All medical personnel should act based on evidence. But nurses are expected to react to information that comes from a lot of different sources. Some of the data come from the latest research, filling in the gaps in human understanding of health conditions. Qualitative research is critical because it tries to explain a clinical problem by combining all the facets and seemingly irrelevant data.
Many nurses-to-be don’t feel comfortable dealing with qualitative research, as it does not provide definite statistics for evidence-based practice. But once you understand it, your nursing practice will get considerably better. This article provides an almost endless list of qualitative nursing research topics for your training and professional growth.
Table of Contents
📌 Top 7 Qualitative Nursing Research Topics
- Compare the abuse of medication by older adults in and outside medical facilities.
- Hospitalized patients: Do family visits help them recover?
- What are the causes of stress in patients who require long-term care?
- Compare and contrast two medications that can be used in the same situation.
- Analyze the effect of environmental factors on the efficiency of drugs.
- What are the causes of depression in residents of assisted living facilities?
- Can religious beliefs help a person recover?
🪡 Qualitative Nursing Research: the Basics
Qualitative research approaches the phenomenon that happened and tries to explain how and why it happened (and sometimes what happened). It establishes the foundation for further quantitative research.
Qualitative research in nursing is different from quantitative one by its purpose. The former tries to explain a phenomenon using in-depth interviews and observation. As a result, it develops a theory through inductive reasoning. The latter explores the relationship between variables by testing the idea. As a result, we obtain a measured and generalized description of reality.
The principal methods of qualitative nursing research are:
- A case study. It analyzes a person or group in certain circumstances. E.g., How does the nurse’s work promote the patient’s autonomy?
- Grounded theory. Studies social processes in a given social context. E.g., How does the patient’s gender influence nursing practices?
- Phenomenology. Studies the lived experiences of patients and nurses. E.g., Describe the lived experiences of nurses who cared for patients with PTSD.
- Ethnography. Provides an in-depth analysis of culture. E.g., How does Mexican culture affect childbirth experiences?
- Qualitative description. Analyzes the previously collected data. E.g., What is the role of nursing in care for terminally ill patients?
Researchers choose the data collection and analysis methods depending on their study design. The most widely used types of data collection comprise interviews (semi-structured, unstructured, or focus groups); documents, records, and artifacts; observations of people or environments. While collecting data, you should first gain the trust of the participants. But it is also recommended to abstain from excessive emotional involvement.
🔑 Qualitative Research Topics for Nursing Students
Nursing Topics: Paediatrics
- Collaborative practices for the care of children with autism.
- Prospects for the development of language skills in young people with mental delays.
- Finding pragmatic language patterns in autistic adults.
- Finding resources and creating funds to provide care for people with disabilities.
- Intra-school and intra-family perspectives to support children with developmental delays.
- Perspectives on neuroscience in autistic disorder.
- The future of research in pediatrics and behavioral science.
- Computational linguistics as a way to overcome barriers in communication with patients.
- Study of optimizing the cure of childhood cancer.
- Search for mechanisms that determine the interaction of leukemic cells.
- Response of the hematopoietic system to cancer treatment.
- Working with patients’ families: reducing psychological pressure.
- Psychological ways to improve the mental well-being of children with leukemia.
- The possibility of the use of oxygen therapy.
- Premature exposure to oxygen and its harm to the infant: treatments for eye and lung injury.
- Cell-based therapies and their prospects in the treatment of pediatric diseases.
- The influence of social factors on children’s health: the problem of obesity.
- Environment and asthma: care and risk reduction.
- Noise pollution and adolescent mental health: a holistic approach.
- Child development concerning organizational systems: A theoretical approach.
- Pathogenesis and treatment of fungal infections: clinical trial experience.
- Prevention of obesity in children: clinical practice.
- Identification of childhood obesity: screening statistics.
- Prevention of eating disorders in children.
- Metabolic complications in obesity due to insulin resistance.
- Importance of lactation for children’s health.
- The role of stress in the immunological response to viral infection.
- Pathogenesis and epidemiology of viral infections: the HHV6 study.
- Distributing the meningitis vaccine for children.
- Development of modern antiviral vaccines.
- Sources of childhood infections: an immunological analysis.
- Pediatric aspect in the field of infectious diseases.
- Ways to improve infant survival: the case of preterm birth.
- Gene therapy and its prospects in childhood neurological diseases.
- Methods for the treatment of late-stage cancer.
- Setting conversational situations to establish contact with child patients.
- Computer analysis of language to enhance interaction with patients.
- Online ways of communicating with patients’ families.
- Telemonitoring and its prospects in the treatment of developmental disorders.
- Experience in caring for children with fetal alcohol syndrome.
- Evidence-based practice in the care of child patients.
- Support in the treatment of mental disorders associated with autism in a patient.
- Help informing adults with fetal alcohol syndrome about their health.
- Mobile applications in nursing: development analysis.
- Interaction with families raising children with fetal alcohol syndrome.
- Autism in the context of the school setting.
- Relationship between spoken and sign language in autistic disorder.
- Prospects for testing in neurophysiology.
- Transitional systems for employment of people with disabilities.
- Virtual reality and its prospects in the study of perception and cognitive abilities.
- Parental support after a child is diagnosed with autism: psychological tactics.
- Interacting with families in nursing: ways to share information.
- Processes involved in lung development.
- Pediatric research of respiratory diseases.
- Surfactant replacement: a statistical analysis.
- A molecular approach to the study of lung development.
- The use of animal models in the study of respiratory diseases.
- Translational research in the study of people in comparison with bio-individuals.
- Saving premature babies and the latest developments in pulmonary therapy.
- Immune cells in cancer treatment.
Nursing Topics: Mental Health
- Ethnographic research of adults evaluated for substance use.
- What effect does treatment planning have on substance-abusing adults?
- What population is at risk of conduct disorder among U.S. children?
- What influence does conduct disorder have on the academic performance of children?
- Obstacles to treatment in patients with the oppositional defiant disorder: A case study.
- Treatment and management of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: A descriptive study.
- What are the standard practices in the clinical course for patients with pediatric Tourette syndrome?
- The effects of noninvasive brain stimulation on patients with Alzheimer’s disease.
- What are the factors that restrain people with early dementia from seeking care?
- How do older adults perceive the utility of exercise and cognitive training in preventing dementia?
- Treatment difficulties when working with patients with Alzheimer’s and Down syndrome: A case study.
- What are the challenges in the academic achievement of children with selective mutism?
- Selective mutism coexistence with language and communication disorders: A descriptive study.
- What are the required competencies of mental health professionals for treating illness anxiety disorder?
- Why do patients with oppositional defiant disorder resort to substance abuse?
- Standard care for children with autism spectrum disorder: A descriptive study.
- What are the issues of learning centers for children with autism spectrum?
- How do deficits in social interaction in patients with pervasive developmental disease affect their lives?
- Patient education programs for young adults with the pervasive developmental disorder: A descriptive study.
- What difficulties prevent clinicians from identifying bipolar disorder in children and teens?
- The decision-making process of patients with bipolar disorder: A case study.
- How does bipolar disorder influence long-term relationships?
- What factors lead to not taking medications in patients with bipolar disorder?
- The causes and risk factors of sleep disorders: An ethnographic research.
- How do people with sleep disorders perceive the necessity of treatment?
- Why does the aging population not seek treatment for sleep disorders?
- What are the standard tests for diagnosing sleep disorders in the U.S. vs. E.U.?
- What are the stress and trauma experiences of children during the COVID-19 pandemic?
- What effects on young adults’ mental well-being does remote learning have?
- How do teenagers evaluate their experiences with the mental health promotion program in school?
- Alcohol dependence: ethnographic research.
- What are the effects of psychedelic drug therapy on patients with depression?
- Lysergic acid diethylamide treatment for anxiety: A case study.
- Why is psychedelic-assisted therapy effective for treating mental health disorders?
- The effect of extreme temperatures on the efficacy of drug therapy.
- What are the clinical approaches to infant mental health?
- Management techniques for maternal mental health: A descriptive study.
- What is the effect of microdose cannabinoid extract on patients with Alzheimer’s symptoms?
- How do skin diseases influence body dysmorphia?
- What are the causes of body dysmorphic disorder?
- Depression and body dysmorphia: A case study.
- How does cognitive behavioral therapy treat body dysmorphia?
- The difference between symptoms of body dysphoria and dysmorphia.
- How does polycystic ovary syndrome influence the mental health of women?
- What are the effects of noninvasive brain stimulation for schizophrenia?
- Standards of care in psychiatric nursing: A descriptive study.
- How did diagnostic criteria for borderline personality disorder change over time?
- What are the comorbid conditions of borderline personality disorder?
- The effect of CBT on patients with anxiety.
- Anorexia nervosa: An ethnographic study.
- Anorexia nervosa in childhood: A case study.
- What factors contribute to the development of anorexia nervosa?
- What are the symptoms of social anxiety disorder?
- Social anxiety disorder in young adults: A case study.
- What are the common approaches for treating social anxiety disorder?
- How do support groups influence social anxiety disorder?
- Social anxiety disorder influence on children: A descriptive study.
- What are the risks groups for pediatric attention deficit hyperactivity disorder?
- What is the quality of life outcomes for children with ADHD?
- What are the causes of ADHD in children?
🫁 Qualitative Research Topics for Nursing Students: Health Promotion
- Health literacy promotion among school students.
- Health promotion policies within the workplace.
- The use of health promotion exercise activities on neck pain in office workers: A case study.
- Integration of smartphone technology in health promotion.
- Health promotion among ethnic minority populations.
- Health promotion and accessibility of health services in ethnic communities.
- Can the promotion of mental health in parents improve children’s mental health?
- The goals of health promotion programs for aging populations.
- Dietary guidelines as a foundation for health promotion programs.
- Importance of women’s health promotion in the globalization era.
- The challenges of women’s mental health promotion.
- The influence of adherence to health promotion policies among adolescents.
- Health promotion as the foundation for chronic disease prevention.
- Promotion of e-mental health among adolescents.
- Effective approaches to global health promotion.
- Longitudinal effects of health promotion program: Descriptive study.
- Evaluation of health promotion programs’ effectiveness.
- Health promotion interventions in low-income populations.
- Health promotion strategies for older adults.
- The role of mass media in health promotion.
- The role of social media in promoting public health.
- Can social media cultivate healthy behavior?
- Does social media use negatively influence public health?
- The connection between social media use and the effectiveness of health promotion programs in college students.
- Mental health promotion among healthcare system workers.
- The influence of perception on online health promotion messages.
- Health promotion in mobile applications.
- Oral health promotion strategies in children.
- Physical activity as a core priority in health promotion among university students.
- Different channels in mobile health promotion interventions.
- Community resources for mental health promotion interventions.
- Oral health promotion interventions in smoking adults.
- The impact of physical exercise as a health promotion intervention in aging adults.
- The classification of health promotion intervention outcomes.
- The role of communication between parents and children in health promotion.
- Health promotion interventions in Indigenous communities.
- Health promotion and cultural safety.
- A family-centered approach to oral health promotion.
- The role of education and self-assessment in health promotion.
- Effective health promotion education strategies.
- The influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on future health promotion.
- The role of motivation in health promotion activities: A case study.
- Health promotion in schools: Descriptive study.
- The correlation between peer culture and health promotion effectiveness in adolescents.
- Effective mental health promotion strategies in individuals with depressive disorder.
- Health promotion interventions for individuals with anxiety and depression.
- Health promotion and health literacy.
- Health promotion and national health literacy improvement plant.
- The importance of health literacy in health promotion interventions in patients with diabetes.
- Why is nutrition essential for health promotion?
- The importance of stress management for health promotion.
- The role of healthy weight management in disease prevention and health promotion.
- Health promotion strategies in nurses’ workplace.
- International strategies in health promotion interventions.
- Implementation of health promotion interventions and cultural competency.
- Barriers to health promotion in social determinants of health.
- Use of electronic devices in overcoming language barriers in health promotion interventions.
- Role of intrapersonal perspective in the promotion of healthy behaviors.
- Reinforcement and governmental support in health education.
- How can the health belief model be utilized in health promotion to predict behavioral change?
Qualitative Research Topics: Midwifery
- Advancing midwifery practices in remote regions as a means of improving patient outcomes.
- Specific midwifery practices featured in different cultures: an ethnographic review.
- Evaluation of midwifery practices of the Aboriginal culture: a qualitative study.
- The differences of midwifery care from physician’s care: a descriptive study.
- The use of pharmacologic means in midwifery and its effect on patient outcomes.
- Cultural competence in midwifery and its relevance to improving patient outcomes.
- Continuity of care in midwifery: principles of postpartum and postnatal care.
- Effects of education on midwifery practices in nursing students: a qualitative study.
- Evaluation of knowledge on midwifery in practicing nurses and its effect on patient outcomes: a qualitative study.
- Implementing an educational program on midwifery among nurses and its outcomes for patients’ health.
- Prevention of postpartum hemorrhage in midwifery: applied research.
- Effects of postpartum hemorrhage prevention educational programs on midwives: a mixed study.
- Improving maternal and newborn health through midwifery: evidence from the literature.
- Comparison of old and new models of midwifery care: cross-sectional research.
- The effects of midwifery on the psychological condition of women experiencing labor: evidence-based research.
- The risks associated with midwifery care in regions with underdeveloped healthcare infrastructure.
- Negative outcomes associated with midwifery care vs. physicians care: a comparative study.
- Theories of midwifery and their application in nursing practice.
- The science of midwifery: evidence-based framework behind most common midwifery practices.
- The legal premises and policies regulating midwifery practices in the U.S.
- The social meaning and significance of midwifery in different cultures: an ethnographic study.
- The use of mobile learning apps in enhancing midwives’ knowledge in remote regions: a qualitative study.
- Midwife as a primary healthcare specialist: patient outcomes, risks, and benefits.
- The history of the development of midwifery in the U.S. and Europe: ethnographic research.
- Potential directions of midwifery development in the future.
- The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the use of midwifery in hospitals: a descriptive study.
- Changes brought by the COVID-19 pandemics into midwifery practices: descriptive research.
- Women empowerment through midwifery: ethnographic research.
- The role of gender in midwifery.
- Midwifery as a healthcare practice in the world: a literature review.
- Research methods in midwifery: a descriptive study.
- A comparative study of midwifery practices in African, American, and African American cultures.
- The image of the professional midwife in different cultures: a comparative study.
- A critical perspective on midwifery and its role in healthcare.
- Cultural and social issues associated with midwifery in the U.S.
- Men in midwifery: how male midwives are perceived by female midwives, patients, and general society.
- The perception of midwifery in female patients and nurses: a narrative study.
- Rare and uncommon midwifery practices of the world: an ethnographic study.
- Specific models of midwifery care: a case study.
- The role of evidence-based midwifery practice: qualitative research.
- Moral and legal accountability of midwives in case of negative patient outcomes.
- Emotion and stress coping mechanisms among midwives: a case study.
- Social, psychological, and health predispositions of women seeking out midwifery care: a narrative study.
- Barriers and struggles associated with practicing midwifery: a narrative study.
- Evolution of core healthcare and nursing competencies of midwifery practitioners.
- Organization of midwifery care in remote regions: barriers, concerns, requirements.
- The role of midwives as assistants for nurses with higher education: evidence from real nursing practices.
- The place of midwifery in gynecology and obstetrics: a literature review.
- How do midwifery clients perceive labor-related care through reflections and evaluation of patients of midwifery care: a narrative study?
- Midwifery as supportive care.
- Problem-based learning in midwifery education: a qualitative study.
- The use of V.R. technologies and simulations in midwifery education.
- Modern opportunities and challenges for midwifery education.
- Postnatal care in midwifery: a literature review.
- The use of clinical assessment tools in midwifery: a mixed study.
- Decision-making in midwifery: what influences the process.
- Evaluation of midwifery-specific medicinal knowledge: an evidence-based study.
- The role of midwifery in reducing maternal and newborn mortality: a case study.
- Specifics of clinical education among midwives: a descriptive study.
- The role and perception of ethics in midwifery.
Nursing Topics: Geriatrics
- A descriptive study of cognitive impairment in older adults.
- A descriptive study of Parkinson’s disease symptomatology in older adults.
- A descriptive study of sleep and wakefulness patterns in older adults.
- A descriptive study on communication strategies with elderly patients.
- A holistic approach to good aging.
- A study of anorexia nervosa in older patients.
- A study of the causes of elder abuse.
- Accessibility of health care for elderly patients with dementia.
- Aging care in poor neighborhoods.
- An analysis of quality of life in older adults after heart surgery.
- Barriers in geriatrics: hygiene and nutrition.
- Behavioral health in the elderly.
- Cultural assessment of the cognitive impairment in older adults.
- Daily routines for older adults with physical limitations.
- Effects of nutrition on elderly behavior.
- Elderly routines: An analysis of factors on the propensity for depression.
- Examining the quality of life of older adults with gluten intolerance.
- Exploring the impact of older adults’ culture on adherence.
- Femoral neck fracture in elderly patients.
- Health promotion for older adults in home care.
- How self-monitoring of symptoms affects treatment in older adults?
- Impact of stress on treatment relief for the elderly.
- Interviews with older adults with eating disorders: A case study.
- Interviews with older adults: Anxiety and depression.
- Language barriers in long-term care settings.
- Limitations for older adults with symptoms of dementia.
- Maintenance of the elderly after the intensive care unit.
- Measures to prevent diabetes mellitus in older adults.
- Nursing theory in the care of the elderly.
- Observation of socialization in nursing homes.
- Older adults’ perceptions of functionally oriented care.
- Older adults’ perceptions of quarantine conditions.
- Patterns of pain in older adults with cognitive impairment.
- Perceptions of mobile devices by elderly patients.
- Perioperative care for older patients: A case study.
- Prevention of bedsores in the elderly.
- Social and medical justice measures for the elderly.
- The ability of older adults to express desire.
- Prevention of diabetes complications in the elderly.
- The ability to manage insurance among older adults.
- The analysis of the elderly population’s daily routines and preferences.
- The education in maintaining cognitive function.
- The impact of mobility on perceptions of treatment among older adults.
- The impact of speech impairment on dementia care.
- The influence of cultural competence on senior care.
- The influence of environment on perceptions of terminal illness in the elderly.
- The nurse’s role in assessing the hygiene of older patients.
- Palliative care for older adults in the hospital setting.
- The planning in palliative care for older patients.
- The propensity of older adults to self-manage hydration.
- The recommendations for coping with physical frailty in the elderly.
- The role of a thought diary in reducing anxiety in elderly patients.
- The comprehensive assessment in the care of older adults.
- The role of the environment in palliative care for older patients.
- The role of the family in the care of individuals with dementia.
- The strategies to prevent elder abuse.
- The tendency for self-destructive behavior in older adults.
- Treatment refusal behavior in older patients.
- Trends in the aging population in impoverished areas.
- Ways to integrate older adults into society.
✍️ Qualitative Nursing Research Topics: FAQ
What Is Qualitative Research in Nursing?
It is fieldwork observation of patients in real-world clinical conditions. This method allows focusing on people’s daily lives, which may influence their current health condition. It finds out people’s thoughts and feelings regarding a specific query. It also identifies what matters most for patients and how nurses could improve their experience.
What Is the Difference Between Qualitative and Quantitative Nursing Research?
Although qualitative nursing research is often called “soft science” and “subjective,” it is the best way to brainstorm new theories. The main methods here are interviews and participant observation, i.e., we analyze words. Quantitative research is “objective hard science.” We analyze statistical data to establish cause-and-effect relationships.
How Does Qualitative Research Influence Nursing Practice?
- It gives nurses a better understanding of different patients’ experiences.
- It allows for providing more individualized patient treatment.
- It discovers new hypotheses to be subsequently proven through quantitative research.
- It helps nurses to interpret patients’ needs, wants, and complaints.
How to Organize Qualitative Data in Nursing Research?
Although qualitative research in nursing is usually represented as a narrative, you could systematize your findings according to their source:
- Documentary sources (books and journals)
- Online research (google scholar and other educational resources)
- Interviewed patients
- Focus groups (7 to 10 people in each)
- Questionnaires and surveys