150+ Nursing Research Topics for Your Research Paper

What Makes a Good Nursing Research Topic?

A good nursing research topic does more than just sound interesting. It needs to work for you practically and academically.

Choose a Balanced and Researchable Topic

The best nursing topics are specific enough to research thoroughly but broad enough to find adequate sources. You want something you can actually complete with your timeline and resources. If you're constantly hitting dead ends looking for research, your topic might be too narrow or too new.

Focus on Real-World Nursing Practice

Your topic should connect to actual nursing practice. Research that sits in academic journals without real-world application isn't as valuable as research that could improve patient care tomorrow. Think about problems you've seen during clinicals or questions that came up during your shifts.

See what you should check for evaluating potential of your topic:

The ethical piece matters more in nursing than in many other fields. Your research should respect patient populations, consider vulnerable groups carefully, and align with nursing's core values of compassionate care. Learning how to write a research question that's both specific and ethical is a skill that'll serve you throughout your nursing career.

How to Choose the Right Nursing Research Topic

Choosing your topic strategically saves you time and stress later. Start by thinking about which nursing specialty interests you most.

Align Your Topic with Your Career Goals

If you're drawn to pediatrics, research pediatric topics. Planning a career in critical care? Pick ICU-related questions. Your research paper becomes more than just an assignment when it builds knowledge you'll actually use in your future practice.

Turn Clinical Observations into Research Questions

Your clinical rotation experiences are goldmines for research ideas. Did you notice that fall prevention protocols weren't consistently followed? Wonder why some patients struggled with medication adherence while others didn't? Those observations are the starting point for solid research questions.

Explore Current Healthcare Trends

Current healthcare trends in 2026 also offer rich research territory. Post-pandemic nursing challenges, telehealth integration, AI in healthcare, mental health crisis response, and healthcare equity issues are all areas where nursing research is urgently needed. These topics aren't just academically relevant; they're shaping the future of your profession.

Follow Assignment Requirements

Don't forget your course requirements. Some instructors want evidence-based practice topics. Others prefer clinical research. Some focus on specific patient populations. Clarify these expectations before you commit to a topic.

Keep Your Topic Realistic and Specific

Balance your scope with reality. A topic examining "all aspects of nursing care for dementia patients" is too broad for a semester. But "music therapy effectiveness in reducing agitation in dementia patients in long-term care facilities" is specific and doable.

Seek Guidance and Build an Early Outline

Talk to your clinical instructors. They see common research gaps and know which topics have adequate source material. They can also point you toward recent nursing journal articles in your area of interest. Building a strong research paper outline early helps you see if your topic is workable.

150+ Nursing Research Topics by Specialty

We've organized these nursing research topics by specialty area to make it easier to find ideas matching your interests and career goals. Each topic is specific enough to research thoroughly while connecting to real nursing practice.

Choose topics based on what genuinely interests you and where you can find adequate research sources. The best research paper comes from genuine curiosity about improving patient care, not just picking the first topic you see. If you want to see how other students structured their papers, check out research paper examples for inspiration.

Pediatric Nursing Research Topics

Pediatric nursing combines clinical expertise with family-centered care, child development knowledge, and age-appropriate communication skills.

• How does family involvement affect treatment compliance in pediatric chronic illness management?
  
• Effective pain assessment methods for non-verbal children in hospital settings
  
• Impact of play therapy on anxiety reduction in hospitalized children
  
• Vaccination hesitancy among parents: nursing intervention strategies that work
  
• Childhood obesity prevention programs in school nursing
  
• Managing type 1 diabetes in school-aged children: role of school nurses
  
• Neonatal pain management in intensive care units: current best practices
  
• Family-centered care models in pediatric emergency departments
  
• Autism spectrum disorder: early identification strategies for pediatric nurses
  
• Sleep patterns and health outcomes in adolescents: nursing assessment
  
• Pediatric asthma management and patient education effectiveness
  
• Effects of screen time on childhood development: implications for nursing guidance
  
• Child abuse recognition and mandatory reporting responsibilities for school nurses
  
• Medication adherence strategies for pediatric patients with chronic conditions
  
• Telemedicine in pediatric primary care: effectiveness and barriers from nursing perspective
  

Mental Health Nursing Research Topics

Mental health nursing requires specialized skills in therapeutic communication, crisis intervention, and psychiatric medication management. Note that these topics focus on nursing care rather than psychology research topics, which examine mental health from a research psychology perspective.

• Effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy techniques in psychiatric nursing practice
  
• Suicide risk assessment and intervention protocols for nurses across all settings
  
• Trauma-informed care in mental health nursing: implementation and outcomes
  
• Managing medication compliance in psychiatric patients: nursing strategies
  
• De-escalation techniques for aggressive psychiatric patients: what works best?
  
• Depression screening in primary care nursing: barriers and best practices
  
• Substance abuse treatment: evidence-based nursing intervention strategies
  
• PTSD management in military veterans: nursing's role in recovery
  
• Eating disorders: nursing assessment and intervention in outpatient settings
  
• Crisis intervention skills for emergency department nurses handling psychiatric emergencies
  
• Schizophrenia: nursing care strategies and family education approaches
  
• Anxiety management techniques in outpatient psychiatric nursing
  
• Therapeutic communication in mental health nursing: techniques that build trust
  
• Self-harm prevention strategies in adolescent psychiatric care
  
• Integration of mental health screening in general nursing practice across specialties
  

Geriatric Nursing Research Topics

Geriatric nursing focuses on the unique healthcare needs of elderly patients, requiring specialized knowledge of aging processes and chronic disease management.

• Fall prevention strategies in long-term care facilities: what protocols reduce incidents?
  
• Dementia care: nursing interventions to reduce agitation without medication
  
• Medication management challenges in elderly patients with polypharmacy
  
• Pain assessment in elderly patients with dementia who can't verbally communicate
  
• End-of-life care preferences: nursing communication strategies with patients and families
  
• Elder abuse recognition and prevention in home healthcare settings
  
• Quality of life measurement in nursing home residents: tools and interventions
  
• Depression in elderly populations: screening and intervention strategies for nurses
  
• Caregiver burden and support systems in home-based elder care
  
• Alzheimer's disease: family education and support strategies led by nurses
  
• Palliative care in advanced dementia: nursing's role in comfort care
  
• Pressure ulcer prevention in immobile elderly patients: evidence-based protocols
  
• Hydration and nutrition management in geriatric care settings
  
• Transitional care coordination for elderly patients after hospitalization
  
• Social isolation effects on health outcomes in elderly populations: nursing interventions
  

Maternal and Women's Health Nursing Topics

Maternal and women's health nursing encompasses prenatal care, labor and delivery, postpartum support, and reproductive health across the lifespan.

• Postpartum depression: screening and intervention strategies in primary care
  
• Breastfeeding support: barriers and nursing interventions to increase success rates
  
• High-risk pregnancy management and patient education: nursing's critical role
  
• Labor pain management: non-pharmacological interventions nurses can provide
  
• Prenatal education effectiveness on birth outcomes and patient satisfaction
  
• Gestational diabetes: nursing care and patient education strategies
  
• Cesarean section recovery: nursing support strategies for physical and emotional healing
  
• Maternal opioid use: neonatal withdrawal management and nursing care
  
• Teen pregnancy: nursing support and education strategies for young mothers
  
• Preeclampsia: early detection and nursing management in prenatal care
  
• Menopause symptom management in primary care nursing
  
• PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome): nursing education and support for patients
  
• Miscarriage: emotional support and nursing care for grieving parents
  
• Fertility treatments: nursing support and patient education throughout the process
  
• Domestic violence screening in prenatal care: nursing protocols and interventions
  

Critical Care Nursing Research Topics

Critical care nursing demands advanced clinical skills, quick decision-making, and the ability to manage complex, unstable patients.

• Sepsis recognition and early intervention in emergency departments: nursing protocols
  
• Ventilator-associated pneumonia prevention strategies in ICU settings
  
• Delirium assessment and management in ICU patients: nursing interventions
  
• Family-centered care in intensive care units: balancing visitation with patient needs
  
• Pain assessment in sedated ICU patients: tools and nursing judgment
  
• Nursing workload and patient outcomes in critical care: exploring the relationship
  
• End-of-life care communication in intensive care settings: nursing's role
  
• Central line-associated bloodstream infection prevention: nursing protocols that work
  
• Pressure ulcer prevention in critically ill patients: specialized care strategies
  
• Early mobility protocols for ICU patients: nursing implementation and outcomes
  
• Alarm fatigue and patient safety in critical care: addressing desensitization
  
• ICU nurse burnout and retention strategies: what keeps critical care nurses engaged?
  
• Sedation protocols and patient outcomes: nursing's role in sedation management
  
• Family visitation policies in intensive care units: impact on patient and family outcomes
  
• Handoff communication in critical care nursing: reducing errors during shift changes
  

Community and Public Health Nursing Topics

Community and public health nursing focuses on population health, disease prevention, and health promotion in community settings.

• Vaccination programs in underserved communities: barriers and solutions
  
• School-based health education effectiveness: measuring impact on student health
  
• Health disparities in rural communities: nursing interventions to improve access
  
• Diabetes management in community health settings: patient education approaches
  
• Opioid crisis: community nursing response strategies and harm reduction
  
• Home health nursing: managing chronic disease in elderly patients at home
  
• Lead poisoning prevention and screening programs: public health nursing role
  
• Community mental health: nursing outreach programs for underserved populations
  
• Teen pregnancy prevention programs: effectiveness evaluation and nursing leadership
  
• Food insecurity and health outcomes: nursing interventions in community settings
  
• Community-based fall prevention programs for elderly: design and effectiveness
  
• Health literacy improvement in immigrant populations: nursing education strategies
  
• Telehealth in rural community nursing: overcoming barriers to access
  
• Smoking cessation programs: nursing-led interventions in community health
  
• Environmental health hazards: community nursing education and advocacy
  

Medical-Surgical Nursing Research Topics

Medical-surgical nursing covers a broad range of adult patients with various conditions, requiring strong assessment and patient education skills.

• Postoperative pain management: multimodal approaches in surgical nursing
  
• Surgical site infection prevention strategies: nursing protocols and compliance
  
• Early ambulation after surgery: impact on patient outcomes and nursing implementation
  
• Wound care management: evidence-based practices in medical-surgical units
  
• Patient education effectiveness on surgery recovery and readmission rates
  
• Venous thromboembolism prevention in hospitalized patients: nursing assessment and intervention
  
• Pressure injury prevention in surgical patients: specialized positioning and care
  
• Discharge planning and readmission reduction: nursing coordination strategies
  
• Medication errors in medical-surgical units: prevention strategies and safety culture
  
• Patient handoff communication during shift changes: reducing information loss
  
• Fall prevention in medical-surgical units: environmental and nursing interventions
  
• Catheter-associated urinary tract infection prevention: nursing best practices
  
• Pain assessment in postoperative patients: balancing pain control with safety
  
• Patient satisfaction with surgical nursing care: factors that matter most
  
• Bariatric surgery: nursing care considerations and patient education needs

Nursing Education and Practice Topics

These topics explore how nurses learn, develop professionally, and implement evidence-based practice. These differ from education research topics, which focus on teaching and learning broadly rather than nursing-specific education.

• Simulation effectiveness in nursing education: does it improve clinical performance?
  
• Preceptorship programs: impact on new nurse retention and confidence
  
• Evidence-based practice implementation barriers: why nurses struggle to apply research
  
• Clinical reasoning development in nursing students: teaching strategies that work
  
• Technology integration in nursing education: benefits and challenges
  
• Nursing competency assessment methods: measuring readiness for practice
  
• Interprofessional education in nursing programs: preparing for team-based care
  
• Continuing education effectiveness for practicing nurses: impact on patient outcomes
  
• NCLEX preparation strategies: what actually helps students pass?
  
• Nursing faculty shortage: impact on education quality and student preparation
  
• Online nursing education: effectiveness compared to traditional classroom learning
  
• Cultural competence training in nursing programs: preparing for diverse patient populations
  

Emerging Topics in Nursing (2026)

These topics reflect current healthcare changes and future directions for nursing practice.

• Telehealth nursing: effectiveness and patient satisfaction in remote care delivery
  
• Artificial intelligence in nursing: benefits and ethical concerns for patient care
  
• Post-pandemic nursing workforce shortage: causes and evidence-based solutions
  
• Nursing burnout after COVID-19: intervention strategies for retention
  
• Electronic health records: impact on nursing workflow and patient care time
  
• Wearable technology in patient monitoring: nursing's role in data interpretation
  
• Social determinants of health: nursing assessment strategies and interventions
  
• Climate change impact on public health nursing: preparing for environmental health challenges
  
• Healthcare equity: nursing's role in addressing disparities in care access
  
• Nursing informatics: improving patient care through data analysis and technology
  
• Virtual reality in pain management: nursing applications and effectiveness
  
• Genomics in nursing practice: implications and education needs for personalized medicine
  

These topics span the major areas of nursing practice in 2026. You'll notice they're specific, researchable, and connected to real nursing challenges. While there are also science research paper topics and biology research topics available, these nursing topics focus specifically on patient care and healthcare delivery rather than basic sciences.

Tips When Working on Your Nursing Research Topic

Once you've chosen your topic, you need to execute your research effectively. Strong nursing research papers share common characteristics.

Start with a Strong Research Question

Start with a clear, specific research question. Vague questions like "How can nursing improve?" won't guide your research effectively. Specific questions like "How does nurse-to-patient ratio affect medication error rates in medical-surgical units?" give you direction. 

If you're struggling to formulate your question, understanding common research paper mistakes can help you avoid pitfalls from the start.

Use Credible Nursing Databases and Scholarly Sources

Use credible nursing sources exclusively. Your nursing school library gives you access to CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature), PubMed, and Cochrane Library. These databases contain peer-reviewed nursing research, systematic reviews, and evidence-based practice guidelines. Avoid general websites and stick to scholarly sources.

See our guide on how to cite a research paper. 

Link Research to Nursing Practice

Connect your research to nursing practice throughout your paper. Don't just report what studies found; discuss how nurses can apply these findings. What are the implementation challenges? What resources would nurses need? How could this improve patient outcomes? This practical application separates nursing research from pure academic exercise.

Learn how to write a research paper discussion section. 

Address Ethical Considerations in Nursing Research

Consider ethical implications specific to nursing. Nursing research often involves vulnerable populations: children, elderly, mentally ill, pregnant women, critically ill patients. Your research should acknowledge these ethical considerations and discuss how nursing's code of ethics guides practice in these areas.

Use Proper Formatting: 

Follow proper APA citation format meticulously. Nursing programs typically require APA style. Missing citations or formatting errors undermine your credibility. Understanding proper research methodology also strengthens your paper's academic rigor.

Use Professional Nursing Language

Write for a nursing audience. Use appropriate nursing terminology, cite relevant nursing theorists when applicable, and frame discussions within nursing's scope of practice. You're not writing for doctors or the general public; you're writing for nurses.

Conclusion

You now have 150+ nursing research topics spanning every major specialty area: pediatric nursing, mental health, geriatric care, maternal health, critical care, community health, medical-surgical nursing, nursing education, and emerging practice areas. Each topic connects to real nursing practice and current healthcare challenges.

Finding the right topic is your first step toward a great research paper. Don't just pick the first topic you see. Choose something that genuinely interests you and relates to your career goals. You'll spend weeks researching and writing about this topic, so make it count.

If you need professional help with your research paper, writing services are available. Since 2010, we have helped thousands of nursing students with expert writers who understand both academic requirements and nursing practice. With a 4.9? rating and budget-friendly pricing starting at $11/page, you can get support without breaking your student budget.