Nursing Undergrad Research

The undergraduate nursing research courses focuses on evidence-based practice - using scientific research findings to determine the best nursing care.

Students work in small groups to investigate clinical questions that have been identified by nurses working at the bedside in local hospitals. Guided by YCP faculty members Dr. Kimberly Fenstermacher and Dr. Charlotte Wool and mentored by WellSpan York Hospital and Memorial Hospital nurses, the students use the process of evidence-based inquiry to review resources on the topic and draw a conclusion that is shared with the nurses who originated the question.

The students benefit from working with professional nurses on a real-life question and they learn a skill that will be valuable when they seek employment after graduation.

Examples of real-life questions recently investigated by YCP students:

  • Does a hospital’s implementation of an electronic medication administration record increase patient safety?
  • What is the impact of nurse-to-patient ratio in the intensive care setting?
  • Does overcrowding in the emergency department affect patient care and outcomes?
  • Can thermoregulation be maintained on a newborn during the admission bath without the use of a radiant warmer?
  • Do registered nurses with specialty certification have fewer adverse outcomes than registered nurses without specialty certification?
  • What are the best practices to promote compliance and reduce barriers to standard precautions for hospitalized patients?
  • In adult elective surgical patients who smoke, what length of time is optimal for pre-operative smoking cessation to reduce post-operative complications?
  • What are the most effective nursing strategies for management of urinary retention in the post-op patient?
  • Does the use of a FODMAP (fermentable, oligo-, di-, mono-saccharides and polyols) restricted diet improve symptoms in patients with irritable bowel syndrome?