should include your long-term goals for your nursing career. For instance, you might discuss how your goal is to help children or that you wish to advance your education and become an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN).

Nursing school admissions committees are interested in hearing about your long-term goals; goals illustrate that potential students are determined, which can lead to a better performance in school. Be as specific as you can with your goals.

When you’re ready for a new field, follow these 6 steps to making a career change to nursing .

5. Show That You Care About People

As a nurse, your job will center on caring for people in a positive and friendly way while efficiently caring for their healthcare needs. It takes a specific type of selfless person to become a nurse, and you want to show that you are that person.

Give examples of times when you went above and beyond to care for a loved one or a stranger. Let the committee know about your passion for caring for others. Empathy in nursing is an excellent quality to have.

6. Explain Your Qualifications

Your academic and work qualifications are recorded for review on your transcripts, test scores and resume. However, those qualifications are only listed and don’t go into detail, which means the nursing school admissions committee may not understand what you gained from those experiences.

The ABSN admissions requirements at Northeastern include a non-nursing bachelor’s degree or at least 62 non-nursing college credits, plus a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0. You’ll also need to complete several prerequisite courses , including:

• Microbiology with Lab
• Human Anatomy & Physiology I and II with Lab
• Introduction to Chemistry with Lab
• Statistics (inferential stats and hypothesis testing)
• Social/Behavioral Sciences (100 level or above)
• Developmental Psychology (lifespan)

Use the nursing school essay as an opportunity to go into more detail about your education and how you’ve set yourself up academically to succeed in nursing school. You can also show how your volunteer opportunities or internships taught you lessons you can apply to your education at the nursing school. If you are looking for ways to beef up your resume and nursing application with experience, look into these volunteer opportunities in healthcare.

7. Tell Nursing School Admissions Why You Want to Go to Their School

Getting into a good nursing school is the most important factor for some applicants. For others, going to a specific nursing school, such as Northeastern University Bouvé College of Health Science , is very important to them. Whatever your reasons for applying to that nursing school are, you want to include those reasons in your essay.

For example, if you’re aiming to attend Northeastern, you could talk about how the hybrid online learning model appeals to you, or you could talk about how earning a degree in as few as 16 months will help you start your new career sooner. You could share how attending a school with such a quality reputation will set you up for your future career. Share stories about your mother, an alumna, or a friend who suggested you go there.

Telling the nursing school admissions committee why you chose their school will help them understand your motivation and make it easier when deciding whether to accept you as a student.

8. Set Your Essay Aside and Reread with Fresh Eyes Later

Once you’ve followed these nursing school tips and crafted your essay, the next step is to do nothing. Setting your essay aside for at least a few days is best. Then, reread it with fresh eyes and make edits as needed.

If you edit too quickly after writing, your eyes will see what you expect to see. If you give yourself a waiting period, you can edit with greater clarity and likely detect careless mistakes or omissions you might have missed.

9. Have a Friend Edit Your Essay

After you’ve put your nursing school essay through at least one round of editing, consider asking a trusted friend or relative to proofread for you. After all, even the best writers make mistakes and miss things when writing. By having another person review your essay, they’ll pick up on errors and point out areas of confusion. Choose an editor who will be honest and provide good feedback, such as a family member, friend or even a past teacher.

When having a second pair of eyes review your work, receive their feedback openly. After all, you want to hear an objective opinion about your writing, which will help you improve it.

10. Give the Essay a Final Proofread

After your friend or relative has handed your essay back to you with suggestions and corrections, make the changes as needed. Then, set your essay aside for another day or two before giving it a final proofread. You should also use a grammar app to check for careless language-related mistakes.

Ready to Begin Your Nursing School Journey at Northeastern?

By following these nursing school tips on making your essay stand out, you may increase your chances of getting into the nursing school of your dreams.

If you’re interested in pursuing your degree with Northeastern University through our accelerated nursing program near Boston, MA, or in Charlotte, NC, complete our online form so we can contact you. Now is the time to take the first step toward a rewarding nursing career!

Published 07/23/24

Published 07/02/24

Published 07/01/24

Get Your Free ABSN Program Guide

Our ABSN program guide includes everything you need to know about the accelerated path to nursing.

How to Write an Admission Essay for Nursing School

The nursing school admission process is rigorous. One of the critical requirements for new applicants is an application essay, and writing a compelling nursing essay will give you a major head start over other nursing school candidates.

Once you have figured out why you want to be a nurse, all your memories, accomplishments, ambitions, and goals will align. Therefore, writing an essay on why you are interested in becoming a nurse and selecting a specific nursing college or university allows the admissions team to understand why they should choose you over other candidates.

A well-written, organized, and polished nursing school essay automatically increases your chances of acceptance. With thousands of applications destined for assessment and judgment by the admissions committee, you would want to make your application essay for the nursing school admission stand out.

We have admission essay-writing experts and consultants who, luckily, have compiled this intensive guide to help you write an intentional, focused, and perfect essay for nursing school.

Note: If you are in a hurry or you need direct assistance in writing your nursing college essay, please place an order and let our expert essay writers craft for you an original, engaging, and compelling nursing essay!

What Is a Nursing School Essay?

A nursing school essay is a written piece that demonstrates your interest in a nursing career and elaborates why you are the perfect fit for a specific nursing program.

Most nursing schools (colleges and universities) require aspiring students to write an application essay for nursing school admission. It is a personal essay submitted as part of the application process, which the admission officers review to determine if you can be accepted.

A good nursing school essay shows your interest in the nursing field, your chosen career path, why you want to pursue your nursing education through a specific nursing school program, and why you believe you should be accepted into the institution. It has to show why the entire process is crucial to you and why you are a worthy candidate to select for the nursing school program.

Sometimes, it is the only hope one has left, especially if the competition is stiff. Imagine a situation where the application materials such as grades, resumes, test scores, or recommendation letters are all qualified; a nursing school essay will be the only means to select the best out of the rest fairly.

Writing a perfect nursing essay will demonstrate that you are ready to go down the thorny path of training to become a nurse. Nursing education entails research and writing assignments, and a well-written essay demonstrates your readiness.

Helpful Information to Include in a Nursing Admission Essay

You are probably wondering what goes into an application essay for nursing school admission. Well, your nursing essay will answer an essay prompt from the university. Most colleges will specify the essay questions for college of nursing applicants for various levels of study (MSN, DNP, BSN, Ph.D., or ADN).

Below are some examples of what might be expected:

• Your goals and ambitions for a successful nursing career
• How do you plan to achieve your academic goals
• The specific reasons why you want to join the nursing field
• Reasons you are selecting the particular nursing school or program
• Personal accomplishments that set you apart as the right candidate
• Experiences and encounters that make you love nursing career
• Plans for the future once accepted
• Experience with medical training or patient care
• Character traits aligned to being a nurse
• How you are prepared to become a successful nurse
• Academic, personal, and career interests
• Any other reasons to convince the admissions committee to approve your admission

In some quarters, a nursing school application essay might be a statement of purpose, personal essay, or letter of intent. It is a chance to plead with the admissions committee to accept you into your dream nursing college or program. Having looked at what goes into it, it is also essential to cover the steps to writing a perfect and comprehensive admission essay for nursing school.

Structure of a Nursing School Essay

A nursing essay for admission into a nursing program or school follows the typical format of an academic essay. It is organized into three main sections: introduction, body, and conclusion.

Introduction

• This is the opening paragraph that has to impress your readers (admissions officers)
• It can make or break your admission essay or personal statement
• It should be direct to the point
• It is a roadmap that helps the readers to know what to expect as your story grows.
• Open it using an enticing quote, event, anecdote, or statement
• You are allowed to use personal pronouns such as I in the introduction and the rest of the essay
• It has 2- 3 and sometimes five paragraphs
• Elaborates the introduction
• Every paragraph has a unique opening sentence that is a mini-thesis statement.
• Bears the best ideas yielded in your brainstorming session
• It can be as long as your word limit allows but contributes to at least 70-80% of the word count
• Focuses on quality over quantity
• Has one idea or experience per paragraph
• You should mention the skills you intend to develop and how they will help you become a successful nurse
• Connect the skills and experiences to the program and your future career
• Summarize and emphasize the main ideas
• It should be captivating and insightful
• Conveys a sense of closure to the readers
• Invites the readers to reflect on the ideas in your essay
• Creates one last lasting impression on the readers

Outline for a Nursing School Essay

A good nursing school essay outline should give you directions that help you visualize what the essay will look like in its final draft.

If you are writing a nursing essay, having the outline is the first thing you do after brainstorming (as shown in the steps).

It helps you to figure out how to arrange the ideas and points in the essay for a better flow. You can develop each section independently, regardless of the sequence, and still have a quality essay. 

In most cases, the outline is meant for personal consumption, especially when writing a personal statement. However, if you are writing a nursing essay on a given nursing topic , you might be required to write an outline, annotated bibliography , and the nursing essay , and each will be graded separately.

Given the structure, you can outline your nursing school essay as follows:

    Introduction paragraph

• Hook (quote, statement, or anecdote)
• Background information
• Thesis statement
• Transition sentence

    Body paragraph 1

• Topic sentence
• Evidence, data, and facts
• Transition to the second body paragraph

    Body paragraph 2

• Transition to the third body paragraph

    Body paragraph 3

• Transition to the conclusion

    Conclusion

• Summary of the main ideas
• Restate the thesis statement
• Last impression (call to action to the admissions committee)

Steps for Writing a Nursing School Essay

Optimizing your application essay increases your chance of getting accepted into the nursing program or nursing school. The essay should elaborate on your person (who you are as an individual) by providing a comprehensive perspective of your career ambitions, goals, and plans related to your passion for nursing. You should elaborate to the admissions committee why you are a good fit for their nursing program. Students at the ADN, BSN, ABSN (Accelerated BSN), MSN, DNP, or Ph.D. might be required to write an admission or personal essay, and here are the five steps to make it successful.

• Read the prompt
• Brainstorm for ideas
• Plan your essay
• Write the first draft
• Edit and Polish your Essay

Let's explore all these steps before delving into the tips to help you write the essay better.

Read the Prompt

If you are considering applying to a specific nursing school, you need to begin by researching the application process to know when you will be expected to submit your application essay.

In most cases, the nursing schools have essay prompts and instructions for the potential nursing candidates published on their websites. The prompts might vary depending on the programs you are interested in pursuing and the institutional preferences. Therefore, it is vital to begin by locating the nursing school essay guidelines. A quick search online can help, or you will also find it enclosed in the email sent to you by the school's admissions committee.

Read the instructions thoroughly with a specific focus on the essay question, word limit, and topics you must cover. If you apply to many nursing schools, you should locate and read each prompt before moving to the next steps.

Reading and understanding the instructions is the first step in writing an excellent application essay. Besides, it helps you to customize the essay to the requirements and not the other way around.

Brainstorm for Ideas

Now that you know what is expected of you, you need to decide what to include in your nursing essay to make it stand out. For this, get into an idea-generation marathon where you brainstorm ideas based on the prompt and the requirements.

Give every idea a thoughtful consideration and make shorthand notes so that you have all the ideas condensed. Consider your ambitions, accomplishments, drive, passion, preferences, strengths, weaknesses, character traits, and other attributes that might relate to your urge to pursue nursing as a career.

Also, research the nursing program and relate it to your personal ambitions and desires. Such information will help you spot the specific things you like about it. You can then tailor your experiences and encounters to the requirements. Look at the program's website and examine 2-3 aspects that stand out. This will help you focus on what you have that makes you the best pick for the program. You can also reference experiences, events, or traits related to the program.

Consider the environment and people around you and relate them to your desire to become a nurse.

Experiences, encounters, and events can inspire ideas to pen into your nursing school essay.

You can also research some well-written examples of nursing personal statements and essays to get inspired when brainstorming ideas for yours. Besides, you can also ask people in your network, such as family, friends, or peers, for ideas that can stand out and then choose the best.

To get the most robust ideas, rate them depending on how best they answer the prompt; this is the fodder for the entire application essay. Choose 3-5 strongest points and make them the central focus of your essay.

Plan your Essay

As a nurse, planning is everything, even when it comes to clinical decision-making. And because you are destined for this noble career, planning your personal essay won't hurt. Instead, it helps you know what to put and where to engage the admission officers from the beginning to the end of your nursing school essay.

With the ideas in mind, create a rough outline and adjust it until you are fully satisfied that your thoughts, facts, and opinions are well-organized. The outline will help you to structure your essay, avoid derailing it, and write a draft that bears all the quality ideas.

A good step is to organize the essay into paragraphs that align with the word count (often given as the minimum or maximum number of words, exact number of words, or characters).

Include an introduction to give your readers a clear understanding of the focus of your essay. Yes, a good nursing essay has a thesis statement that shows your central claim or the main idea you are focusing on the entire essay.

You should include the body paragraphs, each with a topic sentence supporting the thesis and a series of supporting facts such as examples, evidence, and illustration.

Finally, include a conclusion as the last paragraph that reverberates the thesis, summarizes the essay, and has a call to action to the admissions committee.

Write the First Draft

After the outline, you must begin writing your essay sentence by sentence and paragraph after paragraph. Whatever approach you take, ensure that every detail covered in the outline ends up in your essay as long as it is valid.

Write the introduction paragraph by giving a hook or attention grabber. You can begin with a quote from a famous nurse or a scholarly nursing article. You can also state facts or give statistics if they matter to your application. You should also elaborate on your selected topic, especially if the prompt provides options. End your first paragraph with a thesis statement that describes the focus of your nursing school essay. The introduction should account for 10-15% of the word count.

Each body paragraph has a unique, unmistakable, and concise topic sentence followed by supporting details and a concluding sentence that transitions to the next paragraph. Ensure that you have at least two body paragraphs considering that you can write either a three-paragraph or a five-paragraph nursing essay. Collectively, the body section should be 70-80% of the essay's word count. The body paragraphs should outline your encounters, experiences, and events and how they relate to the specific nursing program.

The final part is the conclusion, where you summarize the main ideas in the essay. for this, avoid the clich� conclusion starters such as "in conclusion," "to sum up," or "in summary." Instead, use conclusion opening sentences that demonstrate to your reader that the essay has ended � it gives the best closure and helps close the information loop in your essay. Rephrase your thesis and summarize the main ideas before appealing to the admissions committee to accept you into their nursing program. It should be 10-15% of the word count, like the introduction paragraph.

Edit and Polish the Essay

Now that you are done with your first draft, it is only the beginning, and you are far from being done. You need to take a break to cool down your frustrations, anxiety, and adrenaline developed when writing. It is a chance to establish an objective mind to look at things from a broader perspective when you settle for editing and proofreading.

If you are not good with editing and proofreading, you can hire a professional proofreading and editing expert to look at your essay and suggest changes to make. You can also use friends and family as a second and third eye to see what you cannot see. Using their feedback will help you optimize the essay for better results. You can incorporate the suggestions and proceed to editing and proofreading.

As for editing and proofreading, you can take advantage of tools such as Grammarly, Ginger, Hemingway Editor, and other editing and proofreading tools available by students and professionals. Revise the essay until it meets the requirements and addresses the prompt. If anything, do not be afraid to do away with an entire paragraph or a few paragraphs that don't make sense.

It is better to start over again than submit a subpar nursing school essay that will be a laughingstock of the admissions committee. The only way to entertain the admissions officers is to write an outstanding nursing school essay that will automatically dial you into the nursing program of your choice. Best of luck!

Example of Nursing School Essay Prompts

• Discuss your interest and understanding of the clinical nurse leader role. What's your story? And what experiences have contributed to your interest?
• The DNP program aims to prepare nurse leaders at the highest level of nursing practice to improve patient outcomes and translate research into practice. Describe experiences that exhibit your formal leadership role or informal leadership skills.
• How will the program help you achieve your academic and career goals?
• What experiences have influenced your interest in pursuing a clinical specialty you have chosen?
• The DNP program aims to prepare nurse leaders at the highest level of nursing practice to improve patient outcomes and translate research into practice. Describe experiences that exhibit your leadership skills.
• Why have you chosen to pursue a nursing research doctorate?
• How does becoming a nurse fulfill your ambitions?
• What does becoming a nurse mean to you?
• What drives you to become a nurse?
• Why do you want to become a nurse?
• What is your nursing philosophy?
• What was your reason for choosing nursing as a career? Do you have any additional information that you would like the admissions committee to know about you that has not been previously considered in the application?
• What are your professional goals? How will this accelerated nursing program help you materialize those goals?
• Discuss a specific leadership position (e.g., manager, director, associate dean) you wish to attain within three to five years after completing the DNP program.

Note: Some of these prompts have been rephrased from the Rush University Website . They keep changing depending on the preferences of the admissions committee. Inquire with your university or college of nursing to get specific directions on the most current prompts and instructions.

Related Reading: Ideas for a nursing capstone project.

Tips for Writing an Effective Nursing School Admission Essay

When grades, test scores, and other material entries don't count , a nursing school essay, referred to as a personal statement, suffices. In this case, a great nursing school can only be your hope for getting into nursing school. If you want to get ahead of the competition, these proven tips will significantly help you.

1. Plan Well

To pen an excellent nursing school essay that gets you accepted, you need to plan the essay.

Read the instructions, brainstorm as you take notes, research widely, and create an outline.

And even when done, the purpose is to have a reverse outline to help you score the essay against the requirements. Planning helps you to know what attention-grabbing statement to begin the essay with, the sequence of the body paragraph ideas for a logical flow, and what specifics to include in the conclusion.

Having an outline will help you save time when writing the first draft and help you to stay focused when writing.

2. Show, Don't Tell!

All effective nursing school essays express your personality, experiences, and encounters while convincing the admissions officers that you are the best fit for the program.

You should not focus on telling your story alone. Instead, show how your account relates to the prompt.

Discuss experiences, encounters, and events but show how they have impacted your choice of the program and desire to become a nurse.

If you are applying to a specific program, enlighten your readers on why you are specifically interested in the program and what that means.

It could be the hybrid learning model that entails both online and classroom learning or the history or reputation the school has, parental preferences (if they were a graduate), mentor recommendation, etc.

3. Choose Information Wisely

Ensure that every idea or information in your essay is unique, authentic, and original. Don't just write fictitiously.

If you have no past experiences directly related to nursing, you can introduce them and twist them to fit the context.

Impress the admissions committee with your wits, not just a summary of what others have written online.

Standing out in your presentation of facts will always carry the day. Genuinely share your story about what made you want to become a nurse.

4. Avoid Excuses

Even if you don't have appealing past encounters with medicine, hospitals, or anything related to nursing, tell your story as it is.

Do not excuse yourself for telling the truth. After all, you are on your journey to becoming a nurse; all you are seeking is training to develop the knowledge and skills.

If you have cared for your family members at home, babysat your siblings, or have compassion for the suffering, these are the most authentic stories you have, and they can spell meaning on your ambition. Therefore, prove your strong candidature by stating things as they are without clutching at things that do not matter.

5. Let it Flow!

Instead of forcing things such as humor or stories, write plainly about your experiences, encounters, and past events that made you want to become a nurse.

Most "why I want to be a nurse" essays don't have to have any humor. If it clicks well and is good, if it doesn't, don't force it.

As well, avoid exaggerating things when writing your nursing school essay. You should focus on making it as interesting, engaging, and convincing as can be but be truthful.

Avoid mixing up stories. A good way is to focus each paragraph on the main point that relates to your thesis.

6. Show you care about People and Yourself

Nursing is a noble career that entails caring for oneself as you care for others. Your full-time attention and job will be to care for people to help them achieve better health outcomes.

You must show empathy, selflessness, and determination to be a nurse. You can bring examples of when you took care of others and yourself.

Let the committee know that even when training as a nurse, you understand self-care as much as you understand caring for others.

7. Bring in Current Issues

If there is a chance that you can introduce nursing concepts or ideas from current events, it will beef up your nursing school essays.

Get facts from well-established nursing organization websites such as the American Nurses Association, National League of Nursing, Emergency Nurses Association, Sigma Theta Tau, or National Black Nurses Association, etc.

Intrigue your readers by understanding the challenges and opportunities in the nursing field.

You can relate your application to nursing shortages, medical errors, nursing burnout, continuing education, evidence-based practice, etc.

8. Briefly Explain your Qualifications

Since you have already provided material such as transcripts, resumes, and test scores, it is imperative to briefly expound on the qualifications without going into details. Tell them about your experiences, your education, and how you have set yourself up for success in nursing school . For instance, elaborate on how volunteering and internships helped you develop a sense of becoming a nurse or how they developed skills you will apply in nursing school.

9. Share your plans

Everybody has plans. You have short, medium, and long-term goals as you prepare to enter nursing school. You should include them in your essay and demonstrate how the program or school will help you achieve them. Admission officers are always wowed by hearing about goals, especially if they relate to their schools or programs. As you do this, be very specific with the goals and how you intend to achieve them.

All set, but before You Go �

As you contemplate entering nursing school, you must understand that it will never be a walk in the park. There is so much to learn within the specified time frame, and you must show your preparedness. A nursing school personal essay is one of the ways to do so.

Related Article:

• Writing a nursing philosophy ( a student's guide)
• Writing a nursing student resume (a guide)

Lucky for you, our nursing admission essay writers have shared insights, tips, and steps that can help you write an exceptional application essay for any nursing school or program. If you follow them, you will write a seamless admission essay that increases your chances of getting into the nursing school of your dreams.

We wish you luck in your endeavors and promise that were available in case you need a well-written, organized, and plagiarism-free admission essay tailored to your experiences and the specific nursing school or program requirements.

Struggling with

Related Articles

How to Ace Online Nursing Classes: Tips & Tricks

Do Grades Matter in Nursing School? Find Out!

AMA Citation and Formatting Style for Medical Paper

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

This website is intended for healthcare professionals

• { $refs.search.focus(); })" aria-controls="searchpanel" :aria-expanded="open" class="hidden lg:inline-flex justify-end text-gray-800 hover:text-primary py-2 px-4 lg:px-0 items-center text-base font-medium"> Search

Search menu

Brooker D. Person-centred dementia care.London: Jessica Kingsley; 2007

What is a nursing intervention: a beginner's guide. 2019. https://tinyurl.com/mh2mwhb6 (accessed 1 November 2021)

Butterworth C. How to achieve a person-centred writing style in care plans. Nurs Older People. 2012; 24:(8)21-26 https://doi.org/10.7748/nop2012.10.24.8.21.c9310

Centre for Policy on Ageing. The effectiveness of care pathways in health and social care. 2014. https://tinyurl.com/3t835kfd (accessed 1 November 2021)

Clinical and service integration. The route to improved outcomes. 2010. https://tinyurl.com/whb87xd6 (accessed 1 November 2021)

Department of Health. Refocusing the Care Programme Approach. Policy and positive practice guidance. 2008. https://tinyurl.com/anyrzhy6 (accessed 3 November 2021)

Department of Health. Personalised care planning: improving care for people with Long term conditions. 2011. https://tinyurl.com/uc3u3tkh (accessed 1 November 2021)

Department of Health. Care planning in the treatment of long term conditions: final report of the CAPITOL Project. 2013a. https://tinyurl.com/7399vphc

Department of Health. Mental health payment by results guidance 2013-2014. 2013b. https://tinyurl.com/9zyfmy87 (accessed 1 November 2021)

Dimond B. Exploring the legal status of healthcare documentation in the UK. Br J Nurs. 2005; 14:(9)517-518 https://doi.org/10.12968/bjon.2005.14.9.18078

Foundations of nursing practice: making the difference, 2nd edn. In: Hogston R, Simpson PM (eds). London: Palgrave Macmillan; 2002

Kozier B, Erb G, Berman A, Snyder S, Lake R, Harvey S. Fundamentals of nursing: concepts, process and practice, 8th edn. Harlow: Pearson Education; 2008

Leach M. Clinical decision making in complementary & alternative medicine.Chatswood (NSW, Australia): Elsevier; 2010

Lloyd M. A practical guide to care planning in health and social care.Maidenhead: Open University Press; 2010

Matthews E. Nursing care planning made incredibly easy!.Philadelphia (PA): Lippincott Williams and Wilkins; 2010

Monitor. Delivering better integrated care: A summary of what delivering better integrated care means and how Monitor is supporting the sector. 2015. https://tinyurl.com/825k8kd6 (accessed 1 November 2021)

NHS website. NHS launches accredited suppliers for electronic patient records. 2019. https://tinyurl.com/4fzs4up5 (accessed 1 November 2021)

National Institute for Clinical Excellence. What to expect during assessment and care planning. 2021. https://tinyurl.com/63hm5vvp (accessed 1 November 2021)

NHS England. Personalised care and support planning handbook: the journey to person-centred care: Core information. 2016a. https://tinyurl.com/9fyrtw45 (accessed 1 November 2021)

NHS England. Mental health clustering booklet v5.0 (2016/17). 2016b. https://tinyurl.com/7p6dfnry (accessed 1 November 2021)

NurseChoice. Nursing smart goals: how to set smart goals for Nursing. 2018. https://tinyurl.com/s292baez (accessed 1 November 2021)

Nursing and Midwifery Council. Future nurse: standards of proficiency for registered nurses. 2018a. http://tinyurl.com/yddpadva (accessed 1 November 2021)

Nursing and Midwifery Council. The code: professional standards of practice and behaviour for nurses, midwives and nursing associates. 2018b. https://tinyurl.com/gozgmtm (accessed 1 November 2021)

Nursing and Midwifery Council. Keep records of all evidence and decisions. 2021. https://tinyurl.com/4pcabhms (accessed 1 November 2021)

Revello K, Fields W. An educational intervention to increase nurse adherence in eliciting patient daily goals. Rehabil Nurs. 2015; 40:(5)320-326 https://doi.org/10.1002/rnj.201

Royal College of Nursing. RCN factsheet on nurse prescribing in the UK. 2014. https://tinyurl.com/hkndnbhv (accessed 3 November 2021)

Nursing process. 2021. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK499937 (accessed 1 November 2021)

Wing JK, Beevor AS, Curtis RH, Park SGB, Hadden J, Burns A. Health of the Nation Outcome Scales (HoNOS). Br J Psychiatry. 1998; 172:(1)11-18 https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.172.1.11

World Health Organization. Integrated care models: an overview. 2016. https://tinyurl.com/6encn9a5 (accessed 1 November 2021)

Yeomans D. Clustering in mental health payment by results: a critical summary for the clinician. Adv Psychiatr Treat. 2014; 20:(4)227-234 https://doi.org/10.1192/apt.bp.113.011320

Assessing the patient's needs and planning effective care

Benjamin Ajibade

Senior Lecturer, Mental Health Nursing, Northumbria University

View articles · Email Benjamin

Nurses have an essential role to play in the assessment and planning of patient care. This is emphasised in the Nursing and Midwifery Council's 2018Future Nurse proficiency standards. In this article, the author discusses the importance of person-centred care in assessing needs and highlights the need for all nursing interventions to be evidence based. The topics covered include assessing people's needs, care planning, stages of care planning, benefits of care planning, models of care, care pathways, and care clustering in mental health care. The article also highlights the significance of record-keeping.

The central role of nurses in assessing patient needs and planning care is one of the core areas emphasised in Future Nurse, the Nursing and Midwifery Council's (NMC) (2018a) nursing proficiency standards. The document categorises ‘assessing needs and planning care’ as the third of seven areas of proficiency, which are grouped into ‘platforms’. Future Nurse emphasises that the delivery of person-centred care and evidence-based nursing interventions are vital components for effective patient assessment and care planning. The standards further highlight that the nurse should understand the need to assess each patient's capacity to make their own decisions and to allow them the opportunity to give and withdraw consent.

An assessment is a form of a dialogue between client and practitioner, in which they discuss the needs of the former to promote their wellbeing and what they expect to happen in their daily life ( National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), 2021 ). Nursing assessment involves collecting data from the patient and analysing the information to identify the patient's needs, which are sometimes described as problems.

Register now to continue reading

Thank you for visiting British Journal of Nursing and reading some of our peer-reviewed resources for nurses. To read more, please register today. You’ll enjoy the following great benefits:

What's included

Limited access to clinical or professional articles

Unlimited access to the latest news, blogs and video content

Signing in with your registered email address

Nursing Essay Examples

Nursing Essay Examples That Will Help You Write a Stellar Paper

Published on: May 6, 2023

Last updated on: Jan 29, 2024

Share this article

Many nursing students struggle with writing effective nursing essays, which are an essential part of their education and professional development.

Poor essay writing skills can lead to low grades and an inability to effectively communicate important information.

This blog provides a comprehensive guide to writing nursing essays with examples and tips for effective writing. Whether you are a nursing student or a professional looking to improve your writing skills, this blog has something for you. 

By following the tips and examples provided, you can write compelling nursing essays that showcase your dedication to the field.

Let’s get started.

On This Page On This Page -->

What is a Nursing Essay?

A nursing essay is a type of academic writing that aims to explore a particular topic related to nursing. It also presents a clear and concise argument or viewpoint supported by evidence. 

Nursing essays can take many forms, including:

• Descriptive essays
• Reflective essays
• Analytical essays
• Persuasive essays

What is the Importance of the Nursing Essay?

Nursing essays are important for several reasons. First, they help nursing students develop critical thinking skills by requiring them to analyze and evaluate information.

Second, they help students develop research skills by requiring them to locate and use credible sources to support their arguments. 

Third, nursing essays help students develop communication skills by requiring them to present their ideas clearly and concisely in writing. Finally, nursing essays are important for nursing education because they prepare students for the types of writing.

Paper Due? Why Suffer? That's our Job!

To help students better understand how to write nursing essays, it can be helpful to review examples.

Below are some examples of nursing essays.

Nursing School Essay Examples

College Nursing Essay Examples

Graduate Nursing Essay Examples

Nursing Scholarship Essay Examples

Nursing Essay Conclusion Examples

Nursing Essay Examples of Different Fields

Nursing is a diverse field with many different specialties and areas of focus. As a result, nursing essays can take many different forms and cover a wide range of topics. 

Given below are some examples of different types of nursing essays:

Personal Philosophy Of Nursing - Essay Examples

Cal State Fullerton Nursing Essay Examples

Evidence Based Practice Nursing In Medical Field - Essay Examples

Leadership In Nursing And Healthcare Professionals - Essay Examples

Principles Of Professional Practice Of Nursing Professionals And Pharmacists

If you're seeking additional examples of nursing essays, you're in luck! 

Below are some more examples that can help you gain a better understanding of nursing essays:

Health Care And Reflective Models For Nursing - Essay Examples

History Of Nursing Essay Examples

Ethical Dilemma In Nurses Work - Essay Examples

Mental Health Nursing Essay Examples

Why I Want To Be A Nurse Essay

Working In A Team And Collaboration In Nursing

How to Write a Nursing Essay

Writing a nursing essay can seem daunting, but with the right approach, it can be a rewarding experience.

Here are the key steps involved in writing a nursing essay:

Understanding the Topic and Question

The first step in writing a nursing essay is to carefully read and understand the topic and question. 

This will help you determine what information you need to research and include in your essay. Make sure you understand any key terms or concepts related to the topic. Consider different perspectives or viewpoints that may be relevant.

Researching the Topic

Once you have a clear understanding of the topic and question, it's time to research. 

Start by gathering information from credible sources such as academic journals, textbooks, and government websites. 

Consider both primary and secondary sources, and make sure to take detailed notes as you read.

Organizing and Outlining the Essay

Once you have completed your research, it's time to organize your ideas and create an outline for your essay. 

Start by identifying the main points or arguments you want to make, and then organize them into a logical order that flows well. 

Your outline should include an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

Writing the Essay

With your outline in place, it's time to start writing your essay. Make sure to follow your outline closely, and use clear and concise language that effectively communicates your ideas. 

Use evidence from your research to support your arguments, and cite your sources appropriately.

Editing and Revising the Essay

Once you have completed a first draft of your essay, take some time to edit and revise it. Look for any errors in grammar, spelling, or punctuation, and make sure your essay is well-organized and flows well. 

Consider asking a peer or instructor to review your essay and provide feedback.

What To Include In Your Nursing Essay

When writing a nursing essay, there are several key elements that you should include. Here are some important things to keep in mind:

• Introduction

Your introduction should provide a brief overview of the topic and purpose of your essay. It should also include a clear thesis statement that presents your main argument or point of view.

• Background Information

Provide some background information on the topic to help the reader better understand the context of your essay. This can include relevant statistics, historical information, or other contextual details.

• Evidence and Examples

Use evidence and examples from your research to support your arguments and demonstrate your knowledge of the topic. Make sure to cite your sources appropriately and use a variety of sources to strengthen your argument.

• Analysis and Evaluation

Provide analysis and evaluation of the evidence and examples you've presented. This can include discussing strengths and weaknesses, comparing and contrasting different viewpoints, or offering your own perspective on the topic.

Your conclusion should summarize the main points of your essay and restate your thesis statement. It should also offer some final thoughts or suggestions for further research or action.

Nursing Essay Topic Ideas

Choosing a topic for your nursing essay can be challenging, but there are many areas in the field that you can explore. Here are some nursing essay topic ideas to consider:

• The role of technology in nursing practice
• The impact of cultural diversity on healthcare delivery
• Nursing leadership and management in healthcare organizations
• Ethical issues in nursing practice
• The importance of patient-centered care in nursing practice
• The impact of evidence-based practice on nursing care
• The role of nursing in promoting public health
• Nursing education and the importance of lifelong learning
• The impact of nursing shortages on healthcare delivery
• The importance of communication in nursing practice

These are just a few ideas to get you started. You can also explore other topics related to nursing that interest you or align with your academic or professional goals. 

Remember to choose a topic that is relevant, interesting, and feasible to research and write about.

Tips for Writing an Effective Nursing Essay

Writing a successful nursing essay requires careful planning, research, and attention to detail. Here are some tips to help you write an effective nursing essay:

• Writing Concisely and Clearly

Nursing essays should be written in clear and concise language, avoiding unnecessary jargon or technical terms. Use simple language and short sentences to help ensure that your ideas are communicated clearly and effectively.

• Stating a Clear Thesis Statement

Your thesis statement should clearly state your main argument and provide a roadmap for the rest of your essay. It should be clear, concise, and located at the end of your introduction.

• Using Proper Citation and Referencing

Citing and referencing your sources is crucial in any academic writing, including nursing essays. Make sure to use proper citation and referencing styles, such as APA or MLA. Include a reference list or bibliography at the end of your essay.

• Seeking Feedback and Revising

Before submitting your nursing essay, seek feedback from peers, professors, or writing tutors. Use their feedback to revise and improve your essay. Make sure that it is well-structured, coherent, and effectively communicates your point of view.

By following these tips, you can write a nursing essay that demonstrates your knowledge and skills in the field.

In conclusion, writing a successful nursing essay requires careful planning, research, and attention to detail. 

To showcase your knowledge in the field of nursing, it is important to have a clear understanding of the topic at hand. When writing your nursing essay, be sure to include relevant examples, incorporate current research, and use proper citation and referencing. 

And remember , seeking feedback and revising your essay is key to ensuring that it effectively communicates your ideas and arguments.

If you need help with your nursing essay or any other type of academic writing, consider using our AI essay writer . 

Our nursing essay writing service can provide personalized support to help you succeed in your academic goals.

So, why wait? Contact us to get college essay writing help today! 

Cathy A. (Literature)

For more than five years now, Cathy has been one of our most hardworking authors on the platform. With a Masters degree in mass communication, she knows the ins and outs of professional writing. Clients often leave her glowing reviews for being an amazing writer who takes her work very seriously.

Paper Due? Why Suffer? That’s our Job!

Legal & Policies

• Privacy Policy
• Cookies Policy
• Terms of Use
• Refunds & Cancellations
• Our Writers
• Success Stories
• Our Guarantees
• Affiliate Program
• Referral Program
• AI Essay Writer

Disclaimer: All client orders are completed by our team of highly qualified human writers. The essays and papers provided by us are not to be used for submission but rather as learning models only.

Archive: APA 6th Edition: Nursing Paper Example: APA Setup & Template

• General Guidelines
• Print Books
• Chapter or Article in an Anthology
• Journal Articles
• Database Articles
• Newspaper Articles
• Audiovisual Materials
• Images and Figures
• Other Sources
• In-Text Citations
• APA help with IHI: Institute of Healthcare Improvement
• Fitne Nursing Streaming Video
• Nursing Paper Example: APA Setup & Template
• APA 7 This link opens in a new window

Sample APA Paper

This guide has has been put together by the State College of Florida BSN Faculty for the Nursing Department.  It can be used as a template. It does show appropriate APA set-up for a paper. Models the following:

• Running Head
• References  
• SCFNursingPaperExampleGuide

• << Previous: Fitne Nursing Streaming Video
• Next: APA 7 >>
• Last Updated: Aug 28, 2023 5:23 PM
• URL: https://libguides.scf.edu/c.php?g=1029285

Nursing essays

Maternal role attainment theory, personal philosophy on advanced practice nursing and healthcare, king’s goal attainment theory, patient safety, scope of practice, end-of-life care, nursing role in global health, the transtheoretical model.

• AACN Synergy Model
• Advanced Practice Nurse (ADN)
• American Nurses’ Association (ANA)
• Communication
• Critical Care
• Emotional Intelligence
• End of Life Care
• Evidence Based Practice
• Health Assessment in Nursing
• Hypertension
• Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
• Nurse Burnout
• Nurse Practice Act
• Nurse Practitioner
• Nursing Care
• Nursing Care Plan
• Nursing Career
• Nursing Home
• Nursing Learning
• Nursing Management
• Nursing Philosophy
• Nursing Practice
• Nursing Profession
• Nursing Study
• Nursing Theories
• Online Nursing Programs
• Orem Self Care Model
• Pain Management
• Patient Care
• Patient Satisfaction
• Preventive Care
• Professional Biography
• Psychiatric Nursing
• Registered Nurse (RN)
• Rehabilitation
• Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Skilled Nursing Facility
• Specialty Care
• Transitional Care

Effective Tips Based on Top Nursing School Essay Examples on the Web

Students commonly consider nursing college essay examples a valuable source of inspiration. To write a strong text, you should carefully consider the instructions provided and identify examples of problems you want to address.

• To make a text comprehensible, include convincing examples.
• Conduct appropriate literary and online resource searches.
• Examine pertinent sources to support your claims.
• Emphasize the theoretical and practical elements.

You can follow persuasive, argumentative, informative, or nursing philosophy essay examples, depending on what you’re assigned. Additionally, don’t forget to adhere to examples of the right structure, which will organize your ideas.

The correct framework also makes it easier to come up with argumentative essay topics for nursing students or other types of them. The audience will be engaged by a clear structure and thesis statement, and the tutors’ board will give it a favorable rating.

See Promising Nursing Essay Topics to Make the Right Decision

Students should be proficient in writing texts on specific topics in addition to standard experiments and practical projects. Essay topics for nursing students require using examples of the right concepts and procedures to carry out important tasks.

Check out the nursing essay topics listed below so you may write thoughtful content:

• How can we entice medical school grads to pursue a nurse career?
• Is it necessary to highlight the superiority of nurses’ services?
• Are nurses more helpful and productive than physicians?
• Is a nurse a vital resource that patients could use?

Competently written nursing essay writing examples aid in the development of their critical thinking skills and their capacity to substantiate their own beliefs on a certain topic by citing reliable data from appropriate medical sources.

Look at the High-Quality Nursing Essays Examples We Have for You

Prior to choosing nursing argumentative essay topics, you should evaluate the list provided and specify what you find most interesting, why you’d like to explore those concerns in-depth, and how you will cite the facts you find to support your perspective.

What should you illustrate in a text? As nursing school essay examples show, you must illustrate your level of interest in applying to a certain college, why it suits your candidacy, and how getting this degree will help you.

You can read many nursing essay examples on our websites on any topic and subject. They are based on experiences and opinions when selecting themes because it shows how you feel about the issue. In general, a well-founded analysis and study are helpful to nursing students who want to develop their practical skills.

Regarding winning nursing scholarship essay examples, a student should produce a strong and persuasive text aimed at an entry to avoid challenges during the admissions process.

Here you are, high-grade nursing essays examples to get more hints on writing.

How to Write a Good Nursing Application Essay (With Examples)

Wilson logan.

• May 19, 2024
• Nursing Writing Guides

Embarking on a nursing school journey? Becoming a nurse takes more than just desire—it requires a demonstration of commitment and insight into the field of nursing. A pivotal step in your application is crafting a compelling nursing application essay. This piece is your window to express your individuality, passion, and aspirations within the nursing field.

This essay not only showcases your writing prowess and critical thinking skills but also your ability to convey ideas clearly. Creating an outstanding nursing application essay that resonates with the admission committee can seem daunting. You might ponder over questions like: What should my focus be? How do I illustrate my enthusiasm for nursing?

Or even, how do I make a memorable impression on the admissions panel and steer clear of common pitfalls?

In this guide, we aim to address these queries and more. We’ll navigate you through crafting an impactful nursing application essay, coupled with insights, examples, and best practices to forge a personal and persuasive narrative. Embrace this advice, and script an essay that mirrors your unique path, your goals, and your dedication to the nursing vocation, positioning you as an ideal candidate for your chosen nursing program.

Nursing Essay Application Writing Service

• Experienced and Qualified Writers
• Personalized Attention
• Strict Quality Control
• Timely Delivery
• Confidentiality and Privacy
• Affordable Pricing

Understanding the Importance of a Nursing Application Essay

A nursing application essay stands as more than merely an academic composition. It plays a pivotal role in the nursing school admission process, where crafting a persuasive piece may distinguish you as an exceptional candidate among those who want to be nurses. The inclusion of personal experiences, achievements, objectives, and motivations behind your desire to become a nurse communicates to the admissions team your suitability for their program.

This essay acts as your personal voice throughout the admission journey. It offers a platform to directly address the admissions committee, narrate your story, and articulate your attraction to the nursing profession. The significance of this essay cannot be understated, as it often becomes the critical element in differentiating you from the pool of applicants, especially when you want to include experiences that underscore your suitability to become a nurse.

It mirrors your past experiences, future ambitions, and dedication to the principles upheld by the nursing profession.

To enhance the likelihood of your application’s acceptance, it is essential to excel in crafting your nursing school application essay. This necessitates dedicative planning. Focus on identifying key points you wish to include in your essay, encapsulating your personal journey, and integrating your achievements.

Initiate your essay with an engaging introductory statement to captivate your audience. It’s imperative to convey to the readers who you are and the significance of nursing to you.

The value of a nursing school essay extends beyond just satisfying an application criterion—it represents a chance to humanize your application. Picture your application as a canvas; your academic achievements and certificates illustrate your scholarly and technical expertise. However, the nursing essay adds dimension and vibrancy to this canvas, imbuing your application with life and allowing you to showcase your distinctiveness.

In the highly competitive realm of nursing school applications, your essay assumes a critical role in setting you apart from the competition. Amid numerous qualified applicants, your essay offers a window into your unique character, detailing your personal journey, challenges, successes, compassion, and enthusiasm for nursing.

Furthermore, it provides applicants with an opportunity to demonstrate their proficiency in coherent communication, an essential skill for nurses required to effectively interact with patients, families, and healthcare teams.

Creating a compelling nursing application essay that secures your admission to your desired nursing school or program demands meticulous planning, research, and creativity. In the forthcoming sections, we will furnish you with tips, examples, and best practices to aid you in developing a personal and impactful nursing school essay.

Preparation Before Writing

Embarking on your nursing school personal statement requires preliminary legwork to ensure you’re well-informed about the essay prompt and the nursing school of your choice. This crucial step will enable you to write a personal statement that resonates with the admissions committee’s specific criteria and expectations. Follow these essential steps:

Comprehending the Prompt

The inaugural step involves thoroughly understanding the prompt and the nursing application essay requirements. The prompt is essentially the question or statement your essay needs to address, focusing on your interest, motivation, and objectives in pursuing a nursing career. Familiar prompts include:

• Your motivation for choosing nursing as a career
• Your immediate and long-term nursing goals
• How the nursing program will facilitate your goal achievement
• Key qualities that define an exemplary nurse
• The experiences shaping your nursing career choice

Decipher the prompt by identifying pivotal words and phrases signifying the essay’s intended purpose, scope, and tone. If it necessitates a description or explanation, ensure you provide comprehensive and factual information. Conversely, prompts demanding analysis or evaluation require a critical and reasoned outlook, while persuasion calls for a compelling argument.

Adhere to the essay’s stipulated requirements, including word count, format, style, and submission deadline, to avoid penalties or disqualification. For any uncertainties regarding the prompt or requirements, engaging with the nursing school for further clarification is advisable.

Researching the Nursing School

The subsequent step involves detailed research into the nursing school or program of interest. This showcases your enthusiasm and familiarity with the specific nursing field and institution and ensures your essay is in consonance with the school’s mission, vision, and values.

Employ a variety of sources for your research, like the school’s official website, promotional materials, social platforms, alumni feedback, and online reviews. Interactions with the nursing school’s faculty, staff, or students can also offer deeper insights.

Key research areas should include:

• The history, reputation, and accreditation status of the nursing school or program
• The academic offerings, faculty expertise, and curriculum structure
• Details on the admissions criteria, selection process, and statistics
• Available facilities, resources, and extracurricular opportunities
• The institutional culture, values, and overarching goals

As you compile your findings, maintain detailed notes and source references to ensure proper citation and avoid plagiarism. Focus on integrating information that reinforces your main arguments while omitting any superfluous details that might detract from your message.

Crafting Your Essay

Once you’ve grasped the essay prompt and researched your chosen nursing school thoroughly, it’s time to embark on the writing process. Crafting an engaging nursing personal statement is no small feat—it demands meticulous planning, organization, and a touch of creativity. Follow these key steps to ensure your essay stands out:

Creating an Outline

Begin by drafting an outline, a crucial step that provides a structured framework for organizing your thoughts and arguments clearly and coherently. An effective outline helps prevent redundancy, irrelevant content, and omissions, typically featuring three main sections: the introduction, body, and conclusion.

The introduction should present who you are, your enthusiasm for nursing, and your core thesis statement—the primary message you wish to communicate to the admissions panel. This statement needs to be succinct, transparent, and precise.

For instance, a compelling thesis statement might be, “Driven by a genuine desire to aid others, my robust academic foundation, and a personal journey towards nursing, I am poised to pursue a nursing career.”

In the body, elaborate on your thesis with supportive evidence, examples, and anecdotes. Structure the body into several paragraphs, each spotlighting a distinct idea tying back to the thesis. Open each paragraph with a topic sentence introducing its main idea, and conclude with a sentence that summarizes the idea and transitions into the next section.

An example structure could include paragraphs dedicated to your passion for helping others, your educational background, and a defining personal experience.

The conclusion is your opportunity to reiterate your thesis, encapsulate your primary arguments, and make a memorable impression on the admissions committee. Summarize your points without introducing new ideas, highlighting the significance of what you’ve discussed. Conclude with a potent statement reflecting your enthusiasm, confidence, and appreciation, something akin to, “I am confident in my ability to thrive as a nurse and contribute significantly to the nursing profession. It would be a privilege to join your esteemed nursing school and gain insights from your distinguished faculty and staff.”

Writing an Engaging Introduction

The second step involves crafting a captivating introduction . This segment, being the admissions committee’s first point of contact with your essay, should seize their interest immediately. Employ strategies like a compelling hook—a question, a quote, an intriguing statistic, or a personal story. For instance, “Witnessing a car accident at the age of 12 profoundly transformed my perspective on life.”

Following your hook, offer necessary background information that frames your essay. Briefly introduce yourself, explain your interest in nursing, and your reasons for applying to the specific nursing school or program, invoking the school or program’s name to demonstrate your detailed interest and familiarity.

The introduction’s final element is your thesis statement, which should clearly, concisely, and specifically outline the main argument or message you aim to convey, along with a preview of the key points or ideas that will be further explored in the essay body.

Developing the Body of Your Essay

The body of your essay is where you flesh out your thesis statement with concrete evidence, engaging examples, and compelling narratives. Ensure each paragraph focuses on a singular idea relevant to your thesis, introduced via a topic sentence and concluded in a way that seamlessly leads to the subsequent point.

Employ a mix of sentence structures, lengths, and vocabulary to keep the essay dynamic and engaging. Use transitional phrases like “firstly,” “secondly,” “however,” and “consequently,” to ensure a coherent flow between paragraphs. Be mindful of the essay’s word count, format, style, and tone, adhering to the nursing school’s guidelines to maintain a professional and positive tone throughout.

Concluding with Impact

The conclusion is your final chance to influence the admissions committee. Reinforce your thesis statement and summarize the essay’s core points, underscoring their relevance and demonstrating how they align with the nursing program’s values and objectives. Avoid introducing new information; instead, solidify the arguments you’ve presented and their significance. Conclude with a powerful statement that encapsulates your main message, reaffirms your commitment and suitability for the program, and expresses gratitude for the committee’s consideration. For example, “Confident in my potential to excel in nursing and make meaningful contributions to patient care, I am eager to join your nursing school and absorb knowledge from your esteemed faculty. Thank you for considering my application.”

Personalize Your Essay

To ensure your essay captivates the admissions board, infusing it with your personal touch is crucial after you’ve laid down its structure, crafted an engaging introduction, built out the body, and concluded with impact. Making your essay uniquely yours involves shining a light on your distinctive traits, expressing your desire to become a nurse, and demonstrating your empathy and compassion.

Follow these steps to add that personalized flair:

Highlighting Your Unique Qualities

Begin by spotlighting the singular qualities that render you an excellent fit for the nursing program. Discuss your personality, strengths, skills, and achievements to illustrate your readiness and suitability for a career in nursing.

It’s also key to share stories of any hurdles you’ve overcome, showcasing how these experiences have molded your character and spurred growth. Use specific, relevant anecdotes to bring these qualities to life, employing confident and positive language. Remember to stay true to yourself, dodging the pitfalls of clichés and overstatements, while ensuring you’re not redundantly repeating your resume but instead revealing new facets of your profile.

Sharing Your Nursing Aspirations

The next phase involves sharing your ambitions within the nursing field, detailing your career objectives and what sparks your enthusiasm for nursing. Clarify why you want to become a nurse, your goals as a registered nurse, and how you aim to make a difference. Discuss any particular interests or specializations and their resonance with your chosen program.

Your narrative should convey a realistic, yet passionate vision, highlighting your excitement for nursing, its alignment with your principles, and your cognizance of the profession’s evolving landscape. This is the moment to express your eagerness for lifelong learning in nursing and how the program will bolster your career trajectory.

Showcasing Empathy and Compassion

Lastly, your essay should illustrate your empathy and compassion—fundamental traits of a nurse. Empathy reflects your capacity to understand others’ feelings, whereas compassion showcases your desire to assist and care. Narrate instances where you’ve exemplified these virtues in personal or professional scenarios, emphasizing their impact on your nursing ambition.

Utilize emotive and vibrant language supported by concrete examples to depict your compassionate actions and their transformative influence on your life and nursing philosophy , illustrating how they cement your ethical framework and inform your patient care approach.

Polishing Your Essay

After highlighting your unique qualities, sharing your nursing aspirations, and showcasing empathy and compassion within your essay, it’s crucial to refine it to perfection. Polishing includes seeking feedback, editing, and proofreading to enhance the essay’s content, structure, and style. Here are some tips to help you write a strong essay perfect for the application process.

Follow these steps to elevate your essay:

Seeking Feedback

Gathering external feedback is your initial step. This can be from friends, family, mentors, teachers, or professional editors. It’s a way to identify your essay’s strengths and shortcomings and offers suggestions for refinements. Feedback also provides a fresh perspective, akin to viewing your essay through the admissions committee’s eyes.

Choose a reviewer who is knowledgeable, honest, and supportive. Provide them with the essay’s prompt and requirements, and ask for an assessment based on:

• Content: Does your essay respond to the prompt and address key points? Does it offer ample evidence and stories to back your thesis? Does it reflect your personality, passion, and nursing ambitions?
• Structure: Is your essay logically organized with an engaging introduction, coherent body, and strong conclusion? Are transitions and sentences used effectively to connect ideas?
• Style: Does your essay adhere to a clear format (APA, MLA, Chicago) for citations and plagiarism prevention? Is the style formal and professional, free from slang, jargon, and contractions? Does it maintain a positive tone without negativity or exaggeration?
• Grammar: Are spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and grammar correct? Does the essay utilize varied sentence structures and word choices to enhance readability?

Upon receiving feedback, thank the contributor, review their insights carefully, remain open-minded, and view this as an opportunity to refine your essay. Avoid taking feedback personally; instead, see it as a means to enhance your work.

Editing and Proofreading

The subsequent step is editing and proofreading your essay to correct any errors or inconsistencies. While editing focuses on improving content, structure, and style, proofreading targets grammar, spelling, punctuation, and format accuracy.

During editing, concentrate on your essay’s overall quality. Ensure it fulfills the prompt, supports your thesis with relevant examples, portrays your aspirations and personality, maintains coherent organization with a compelling opening and conclusion, employs transitions effectively, follows a consistent citation format, and presents a formal style with a confident tone.

In proofreading, zoom in on details and accuracy. Verify grammar, spelling, punctuation, and format correctness, and ensure adherence to the nursing program’s requirements like word count and style guidelines.

Utilize tools and techniques like reading aloud, spell checkers, grammar checkers, style guides, dictionaries, thesauruses, peer reviews, professional services, and checklists fora thorough revision. Revise multiple times until your essay reaches its best version, ready to apply for nursing school.

Example Essays and Analysis

In this informative section, we present two exemplar nursing school personal statement examples that successfully encapsulate the ideals of engaging and effective writing, as previously explored. These samples serve as a beacon of inspiration, illustrating best practices for prospective nursing students aiming to craft compelling narratives of their own experiences and goals.

It’s crucial, however, to regard these essays as models rather than templates. The uniqueness of each essay stems from the personal stories and individual journeys of the writers. As such, your essay should be a mirror reflecting your personal aspirations, experiences, and character.

Sample Nursing Application Essay 1

The essay that follows was penned by Jane Doe, a hopeful applicant to the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at Northeastern University. The essay addresses the prompt, “Why do you want to pursue a career in nursing?” with a compelling narrative.

At the age of 12, a car accident unfolded before me, forever altering the trajectory of my life. A woman, engulfed by flames within her vehicle, screamed for help. I dashed to the closest phone booth, dialed 911, and soon, paramedics were on the scene, waging a battle against time and flames. Their success in rescuing the woman left an indelible mark on me, sparking a determination to emulate their bravery and compassion.

My name is Jane Doe. My application to the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at Northeastern University is driven by a lifelong fascination with human health, a profound desire to aid those in distress, and a rich tapestry of academic and professional experiences that have groomed me for a nursing career.

My passion lies in serving those who are vulnerable, providing care and comfort in their times of need. Volunteering across various health settings and participating in community engagement initiatives have enriched my skills in empathy, communication, and teamwork.

Furthermore, an extensive academic background in biology and psychology from Boston University, coupled with practical research experiences, has laid a solid foundational knowledge critical for a nursing career.

A defining moment came when, at 12, I witnessed my aunt suffer in a harrowing car accident. The compassionate care she received from her nurses during recovery illuminated the profound impact of nursing on patient and family alike, steering me toward this noble calling.

This essay encapsulates my unwavering passion for nursing, my academic preparedness, and a deeply personal inspiration. These elements not only shape my ambitions but also epitomize the qualities and drive necessary for success in the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at Northeastern University. It would be an honor to contribute to and learn within this esteemed nursing community.

Thank you for considering my application.

Sample Nursing Application Essay 2

Our next essay is by John Smith, who seeks to further his nursing career through the Master of Science in Nursing program at the University of California, Los Angeles, aiming to articulate his short-term and long-term nursing goals.

My journey towards nursing began in childhood, deeply influenced by a family legacy of nursing professionals. My mother’s battle with breast cancer and the exceptional care she received highlighted the profound role nurses play both in patient recovery and as pillars of support, solidifying my resolve to join their ranks.

As John Smith, an applicant to the Master of Science in Nursing program at UCLA, I bring a robust background in nursing, having earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, San Francisco, and garnered extensive hands-on experience in various clinical settings.

My immediate aspiration is to excel in the UCLA Master of Science in Nursing program as a step towards becoming a nurse practitioner, a role that promises both personal fulfillment and professional advancement. My vision extends to becoming a nursing educator and leader, dedicated to elevating nursing practice through teaching, research, and advocacy.

These goals reflect not only my aspirations but also my potential to contribute meaningfully to the UCLA program and the nursing profession at large. I am eager to embark on this next phase of my professional journey, guided by the exemplary faculty and peers at UCLA.

Thank you for your consideration.

Writing Techniques Demonstrated

The essays showcased here exemplify the core writing strategies discussed in prior sections. These include:

• Thoroughly addressing the essay prompt and adhering to its requirements.
• Conducting diligent research on the nursing program to tailor the essay with insightful knowledge.
• Structuring the essay coherently with a compelling introduction, a well-supported body, and a memorable conclusion.
• Infusing the narrative with unique personal insights and a clear demonstration of empathy and compassion.
• Meticulously refining the essay through thoughtful revisions and feedback to polish the final submission.

3 Typical Problems in Writing a Nursing Application Essay

Lack of focus.

When crafting a nursing application essay, one common pitfall is a lack of focus. Applicants often struggle to narrow down their ideas to a coherent narrative that effectively communicates their passion and qualifications for nursing. This can lead to an essay that feels scattered or unfocused, making it difficult for admissions committees to discern the applicant’s main message.

Too Much Information

Another issue is the tendency to include too much information. In an attempt to cover all their bases, applicants might overload their essays with too many details, from personal anecdotes to technical explanations of nursing concepts. This not only overwhelms the reader but also dilutes the impact of the most important points. Striking the right balance between being thorough and concise is key to a compelling essay.

Poor Writing Skills

Finally, poor writing skills can severely detract from an otherwise strong nursing application essay. Grammatical errors, awkward sentence structures, and improper formatting can distract from the content, making it hard for reviewers to focus on the applicant’s strengths. Investing time in proofreading and possibly seeking feedback from others can significantly improve the quality of the essay.

In this blog post, we’ve shared a detailed and actionable guide to crafting a standout nursing application essay. We’ve explored the importance of the nursing school application essay in the application process, offered tips to write an effective nursing school personal statement, and highlighted the best nursing programs’ expectations. Our advice on personal essay preparation, essay composition techniques, and steps to personalize your writing aims to help you craft a compelling nursing personal statement that articulates your desire to pursue a nursing degree.

• The significance and goals of the nursing application essay.
• Preparation steps, including comprehending the essay prompt and researching your chosen nursing school.
• Essay composition techniques, such as outlining, crafting an engaging introduction, developing a coherent body, and finishing with a memorable conclusion.
• How to inject personality into your essay by showcasing your unique traits, articulating your nursing ambitions, and demonstrating your empathy and compassion.
• Tips for refining your essay, such as soliciting feedback, and the importance of thorough editing and proofreading.
• A list of common pitfalls to avoid, like losing focus, providing excessive information, or showcasing inadequate writing skills.
• A review and analysis of two successful nursing application essays.

To clinch a spot in the best nursing programs, remember a well-written essay can serve as a winning nursing application essay. Your personal narrative takes center stage in the admissions landscape; it’s an influential piece that can sway the admission committee’s decision. With our guidelines and personal examples, we trust that writing your personal statement for nursing school will be an enriching and productive endeavor. So polish that strong essay—it’s an essential step toward your future nursing job.

Should you seek further assistance or inspiration, resources and professional services are available to help you craft a compelling nursing essay. Your application essay is a testament to your commitment to the field of nursing as you apply for nursing school. It’s crucial to apply the strength of your convictions and aspirations into the writing process, showcasing a personal narrative that resonates with the values and goals of the nursing program you’re eager to join.

Frequently Asked Questions on How to Write a Good Nursing Application Essay

1. how important is a nursing application essay for those who want to be a nurse.

A good essay is crucial for individuals aspiring to become nurses. It is typically a key component of the application process for nursing programs and provides applicants with the opportunity to showcase their passion, skills, and experiences.

2. What are some tips for writing a compelling nursing application essay?

When crafting your essay, consider using essay examples as a reference. Focus on highlighting your strengths, motivations to pursue nursing , and unique qualities that make you a strong candidate. Additionally, tailor your essay to each college application to demonstrate your genuine interest.

3. Why do you need to write a compelling nursing application essay?

To make your nursing application stand out among other applicants, it is imperative to create a compelling essay that showcases your passion for the field, your relevant experiences, and the reasons applying to nursing is important to you.

4. How can you make your nursing application essay more impactful with the use of examples?

Utilizing best examples in your essay can help illustrate your points and provide concrete evidence of your qualifications and attributes. Including specific scenarios or experiences can make your essay more compelling and memorable to reviewers.

5. What should you consider when making the decision to become a nurse and including it in your essay?

When discussing your decision to become a nurse in your application essay, reflect on your personal motivations, experiences that influenced your choice, and the qualities you possess that align with the nursing profession. This can help admissions committees understand your genuine passion for nursing.

6. Why are examples of nursing personal statement important in the nursing application process?

Nursing personal statement examples serve as valuable resources for applicants to understand the structure, tone, and content expectations for their own essays. They can also provide inspiration and guidance on how to effectively convey one’s story and aspirations.

7. What specific aspects should you highlight in your nursing application essay to showcase what you bring to the table?

Focus on application materials that emphasize your unique attributes, experiences in the healthcare field, skills, and qualities that make you a strong candidate for the nursing program

Working On an Assignment With Similar Concepts Or Instructions? ​

A Page will cost you $12, however, this varies with your deadline. 

We have a team of expert nursing writers ready to help with your nursing assignments. They will save you time, and improve your grades. 

Whatever your goals are, expect plagiarism-free works, on-time delivery, and 24/7 support from us.  

Here is your 15% off to get started.  Simply:

• Place your order ( Place Order ) 
• Click on Enter Promo Code after adding your instructions  
• Insert your code –  Get20

All the Best, 

Have a subject expert Write for You Now

Have a subject expert finish your paper for you, edit my paper for me, have an expert write your dissertation's chapter, what you'll learn.

• Nursing Careers
• Nursing Paper Solutions
• Nursing Theories
• Nursing Topics and Ideas

Related Posts

• Nursing Informatics Theory: A Comprehensive Guide to the DIKW Framework
• 5 Teaching Theories in Nursing Every Nursing Student Should Know
• 10 Essential Nursing Theories for Education: Guide for Nursing Educators

Important Links

Knowledge base.

Nursingstudy.org helps students cope with college assignments and write papers on various topics. We deal with academic writing, creative writing, and non-word assignments.

All the materials from our website should be used with proper references. All the work should be used per the appropriate policies and applicable laws.

Our samples and other types of content are meant for research and reference purposes only. We are strongly against plagiarism and academic dishonesty.

Phone: +1 628 261 0844

Mail: [email protected]

We Accept: 

@2015-2024, Nursingstudy.org 

Writing an Outstanding Application Nursing Essay

Embarking on the path to a nursing career involves navigating through various challenges and significant moments, with the nursing application essay standing out as a key component. This essential part of your application transcends mere formality; it presents a special chance for you to highlight your character, commitment, and aptitude for the nursing profession. In this detailed guide, we aim to explore the intricacies of creating a standout nursing application essay. Whether you’re just starting to explore the nursing field or are ready to submit your application, this article is your roadmap to success.

Understanding the Purpose of the Essay

What do nursing schools seek in your essay.

Nursing schools are looking for candidates with the academic qualifications and personal qualities essential for nursing. Your essay should reflect your compassion, empathy, commitment to the profession, and understanding of the nursing role.

The Essay’s Role in Your Application

Your application essay is your voice in the admission process. It’s where you can speak directly to the admissions committee, tell your story, and explain why you are drawn to the nursing field. This essay can be the deciding factor in your application, setting you apart from other candidates.

Preparing to Write

• Research: Aligning with the School’s Values

Prior to beginning your essay, it’s essential to familiarize yourself with the fundamental ideals and beliefs of the nursing school you’re applying to. Spend time browsing their website, absorbing their mission statement, and comprehending their perspective on nursing education. This crucial insight will help you tailor your essay to resonate with the school’s philosophy. This research will help you tailor your essay to resonate with their ethos.

• Self-reflection: Your Nursing Journey

Reflect on your experiences and why you chose nursing. Think about moments in your life that led you to pursue this career. These reflections will help you create an authentic and personal narrative.

• Brainstorming: Crafting Your Story

Take time to brainstorm ideas for your essay. Think about your strengths, experiences, and what aspects of nursing excite you. Make sure to note down these key points; they will be the essential framework for your essay.

Structuring Your Essay

• Introduction: Making a Strong First Impression

The introduction of your essay is your first chance to capture the reader’s attention. Begin with an engaging story, a meaningful personal experience, or a statement that makes the reader think. This approach will offer a window into your personality and highlight your enthusiasm for nursing.

• Body: Building Your Narrative

Organize the body of your essay around a few key experiences or ideas. Each paragraph should focus on a specific aspect of your journey or a particular quality you possess. Use examples from your life to demonstrate your commitment, compassion, and ability to overcome challenges.

• Conclusion: Leaving a Lasting Impression

Your conclusion should wrap up your essay by summarizing the key points and reaffirming your interest and readiness for a nursing career. This is your final chance to remind the admissions committee why you are a suitable candidate.

Writing Tips and Best Practices

• Clarity and Conciseness

Keep your writing clear and concise. Avoid unnecessary jargon and be direct in your storytelling. Remember, the admissions committee reads many essays, so getting your point across quickly is crucial.

• Authenticity: Be Yourself

Your essay should reflect your true self. Don’t try to be someone you’re not. Honesty and sincerity will resonate more than trying to fit a certain mold you think the school wants.

• Using Specific Examples

Provide specific life examples rather than general statements about your passion for nursing. This might include volunteering, personal experiences with healthcare, or moments of inspiration from other nurses.

• Attention to Technical Details

Proofread your essay multiple times for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. Also, adhere to the nursing school’s formatting guidelines, such as word count and font size.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Steering Clear of Clichés and Generalities

Clichés and overused phrases can make your essay sound generic. Instead, focus on providing unique insights and personal experiences that highlight individuality.

• Directly Answering the Essay Prompt

It’s crucial to stay on topic and answer the essay prompt directly. Deviating from the prompt can lead the admissions committee to question your attention to detail and ability to follow instructions.

• Avoiding Excessive Jargon

Revising and Refining Your Essay

• The Importance of Drafts and Revisions

Your first draft is just the beginning. Be prepared to revise and refine your essay several times. This process helps fine-tune your message and improve the overall flow and clarity.

• Seeking Feedback

Get feedback on your essay from mentors, teachers, or peers. They can provide valuable insights and suggest improvements you might not have considered.

• Final Proofreading

Before submitting your essay, do a thorough proofreading. Check for grammatical errors or typos, and ensure your essay adheres to the specified word limit and formatting requirements.

Crafting your nursing application essay is an opportunity for self-reflection and a chance to convey your zeal for nursing. It’s important to remain authentic, be truthful in your narrative, and allow your sincere passion for nursing to be evident. With careful preparation, thoughtful structure, and attention to detail, your essay can prove your readiness for a nursing career.

Table of content

Crafted with Care:

Nursing Essays!

Precision, Passion, & Professionalism in Every Page.

Nursing Assessment Essays

Changing view of the client and the role of nursing assessment, nursing note on major depression, case study for mr. m, popular essay topics.

• American Dream
• Artificial Intelligence
• Black Lives Matter
• Bullying Essay
• Career Goals Essay
• Causes of the Civil War
• Child Abusing
• Civil Rights Movement
• Community Service
• Cultural Identity
• Cyber Bullying
• Death Penalty
• Depression Essay
• Domestic Violence
• Freedom of Speech
• Global Warming
• Gun Control
• Human Trafficking
• I Believe Essay
• Immigration
• Importance of Education
• Israel and Palestine Conflict
• Leadership Essay
• Legalizing Marijuanas
• Mental Health
• National Honor Society
• Police Brutality
• Pollution Essay
• Racism Essay
• Romeo and Juliet
• Same Sex Marriages
• Social Media
• The Great Gatsby
• The Yellow Wallpaper
• Time Management
• To Kill a Mockingbird
• Violent Video Games
• What Makes You Unique
• Why I Want to Be a Nurse
• Send us an e-mail

Nursing Assessment

Ai generator.

In the world of nursing, assessments are the key component in nursing care. It is the first step in a nursing process that plays vital aspect in dealing with the patient’s health Assessment . The assessment includes an interview together with an observation of a patient. Throughout the assessment implementation, medical practices are required.

Nursing assessment includes emotional and mental assessment, physical assessment, and environmental and social issues that affect the patient’s health. It is important that the nurses should evaluate and observe for these factors to properly assist the patient and give immediate medications to the health problems encounter by patients.

Nursing Assessment Genogram Template

• Google Docs
• Apple Pages

Size: 45 KB

Nursing Assessment Template

Size: 38 KB

Nursing Assessment Flowchart Template

• MS Publisher

Size: 54 KB

Nursing Needs Assessment

Nursing education needs.

Size: 154 KB

Nursing Learning Assessment

Size: 195 KB

Nursing Home Needs Assessment

Size: 624 KB

Nursing Physical Assessment Examples

Nursing physical health.

Size: 50 KB

Pediatric Nursing Physical Assessment

What Is a Nursing Assessment?

Nursing assessment is the systematic and dynamic examination that allows the nurse to gather and analyze the information about the patient’s physiological, psychological, sociological, spiritual, economic and lifestyle status.

Unauthorized personnel can not, will not, and are not allowed to perform the nursing assessment, it should only be the registered nurse.

Nursing assessment is the first step in delivering a nursing care.

On the extent of patient’s required for needs assessment , clinical judgements should be used. In broader scope and in other cases, a nursing assessment may only focus on one body system or mental health.

Importance of Nursing Assessment

Nursing assessment is an essential part of a nursing process. It is the precise way that examines the patient’s problem and finding a way to resolve these problems. It is also the accurate assessment that views the patient holistically and to know their real needs.

Not only a nurse will conduct the patient’s assessment of the physical causes and manifestation of pain, but also the response of the patient, this includes the patient’s refusal to eat, the failure of getting out of bed, anger towards the health staff, fear of dying, fatigue, and the request for pain medication.

Comprehensive Nursing Assessments

Patient comprehensive assessment.

Size: 42 KB

Comprehensive Pediatric Nursing Sample

Size: 37 KB

Nursing Health Assessments

Nursing health care assessment.

Size: 122 KB

Comprehensive Nursing Health Sample

Nursing Mental Health Assessment

Size: 789 KB

Writing a Head-to-Toe Nursing Assessment

Nursing assessment is the “base or foundation” of the nursing process that if it is incorrectly performed, nurses can create inaccurate diagnoses that lead to false intervention and evaluation that can put the patient’s health at risk. Avoid and identify the risk by doing a risk assessment . Nurse learners should reflect by doing self-assessment . With proper guidelines, nurses can prevent those unwanted scenarios. Here’s how to write a head-to-toe assessment correctly.

Integuments

• Check if the skin is unblemished and no presence of any foul odor and if the temperature of the skin is at a normal level.
• If the hair is thick, silky, has a normal volume of hair, or no signs of infections or infestation.
• Examine if the nails have the shape of a convex curve or if it is intact with the skin. When pressed, it should return to its normal color within 4 seconds (“blanch test”).
• Determine if the head is rounded; normocephalic and symmetrical.
• Check if skull has no nodule or masses and when palpated, no signs of depressions.
• Find out if the face of the patient appears to be smooth and consistency and with no nodules or masses.

Eyes and Vision

• Eyebrows should be evenly distributed, and when ask to raise and lower its eyebrows, it should appear to be symmetrically aligned and with equal movement
• Eyelashes are also distributed evenly and slightly curled outward.
• No presence of discharge and no discoloration. Eyelids should involuntary blink approximately 15-20 per minute.
• In the eyes , check if the sclera is clear white, the cornea has no discoloration, the palpebral conjunctiva appeared shiny, smooth and pink and the pupils of the eyes are black and equal in size.
• Examine if the vision of the patient can see objects in the periphery when looking straight ahead and the patient can able to read at a distance of 14 inches.

Ears and Hearing

• Ears should be symmetrical and have the same color with the facial skin.
• Check if both ears can hear a tick using the Watch tick test.

Nose, Mouth, and Neck

• Nose appeared to be symmetrical, straight and have the same color.
• In the mouth , lips is pink, moist and have a smooth texture, teeth have no discoloration of enamels, the gums are pink and no retractions and the tongue is centrally positioned with pink in color, moist and slightly rough
• Neck muscles are equal in size and shows coordinated movement.

Lungs, Thorax, and Abdomen

• Check if the lungs/chest if it is intact and with no tenderness and masses.
• The heart should beat 60 per minute and no signs of pulsations.
• The abdomen should have no unblemished skin and is uniform in color.

Extremities

• Muscles should have firm, smooth and coordinated movements.
• Check if the bones have deformities, tenderness, and swelling.
• Also, check if the joints move smoothly and with no tenderness and swelling.

Pediatric Nursing Assessment Examples

Pediatric neuro nursing sample assessment.

Size: 90 KB

Pediatric Emergency Nursing Assessment

Size: 369 KB

Pediatric Nursing Health Example

Size: 19 KB

Complete Nursing Assessments

Complete nursing physical assessment.

Size: 10 KB

Complete Nursing Neuro Assessment

Size: 43 KB

Free Nursing Assessment

Free printable assessment.

Size: 256 KB

Free Pre-Nursing Assessment

Size: 159 KB

Nursing Neuro Assessment Examples

Emergency nursing neuro.

Size: 99 KB

Basic Nursing Neuro Sample Assessment

Size: 33 KB

Nursing Competency Assessment

Nursing skills competency.

Size: 283 KB

Staff Competency Assessment

Size: 28 KB

Nursing Evaluation Competency Assessment

Size: 632 KB

Physical Assessment in Nursing

Physical assessment is the structured examination perform by the nurse to collect the complete data about the patient. The techniques that nurses used in this kind of health assessment examinations are; observation, inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation.

Physical assessment information includes:

• Airways – the nose, cough, artificial airways, and secretions.
• Breathing – the air entry movement and breath sounds.
• Circulation – the pulses as well as temperature and skin color.
• Disability – the use of tools such mobility aids, hearing aids, prosthetics, orthotics, etc.
• Focused Assessment – the specific body systems including cardiovascular, respiratory, neurological.
• Skin – the color, bruising, lesions, wounds and pressure injuries
• Input/Nutrition – the appetite, food intolerance and appropriate weight for age.
• Output/Elimination – bowel movements and bladder routines.

Comprehensive Assessment in Nursing

A comprehensive assessment is an initial assessment that describes in the detail of the patient’s medical, physical, psychological, and needs.

A comprehensive assessment is also called an admission assessment that involves formal analysis on the patient’s needs, it is performed when the client needs a health care from a health care agency.

The purpose of this assessment is to evaluate the patient’s resources and strengths and to identify the health status and health problems which can be used during service planning and to provide a detailed database that is crucial in evaluating changes in the patient’s health.

Nursing Admission Assessment Examples

Nursing home admission assessment.

Size: 53 KB

Holistic Nursing Assessment

Initial holistic nursing sample.

Size: 224 KB

Nursing Pain Assessment Example

Nursing standard pain assessment.

Size: 92 KB

Pediatric Nursing Pain Example

Size: 68 KB

Nursing Neurological Assessment

Complete nursing neurological sample.

Size: 70 KB

Nursing Respiratory Assessments

Notes respiratory assessment.

Size: 87 KB

Nursing Pediatric Respiratory

Size: 830 KB

Nursing Student Respiratory Sample

Size: 21 KB

Nursing Process Assessment

Nursing process holistic assessment.

Size: 66 KB

Nursing Oral Assessment Example

Nursing oral health assessment form.

Nursing College Assessment

College of nursing assessment plan.

Size: 74 KB

Writing a Narrative Nursing Assessment

If you are a nursing student, you know that writing a narrative note is as tricky as writing a business analysis   that needs a work plan . You have the fear if missing out important details or you don’t know what to write.

To write an effective and legal narrative note, consider these things:

• Write the caused of your concern. What changes of the patient’s health that alerts you to give an initial assessment.
• Write the assessment that you conducted in giving the patient’s preliminary aid.
• Write what you did about it. The things you do to treat the patient’s problem.
• Write the changes that happen to the patient’s health after you give the proper medications.
• If those medications didn’t work or the patient’s problems are not apprehended, alert any MD’s doctors nearby. And of course, you need to write who you have talked to and the time you alerted them.
• And lastly, if the doctor gives you order, you need to include in your narrative note the orders and how those orders help or did not help the patient.

Text prompt

• Instructive
• Professional

10 Examples of Public speaking

20 Examples of Gas lighting

Academic Support for Nursing Students

No notifications.

Disclaimer: This essay has been written by a student and not our expert nursing writers. View professional sample essays here.

View full disclaimer

Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this essay are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of NursingAnswers.net. This essay should not be treated as an authoritative source of information when forming medical opinions as information may be inaccurate or out-of-date.

Importance Of Needs Assessment In Nursing Practice Nursing Essay

Info: 5441 words (22 pages) Nursing Essay Published: 11th Feb 2020

Reference this

Tagged: roper, logan and tierney

If you need assistance with writing your nursing essay, our professional nursing essay writing service is here to help!

Obesity and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases (COPD)

Underweight and copd, high bmi in healthy individuals, lung diseases caused by obesity, domino effect, the health risks of overweight and obesity, obesity isn’t just a cosmetic problem; it’s very much a health problem as well. you may be reading this today because you are, or have been, very unhappy about your physical appearance., the risks to your health, heart disease and stroke.

Our nursing and healthcare experts are ready and waiting to assist with any writing project you may have, from simple essay plans, through to full nursing dissertations.

Assessment tools

Cite this work.

To export a reference to this article please select a referencing stye below:

Related Services

• Nursing Essay Writing Service

• Nursing Dissertation Service

• Reflective Writing Service

Related Content

Content relating to: "roper, logan and tierney"

The Roper Logan model was named after the author of the model, Nancy Roper, Logan and Tierney. It was first developed in 1980 based upon the work by Nancy Roper in 1976. The model is based on the 12 activities of living in order to live.

Related Articles

Roper Logan Tierney Model Activities Of Daily Living

In this assignment I will present a patient I have cared for during one shift on my placement ward. Using the Holland et al (2008) Roper Logan Tierney model of care....

Epidemiological Data Of Stroke Health And Social Care Essay

This piece of assignment will discuss about a stroke patient that I have provided care for, it will describe the significance of epidemiological data of stroke, It will demonstrate knowledge and under...

Essay On Developing Autonomous Practice In Mental Health Nursing Essay

In this essay I will give a profile of a service user in whose care I participated in, during my clinical placement. The client’s background and history to date will be described, a critical ana...

DMCA / Removal Request

If you are the original writer of this essay and no longer wish to have your work published on the NursingAnswers.net website then please:

Our academic writing and marking services can help you!

• Marking Service
• Samples of our Work
• Full Service Portfolio

Related Lectures

Study for free with our range of nursing lectures!

• Drug Classification
• Emergency Care
• Health Observation
• Palliative Care
• Professional Values

Write for Us

Do you have a 2:1 degree or higher in nursing or healthcare?

Study Resources

Free resources to assist you with your nursing studies!

• APA Citation Tool
• Example Nursing Essays
• Example Nursing Assignments
• Example Nursing Case Studies
• Reflective Nursing Essays
• Nursing Literature Reviews
• Free Resources
• Reflective Model Guides
• Nursing and Healthcare Pay 2021

ESSAY SAUCE

FOR STUDENTS : ALL THE INGREDIENTS OF A GOOD ESSAY

Essay: Nursing care assessment

Essay details and download:.

• Subject area(s): Health essays Nursing essays
• Reading time: 8 minutes
• Price: Free download
• Published: 19 November 2015*
• Last Modified: 19 November 2015
• File format: Text
• Words: 2,087 (approx)
• Number of pages: 9 (approx)

Text preview of this essay:

This page of the essay has 2,087 words.

This assignment will discuss and analyse the nursing care given to an 85 year old female patient, during a four week hospital practice placement. In order to fully comply with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) Code of Conduct (2008), full consent has been verbally granted by the patient to utilise personal clinical information for the purpose of this case study. To ensure patient anonymity, throughout this assignment the patient will be referred to as Rose (Swift). Chapelhow et al (2005) states, in order for a novice to become an expert practitioner there are several enablers which are fundamental to the nursing care that Rose received. These are: communication, assessment, managing risk, documentation, decision making and managing uncertainty. For the purpose of this assignment, the enablers of assessment and communication in relation to the care that Rose received will be discussed. Background Rose Swift is a retired teacher, a widower and is a mother of two sons. Rose was admitted to the accident and emergency department (A&E) via ambulance following an unexplained fall at home. Upon admission to A&E, Roses’ medical notes stated Rose had recently been diagnosed with Dry Macular degeneration, which is an age related chronic eye disease, causing loss of vision in the centre field (Samuel, 2008, Watkinson, 2010). After a short stay in a general medical ward for treatment of a urinary tract infection, Rose was transferred to an intermediate care ward for further rehabilitation, before being discharged home with a care package. Prior to admisson Rose lived alone, was independantly mobile with a stick and would cook her own meals. Assessment The Royal Marsden (2011), regards initial nursing assessments as a step to providing an individualised patient centered nursing care plan. By conducting nursing assessments, key information is obtained to aid the improvement of Roses’ health and develop a plan of care, which will ultimatly enable Rose to establish control of her own health (The Royal College of Nursing (RCN), 2004). However, as cited by Chapelhowe et al (2005) nursing assessments are far from static. As part of the nursing assessment process, a set of individualised outcomes are agreed, in collaboration with the nurse, Rose and the multidisiplinary team. These outcomes are continously evaulated by the nurse, in order to moniter Roses’ progress and where nessescary clincal judgement will be used to adjust these outcomes to suit the needs of Rose (Estes & Ellen, 2013 ). For a successful assessment to take place, it is argued a sufficient baseline knowledge is required by the nurse (Peate, 2012). In contrast however Chapelhowe, et al (2005) argue that base line knowledge alone is not enough. Irrespective of how knowledgeable a nurse maybe, without effective communication and interpersonal skills, the care the nurse provides to Rose will be limited as Roses’ individual needs may not be met. It is therefore considered that a combination of the two is thus required (NMC, 2010). Throughout Roses’ hospital journey, there are several assessments that took place. During Roses’ initial admission to A&E, the nurse conducted a systematic `mini’ assessment to obtain a rapid outline of Rose from both a visual and physical point of view (The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, 2011). As the resusitation council (2005) points out, inital nursing assessments in acute settings enable preservation of life, by providing fast intervention where required, using the Airways, Breathing and Circulation (ABC) algorithm. By asking Rose questions and obtaining qualitive information, the nurse established that Rose was breathing, had a clear airway and brain perfusion as well as establishing vital background information to aid diagnosis (Fawcett & Rhynas, 2012). In addition, the nurse was also able to quickly access Roses neurologial state using the Modifed Glasgow Coma Scale (MGCS) (Jennett & Teasdale, 1977). When a patient such a Rose sustains a head injury, the National insititute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) (National Insitiute for Health and Care Excellence, 2014) recommends the use of MGCS. According to Pillay (2013), MGCS provides a tangible way of noting the concious state of Rose, it is a widely recognised and accepted standarised practical assessment tool, designed for ease of use (Jennett & Teasdale, 1977) which has been used for many years at both a national and international level. When used repeatedly, MGCS can indicate the progression of a brain injury (Teasdale, et al., 2014), this in turn can aid decision making (Nursing Times, 2014). Recently however, there has been some criticism against MGCS regarding the tools ease of use (Mattar, et al., 2013). McLernon (2014) questions if the MGCS tool is still fit for purpose, citing reduced reliability due to lack of clinical consistency and poor communication between professionals. It is therefore suggested that a remedy of a uniformed approach and concise communication between professionals is essential, to ensure safe theraputic practice. Whilst conducting Roses’ MGCS assessment the nurse noted a reduced score on account of Rose presenting symptoms of delirium. Farne, et al., (2010) states new confusion in patients can often be caused by underlying medical conditions. By utalising this knowledge, this enabled the nurse to apply her professional decision making skills, in order to continue with further assesssments which included a set of observations. Observations (also known as vital signs) enables the nurse to check Roses’ basic bodily functions such as temperature, pulse, respiration rate and blood pressure (The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, 2011). A fundamental part of the asessment process, observations allow the nurse to obtain a baseline figure in order to carry out a continous assessment and evaluation, and enable the nurse to establish the level of care that Rose requires (Wheatly, 2006). To identify the risk of Rose deteriorating further, as per Nursing and Midwifery Council (2008) guidelines, each quantitive result was charted correctly, concisely and legiblibly by the nurse and given a score using a modified early warning score (MEWS) (Department of Health, 2000). After combining all results, the nurse was then able to establish that Rose was scoring a MEWS for a raised temperature and increased pulse in addition to a reduced MGCS. By drawing on previous experience and knowledge, the nurse was able to evaluate the overall asssessment, to establish that the presenting symptoms could indicate Rose has some form of an infection. This could be the reason for the fall and delerium (Schroeder, 2010). To rule out a urinary tract infection, a urine dip stick test on a midstream urine sample was conducted. This test showed positive for leukocytes and nitrates, indicating a positive infection result (Little, et al., 2009). In order to treat Roses’ symptoms the doctor prescribed antibiotics, providing treatment under the biomedical model. Considered a dualistic approach, this model treats the mind and body as separate entities. Fast acting in its approach it treats the immediate problem (Mehta, 2011). However, in order to provide truly effective care the biomedical model alone is simply not enough. It is considered by many professionals that a holistic viewpoint should be taken (The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, 2011). Id est, in addition to Roses’ physical requirements, consideration should also be given to her emotional and social needs (Chapelhowe, et al., 2005). The psychosocial model should therefore also be considered, in order to treat Rose from a holistic perspective (Chapelhowe, et al., 2005). Given Roses’ confused state of mind, unsteady gait and MEWS score it was decided to admit Rose to a general medical ward. In order to assess Roses’ psychosocial and cultural needs, the Activities of Daily Living (ADL’s) model (Roper, et al., 2000) was used. ADL’s is a systematic framework, which recognises Roses individuality and beliefs. It considers twelve fundamental concepts and provides a continuum in recognition that dependency can change throughout time (Roper, et al., 2000). Kearney (2001) argues however, that the care Rose receives maybe jeopardised using this model, due to its inflexibility and complex structure. To alleviate this, The Royal Marsden (2011) therefore advises that the nurse should use a pragmatic approach, and use the ADL framework as a guideline for professional decision making. In Roses’ case the nurse was able to utilise the ADL framework to identify a change in care needs. Due to Roses confused state and unsteady gait, assistance would now be required with washing, dressing, mobilising and other essential care needs as defined by the Department of Health (2010) in the Essence of Care guidelines. Communication Effective communication is an essential skill which enables the expert nurse to build a therapeutic relationship with Rose (Chapelhowe, et al., 2005). According to Dwamena, et al., (2012), communication is considered to be a significant factor in the rapid recovery of Rose. Throughout Roses hospital journey there are many ways in which the nurse interacts with Rose. However, as cited by The Royal Marsden (2011), interpersonal communication skills are the most widely used medium in nursing and arguably the most important skill. In order for interpersonal skills to be effective Arnold & Underman Boggs (2011), states the nurse must consider several elements such as, verbal and non-verbal exchanges of information, active listening and observation skills. As the initial assessment process is often the first interaction Rose may have with the ward staff, Rose maybe reluctant to share information (Perry Black, 2013). The Royal Marsden (2011), recognises this could be a potential barrier for the nurse to deliver effective care to Rose and key communication factors such as environmental and nurse time restraints maybe contributory to Roses’ unwillingness to share information. To aid the nurse in overcoming this issue, (Cotoi & Ilkiescu, 2013) suggests a trusting environment should be created. Trusting environments enable Rose to feel safe and supported and provide a platform where Rose will feel comfortable and confident in sharing information with the multi-disciplinary team (The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, 2011). In order to assimilate meaningful information from Rose, the nurse utilised her communication skills effectively in a number of different ways. An example of this would be, during the initial assessment process. When Rose was admitted to the ward, in line with NMC (2010) Code of Conduct to ensure privacy and dignity is maintained, the assessment took place in a cubicle, with the door closed thus creating a quiet environment. The Royal Marsden (2011) states a quiet environment during assessments is essential to enable Rose to maintain optimum concentration and remain complicit in her responses. Past research has shown discrepancies can often occur between the nurses understanding and that of Rose during assessments (Lauri, et al., 1997). A quiet environment therefore enables the nurse to focus solely on Roses responses, to maintain a meaningful interaction and deliver effective individualised therapeutic care (The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, 2011). To ensure effective non verbal communication takes place, body language should also be considered. White, et al., (2011) states body language can be a powerful means of sending a message to Rose, therefore a postive open posture should always be maintained. Throughout Roses hospital journey it was noted the nurse positivly adapted her body language to suit the needs of Rose. An example of this would be when conducting assessments the nurse sat facing Rose, kept an open posture and maintained regular eye contact. These interations are considered by Egan (2002), to be fundamental elements of non verbal exchanges, in order to achieve optimum levels of communication. As specified by the nursing and midwifery Code of Conduct (2008) optimum communication is an essential nursing skill. To be proficient, the nurse should respect Roses right to be involved in the decisions of her care (NMC, 2010). During discharge planning the nurse demonstated the proficient use of communication, when a conflict occurred between Rose and her family. Acting as an advocate, the nurse conveyed the wishes of Rose to return to her home against her sons wishes. Xxx xxx states during discharge planning, conflict can often occur due to lack of communication. To remedy this, the nurse utalised her commuication skills by asking open ended questions to asscertain the reasons behind the familys anxieties. Questions that are open ended allow the answer given by the receiver to be expanded and explored xxxxx xxxx. However XXX XXX states questions alone are not enough. In order to gauge the true meaning of the answer, non verbal signals should also be observed xxx xxxx. In conclusion in order to provide effective nursing care to Rose the nurse must ensure that a thourgh assessment is conducted. This cannot be fully completed however, without effective communication skills, concise documentation and decision making. Each enabler is therefore interlinked to provide individualised holistic nursing care to Rose. As a nurse, good communication is vital to build a positive theraputic relationship with Rose and to enhance the relationship there are a number of factors the nurse should be aware of such as enviroment and non verbal communication prompts. Good interpersonal skills are therefore an essential nursing skill to aid the recovery of Rose.

About this essay:

If you use part of this page in your own work, you need to provide a citation, as follows:

Essay Sauce, Nursing care assessment . Available from:<https://www.essaysauce.com/health-essays/essay-nursing-care-assessment/> [Accessed 30-08-24].

These Health essays have been submitted to us by students in order to help you with your studies.

* This essay may have been previously published on EssaySauce.com and/or Essay.uk.com at an earlier date than indicated.

Essay Categories:

• Accounting essays
• Architecture essays
• Business essays
• Computer science essays
• Criminology essays
• Economics essays
• Education essays
• Engineering essays
• English language essays
• Environmental studies essays
• Essay examples
• Finance essays
• Geography essays
• Health essays
• History essays
• Hospitality and tourism essays
• Human rights essays
• Information technology essays
• International relations
• Leadership essays
• Linguistics essays
• Literature essays
• Management essays
• Marketing essays
• Mathematics essays
• Media essays
• Medicine essays
• Military essays
• Miscellaneous essays
• Music Essays
• Nursing essays
• Philosophy essays
• Photography and arts essays
• Politics essays
• Project management essays
• Psychology essays
• Religious studies and theology essays
• Sample essays
• Science essays
• Social work essays
• Sociology essays
• Sports essays
• Types of essay
• Zoology essays