Georgia Baptist College of Nursing
of
Mercer University
NUR 210 Professional Nursing Paper
The purpose of this activity is to provide students with an opportunity to explore concepts
relevant to the profession of nursing and to apply those concepts on a personal level at
the beginning of their nursing educational experience. This is to be a professional
paper, utilizing the style format published by the American Psychological Association
(APA). Scholarly resources from nursing literature should be utilized to provide the
paper with a sound theoretical foundation upon which the writer will build ideas and
apply concepts.
The student will select one nursing theory to describe, analyze, and apply to her own
personal ideas about nursing. Utilizing the following outline as a guide, the paper will
explore the selected theorist’s ideas in depth, describe what qualities the student
believes to be essential for becoming a nurse, and discuss how the selected theory
relates to the student’s personal ideas.
Outline for APA style Professional Nursing Paper
I. Introduction
This is a description of the purpose, main objectives, and central topics of
the paper. It should answer the question: “What does the writer of this paper
plan to accomplish?”
II. Selected Nursing Theory Application
a. Describe the theory in detail. Analyze what the theorist was saying
about nursing practice. How does this theory relate to present day nursing?
b. Identify what qualities (at least 5) that you believe are essential for an
excellent nurse. Describe the characteristics that you believe are essential for
any successful nurse. What would your “ideal nurse” be like? How does the
theory you described relate to those qualities you think are essential?
c. Describe personal strengths that you will bring to the nursing
profession. How do they compare to the essential qualities you described?
d. Explain what personal traits you will need to work on to become the
kind of nurse you described in section b.
III. Application of Concepts of Nursing Professionalism
a. Describe how understanding the history and development of the nursing
profession will influence your nursing practice.
b. Describe how you will make use of standards and codes of the
profession in your nursing practice.
c. Explain how having a bachelor’s degree will make a difference in your
practice.
IV. Summary and Conclusion
This section should summarize main thoughts from the body of the paper
and draw conclusions from those thoughts. What were the main ideas, and how
were they relevant to the goals set forth in the introduction of the paper? What
new thoughts or ideas were generated for you as you researched the literature
and wrote the paper?
Instructions for writing the paper:
1. The text of the paper should be 5-7 pages in length.
2. A minimum of three professional references should be utilized.
3. The paper may be written in either first person (I believe….) or third person
(The writer believes….). Whichever is chosen should be utilized consistently
throughout the paper.
4. The clinical instructor will grade the paper and may be utilized for assistance
and clarification as the paper is planned and written.
5. Turn in 2 copies of the paper with the grading sheet included.
6. The paper is due before class time on April 15th. Five points per day will be
deducted for papers turned in after this time.
1/04SNS
Student’s name_____________________________________
Criteria
Introduction
Evaluation Tool
Professional Nursing Paper
Possible Assigned
Comments
Points
Points
10
Nursing Theory
25
Professionalism
25
Conclusion
10
Use of APA style
30
FINAL SCORE
1/04SNS
NUR 210 APA Paper Evaluation Tool
for faculty grading assistance
Criteria
Suggested point
distribution
Introduction
10
Nursing Theory
25
a. Description of theory
b. Analysis of theory
c. Application to present day nursing
Professionalism
a. 5
b. 10
c. 10
a. Influence of hx. of nursing on personal
practice
b. Application of standards and codes
on personal practice
c. Effect of BSN on practice
Conclusion
a. 9
b. 9
c. 7
a. Summary of main thoughts
b. Conclusions drawn from main ideas
c. Discussion of relevance of main points
to goals of the paper.
d. Presentation of new ideas generated
while writing paper
APA style use
a. 2
b. 3
c. 3
d. 2
a. page format (title page/subsequent
pages
b. references within the body of paper
c. quotations
d. reference page
e. punctuation and grammar
f. overall flow and style of writing
Total points possible
a. 5
b. 5
c. 5
d. 5
e. 5
f. 5
25
10
30
100