SCHOOL OF NURSING
Doctor of Nursing Practice
CAPSTONE PROJECT HANDBOOK
D’YOUVILLE COLLEGE
2014-2015
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Doctoral Capstone Project
The capstone project handbook has been developed to guide the development and finalization of the
capstone project requirements for doctoral-level nursing students at D’Youville College (DYC). This
handbook includes the definition of a capstone project, the roles and responsibilities of students
enrolled in the capstone sequence courses (NUR 711, NUR712 and NUR 713). Roles of faculty
members who are serving as capstone chairpersons and second committee members are outlined.
Other items in this handbook include the steps in preparation and completion of the capstone project,
the required criteria for standards of quality for completing the capstone, how to format and organize
the written capstone project, guidelines for the capstone proposal defense, the final capstone defense
and suggestions for the final written product. It is strongly recommended that all students engaged
in doctoral capstone projects become thoroughly familiar with the contents of this handbook. The
faculty recognize that no single guide, manual, or handbook can address all possible questions,
concerns, or situations which may arise during the course of preparing and completing a capstone
project, students are advised to consult their Capstone Project Chair should they have questions or
concerns not addressed or presented in this handbook.
Capstone Project
The purpose of a doctoral capstone project is to demonstrate a doctoral student’s ability to develop
and present a clear and scholarly work within their chosen field of study. The amount and quality of
work required for the wide variety of potential capstone topics is equivalent. The capstone is
completed under the guidance of course faculty and is carried out in accordance with professional
standards, procedures, and guidelines set forth by D’Youville College’s School of Nursing DNP
Capstone Handbook. Capstones are developed and guided by a nursing theoretical framework(s). A
second theoretical framework outside of nursing can also be utilized. Capstones are guided by
theories that address four major concepts making up nursing’s metaparadigm: person, health,
environment, and nurse. A metaparadigm is the worldview or perspective of a discipline and is
made up of concepts specific to a profession or discipline. The major concepts specific to the
profession of nursing are person, health, environment, and nurse.
The Project Committee
All DYC School of Nursing capstone projects require the appointment of a Project Committee
consisting of two Certified Graduate Faculty Members: a Project Chair and a Project Second
Reader. ). As students expand the depth and breadth of their understanding of nursing with advanced
coursework, they begin to formulate a rough overview of their project proposal. The student who
becomes the Project Author, chooses both their Project Chair and Project Second Reader based on
each faculty member’s area of research interest and expertise. The Project Chair and Project Second
Reader are appointed with permission in NUR 711 (Translational Capstone I – Identify Project
Project Authors need to ask both faculty members for permission to serve on their Project
Committee before appointing them as members of their committee. A list of Certified Graduate
Faculty Members in the School of Nursing along with their research interests and areas of expertise
can be found in the appendices of this handbook. The student’s Project Committee will work with the
student to guide them throughout the entire project process from the project proposal defense to
project completion. The student’s Project Committee meets and consults with the student on a regular
basis to guide the development of and completion of the final project.
Faculty Roles/Responsibilities During the Capstone Sequence (NUR 711, 712, 713):
1. Review guidelines and requirements for completing the project proposal and for approval of the
final proposal rough draft.
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2. Assist the student in the identification of a project topic and guide the student with the initial
review of the literature focusing on the student’s project topic.
3. Discuss how to apply for IRB review including:
a. Read the entire D'Youville College IRB Manual (PDF) – see Graduate Office website.
b. Complete the mandatory online National Institutes of Health (NIH) tutorial, which takes
about four hours. When completed, make sure to print out copies of the online certificate of
completion.
4. Offer availability of office hours for consultation to guide the student throughout the writing
process of all sections required for the project proposal to assure that the written proposal is
grammatically correct, meets all written requirements, and follows APA formatting.
5. Offer suggestions to the student regarding potential members of project committee and potential
project content experts based on fit, knowledge, and expertise in the student’s project topic area.
6. Assist the student with the completion of forms used to approve the project topic and to appoint
project committee members. Monitor the distribution of copies of the forms to the Graduate Office.
7. Advise the student of readiness to present their project proposal presentation for proposal defense.
8. Preside at the student’s project proposal presentation and offer suggestions and feedback for
improvement to help prepare the student for their proposal defense.
9. Discuss the need to register for NUR 712 (Translational Capstone II – Design/pilot project) and
NUR 713 (Translational Capstone III – Implementation/ Evaluation).
Responsibilities of the Project Chair
1. Offer availability of office hours for consultation to guide the student in further development,
refinement, and completion of the project proposal to assure that the final written proposal is
grammatically correct, meets all written requirements, and follows APA formatting.
2. Maintain a folder/file documenting all student project advisement sessions.
3. Read, review, and respond to submitted student project materials in a timely manner within a
minimum of 7 working days unless other arrangements are made.
4. Approve of all drafts of the student’s written project proposal and materials prior to being
forwarded to the Project Second Reader, the IRB, and project content experts.
5. Work closely with the Project Second Reader to advise the student regarding suggestions for
project proposal revisions based on consensus of the Project Committee. If the Project Chair and the
Project Second Reader disagree with any aspect of a student’s project proposal, the matter will be
taken to the Director of Graduate Nursing for resolution.
6. Suggest consultation with other individuals (APA reader, statistician, etc.) who may provide
specialized assistance with the development of the project proposal and final project.
7. Preside at project meetings and at the student’s project proposal defense.
8. Advise the student of readiness to present or defend the completed, final project proposal and have
student determine and finalize the date for their project presentation or defense.
9. The date, time, and student’s name will be posted by the School of Nursing Graduate Secretary on
the School of Nursing Bulletin Board.
10. Immediately following the project proposal defense, advise the student to make final revisions to
capstone based on the Project Committee’s recommendations.
11. After all revisions have been made and final approval has been granted for project, assist the
student in preparing and submitting required forms necessary for obtaining Full Approval from
D’Youville College’s IRB.
12. After obtaining Full Approval from D’Youville College’s IRB, assist the student in the
completion of the final capstone project chapters.
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13. Monitor the filing of copies of all required project related forms and the fully approved project
proposal with the final project product in the student’s academic file.
14. Notify the Graduate Nursing Secretary of Project Committee approval for the student to
participate in the Final Capstone Project Presentation Day.
Responsibility of the Project Second Reader:
1. Agree to serve on the student’s Project Committee based on expertise/ interest in the project area.
2. Be available for student and Project Chair consultation and Project Committee meetings.
3. Read, review, and respond to submitted student project materials in a timely manner as per
guidelines presented in the School of Nursing Project Handbook and the DYC IRB Manual.
4. Discuss all project proposal revisions with the Project Chair.
5. Attend the student’s proposal defense and offer suggestions for project proposal revision if needed.
6. Approve and sign all required forms indicating successful completion of project requirements.
Student Roles and Responsibilities
1. Identify an area of interest related to the field of nursing science.
2. Register for NUR 711, 712 and 713 as advised. Any student who has not completed his or her
capstone during the capstone sequence but has successfully satisfied the outcomes for NUR 713
will be required to register for Continuing Capstone Project Advisement (NUR 900 for 1-3 cr).
3. Determine the purpose for the project based on a significant problem, issue, or question
identified by the student’s experience in practice settings and supported by an extensive review
of evidence based literature indicating the purpose for completing the project.
4. Submit all course materials in a professional and timely manner as required and directed by
course faculty and the Project Committee.
5. Address/make all project proposal revisions on a regular basis as directed by the course
faculty/Project Committee to assure that written proposal drafts are grammatically correct, that
they meet all written requirements, and that they follow APA formatting – current edition. The
faculty recognizes that students may be required to format manuscripts that are related to their
capstone which they complete over the course of their study, for example to submit to a journal,
using formats other than APA. However, all evolving manuscripts related to the capstone that
are submitted to the project chair and second reader, must conform to the current edition of APA.
6. Demonstrate responsibility, accountability, professionalism, and initiative when working
collaboratively with NUR 711, 712 and 713 project course faculty members.
7. Students enrolled in NUR 711 will identify two D’Youville College School of Nursing faculty
members who are certified at the graduate level by the Graduate Council to serve as members of
the Project Committee. Students will identify, seek, and gain approval from one faculty member
who will agree to act as their Project Chair and a second faculty member who will agree to act as
Project Second Reader. Students will obtain Project Committee agreement via signature of forms
required to appoint Project Committee members.
8. Complete and submit all required project related forms as directed by course faculty and the
Project Committee in a timely and professional manner.
9. Complete the NIH online mandatory tutorial and submit one copy of the certificate to the
Project Chair. The student is to keep the original copy for their personal record.
10. Follow all School of Nursing and Graduate Office required guidelines and deadlines
regarding the proper completion of the project, Human Rights Protection (DYC IRB), and any
other requirement needed for approval requested by outside facilities, organizations, or agencies.
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11. It is the student’s responsibility to consult with their Project Chair and their Project Second
Reader to determine and schedule the proposal defense day. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure
that those attending the proposal defense are provided with a confirmation of the presentation date,
time, and location.
12. After the project proposal has been completed and the Project Chair gives recommendation for
proposal defense, it is the student’s responsibility to distribute one final copy of the project proposal
to the Project Second Reader at least 7 working days prior to the scheduled project defense day.
Change in Project Committee Members
If a student wishes to change their Project Chair or their Project Second Reader prior to the project
proposal defense, he/she will need to consult with the Project Chair, the Director of Graduate
Nursing, or the Project Second Reader to discuss project related issues and concerns and to determine
steps to be taken toward problem resolution. If reappointment of the Project Chair or the Project
Second Reader is determined, the student will complete and submit all forms required for Project
Committee reappointment (the student needs to seek approval of the new faculty regarding Project
Committee appointment).The student is then responsible for submitting all required project proposal
materials and previously completed project work to the newly appointment committee member(s).
If a student wishes to change their Project Chair or Project Second Reader after their project proposal
defense, the student will follow the same procedure for changing Project Committee members prior
to the proposal defense. The student may be required to repeat the project proposal defense with the
newly appointed committee if required by the Project Chair.
If a Project Chair or Project Second Reader is unable to continue appointment on a Project
Committee, the Project Chair will notify the student and the Director of Graduate Nursing and the
School of Nursing Chair of his/her Project Committee resignation. The student will then follow the
same procedure for appointing a new committee member as the procedure for changing a Project
Committee member(s) prior to the proposal defense.
School of Nursing Capstone Project Criteria for Standards of Quality
Listed below are the specific criteria for standards of quality used by DYC’s School of Nursing when
evaluating capstone projects:
a. The identified problem is stated definitively such that its relevance to nursing, nursing’s
metaparadigm, and health care are readily apparent.
b. The project topic and purpose are current and both relevant and significant to nursing practice,
education, or research.
c. The theoretical or conceptual framework for the project is clearly identified and its relationship to
the project is well established.
d. The project is feasible (is reasonable, practical, and accomplishable).
e. The project methodology is sound and consistent with the project purpose and goals, and
objectives.
f. The literature review reflects student understanding and ability to analyze and summarize the
current body of evidenced based knowledge as it pertains to the project topic, theoretical and
conceptual framework, methodology, and evaluative procedures.
g. The appropriate setting and population for the project purpose are identified.
h. Appropriate content experts, if needed, are utilized for project evaluation and feedback.
i. Policies and procedures pertaining to human subject protection are followed and strictly adhered to
as per the DYC IRB Manual. The student has carefully and clearly designated the project to
maximize human subject benefit and to minimize human subject risk. *With regard to educational
projects, human subjects are the content experts who agree to voluntarily participate in the review
and evaluation of the project product.
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j. The overall project reflects professionalism, is organized, is conceptually sound, well written, and
follows required APA format.
k. The completed project results in a well-developed and creative product with a copy included in
final bound copy of the project.
DYC Institutional Review Board (IRB) Project Approval
Review of research studies and projects involving human subjects is required by federal law. In
accordance with federal guidelines for institutions conducting research involving human subjects,
DYC’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) was established. The IRB is composed of a group of people
formally designated and appointed to review and monitor all research studies and projects involving
human subjects. The IRB is comprised of at least 5 members from relevant academic disciplines and
includes at least 1 non-affiliated community member. The purpose of the IRB is to protect the rights
and welfare of all individuals participating in research studies and projects. An IRB is responsible for
reviewing ALL research studies and projects involving human subjects for compliance with
institutional, state, local and federal laws as well as the ethical principals contained in the Belmont
Report. An IRB has the authority to approve, disapprove, and require modifications to research
studies and projects involving human subjects. An IRB reviews research study and project plans and
protocols and assesses the balance between potential/actual risks a research study or project may
pose to human subject participants and potential/actual benefits research study or project participants
may expect or experience. Once approved, the IRB monitors the progress of ongoing research studies
and projects and can prospectively approve modifications, and, if necessary to protect subjects,
suspend a research study or project.
The DYC IRB Manual was developed to: 1) describe the types of human subjects review conducted
by an IRB; 2) to present required IRB application forms, procedures, and the process of application;
and 3) to present definitions and examples of terms used in human subjects review applications. The
IRB Manual also provides specific information required for informed consent forms and includes
examples of informed consent forms and assent forms (consent forms utilized in research involving
participants younger than 18 years).
The DYC IRB Manual is a required text for all graduate students in the School of Nursing
opting to complete a project. Students should familiarize themselves with the IRB Manual and all
required IRB forms, policies, and procedures. The information in DYC’s IRB Manual applies to all
forms of research and projects proposed by any member of DYC. This includes student research and
student projects that use human subjects in a systematic investigation to develop or contribute to
general knowledge in a field. Student projects and theses are subject to review even if they do not use
human subjects. The IRB may impose additional requirements at any time to help ensure that
adequate information is presented in accordance with institutional policies and Federal, state, and
local laws.
Absolutely NO research study or project of any kind by any person affiliated with D’Youville
College may be initiated until the DYC IRB has granted a disposition (letter) of Full Approval
or Approval with Recommendations.
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Sequence for Completing DNP Program Requirements
Students are expected to complete their program in the following sequence:
1. Complete coursework, including internships or practicum, concurrently with the following
activities.
2. Completion of the capstone proposal, capstone proposal presentation, IRB application,
capstone defense, and Capstone Presentation Day;
3. Follow the procedure for APA Review and approval of the capstone manuscript by the
project director and committee members.
4. Submit professional doctoral portfolio to program director (see portfolio guidelines)
5. Submission of signed Blue and Green Sheets to the Office of Graduate Studies with all
required documentation and receipts.
DNP Capstone Project Presentation
As part of the fulfillment of the doctoral degree requirements, students will:
1. Obtain permission from project director to present his or her completed capstone
Register with the graduate secretary to be placed on the program
2. Prepare a 15-20 minute podium presentation related to the capstone including:
Introduction and Background
Review of the Literature
Theoretical Framework
Identification of Research Question or Hypothesis
Protection of Human Subjects (if applicable)
IRB approval
Methodology (may be amended for certain approaches such as quality
improvement)
Setting and Subjects
Procedure for Data Collection and Tools
Results (include data analyses with rationale for selection of statistical tests).
Conclusion and Implications for Future Practice
3. Students have 30-minutes for the full presentation, including questions/answers
4. Attend the group exit interview and submit a completed end of program exit survey
Writing the Proposal
American Psychological Association (APA) Style and Formatting
All projects are to be written according to guidelines found in the DYC School of Nursing
Doctoral Capstone Project Handbook and following the American Psychological Association’s
Publication Manual (6th ed). The APA manual is a required textbook for the Translational
Capstone sequence (NUR 711, 712, 713). The DYC library website has links to APA formatting
resources. Papers are to be typed in Microsoft word and submitted as docs. The following are
basic rules for setting up a DYC project paper in APA format:
a. Use 8 ½ x 11 white paper.
b. Use Times New Roman 12 point font.
c. 1” margins should be set for the top, right, and bottom. *The left margin is set at 2” (this is
for project binding purposes ONLY!)
d. Begin the running head on the title page with the page number starting at page 1.
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e. Double space the entire paper including the title page, abstract, main body, references,
appendices, footnotes, tables, and figures. (Tables and figures may be single spaced depending
on Project Chair)
f. Space once after commas, colons, and semicolons within sentences. Insert two spaces after
punctuation marks and the end of sentences.
g. Paragraphs are flush with the left margin and uneven at the right margin. Do not separate a
hyphenated word and leave it hanging at the end of a sentence.
h. Indent all new paragraphs 5 to 7 spaces.
i. Block quote direct quotes 40 or more words in length. Block quotes are used sparingly in a
paper as paraphrasing is preferred with its citation.
j. Spell out all abbreviations for a word the first time it is used followed by the abbreviation for
the word in (parenthesis). Then, the abbreviation can be used for the rest of the paper. This
informs the reader as to the exact meaning for the abbreviation and clears any potential
confusion/misunderstanding regarding the meaning for the abbreviation.
k. Bold all headings and subheadings. Do not italicize headings or subheadings.
l. Spell check and grammar check your work after each writing session.
NOTE: Students are strongly advised to make at least one electronic backup copy of all
project documents after each writing session and to print out a current hard copy after
each writing session. Students should never erase, discard, or destroy any project files,
documents, or paper copies until the final project has been bound and delivered.
How to Format Page Numbers Differently in Different Sections of a Word Document
1. Follow the steps in this article for inserting page numbers.
2. Starting at the beginning of the document, place the cursor on the first page where you want to
display the page number in a different format.
3. On the Page Layout tab, in the Page Setup group, click Breaks.
4. Under Section Breaks, click Next Page.
5. On the Insert tab, in the Header & Footer group, click Header or Footer, and then click
Edit Header or Edit Footer to make changes in the header or footer area. The header or footer
that contains the page number is labeled Section 2.
NOTE If the header or footer is labeled First Page Header -Section 2- or First Page Footer Section 2- and you want the header or footer on the first page of this new section to be the same
as the header and footer on the rest of the pages in this section, clear the Different First Page
check box in the Options group.
6. Under Header & Footer Tools, on the Design tab, in the Navigation group, click Link to
Previous to break the connection between the header or footer in
the new section and the previous section.
7. In the Header & Footer group, click Page Number, and then click Format Page Numbers.
8. In the Number format list, click the format that you want, and if you want the
numbering on this page to start with 1, type 1 in the Start at box, and then click OK.
9. In the Navigation group, click Previous Section, and click in the header or footer that is
labeled Section 1.
10. In the Header & Footer group, click Page Number, and then click Format Page Numbers.
11. In the Number format list, click the format that you want, and then click OK.
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Policy on Academic Integrity, Professional behavior and Conduct, and
Avoiding Plagiarism
Academic Integrity
D’Youville College School of Nursing adheres to the college Policy on Academic Integrity
which is described in full in the current Graduate Catalog. Students may obtain a copy of the
Graduate Catalog in the School of Nursing or in the Graduate Office.
Professional Behavior and Conduct
Students in the nursing program are expected to exhibit professional behavior, demonstrating
responsible and mature conduct in both the academic and clinical environments.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the presentation of another's writing or another's ideas as one's own without
citation. Legally, socially, and academically, plagiarism is considered a form of theft and usually
results in automatic failure on the paper or in the course and may result in an inability to repeat
the course. Students who have plagiarized may be referred to the Vice President of Academic
Affairs. Repeated plagiarism may result in dismissal from the College (See Policy on Academic
Integrity and Procedures for Alleged Violations of the Policy on Academic Integrity in the
current Graduate Catalog).
Project Timeline
After completing foundational doctoral courses, the student will:
Register for NUR 711 (Identify Project) and complete the course outcomes and requirements:
_ a. Identify project topic and explore project feasibility.
_ b. Identify Project Chair and Project Second Reader based on nursing faculty research interest
and clinical expertise (see List of DYC School of Nursing Certified Graduate Faculty Members).
_ c. Approach identified Project Chair and Project Second Reader and obtain permission to
serve as Project Committee.
_ d. Complete the “Approval of Graduate Research Topic Form” obtaining signatures of your
chair and second reader. Submit form to the School of Nursing Graduate Secretary for the
Director of Graduate Nursing signature.
_ e. Complete NUR 711 with a grade of B or higher.
_ f. Register for NUR 712 (Design/Pilot) with designated Project Chair.
* Students are expected to meet with their Project Chair a minimum of three times a
semester and as often as required while enrolled in the Translational Capstone Sequence.
_ a. Meet with their Project Chair on an ongoing basis to revise and refine capstone project
proposal.
_ b. Establish a timeline for project completion with Project Chair.
_ c. Obtain approval from Project Chair to submit capstone manuscript to Second Reader.
_ d. Refine the project proposal based on Project Chair and Project Second Reader suggestions
and recommendations for revision.
__ e. Identify community mentors who are in positions that support the project and who agree to
participate
__ f. Secure approval to participate from mentor agencies to participate in project
__ g Make all revisions and resubmit the revised project proposal to Project Chair to obtain
approval to schedule proposal defense.
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_ f. Contact the Project Chair and Project Second Reader to schedule a project proposal defense
day and time.
_ g. Notify the School of Nursing Graduate Secretary of the proposal defense day/time to
schedule a room, to obtain AV equipment, and to post notice of the proposal defense on the
School of Nursing Bulletin Board on the 5th floor of ALT.
_ h. Bring the “Approval of Graduate Research Proposal Form” to the proposal defense with
the top section only completed.
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_ i. Present a 10-15 minute proposal defense to the Project Committee. If desired, students may
invite guests to attend (family, friends). Students are to bring a hard copy of their PowerPoint or
other proposal materials used in the defense presentation for each Project Committee member.
_ j. Following the student’s 10 minute proposal defense, the Project Committee will meet in a
closed meeting to determine if the proposed project meets all necessary requirements for
approval. The Project Committee will determine if the project is fully approved, approved with
recommendations (recommendations must be satisfied and approved by the Project Committee
before project submission to the D’Youville College Institutional Review Board (IRB), or not
approved.
_ k. Once the project proposal has been defended and fully approved by the Project Committee,
the “Approval of Graduate Research Proposal Form” is signed by the Project Committee and
submitted to the School of Nursing Graduate Secretary for the Director of Graduate Nursing
signature.
_ l. Following guidelines found in the DYC IRB Manual, the student completes and submits the
appropriate IRB forms required for IRB Full project approval. *The student cannot move
forward with their project until IRB Full Approval is granted. The Project Chair and
student will receive a copy of the IRB decision letter stating whether the project was fully
approved, approved with recommendation, or not approved.
_ m. Once full approval is granted from the D’Youville College IRB, the student completes all
project chapters and submits a final draft to the Project Chair.
_ n. Once all chapters are approved by the Project Chair, the final capstone project manuscript is
submitted to the Project Second Reader. Date for Final Capstone Project Defense is then
scheduled. The student makes all necessary revisions and then prepares the final project copy for
binding.
_ o. The Project Committee signs the “Approval of Completed Graduate Research Form”.
_ p. The final project copy is submitted for binding. A receipt for binding the project must be
presented to the Project Chair before the Director of Graduate Nursing can sign the
“Certification of Approval of all Graduate Non-Course Requirement for Graduation
Form”.
Project Organization
The written project is organized by Chapters with sections and as follows:
Title Page The title page is organized according to APA format. The title page must include a
running head, the title of the project in capital letters, the project author’s name and credentials,
and the following statement:
“A project submitted to the faculty of D’Youville College Divison of Academic Affairs in partial
fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Nursing Practice, Buffalo, New York,
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and the date the final project was approved”. This information is centered between the right and
left margins.
Copyright Page This page has the following statement: “Copyright © year by project author
name. All rights reserved. No part of this project may be copied or reproduced in any form or by
any means without the written permission of the project author.”
Project Approval Page This page lists the project committee chair and project committee
member and their respective discipline as well as the date the project was defended on.
Abstract The abstract is presented before Chapter I. It consists of a 120 word (maximum)
succinct summary of the entire project and highlights the details of the identified problem, the
project purpose, the theoretical framework(s), and evaluative measures. The abstract heading is
not bolded or indented 5 to 7 spaces. The project abstract should be formatted as follows:
Abstract
Nursing Resource Team (NRT) staff nurses rotate throughout various clinical units within health
care facilities and organizations to meet nurse staffing needs and to alleviate the burden of nurses
working understaffed. Because of the nature of their job, NRT staff nurses often encounter
profound job challenges. The purpose of this project was to develop an interview schedule to
assist NRT nurse managers in exploring factors viewed as important by NRT staff nurses
regarding job satisfaction, efficiency, productivity, and retention. Kanter’s (1977, 1993) 16
Structural Theory of Organizational Behavior and Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (1987) were
utilized as theoretical frameworks. Four content experts voluntarily participated in the review of
the NRT interview schedule for content validity.
Acknowledgement This statement is optional. The project author may choose to acknowledge
individuals as appropriate.
Table of Contents An outline for the table of contents can be developed. Page numbers are
added when the project is completed. An example is provided in this handbook.
Chapter I Chapter I of the project proposal contains the following sections:
1. Introduction
The function of the introduction is to attract or grab the reader’s interest and attention. The
introduction consists of a broad overview of the project problem. The introduction should
contain information that informs the reader about the basic nature and scope of the problem.
References and statistics can be briefly utilized to reinforce the significance of (the importance)
and the need (justification) for the project. The student is advised to begin a reference page on a
separate page (the last page of the paper) entitled as the Reference page with all articles used to
write this section cited in APA format. The introduction section should be presented in one to
two paragraphs and should range in length between ½ of one page to 1 ½ pages maximum. In
accordance with APA guidelines, there is no header for the introduction section because the
introduction is clearly identified by its position in the manuscript.
2. Statement of Purpose This section follows the introduction. The Statement of Purpose
describes the purpose of the project in one succinct and concise statement and clearly identifies
to the reader what is to be produced as a result of the project, who the project is intended for
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(participants), where the project will be utilized (the intended setting), and why the project is
being developed. For example:
Statement of Purpose
The purpose of this project was to develop an educational training program (what) for adult
mental health nurses (who) working in a psychiatric inpatient hospital setting (where) to
promote understanding regarding the importance and benefits of implementing the Recovery
Model into mental health nursing practice (why).
* The title of the project reflects the Statement of Purpose. For example:
A Recovery Model Educational Training Program for Adult Mental Health Nurses Working in a
Psychiatric Inpatient Hospital Setting
3. Theoretical Framework and Nursing’s Metaparadigm
This section follows the Statement of Purpose. The student chooses a nursing theory to guide and
support the development of the project. A second theory from a discipline outside of nursing
such as sociology, education, or management non-nursing theorist may also be used. The
theoretical framework section introduces the theory and includes a discussion of the major
components, concepts, definitions, assumptions, and propositions found within the theory. The
theory needs to “fit” well with original concepts describing the project purpose. The student
summarizes how the theory “fits” the project purpose by discussing how the theory’s main
components, concepts, definitions, assumptions, and propositions are connected or related to the
project purpose. The most current theory source (text) is to be used when possible as the
primary reference source by the student…no secondary sources are permitted unless
approved by the Project Chair. Additionally, in the theoretical framework section, the student
discusses nursing’s four metaparadigm concepts (nurse, health, person, and environment) as they
are defined by the nursing theorist and how each of the four metaparadigm concepts are
operationally defined by the student. The theoretical definitions are cited in APA format (source,
year, page). The theoretical framework section should be a minimum of 3 pages in length. This
section should be presented as follows:
Theoretical Framework
Hildegard Peplau’s (2004) Interpersonal Relations in Nursing Theory was utilized as the
theoretical framework for the development of this project. A brief overview of the theory is
presented as well as a discussion regarding how the theory was utilized to guide the development
of the educational PowerPoint presentation. In addition, Peplau’s (2004) theoretical definitions
for nursing’s four metaparadigm concepts (nursing, health, person, and environment) as well as
the Project Author’s operational definition for nursing’s four metaparadigm concepts will be
presented.
Interpersonal Relations in Nursing Theory and Nursing’s Metaparadigm
In her Interpersonal Relations in Nursing Theory, Peplau (2004) defined nursing’s four
metaparadigm concepts (nurse, health, patient, and environment) as follows. Nurse was defined
by Peplau (2004) as….(p.). For the purpose of this project, nurse was operationally defined as….
Peplau (2004) defined health as….(p. ). Health, operationally defined for the purpose of this
project, was….. Person was defined as….(Peplau, 2004, p. ). Person was operationally defined
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for the purpose of this project as…. Finally, environment was defined as ….(Peplau, 2004, p. ).
Environment was operationally defined for the purpose of the project as…..
Example regarding how to summarize nursing’s four metaparadigm concepts for a theory with
implied definitions for nursing’s four metaparadigm concepts:
Although Benner (2001) did not outwardly and explicitly define nursing’s four metaparadigm
concepts (nursing, person, health, and environment) in her Novice to Expert theory, she
described them as follows. Nursing was described by Benner (2001) as a helping role and as
giving and receiving help…Nursing, for the purpose of this project, is operationally defined as a
profession nurse in one of Benner’s five stages of skill acquisition…
4. Initial Review of the Literature
This section follows the Theoretical Framework section. The initial review of the literature
presents a brief summary of at least 20 articles that the student has reviewed thus far describing
current evidenced based research findings in the project area of interest. Articles should be
published within the last 5 years to ensure and to reflect current research based evidence and
practice. The initial review of the literature is a short summary of what is already known about
the project area of interest, what has been successfully implemented, what is lacking and in need
of further exploration, and articles emphasizing use of the theoretical framework chosen by the
student as it pertains to the project area of interest. At times, classic and seminal work older than
the 5 year limit can be included in the review of the literature since they are timeless and
continue to support current practice. The Initial Review of the Literature is written following
APA format and should include subheadings addressing areas of the literature explored. The
Initial Review of the Literature section should be presented as follows:
Initial Review of the Literature
A review of nursing and health related literature was conducted exploring (project area of
interest) using the following keywords both singularly and in multiple combinations: ___, ___,
____.... . Databases searched, limited to the years ___ and ___, included AMED, Alt Health
Watch, CINAHL Plus with Full Text, and EBSCO. The search was limited to the years ____ to
____ to ensure that current evidence-based literature was reviewed and summarized for the
purpose of this project. A summary of the review of the literature is presented.
Prevalence of Mental Illness
According to Smith (2011), approximately 1 million people have been diagnosed with a mental
illness….
Defining Recovery
Currently, numerous definitions of recovery exist in nursing and health
related literature…
* After a student successfully defends the Project Proposal,, the initial review of the literature
is then moved into Chapter II with a section replacing the initial review of the literature in
Chapter 1entitled Literature Synopsis. The Literature Synopsis section in Chapter I presents a
summary of literature review findings in Chapter II once the literature review is completed in
Chapter II.
Note: Students are strongly advised to visit or contact DYC’s Montante Family Library for
assistance with the project literature review if needed. The research library staff is available to
provide students with individualized research assistance including searching electronic and web-
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based resources and databases for current evidenced based research articles focusing on the
student’s project area of interest.
Montante Family Library Information:
DYC Library Website: http://library.dyc.edu/
DYC Library Hours: http://library.dyc.edu/hours.html
In Person Assistance: Library 1st floor Research Desk Phone: 716-829-7747
20
Email:
refdesk@dyc.edu Text: refdesk to 66746
If further assistance is needed, you may contact:
Deb Lucas, M.L.S. Associate Librarian Head of Research and ILL 716-829-7764
lucasd@dyc.edu
5. Significance and Justification
The Significance and Justification section follows the Initial Review of the Literature. The
Significance and Justification section presents the necessity of the project (significance) and is
supported by clinical evidence (statistics and findings) resulting from the literature review
(justification). This section should end with a sentence supporting the project purpose. The
Significance and Justification section should be approximately ½ to 1 page in length. This
section should begin as follows:
Significance and Justification
Findings from the literature review revealed that a lack of knowledge exists in nursing and
patient care practice regarding….
6. Project Objectives
The Project Objectives section follows the Significance and Justification section and is written in
past tense. Project objectives identify at least 3 specific outcomes (aims/goals) describing what
the student hopes to accomplish by carrying out the project. Because all projects require students
to 1) conduct a review of the literature exploring the background of the project
topic/problem/issue; 2) develop and/or create a product such as an educational program,
workshop, PowerPoint, or video, an interview schedule, questionnaire or survey, a professional
brochure or pamphlet, or a handbook or resource guide; and 3) have the project product
evaluated/reviewed by a panel of content experts who have extensive knowledge and expertise in
the project area of focus, the project objectives should include these 3 objectives. For example:
Project Objectives
The objectives of this project were to:
1. conduct an extensive review of the literature exploring (project area of 21
interest) using the following keywords both singularly and in multiple
combinations: ___, ___,____. Databases searched, limited to the
years ___ to ___, included AMED, Alt Health Watch, CINAHL Plus
with Full Text, and EBSCO Host;
2. develop a….(project product-brochure, PowerPoint, Video, etc); and
3. have a panel of ( # ) content experts with extensive knowledge
and expertise in ( project area of interest)….evaluate and critique the
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project for readability, usefulness, applicability, clarity, and relevance
to evidence-based practice.
* Throughout the body of your project proposal, when discussing your evaluation tool, make
sure that the order of evaluative items matches the order as they appear in your evaluation
tool.
7. Definition of Terms
The Definition of Terms section follows the Project Objectives section. In this section, the
Project Author presents additional theoretical and operational definitions (other than nursing’s
four metaparadigm concepts) applicable to the project purpose as appropriate. Concepts found in
the project Statement of Purpose should be defined. Conceptual/theoretical definitions should be
discipline specific and need to reflect the theoretical framework and purpose of the project.
Theoretical definitions state the meaning of a concept as it is defined or described by the
theorist/theory. Theoretical definitions need to be obtained and cited from the primary source –
the most current version or text of the theory. Theoretical definitions can also come from
professional organizations and associations. Dictionary and Wikipedia definitions are not
acceptable sources for the definition of terms. All theoretical definitions are cited in APA
format from the source they are retrieved from. An operational definition is the Project
Author’s definition of a theoretical concept as it specifically reflects the project purpose. At
times, theoretical and operational definitions may be defined the same. If a student wishes to
operationally define a term as it is theoretically defined, the student needs to cite the source the
definition was retrieved from. The Definition of Terms section should be presented as follows:
Definition of Terms
The following concepts are defined both theoretically and operationally for the purpose of this
project:
Health Promotion
Theoretical Definition: Behavior motivated by the desire to increase well-being and actualize
human health potential. It is an approach to wellness (Pender et al., 2011, p. 45).
Operational Definition: Behaviors that promote HGH treatment delivery and adherence resulting
in improved health, treatment outcomes, and better quality of life for adolescents diagnosed with
HGH deficiency.
Education
Theoretical and Operational Definition: …(citation).
8. Limitations
This section follows the Definition of Terms section. Every research study or project has
limitations (problems/issues/concerns) that the Project Author experienced while conducting a
study or developing a project that may be addressed or remedied in future studies/projects…there
is no perfect study or project! The Limitations section informs the reader of the study or project’s
problems/issues/concerns that the Project Author experienced. The Limitations section begins as
follows and may include the following:
Limitations
The Project Author recognizes the following project limitations:
1. The implementation of the (project) was not within the context of this project;
2. The (project) was developed in the English language only and could
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benefit a more culturally diverse population if written in additional
languages;
3. Databases may have been overlooked or not included in the literature
search;
4. The Project Author cannot assure that the project will be utilized in
an actual clinical setting; and
5. With regard to the operational definition of terms, the Project Author understands that
additional meanings/definitions may exist.
9. Project Development Plan
The Project Development Plan section follows the Limitations section. In this section, the
student describes how they will develop their project. This section should be presented as
follows:
Project Development Plan
A detailed topical outline of the (project) content was created based on the extensive review of
evidence-based literature and the theoretical framework used to support and guide the
development of the (project). After permission was granted from the D’Youville College
Institutional Review Board (Appendix A),
( # ) professionals with knowledge and expertise in (the project area of focus/field) were asked if
they would be interested in voluntarily participating as an expert content reviewer for the
(project). The content expert panel consisted of one______, one______, one____, and one
________. If interested, the Project Author mailed a packet containing a Letter of Intent
(Appendix B), a copy of the Content Expert Project Evaluation Tool created by the Project
Author specifically for the project (Appendix C), a copy of the (project) (Appendix D), and a
self-addressed stamped envelope. The Letter of Intent explained the project purpose and
instructions for completing and returning the Content Expert Project Evaluation Tool to the
Project Author. The Content Expert Project Evaluation Tool contained ( # ) evaluative items with
space for narrative comments and suggestions. Approximately 20 minutes were required to
review the (product) and to complete the Content Expert Project Evaluation Tool. Content
experts were provided a self-addressed envelope to return the Content Expert Project Evaluation
Tool to the Project Author. Once all evaluation tools were returned to the Project Author, data
were analyzed and reported narratively and in bar graph format. A summary of the evaluation
results was provided to the content expert reviewers by postal mail.
*Students are required to present results from the content expert evaluation in narrative
format. Students are not required to present results from the content expert evaluation in
tabular or bar graph format but may do so if desired.
10. Plan for the Protection of Human Rights
This section follows the Project Development Plan section and discusses each of the required
components noted in the DYC IRB Manual regarding how the safety, privacy, and rights of the
human subjects (the content experts) will be protected. This section should be presented as
follows:
Plan for the Protection of Human Rights
Following approval from the D’Youville College Institutional Review
Board (Appendix A), ( # ) professionals with knowledge and expertise in the area /field of
______were personally approached and asked to voluntarily participate as a content expert in the
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review and evaluation of the (project) (Appendix D). Content experts were advised that
participation or non-participation as an expert reviewer would have no effect on their
employment status. The Project Author had a collegial, professional, and non-supervisory
relationship with the content expert reviewers thereby protecting the participants from any risk of
coercion. Content experts were guaranteed confidentiality because identifying characteristics
would not be collected on the Content Expert Project Evaluation Tool and because their names
would not be revealed anywhere in the project manuscript or in required project presentations.
Only the Project Author knew the names of the content expert reviewers. Return of the
completed content expert Project Evaluation Tool (Appendix C) indicated implied voluntary
consent to participate as a content expert reviewer. Content experts were advised that they would
not be able to withdraw from project participation once the project evaluation tool was returned
to the Project Author because the evaluation tool would be returned without identifying
information. Returned Content Expert Project Evaluation Tools were stored according to
D’Youville College IRB protocol in a locked drawer located in the Project Author’s
(home/office) for a period of (three years (US)/six years(Canada)) and then destroyed.
Approval must be obtained from the DYC IRB prior to project implementation (creating
the actual project and having the content experts review the project). IRB approval is
obtained after the student successfully defends their project proposal in front of their
Project Committee (Project Chair and Project Second Reader). All students must follow
the current DYC IRB Manual as directed.
11. Plan for Project Evaluation
The Plan for Project Evaluation section follows the Plan for the Protection of Human Rights
section and discusses plans regarding how the project will be evaluated and how data resulting
from the project evaluation will be analyzed. Tools developed to evaluate the project need to be
included in the Appendices. When discussing the evaluation tool in the body of the project
manuscript, the student needs to make sure that the order of items is presented as they appear on
the evaluation tool. The Plan for Project Evaluation section should be presented as follows:
Plan for Project Evaluation
After obtaining Full Approval from the D’Youville College Institutional Review Board
(Appendix A), the Project Author mailed a packet to each content expert reviewer containing one
Letter of Intent (Appendix B), one copy of the Content Expert Project Evaluation Tool
(Appendix C), one copy of the (project) (Appendix D), and one self-addressed stamped
envelope. The Letter of Intent explained the project purpose and instructions for completing and
returning the Content Expert Project Evaluation Tool to the Project Author.
The Content Expert Project Evaluation Tool consisted of ( # ) evaluative items scored on a four
point Likert Scale that ranged from (1) Strongly Disagree, and. (2) Disagree, (3) Agree, and (4)
Strongly Agree. Space was provided for narrative comments and suggestions following each
evaluative item. Evaluative items asked reviewers to rate the (product) on clarity, readability,
applicability, quality, organization, and evidenced-based clinical relevance. Approximately 20
minutes were required to review the (product) and to complete the Content Expert Project
Evaluation Tool. Content experts were given ( # ) days to complete and return the Content
Expert Project Evaluation Tool to the Project Author via postal mail using the self-addressed
stamped envelope included in the original packet. Likert scale responses were presented
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narratively and displayed in (tabular/bar graph) format. Content expert suggestions and
comments were analyzed for common themes and presented narratively. A summary of results
was provided to content expert reviewers by postal mail.
*Make sure the order of evaluative items in your content expert evaluation tool is stated in the
same order in the body of your proposal.
12. Summary
The Summary section follows the Plan for Project Evaluation section. The Summary section
consists of one paragraph that briefly summarizes what was completed in Chapter I of the project
proposal. The summary is written in past tense and should be presented as follows:
Summary
Chapter I presented the project introduction, statement of purpose, an overview of the theoretical
framework guiding project development, an initial review of the literature focusing on (project
purpose), the project significance and justification, project objectives, definition of terms, project
limitations, the project development plan, the protection of human subjects, the plan for project
evaluation, and a chapter summary. Chapter II will provide an extensive review of the literature
focusing on (project purpose) and a chapter summary. Chapter III will discuss the intended
project setting and population, the content expert participants, data collection methods, project
tools, the protection of human rights, and a chapter summary. Chapter IV will discuss the
evaluation of the project, implications for future advanced nursing practice, recommendations for
future projects and research, and a chapter summary.
13. APA References
All project proposals are required to be written following APA formatting and style using the
APA Manual 6th edition. Students are expected to begin a separate page for their reference list
from the time they begin writing Chapter 1 of the proposal. The reference page is entitled
References (not Bibliography) and is typed on a separate page located at the end of the project
proposal. APA referencing and formatting is required in NUR 610 (Project Seminar).
14. Appendices: The Appendices are generally organized as follows:
The Appendices section follows the Reference list. The Appendices section contains a collection
of supplementary material utilized throughout the development of the project. The Appendices
section will present a copy of the DYC IRB Full Letter of Approval (Appendix A), a copy of the
Letter of Intent for the Content Experts (Appendix B), a copy of the Content Expert Project
Evaluation Tool (Appendix C), a copy of the Project product (Appendix D), any table, graph, or
figure used to present data resulting from the evaluation tool analysis Appendices ( E), and a
letter of copy right permission from the copyright holder if copies of published pictures, figures,
illustrations, tools, or instruments are to be used in the project (the student needs to retain the
original copyright permission for their record) (F). Each Appendix has its own divider page
followed by the actual copy of the project material. Appendices are presented in the order that
they appear in the project proposal and are labeled using capitalized letters of the alphabet
beginning with letter A.
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Chapter II: Review of the Literature
Chapter II begins with an introduction regarding what is contained in this section and ends with a
paragraph summarizing what was done and what will be presented in Chapter III. Chapter II
expands the initial review of evidenced-based literature presented in Chapter I (the Project
Proposal). Based on the project purpose, evidenced-based literature related to education and the
theoretical/conceptual framework is included in Chapter II. Evidence-based literature may be
reviewed from disciplines outside of nursing (i.e., medicine, education, social work, etc) or by
specific concepts presented in the project purpose and objectives.
Following the project proposal defense, the initial review of evidenced-based literature
completed in Chapter I (the Project Proposal) is moved into Chapter II and expanded upon. A
section entitled Literature Review Synopsis
Appendix A
IRB Approval
IRB Approval
Letter
Appendix B
Letter of Intent
Letter of
Intent
Appendix C
Evaluation
Tool
Evaluation
Tool
Appendix D
Project
Project
27
replaces the initial review of the literature section in Chapter I. The Literature Synopsis presents
a summary of literature review findings presented in Chapter II once the literature review is
completed. Chapter II should begin as follows:
CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE
A review of nursing and health related literature was conducted exploring post-operative pain
management among adult surgical patients in in-patient hospital settings using the following
keywords both singularly and in multiple combinations: patient, pain, adult(s), hospital, surgery,
surgical, post-operative, pre-operative, education, management, experience, barriers,
preventative, level, control, relief, intervention(s), and recovery. Databases searched, limited to
the years 1999 through 2011, included CINAHL Plus with Full Text, Ovid, PubMed, ProQuest,
ScienceDirect and EBSCOhost. The search was limited to the years 1999 through 2011 to ensure
that current evidence-based literature was reviewed and summarized for the purpose of this
project. A summary of the review of literature is presented.
Barriers to Post-Operative Pain Management
Over 100 million surgeries are performed in the United States (US) each year (IASP, 2011)…
Summary
Chapter II presented a review of nursing and health related literature exploring post-operative
pain management among adult surgical patients in
in-patient hospital settings. Chapter III will discuss the intended project setting and population,
the content expert participants, data collection methods, project tools, the protection of human
rights, and a chapter summary. Chapter IV will discuss the evaluation of the project, implications
for future advanced nursing practice, recommendations for future projects and research, and a
chapter summary.
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Chapter III: Methodology
Chapter III begins with a paragraph introducing what is presented in Chapter III and ends with a
paragraph summarizing the chapter as well as what will be presented in Chapter IV. In Chapter
III, the student discusses the intended project setting and population, a detailed description of the
content expert participants, data collection methods, project tools, the protection of human rights,
and a chapter summary. Chapter III should begin as follows:
28
CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
Chapter III will present the intended project setting and population, a detailed description of the
content expert participants, data collection methods, project tools, the protection of human rights,
and a chapter summary.
Project Setting and Population
The intended project setting was…The intended project population was…
Content Expert Participants
Following approval from D’Youville College’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) (Appendix A),
four content experts with knowledge and expertise in (project topic) were contacted by the
project author and asked to voluntarily participate in the review of the project for clarity,
readability, applicability, quality, organization, and evidenced-based clinical relevance. The first
content expert was a master’s prepared clinical educator with more than ten years experience in
the field of healthcare. The second content expert was a…
Data Collection Methods
The (project) was developed based on an extensive review of the literature and on feedback from
four content experts with knowledge and expertise in (project topic). Upon receipt of Full
Approval from D’Youville College’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) (Appendix A), the four
content experts were contacted by the project author and asked to voluntarily participate in the
review and evaluation of the (project). All four content experts agreed to participate. A manila
envelope containing a recruitment Letter of Interest (Appendix B), one copy of the NRT Nurse
Manager Interview Schedule (Appendix C), one copy of the Content Expert Evaluation Tool
(Appendix D), and a stamped self-addressed envelope with instructions on how and when to
return the evaluation tool to the Project Author was provided. Content experts were asked to
review and evaluate the (project) for clarity, readability, applicability, quality, organization, and
evidenced-based clinical relevance. The content experts were instructed not to place any
identifying marks on the evaluation tool. Return of the evaluation tool signified implied consent
to participate as content experts. Content experts returned the evaluation tool to the Project
Author using a self-addressed stamped envelope.
Project Tools
The purpose of this project was to develop a (project) (Appendix C). The development of the
(project) was guided by (theoretical framework). The (project) (Appendix C) consisted of
(content) developed based on findings obtained from the review of current evidenced based
literature.
A Content Expert Evaluation Tool (Appendix D) was developed by the Project Author
specifically for the purpose of having four content experts with knowledge and expertise in
(project topic) evaluate the (project) on clarity, readability, applicability, quality, organization,
and evidenced-based clinical relevance. The content experts were asked to rate the six evaluative
items using the following four point Likert Scale: Strongly Disagree (1), Disagree (2), Agree (3),
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and Strongly Agree (4). The content experts were instructed to circle one response for each item
indicating their appraisal for that particular item. Space was made available immediately
following each evaluative item to provide the content experts with opportunity to comment or
make further suggestions if needed. Data from the Content Expert Evaluation Tool were collated,
analyzed, and presented in narrative and tabular/bar graph format. Content expert written
comments and suggestions were analyzed for common themes and presented in narrative format.
The Protection of Human Rights
Following approval from the D’Youville College IRB (Appendix A), four experts with
knowledge and expertise in (project topic) were approached and personally asked to participate
as a content expert reviewer for the (project) developed for the purpose of this project. The
Project Author had a collegial, professional, and non-supervisory relationship with the content
expert reviewers thereby protecting the participants from any risk of coercion. The content expert
participants were advised that participation or non-participation as a content expert reviewer
would have no effect on their employment or evaluative status. The participants were guaranteed
confidentiality as identifying characteristics would not be displayed on the Content Expert
Evaluation Tool (Appendix C) and all data would be reported in aggregate form. Return of the
completed Content Expert Evaluation Tool would indicate implied consent to participate as a
content expert. All four content experts were advised that their participation was completely
voluntary and that they would not be able to withdraw from project participation once the
completed Content Expert Evaluation Tool was returned to the Project Author as there would be
no way to identify them. Returned Content Expert Evaluation Forms will be kept in a locked file
cabinet drawer located in the Project Author’s home office for a period of six years and then
destroyed as per IRB protocol.
Summary
Chapter III discussed the intended project setting and population, a detailed description of the
content expert participants, data collection methods, project tools, the protection of human rights,
and a chapter summary. Chapter IV 30
will discuss the evaluation of the project, implications for future practice, and recommendations
for future projects and research.
Chapter IV: Results, Implications for Advanced Nursing Practice, and Future
Recommendations
Chapter IV begins with a paragraph introducing what is presented in Chapter IV and ends with a
paragraph summarizing all key areas covered throughout the entire project chapter by chapter. In
Chapter IV, the student presents an overview of the project development plan and results from
the project evaluation, a discussion focusing on implications for advanced nursing practice (how
the project may be effectively utilized in advanced nursing practice in the areas of education,
clinical practice, management, etc), and a discussion focusing on future project and research
recommendations and ideas. Discussion regarding future project recommendations and ideas will
incorporate the student’s suggestions for project improvement based on any problems, issues, or
concerns that the student experienced throughout the process of planning, developing, and
creating the final project. Chapter IV should begin as follows:
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CHAPTER IV
RESULTS, IMPLICATIONS, AND FUTURE RECOMMENDATIONS
Chapter IV will discuss the evaluation of the project, implications for future practice, and
recommendations for future projects and research.
Project Evaluation
After permission was obtained from the D’Youville College’s Institutional Review Board (IRB)
(Appendix A), four content experts with knowledge and expertise in (project topic) were
approached in person and asked to voluntarily review and evaluate the (project) using a Content
Expert Evaluation Tool developed by the Project Author. The Content Expert Evaluation Tool
included six items asking content experts to evaluate the (project) on clarity, readability,
applicability, quality, organization, and evidenced-based clinical relevance. The content experts
were asked to rate the six evaluative items using the following four point Likert Scale: Strongly
Disagree (1), Disagree (2), Agree (3), and Strongly Agree (4). Space was made available
immediately following each item to provide the content experts with opportunity to comment or
make further suggestions if needed. Following is a discussion of the results of the content expert
evaluation.
The first question on the Content Expert Evaluation Tool asked the content experts if they felt
that the questions presented on the (project) were clear 31
and comprehensible. Three out of the four content experts (75%) strongly agreed that the
questions were clear and comprehensible and one content expert (25%) agreed.
Question two on the Content Expert Evaluation Tool asked the content experts if they felt that
the questions included on the (project) were presented at an appropriate level of reading for
(intended population). Three out of the four content experts (75%) strongly agreed that the
questions were presented at an appropriate level of reading for NRT nurse managers and NRT
staff nurses and one content expert (25%) agreed.
Question three….
Question four…
Question five…
Questions six….
Written comments and suggestions given by the four content experts to strengthen the
development of the (project) are summarized as follows with examples. Three content experts
commented that project was…One content expert reviewer wrote, “The project needed…”
Implications for Future Practice
This project highlighted the need for …
Future Recommendations
The purpose and intention of this project was to address a current gap in nursing and health
related knowledge regarding the educational needs of … Future projects and research should
focus on exploring and examining …. Furthermore, future research and projects should focus on
… Finally, (theorist) (year) theory fit well as a theoretical framework to support the development
of the …and should be considered as a theoretical framework to support future projects and
research related to patient care practice in this particular area of interest.
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Capstone Project Proposal Presentation
Approval to Present
After the project proposal has been completed and the Project Chair has given his or her
recommendation for presentation, a final copy of the project proposal is distributed by the
student to the Project Chair and the Project Second Reader at least 7 working days prior to the
scheduled project proposal defense.
Scheduling
The student schedules the proposal defense in consultation with the Project Committee. It is the
student's responsibility to ensure that are provided with a final confirmed proposal presentation
date, time, and location.
Posting
The date, time, topic, and student's name will be posted by the School of Nursing Graduate
Secretary on the School of Nursing bulletin board prior to the scheduled project proposal
defense. School of Nursing faculty may attend. Other individuals may request student’s
permission to attend the proposal defense presentation.
The Presentation Review Criteria
The following criteria are reviewed in order for the project proposal to be accepted:
1. The purpose of the project is clearly and succinctly stated.
2. A theoretical framework is clearly identified, discussed, “fits” well with the project purpose.
3. The project addresses a current and clinically relevant problem in nursing.
4. The feasibility of the project is substantiated.
5. The project plan for development and evaluation are sound and justified in relation to the
project purpose.
6. The projected analysis of the data resulting from the content expert project evaluation is
appropriate and justified in relation to the project purpose and objectives.
7. The availability of sufficient and appropriate project content experts is identified.
8. The plan for protection of human subjects follows all DYC IRB requirements.
9. The project proposal is free from spelling and grammatical errors, follows APA format, and
contains all necessary required sections.
Approval of the Project Proposal
The student must demonstrate ability to professionally respond to Project Committee questions
with knowledge, competence, and confidence throughout the entire project proposal defense.
After the student presents their project proposal and all questions have been asked by the Project
Committee, the Project Committee meets in a brief closed session to determine the student’s
readiness to proceed with the project and to determine if project approval will be granted. The
Project Committee must unanimously agree that the student as met all criteria required for
successful project proposal defense. The student is recalled into the room (usually within 10-15
minutes) and notified of the committee's decision to either approve the project proposal, to
approval the project proposal with recommendations, or to that the proposal has been rejected.
Once the project is approved, the committee will sign the “Approval of Graduate Research
Proposal” form for submission to the Graduate Office by the School of Nursing.
Once the “Approval of Graduate Research Proposal” form is submitted to the Graduate Office,
an application for IRB approval for the project can be completed. IRB application materials must
include two copies of all materials depending upon the level of IRB review – see IRB manual.
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Doctoral Capstone Project Presentation Day
A formal, public presentation of the Capstone Project is a program requirement for completion.
Please note you must successfully defend your capstone project by the designated date each
semester, as determined by the Graduate Studies Office, in order to participate in the presentation
day. Final Capstone presentations are delivered as 15-minute podium presentations. If you have
any questions or concerns, please contact your thesis/project committee chair.
Please bring the following items with you to Presentation Day:
• Project Approval Signature Pages on 20-pound weight with 25% cotton content.
• Approval of Completed Graduate Research: This form is signed after final project approval
of all chapters by Project Committee or after successful completion of project Defense.
• Certification of Approval of all Graduate Non-Course Requirements for Graduation:
This form is signed after all previous non-course requirements are completed.
Final Approval of Project
Once the project is complete, the student is then responsible for submitting the completed project
for binding and submitting the receipt for binding to the graduate nursing secretary.
Binding Requirements
1. Print the manuscript on 8 ½” x 11” non-erasable, high-quality, white paper, minimum of 20pound weight with 25% cotton content.
2. Provide the Project Committee with two (2) Project Approval Signature Pages on appropriate
binding paper for signature of your committee at Project Presentation Day. Students are
responsible to keep the signed Project Approval Signature Pages until the project is approved for
binding. These signed pages are submitted with your proposal to the bindery for insertion.
3. Maroon binding with gold lettering.
4. Need to obtain a minimum of two copies. One copy remains with your committee chairperson
and one copy is retained by the student.
Spine:
LAST NAME
D.N.P.. YEAR
Front Cover:
TITLE (all caps)
Your Full Name (upper and lower case)
Approved project binding locations are:
Quality Bindery Services Inc.
501 Amherst Street
Buffalo, New York 14207
Phone: 716-883-1266 or 716-883-5185
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Project Graduation Requirement
Prior to graduation, the student will submit to the graduate nursing secretary a copy of their paid
bindery receipt showing proof of payment for binding of their project. Upon receipt of the
bindery receipt, the Project Chair will complete and submit the required “Certification of
Approval of all Graduate Non-Course Requirements for Graduation” form indicating final
project approval. Forms are available from the Graduate Studies Office, the School of Nursing
Graduate Office, and can be found on the DYC website at
http://www.dyc.edu/academics/graduate_studies.aspx .
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List of DYC School of Nursing Certified Graduate Faculty Members
Faculty
Research Interests
Area of Clinical Expertise
Can
Act as
Project
Chair
Can Act as
2nd
Committee
Member
Individual, Family, & Group
Counseling
Dr. Ann Caughill, RN,
APMHCNS, Ed. D (C)
Chair of the School of
Nursing (2014-2016)
Students with Mental Health
Problems
Mental Illness Stigma
Personality Disorders
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Chronically Mentally Ill
Psychiatric Nursing in Acute Care
Settings
Emergency Care
Dr. Denise Dunford,
DNS, FNP-BC, APRN
FNP Program Director
DNP Program Director
Community Dwelling Older
Adults
Emergency Care
Barriers to and Access to Health Care
Uninsured Populations
Health Literacy
Access to Care Issues;
Health Literacy
NCLEX-RN Success
Sandy Englert, RN,
MSN
Test Construction & Item Writing
Pediatric Pain Assessment
Pediatrics
Pediatric Intensive Care Nursing
Dr. Connie JozwiakShields, PhD, ANP-BC,
RN
Dr. Judith H. Lewis,
EdD, RN
School of Nursing Dean
Adult Health
Care of Refugee Populations
Power Orientations
Organizational Charts
Pediatric and Childhood Nursing
Transition Experiences
among International
Students
Neonatal Intensive Care Nursing
Community Health Nursing
NCLEX Predictors
Dr. Sharon Mang, DNP,
RN
Dr. Kathleen Mariano,
DNS, RN, CPNP
Medical – Surgical Nursing
Critical Thinking of Nurses
Physical Rehabilitation
Pediatrics
Pediatrics
Health Policy
Pediatric Well Child Care
Evidenced Based Practice
Child Development
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Faculty
Research Interests
Area of Clinical Expertise
Can
Act as
Project
Chair
Can Act as
2nd
Committee
Member
Professionalism in Nursing
Dr. Shannon McCroryChurchill, DHEd, RN,
PNP
Cultural Competence
Pediatrics
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Technology in Education
Dr. Abigail Mitchell,
DHEd, MSN, RN, CNE
Director of Graduate
Nursing
Mentoring
Community Health Nursing
Bedside Nursing
Leadership
Pet Therapy
Mentoring
Curriculum
Critical Care
Gerontology
Community Health Nursing
Dr. Sherry Pomeroy,
PhD, RN
Physical Activity & Aging
Rehabilitation (older adults)
Person-centered care in long
term care.
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Community Health Nursing
Gerontology
Rehabilitation
APPENDIX A
REQUIRED PROJECT PROPOSAL FORMS
Approval of Graduate Research Topic
http://www.dyc.edu/academics/docs/graduate_research_topic_approval_form.pdf
Approval of Graduate Research Proposal
http://www.dyc.edu/academics/docs/graduate_research_proposal_approval_form.pdf
Approval of Completed Graduate Research
http://www.dyc.edu/academics/docs/completed_graduate_research_approval_form.pdf
Certification of Approval of All Graduate Non-Course Requirements for Graduation
http://www.dyc.edu/academics/docs/graduate_non_course_reqs_form.pdf
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APPENDIX B
SAMPLE PROJECT PAGES
*Note: Shaded or [bracketed] text in this Appendix must be
replaced by appropriate text – No shaded or bracketed text is
permitted in APA formatted text.
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Running head: [SHORT TITLE]
i
[TITLE OF PROJECT]
By
[Full First Name Middle Initial. Last Name]
A Project
Submitted to the Faculty of D’Youville College
Division of Academic Affairs
In partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of
Doctor of Nursing Practice
in
[Program Title]
Buffalo, NY
[Month Day, Year]
***SAMPLE TITLE PAGE***
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[SHORT TITLE]
ii
Copyright © [Year] by [Full First Name Middle Initial. Last Name]. All rights reserved. No part
of this project may be copied or reproduced in any form or by any means without the written
permission of [Full First Name Middle Initial. Last Name].
***SAMPLE COPYRIGHT PAGE***
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SHORT TITLE]
iii
PROJECT APPROVAL
Project Committee Chairperson
Name: ____________________________________________________________
Discipline: ________________________________________________________
Project Committee Member
Name: ___________________________________________________________
Discipline: ________________________________________________________
Project Defended
On
[Month Day, Year]
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***SAMPLE PROJECT APPROVAL PAGE***
[SHORT TITLE]
iv
Abstract
[The abstract is presented before Chapter I. It consists of 120 word (maximum) succinct
summary of the entire project and highlights the details of the identified problem, the project
purpose, the theoretical framework(s), and evaluative measures. The abstract heading is not
bolded or indented 5 to 7 spaces.]
***SAMPLE ABSTRACT PAGE***
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[SHORT TITLE]
v
Acknowledgment
[Inclusion of an acknowledgment page is optional. The student should seek guidance
from the project director on whether to include the page in the final project manuscript. If it is
included, it is numbered as page Roman numeral v, each paragraph is indented five spaces
(1/2”), and the text is double-spaced. This page is placed just after the Abstract and just before
the Table of Contents.]
***SAMPLE ACKNOWLEDGMENT PAGE***
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[SHORT TITLE]
vi
Table of Contents
Chapter
I.
PROJECT INTRODUCTION……………………………………….... 1
Statement of Purpose………………………………………………….. 2
Theoretical Framework………………………………………………... 2
Literature Review Synopsis…………………………………………… 9
Significance and Justification ………………………………………… 9
Project Objectives …………………………………………………… 11
Definition of Terms ………………………………………………….. 11
Project Limitations …………………………………………………... 14
Project Development Plan …..……………………………………….. 15
Plan for Protection of Human Rights ………………………………... 16
Plan for Project Evaluation ………………………………..………… 17
Summary …………………………………………………………….. 17
II.
REVIEW OF LITERATURE ……………………………………...... 19
Summary …………………………………………………………...... 30
III.
METHODOLOGY ..……………………………………………..….. 39
Project Setting and Population……………………………………….. 39
Content Expert Participants …………………………………………. 39
Data Collection Methods ……………………………………………. 39
Project Tools ……………….……….…….…………………………. 40
The Protection of Human Rights ……………………………………. 41
Summary …………………………………………………………….. 42
IV.
RESULTS, IMPLICATIONS, AND FUTURE
RECOMMENDATIONS …………………………………………..... 44
Project Evaluation …………………………..……………………….. 44
Implications for Future Practice ……………………………….…….. 46
Future Recommendations …………………………………………… 48
Summary …………………………………………………………….. 50
References …………………………………………………………… 51
Appendices …………………………………………………………... 60
***SAMPLE TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE***
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[SHORT TITLE]
vii
List of Tables
Table
1. [Title of Table] …………………………………………………….... [#]
2. [Title of Table] …………………………………………………….... [#]
3. Demographic Description of the Sample (N = 56)**……………….. [#]
* HINT: Statistical symbols such as n or N must be in italics throughout the text, including on
this page, as shown in the example above.
This List of Tables does not need to be included if tables are not being used in your project and
the Roman numeral “viii” will apply to the next section necessary for your project.
** Example of Title of Table
***SAMPLE LIST OF TABLES PAGE***
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[SHORT TITLE]
viii
List of Figures
Figure
1. [Figure Title] ………………………………………………………... [#]
2. [Figure Title] ………………………………………………………... [#]
3. The Senses, Integration of Their Inputs, and Their End Products**.. [#]
*HINT: This List of Figures does not need to be included if tables are not being used in your
project and the Roman numeral will apply to the next section necessary for your project.
** Example of Title of Figure
***SAMPLE LIST OF FIGURES PAGE***
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List of Appendices
Appendix
A Institutional Review Board Full Approval Letter …………………….…. 60
B Letter of Intent …………………………...…………………………........ 62
C Evaluation Tool ……………………………………..………………........ 64
D Project ………………….………………………………………………... 66
* HINT: Check this page carefully to see if any materials have been included in the appendices
that may require copyright permission letters. Check this list in your Project to see if you have
copied tools or scales in your appendices that require copyright permission.
***SAMPLE LIST OF APPENDICES PAGE***
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[SHORT TITLE]
1
CHAPTER I
The function of the introduction is to attract or grab the reader’s interest and attention.
The introduction consists of a broad overview of the project problem. The introduction should
contain information that informs the reader about the basic nature and scope of the problem.
References and statistics can be briefly utilized to reinforce the significance of (the importance)
and the need (justification) for the project. The student is advised to begin a reference page on a
separate page (the last page of the paper) entitled as the Reference page with all articles used to
write this section cited in APA format. The introduction section should be presented in one to
two paragraphs and should range in length between ½ of one page to 1 ½ pages maximum. In
accordance with APA guidelines, there is no header for the introduction section because the
introduction is clearly identified by its position in the manuscript.
Statement of Purpose
The purpose of this project was to develop an educational training program (what) for
adult mental health nurses (who) working in a psychiatric inpatient hospital setting (where) to
promote understanding regarding the importance and benefits of implementing the Recovery
Model into mental health nursing practice (why).
Theoretical Framework
Hildegard Peplau’s (2004) Interpersonal Relations in Nursing Theory was utilized as the
theoretical framework for the development of this project. A brief overview of the theory is
presented as well as a discussion regarding how the theory was utilized to guide the development
of the educational PowerPoint presentation. In addition, Peplau’s (2004) theoretical definitions
***SAMPLE CHAPTER I PAGE***
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for nursing’s four metaparadigm concepts (nursing, health, person, and environment) as well as
the Project Author’s operational definition for nursing’s four metaparadigm concepts will be
presented.
Interpersonal Relations in Nursing Theory
Hildegard Peplau is often regarded as the mother of psychiatric nursing….
Interpersonal Relations in Nursing Theory and Nursing’s Metaparadigm
In her Interpersonal Relations in Nursing Theory, Peplau (2004) defined nursing’s four
metaparadigm concepts (nurse, health, patient, and environment) as follows. Nurse was defined
by Peplau (2004) as….(p.). For the purpose of this project, nurse was operationally defined as….
Peplau (2004) defined health as….(p. ). Health, operationally defined for the purpose of this
project, was….. Person was defined as….(Peplau, 2004, p. ). Person was operationally defined
for the purpose of this project as…. Finally, environment was defined as ….(Peplau, 2004, p. ).
Environment was operationally defined for the purpose of the project as…..
***SAMPLE CHAPTER I PAGE***
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