As the demand for nurses continues to grow in the United States, nursing education is more important than ever. Luckily, today’s schools are up to the task of designing innovative and intuitive programs. This includes the addition of capstone modules. This article explores the benefits of capstone modules as well as why student nurses should consider studying for a degree with an advanced practice capstone module in particular.
What are capstone modules?
Before we look at why student nurses might want to consider earning a degree with an advanced practice capstone module, let’s talk about capstone basics. Don’t worry if you aren’t familiar with the concept or the term as we’ll go over it in enough detail to help you understand the rest of the article.
If you’ve ever jumped from one job to another job in an entirely unrelated industry, you’re probably familiar with the “sink or swim” analogy. While that kind of stress is never fun, it can cause serious harm when experienced by new nurses. Consider how confused you were your first few days on the job, and then envision a nurse responsible for caring for people and, potentially, saving their lives, feeling the same way. It would be overwhelming, right? The good news is that it doesn’t have to be.
In order to help student nurses move into their new roles as professionals, some universities are adding capstone modules to their courses. To put it simply, a capstone module, also known as a capstone course, is a program that bridges the end of your academic education and the beginning of your professional career. They ease newly graduated students into their new jobs and make it easier for them to hit the ground running. More importantly, capstone courses keep patients safe too by ensuring that new nurses have the experience they need to make big decisions under pressure.
Not all universities offer the same capstone modules. This is because not all nursing programs are created with the same requirements in mind. As each nursing program sets individual requirements specific to their degree, capstone modules naturally differ from program to program in order to complement the education in question. However, there are a few things that most capstone courses have in common.
Application of program-specific knowledge
Capstone modules center around knowledge gained during the school’s training programs and typically include topics such as:
- Leadership
- Theories
- Research
- Management
- Evidence-based practice
All these topics are designed to allow students to put their theoretical schoolroom knowledge to the test so that they understand why it is important and how they can use the information in their work.
Research and writing
Most capstone courses include creating an evidence-based formal paper and presentation. Some modules encourage students to submit their original research to be published in journals while others consider them practice papers designed to give students practical experience in conducting research, synthesizing information and interacting with other people. Regardless of whether the paper is sent to be published or is simply submitted to the professors involved in the program, the capstone module serves one overall goal: to get nursing students away from the mindset of completing work for review and receiving guidance on their progress and transforming them into professionals with the confidence and knowledge needed to help them thrive in the workplace.
What is advanced practice?
If you are interested in becoming a nurse, the first thing you need to know is that there are a few different possible paths to take, and each one of them prepares you for a different kind of job. If you enter the nursing field with a bachelor’s and little experience, for example, you are prepared to find a nursing job in most general hospitals and clinics. This is currently the most popular nursing option, and the field is in dire need of people with these credentials. If you are interested in something a little bit more specialized, however, you will likely need to complete a bit more schooling before you can land the specialty of your dreams.
If you are interested in radiography, for example, you’ll need to complete a degree centered around safely using and handling radiography equipment. The same holds true if you are interested in working with cancer patients receiving chemotherapy — you will complete a specialized course focusing on the specific care of these patients and the struggles and health issues with which they live.
Advanced work beyond the standard nursing education is generally referred to as “advanced practice nursing”. As the name implies, advanced practice nurses hold more advanced and specialized jobs than nurses without advanced degrees. There are many different advanced practice fields of specialization, and the good news is that education is becoming easier to attain than ever.
If you’re interested in becoming a family nurse practitioner (FNP), for example, an online FNP program will get you there. The most important thing to consider is where you study. It is important to choose a reputable institution, such as American International College (AIC), that has a sound history of educating successful family nurse practitioners. With an online program designed for working nurses, AIC builds on the foundational knowledge nurses have acquired when earning a bachelor’s degree alongside their practical experience. Schools with respected degree programs are more likely to give you the kind of first-rate education you need to thrive in the nursing industry.
Whether you are interested in becoming a nurse practitioner or have a different goal, advanced practice positions are typically more lucrative than other nursing positions.
Why should nurses look for schools with advanced practice capstone modules?
Advanced practice capstone courses prepare advanced practice students for the next step in their lives. They allow nursing students to spend time learning all about their profession and what they can expect in the role before they enter the workforce and are responsible for other people. Capstone modules are an important step in modern nursing education, and it’s a good idea to look into programs offering them.
