Nursing Essay Examples: See What Good Looks Like Before You Write

Before you look at any example, here's what to look for in a strong nursing essay:

• Clear argument or reflection. Every nursing essay, regardless of type, has a central purpose. The reader should know within the first paragraph what the essay is doing and where it's going.
• Evidence use. Academic nursing essays cite peer-reviewed sources, clinical guidelines, or established frameworks. Reflective essays reference theory (Gibbs, Johns) even when writing in the first person.
• APA format. The majority of nursing programs require APA 7th edition. In-text citations follow every claim that isn't common knowledge. The reference list is alphabetical and formatted precisely.
• Professional voice. Academic and argumentative essays use the third person. Reflective essays use the first person. Either way, the tone is measured, precise, and clinically grounded, not casual.

Opening: Description and Feelings phase

During my second placement on a general medical ward, I was asked to assist with the personal care of an elderly patient who had been admitted following a fall at home. During the interaction, the patient became distressed and requested that I leave. I stepped back, ensured the patient was safe, and informed the supervising registered nurse immediately. The experience prompted me to reflect on my approach to patient-centred care and the gap between theoretical knowledge and clinical application.

My initial response was uncertainty. I had studied patient dignity and autonomy extensively in the classroom, but in that moment, I was unsure whether I had said or done something to cause distress, or whether the patient's reaction was connected to an underlying clinical concern. I felt responsible, though I could not immediately determine why.

Body paragraph:  Analysis and Theory phase

On reflection, this encounter highlighted the importance of autonomy as a core principle of nursing ethics. The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) Code (2018) explicitly requires nurses to respect and uphold patients' rights to make decisions about their own care. Rather than viewing the patient's request as a barrier to completing a task, I should have recognised it as an expression of their right to determine who provides their personal care. Henderson's Need Theory (1966) further reinforces this; the nurse's role is to support the patient's independence, not to override their preferences in the name of efficiency.

The opening paragraph sets the scene precisely. It answers the "what happened?" question without becoming a narrative; the tone is measured and academic from the first line. Notice the writer does not begin with "I" (a common instruction in reflective writing) and immediately anchors the reflection in a specific event.

The feelings paragraph is analytical, not emotional. It describes the emotional experience ("uncertainty," "responsibility") but frames them as things to examine, not things to dwell on. This is the tone markers look for: self-awareness without self-indulgence.

The theory integration is seamless. The NMC Code and Henderson's model are cited naturally to support the reflection, not quoted at length, but used to give the personal experience academic grounding. This is what separates a reflective essay that earns a merit from one that earns a pass.

What professors look for in a reflective nursing essay: Personal voice that remains analytical; theory reference that supports rather than replaces personal insight; clear connection between experience and future practice; APA citations even in first-person writing.

Introduction with thesis statement

The implementation of legislated nurse-to-patient staffing ratios in acute care settings is a necessary and overdue policy intervention. Despite longstanding resistance from healthcare administrators citing cost concerns, a substantial body of peer-reviewed evidence demonstrates that inadequate staffing ratios are directly associated with increased patient mortality, nurse burnout, and preventable adverse events. This essay argues that mandatory staffing ratios should be legislated at a national level, and that the financial objections raised by healthcare organisations are outweighed by the measurable patient safety outcomes achieved in jurisdictions where ratios have been mandated.

Evidence-based body paragraph

Evidence from California, the only US state with mandated minimum nurse-to-patient ratios, demonstrates the policy's effectiveness. Aiken et al. (2010) found that every additional patient added to a nurse's workload increased the likelihood of patient death within 30 days of admission by 7%. Following California's implementation of mandatory ratios in 2004, nurse job satisfaction increased significantly, and nurse-reported burnout declined compared to states without similar legislation (Spetz et al., 2009). These findings suggest that staffing ratios function as a structural safeguard, not merely a workforce preference, and that their absence carries demonstrable clinical consequences.

The thesis statement is specific and arguable. It does not say "staffing ratios are important." It says mandatory ratios should be legislated nationally, and it frames the counterargument (cost) upfront to signal the essay knows it exists. This is a confident, academically sound thesis.

The body paragraph follows a PEEL structure. Point (mandatory ratios work), Evidence (Aiken et al., 2010), Explanation (what the evidence shows), Link (what this means for the argument). Every sentence earns its place.

The citations are integrated, not dropped. Aiken et al. (2010) appears mid-sentence as part of the argument, not as a floating quote. The writer explains what the source found and why it matters. This demonstrates critical engagement with the literature.

What professors look for in an argumentative nursing essay: A specific, defensible thesis in the introduction; at least two supporting arguments backed by peer-reviewed sources; engagement with the counterargument (not just dismissing it); a consistent, formal third-person voice.

Opening paragraph: Creating interest

When my grandmother was admitted to a cardiac unit three days after her eightieth birthday, I watched a team of nurses do something I had never seen medicine do before: they treated her as a person, not a patient. One nurse sat with her for twenty minutes the night before her procedure, not because it was required, but because she had noticed my grandmother was frightened and had stopped eating. That night changed the direction of my life. I did not want to be the kind of nurse who completed tasks. I wanted to be the kind who noticed.

Core motivation paragraph, Career vision

I am applying to the MSN program at [University] because I am ready to move beyond direct care and into a role where I can influence how care is designed. After five years as a registered nurse in a Level II trauma centre, I have seen how systems either support or undermine the kind of nursing I believe in. I have led two quality improvement initiatives in my unit and seen both fail at implementation, not for lack of evidence, but for lack of nurse-led advocacy at a policy level. The Advanced Practice Nursing track is where I can develop the skills to change that.

The opening scene is specific and memorable. It does not begin with "I have always wanted to be a nurse." It begins with a single, concrete moment, a nurse sitting for twenty minutes, that communicates the writer's values without stating them. Admissions committees remember specificity. They don't remember generalizations.

The transition to motivation is seamless. The essay moves from the personal story directly to what it taught the writer, not dwelling, but propelling forward. The "I did not want to be... I wanted to be..." construction is efficient and punchy.

The career vision is grounded in experience. The writer does not say "I want to help underserved populations" (vague). They name five years of trauma nursing, two failed QI initiatives, and a specific ambition: nurse-led policy advocacy. This is a candidate who knows what they want and why this program delivers it.

What admission committees look for: A specific, personal opening (not generic); a clear connection between past experience and future goals; evidence of self-awareness and professional maturity; a reason why this specific program, not nursing school generally.

Introduction paragraph

Patient autonomy, the right of individuals to make informed decisions about their own healthcare, is a foundational principle in nursing ethics and a legal requirement in most healthcare jurisdictions. Despite its centrality to the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) Code (2018) and the American Nurses Association (ANA) Code of Ethics (2015), the practical application of autonomy in acute care settings remains inconsistent, particularly in contexts where patients lack capacity or where clinical urgency appears to conflict with patient preference. This essay examines the ethical and practical dimensions of patient autonomy in nursing practice, arguing that a more structured approach to autonomy assessment is required to ensure patients receive genuinely person-centred care.

Body paragraph: Evidence integration

Research consistently demonstrates that nurses' capacity to uphold patient autonomy is influenced by systemic and institutional factors beyond individual clinical decision-making. Baumbusch et al. (2019) identified time constraints, hierarchical structures, and incomplete documentation of patient preferences as the primary barriers to autonomy-preserving practice in hospital settings. Critically, their findings suggested that nurses frequently understood the importance of patient autonomy in principle but lacked the structural support to enact it in practice. This distinction, between knowing and being able to do, points to a systemic failure rather than an individual one, and has significant implications for how nurse education and ward management address autonomy as a practice standard.

The introduction establishes scope immediately. It defines the concept (patient autonomy), anchors it in two authoritative sources (NMC Code, ANA Code), identifies the problem (inconsistent application), and closes with a thesis. The marker knows what the essay will argue before the first body paragraph begins.

The body paragraph demonstrates critical evaluation. The writer does not simply report that Baumbusch et al. found barriers to autonomy. They extract the key distinction (knowing vs. being able to do), explain its significance (systemic failure, not individual), and connect it to the essay's argument. This is evidence engagement, not evidence reporting.

APA citations are correctly placed. Every claim backed by external evidence has an in-text citation in the format (Author, Year). The NMC Code appears in the introduction as a foundational reference. This is the citation discipline markers look for at every level of nursing education.

For a dedicated guide to nursing ethics essays, covering ethical principles including beneficence, autonomy, nonmaleficence, and justice in depth, see our nursing ethics essay page. If your assignment is specifically about nursing theory, our nursing theory essay guide walks you through how to structure and write that type of essay.