research topics in patient care

77 interesting medical research topics for 2024

Last updated

25 November 2023

Reviewed by

Brittany Ferri, PhD, OTR/L

Medical research is the gateway to improved patient care and expanding our available treatment options. However, finding a relevant and compelling research topic can be challenging.

Use this article as a jumping-off point to select an interesting medical research topic for your next paper or clinical study.

How to choose a medical research topic

When choosing a research topic , it’s essential to consider a couple of things. What topics interest you? What unanswered questions do you want to address?

During the decision-making and brainstorming process, here are a few helpful tips to help you pick the right medical research topic:

Focus on a particular field of study

The best medical research is specific to a particular area. Generalized studies are often too broad to produce meaningful results, so we advise picking a specific niche early in the process.

Maybe a certain topic interests you, or your industry knowledge reveals areas of need.

Look into commonly researched topics

Once you’ve chosen your research field, do some preliminary research. What have other academics done in their papers and projects?

From this list, you can focus on specific topics that interest you without accidentally creating a copycat project. This groundwork will also help you uncover any literature gaps—those may be beneficial areas for research.

Get curious and ask questions

Now you can get curious. Ask questions that start with why, how, or what. These questions are the starting point of your project design and will act as your guiding light throughout the process.

For example:

What impact does pollution have on children’s lung function in inner-city neighborhoods?

Why is pollution-based asthma on the rise?

How can we address pollution-induced asthma in young children?

77 medical research topics worth exploring in 2023

Need some research inspiration for your upcoming paper or clinical study? We’ve compiled a list of 77 topical and in-demand medical research ideas. Let’s take a look.

Exciting new medical research topics

If you want to study cutting-edge topics, here are some exciting options:

COVID-19 and long COVID symptoms

Since 2020, COVID-19 has been a hot-button topic in medicine, along with the long-term symptoms in those with a history of COVID-19.

Examples of COVID-19-related research topics worth exploring include:

The long-term impact of COVID-19 on cardiac and respiratory health

COVID-19 vaccination rates

The evolution of COVID-19 symptoms over time

New variants and strains of the COVID-19 virus

Changes in social behavior and public health regulations amid COVID-19

Vaccinations

Finding ways to cure or reduce the disease burden of chronic infectious diseases is a crucial research area. Vaccination is a powerful option and a great topic to research.

Examples of vaccination-related research topics include:

mRNA vaccines for viral infections

Biomaterial vaccination capabilities

Vaccination rates based on location, ethnicity, or age

Public opinion about vaccination safety

Artificial tissues fabrication

With the need for donor organs increasing, finding ways to fabricate artificial bioactive tissues (and possibly organs) is a popular research area.

Examples of artificial tissue-related research topics you can study include:

The viability of artificially printed tissues

Tissue substrate and building block material studies

The ethics and efficacy of artificial tissue creation

Medical research topics for medical students

For many medical students, research is a big driver for entering healthcare. If you’re a medical student looking for a research topic, here are some great ideas to work from:

Sleep disorders

Poor sleep quality is a growing problem, and it can significantly impact a person’s overall health.

Examples of sleep disorder-related research topics include:

How stress affects sleep quality

The prevalence and impact of insomnia on patients with mental health conditions

Possible triggers for sleep disorder development

The impact of poor sleep quality on psychological and physical health

How melatonin supplements impact sleep quality

Alzheimer’s and dementia

Cognitive conditions like dementia and Alzheimer’s disease are on the rise worldwide. They currently have no cure. As a result, research about these topics is in high demand.

Examples of dementia-related research topics you could explore include:

The prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease in a chosen population

Early onset symptoms of dementia

Possible triggers or causes of cognitive decline with age

Treatment options for dementia-like conditions

The mental and physical burden of caregiving for patients with dementia

Lifestyle habits and public health

Modern lifestyles have profoundly impacted the average person’s daily habits, and plenty of interesting topics explore its effects.

Examples of lifestyle and public health-related research topics include:

The nutritional intake of college students

The impact of chronic work stress on overall health

The rise of upper back and neck pain from laptop use

Prevalence and cause of repetitive strain injuries (RSI)

Controversial medical research paper topics

Medical research is a hotbed of controversial topics, content, and areas of study.

If you want to explore a more niche (and attention-grabbing) concept, here are some controversial medical research topics worth looking into:

The benefits and risks of medical cannabis

Depending on where you live, the legalization and use of cannabis for medical conditions is controversial for the general public and healthcare providers.

Examples of medical cannabis-related research topics that might grab your attention include:

The legalization process of medical cannabis

The impact of cannabis use on developmental milestones in youth users

Cannabis and mental health diagnoses

CBD’s impact on chronic pain

Prevalence of cannabis use in young people

The impact of maternal cannabis use on fetal development

Understanding how THC impacts cognitive function

Human genetics

The Human Genome Project identified, mapped, and sequenced all human DNA genes. Its completion in 2003 opened up a world of exciting and controversial studies in human genetics.

Examples of human genetics-related research topics worth delving into include:

Medical genetics and the incidence of genetic-based health disorders

Behavioral genetics differences between identical twins

Genetic risk factors for neurodegenerative disorders

Machine learning technologies for genetic research

Sexual health studies

Human sexuality and sexual health are important (yet often stigmatized) medical topics that need new research and analysis.

As a diverse field ranging from sexual orientation studies to sexual pathophysiology, examples of sexual health-related research topics include:

The incidence of sexually transmitted infections within a chosen population

Mental health conditions within the LGBTQIA+ community

The impact of untreated sexually transmitted infections

Access to safe sex resources (condoms, dental dams, etc.) in rural areas

Health and wellness research topics

Human wellness and health are trendy topics in modern medicine as more people are interested in finding natural ways to live healthier lifestyles.

If this field of study interests you, here are some big topics in the wellness space:

Gluten sensitivity

Gluten allergies and intolerances have risen over the past few decades. If you’re interested in exploring this topic, your options range in severity from mild gastrointestinal symptoms to full-blown anaphylaxis.

Some examples of gluten sensitivity-related research topics include:

The pathophysiology and incidence of Celiac disease

Early onset symptoms of gluten intolerance

The prevalence of gluten allergies within a set population

Gluten allergies and the incidence of other gastrointestinal health conditions

Pollution and lung health

Living in large urban cities means regular exposure to high levels of pollutants.

As more people become interested in protecting their lung health, examples of impactful lung health and pollution-related research topics include:

The extent of pollution in densely packed urban areas

The prevalence of pollution-based asthma in a set population

Lung capacity and function in young people

The benefits and risks of steroid therapy for asthma

Pollution risks based on geographical location

Plant-based diets

Plant-based diets like vegan and paleo diets are emerging trends in healthcare due to their limited supporting research.

If you’re interested in learning more about the potential benefits or risks of holistic, diet-based medicine, examples of plant-based diet research topics to explore include:

Vegan and plant-based diets as part of disease management

Potential risks and benefits of specific plant-based diets

Plant-based diets and their impact on body mass index

The effect of diet and lifestyle on chronic disease management

Health supplements

Supplements are a multi-billion dollar industry. Many health-conscious people take supplements, including vitamins, minerals, herbal medicine, and more.

Examples of health supplement-related research topics worth investigating include:

Omega-3 fish oil safety and efficacy for cardiac patients

The benefits and risks of regular vitamin D supplementation

Health supplementation regulation and product quality

The impact of social influencer marketing on consumer supplement practices

Analyzing added ingredients in protein powders

Healthcare research topics

Working within the healthcare industry means you have insider knowledge and opportunity. Maybe you’d like to research the overall system, administration, and inherent biases that disrupt access to quality care.

While these topics are essential to explore, it is important to note that these studies usually require approval and oversight from an Institutional Review Board (IRB). This ensures the study is ethical and does not harm any subjects.

For this reason, the IRB sets protocols that require additional planning, so consider this when mapping out your study’s timeline.

Here are some examples of trending healthcare research areas worth pursuing:

The pros and cons of electronic health records

The rise of electronic healthcare charting and records has forever changed how medical professionals and patients interact with their health data.

Examples of electronic health record-related research topics include:

The number of medication errors reported during a software switch

Nurse sentiment analysis of electronic charting practices

Ethical and legal studies into encrypting and storing personal health data

Inequities within healthcare access

Many barriers inhibit people from accessing the quality medical care they need. These issues result in health disparities and injustices.

Examples of research topics about health inequities include:

The impact of social determinants of health in a set population

Early and late-stage cancer stage diagnosis in urban vs. rural populations

Affordability of life-saving medications

Health insurance limitations and their impact on overall health

Diagnostic and treatment rates across ethnicities

People who belong to an ethnic minority are more likely to experience barriers and restrictions when trying to receive quality medical care. This is due to systemic healthcare racism and bias.

As a result, diagnostic and treatment rates in minority populations are a hot-button field of research. Examples of ethnicity-based research topics include:

Cancer biopsy rates in BIPOC women

The prevalence of diabetes in Indigenous communities

Access inequalities in women’s health preventative screenings

The prevalence of undiagnosed hypertension in Black populations

Pharmaceutical research topics

Large pharmaceutical companies are incredibly interested in investing in research to learn more about potential cures and treatments for diseases.

If you’re interested in building a career in pharmaceutical research, here are a few examples of in-demand research topics:

Cancer treatment options

Clinical research is in high demand as pharmaceutical companies explore novel cancer treatment options outside of chemotherapy and radiation.

Examples of cancer treatment-related research topics include:

Stem cell therapy for cancer

Oncogenic gene dysregulation and its impact on disease

Cancer-causing viral agents and their risks

Treatment efficacy based on early vs. late-stage cancer diagnosis

Cancer vaccines and targeted therapies

Immunotherapy for cancer

Pain medication alternatives

Historically, opioid medications were the primary treatment for short- and long-term pain. But, with the opioid epidemic getting worse, the need for alternative pain medications has never been more urgent.

Examples of pain medication-related research topics include:

Opioid withdrawal symptoms and risks

Early signs of pain medication misuse

Anti-inflammatory medications for pain control

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Latest articles

Hypertension

Hypertension is among the most common conditions managed by primary care physicians and is the topic of the two POEMs rated most relevant to readers in 2019 ( Table 1 ) . 5 , 6 Researchers randomized 19,168 adults with hypertension to take their antihypertensive medications at bedtime or first thing in the morning. 5 Patients were prescribed an antihypertensive from an approved list of the most common therapies. Patients taking their medications at bedtime had a lower likelihood of the composite outcome of myocardial infarction (MI), coronary revascularization, heart failure, stroke, or cardiovascular death (hazard ratio = 0.55; 95% CI, 0.50 to 0.61; number needed to treat to prevent one event over 6.3 years = 20). All-cause mortality was reduced to a similar extent. This is a large effect for a six-year study, and a practice-changer for many patients and physicians. Best of all, it costs nothing to make this change. See Editor's Note

How we measure blood pressure continues to be a subject of research. The next POEM was a meta-analysis of 31 studies, which included a total of 9,279 patients and compared automated in-office blood pressure readings with in-office manual measurements or ambulatory automated recordings during waking hours (the reference standard). 6 Automated in-office measurements were performed without anyone present to activate the machine and used three to five readings separated by one- to two-minutes. Ambulatory automated measurements were 13.4/5.9 mm Hg lower than the manual in-office measurements and were similar to the in-office automated measurements. To avoid starting or intensifying antihypertensive medication unnecessarily, it is critical to measure blood pressure using an automated device. Patients should also bring in their home device so that it can be calibrated with the office device.

Behavioral Medicine

Behavioral medicine POEMs are summarized in Table 2 . 7 – 9 The first POEM in this group was a well-executed network meta-analysis of medical therapy for generalized anxiety disorder. 7 A network meta-analysis includes studies comparing drugs with each other and with placebo, allowing for direct and indirect comparisons. The meta-analysis included 89 studies involving 25,000 patients and 22 different drugs; none of the studies were longer than 26 weeks. After excluding drugs that were poorly tolerated such as quetiapine (Seroquel), paroxetine (Paxil), and benzodiazepines, the most effective commercially available drugs overall were, in order of effectiveness, bupropion (Wellbutrin), duloxetine (Cymbalta), mirtazapine (Remeron), hydroxyzine, sertraline (Zoloft), pregabalin (Lyrica), venlafaxine, escitalopram (Lexapro), fluoxetine (Prozac), buspirone (Buspar), and citalopram (Celexa). Drugs that did not significantly decrease anxiety scores included imipramine, maprotiline, opipramol (not available in the United States), tiagabine (Gabitril), vilazodone (Viibryd), and vortioxetine (Trintellix). The drugs with the best combination of effectiveness and tolerability were duloxetine, pregabalin, venlafaxine, and escitalopram.

The next POEM included videotaped encounters between 252 patients and 15 English primary care physicians. 8 Patients were asked about the main reason for their visit beforehand, and this reason was almost always addressed during the visit. However, of the 139 patients who identified at least one symptom in the previsit interview, 43 failed to disclose a total of 67 symptoms during the visit, most often stress, worries or sadness; tiredness or sleep problems; problems passing urine; headache; and intimate or other personal problems. Although physicians cannot ask every patient about all of their problems during a visit, it is important to know that patients may not fully disclose symptoms. Physicians should make patients feel as safe as possible while looking for cues to undisclosed symptoms, and routinely asking, “Is there anything else I can help you with?”

The last POEM in the behavioral medicine group was an individual patient data meta-analysis of how early treatment response impacts later outcomes in patients with depression. 9 The researchers combined the individual patient data from 30 randomized trials, with 2,184 patients receiving placebo and 6,058 receiving active therapy. After six weeks of treatment, about 50% of patients in the active treatment group responded to treatment, with 32% achieving remission of symptoms. Response was defined as at least a 50% reduction in the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression score, and remission was defined as a score of 7 points or less. By 12 weeks, the response rate was 68% in the active treatment group, with 49% achieving remission. Patients with improvement at two weeks were more likely to respond by six weeks, whereas among patients without early improvement, 33% responded by six weeks and 43% by 12 weeks. The absence of an early response does not preclude later response; therefore, physicians should not be too quick to change antidepressant medications.

Cardiovascular

Cardiovascular medicine POEMs are summarized in Table 3 . 10 – 14 The first two POEMs in this group address statin use. Many physicians and laboratory staff continue to insist that patients be fasting for lipid profile testing. The first POEM compared fasting and nonfasting lipid profiles in the same patients four weeks apart. 10 There was little difference between fasting and nonfasting measurements of low-density and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and only a small increase in triglyceride levels (25 mg per dL [0.28 mmol per L]) with nonfasting measurements. Most importantly, the association between lipid levels and subsequent cardiovascular events was identical for fasting and nonfasting lipid measurements. Guidelines support nonfasting lipid measurements. 15 , 16 It is time to simplify our patients' lives and educate local laboratory staff, who often turn away patients who disclose that they are not fasting.

In the next POEM, data were pooled from 28 randomized trials of statins with more than 186,000 total patients. 11 This report focused on the 14,000 patients who were 75 years or older; the median follow-up was five years. There was only a small reduction in the composite outcome of MI and cardiovascular death among all patients (2.6% with statins vs. 3.0% with placebo; number needed to treat = 250 per year); the benefit was significant only in patients with preexisting cardiovascular disease. Statins had no effect on revascularization, stroke, cancer incidence, or cancer mortality.

This was a big year for aspirin studies. The next three POEMs, from two separate trials, examine the benefits and harms of aspirin therapy for primary prevention in contemporary populations. Prior studies that found a net benefit of aspirin for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease and cancer (mostly colorectal) all recruited patients before 2002. In more recent years, fewer patients smoke or have uncontrolled hypertension, more are taking a statin, and we have widespread colorectal cancer screening. In this context, does aspirin still have a role?

Two aspirin POEMs were from the ASPREE (Aspirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly) trial, which included 19,114 adults 70 years and older in the United States and Australia (65 and older if black or Hispanic). Patients without known cardiovascular disease were randomized to aspirin, 100 mg, or placebo and were followed for a median of 4.7 years. The first POEM found no significant reduction in the likelihood of cardiovascular disease with aspirin, including fatal cardiovascular disease, fatal or nonfatal MI, and fatal or nonfatal ischemic stroke. However, they found a significant increase in major hemorrhages with aspirin. 12 The second POEM from the ASPREE trial found no difference between groups for disability-free survival, defined as a composite of death, dementia, or persistent physical disability. 13 A separate report from the ASPREE investigators (not one of the top 20 POEMs) found an increase in all-cause mortality with aspirin, primarily due to a significant increase in cancer-specific mortality (3.1% vs. 2.3%).

The third aspirin POEM was from the ASCEND (A Study of Cardiovascular Events in Diabetes) trial and included 15,480 adults 40 years and older with diabetes mellitus but no known cardiovascular disease. The patients were randomized to aspirin, 100 mg, or placebo and were followed for a median of 7.4 years. 14 There was a reduction in the composite of nonfatal MI, nonfatal stroke, or cardiovascular death with aspirin, but a corresponding increase in major hemorrhage with no effect on cardiovascular or all-cause mortality.

What do we tell our patients? A recent meta-analysis compared trials of aspirin therapy that recruited patients from 1978 to 2002 with four large trials that recruited patients since 2005. 17 The newer studies showed fewer cardiovascular benefits and no reduction in cancer incidence or mortality with aspirin as primary prevention. Based on a meta-analysis of the four most recent studies with a total of 61,604 patients, for every 1,200 patients taking aspirin instead of placebo for five years, there would be four fewer major cardiovascular events and three fewer ischemic strokes but eight more major hemorrhages, including three more intracranial hemorrhages. This study agrees with recent European guidelines that no longer recommend aspirin for primary prevention. 18 The 2016 U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) and 2019 American College of Cardiology guidelines recommend consideration of aspirin for primary prevention only in selected patients at high cardiovascular risk and low bleeding risk. 19 , 20 The USPSTF recommendation is currently being updated. 21

Cancer Screening

The three POEMs on cancer screening ( Table 4 ) address colorectal cancer. 22 – 24 Fecal immunochemical testing (FIT) is the recommended method for colorectal cancer screening in most countries that have screening programs and is the subject of the first two POEMs in this group. The first POEM is an Italian study that reported the diagnostic yield of five rounds of biennial FIT in persons 50 to 69 years of age submitting a single specimen. 22 The highest rates of detection occurred in the first round, as prevalent cancers were detected, and declined and then stabilized in later rounds. Over the 10-year study, about 25% of men and 18% of women had a positive test result requiring a follow-up colonoscopy. The cumulative rate was 6% for advanced adenoma and 0.85% for colorectal cancer, which are similar to findings in studies of colonoscopy in Italy and the United States. 25 , 26 These results mean we can have confidence in FIT as a screening test while we wait for the results of ongoing randomized trials of FIT vs. colonoscopy-based screening.

The second POEM about FIT was a meta-analysis evaluating the impact of aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and anticoagulants on the positive predictive value of the test. 23 It could theoretically go in either direction, increasing false positives by making noncancerous lesions more likely to bleed or increasing true positives by making cancers and adenomas more likely to bleed. The researchers found that the use of any of these medications had almost no effect on the positive predictive value, which was approximately 6% for colorectal cancer and 40% for advanced neoplasia. FIT requires only a single specimen and no dietary preparation, and now we know that patients undergoing FIT can continue to take medications that increase bleeding risk.

Finally, a study used a Swedish cancer registry with 173,796 patients to determine the impact of family history on the risk of colorectal cancer. 24 The relative risk of colorectal cancer using no affected relatives as the reference was 1.2 for a single second-degree relative with a history of colorectal cancer, 1.6 for a single first-degree relative or two second-degree relatives, 2.3 for one first-degree relative and one second-degree relative, 2.5 for two first-degree relatives, and 5.4 for one first-degree and two second-degree relatives. However, a previous study found that this family history–related risk is attenuated once patients reach 55 years of age. 27

POEMs on managing infections are summarized in Table 5 . 28 – 30 The first POEM is a meta-analysis of studies that recruited outpatients with acute respiratory tract infections who received chest radiography. 28 The goal was to identify the best sign, symptom, or combination that allows clinicians to rule out community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). The researchers found that for patients with the combination of normal vital signs and normal lung examination findings, the likelihood of CAP is low at 0.4%. This could help reduce unnecessary chest radiography if applied consistently.

The second POEM in this group was selected as one of the top three research studies out of more than 400 presented at the 2019 North American Primary Care Research Group meeting. 29 This Swedish study included 422 adults and children presenting to a primary care physician with moderately severe streptococcal pharyngitis (strep throat). Patients were randomized to penicillin V at a dosage of 800 mg four times a day for five days or 1,000 mg three times a day for 10 days. Those receiving the higher dose over a shorter course of treatment had similar cure rates as those receiving longer-duration therapy, with quicker symptom resolution and no increase in recurrence. Many other studies have found similar results with antibiotics for a range of infections.

An accurate prognosis can potentially help patients avoid unnecessary antibiotic use and return visits. The third POEM in this group recruited 485 healthy children in the United Kingdom, and parents were instructed to contact the researchers every time the child had a respiratory tract infection. 30 One-half of the children had at least one infection, with a median duration of nine days; 90% recovered by day 23. Lower respiratory tract infections were associated with a longer duration of symptoms and ear infections were associated with a shorter duration. This reinforces that clinicians should counsel parents of children with lower respiratory tract symptoms to be patient.

Miscellaneous

Four additional POEMs are summarized in Table 6 . 31 – 34 The first is a cohort study of more than 1.6 million Medicare beneficiaries who started an anticoagulant between 2011 and 2015. 31 Bleeding rates were compared, adjusting for available covariates using propensity score matching (i.e., matching patients who were similar other than choice of anticoagulant). The adjusted incidence of hospitalization for upper gastrointestinal tract bleeding was significantly higher in those who received rivaroxaban (Xarelto) compared with those who received dabigatran (Pradaxa), warfarin (Coumadin), or apixaban (Eliquis); 144 per 10,000 person-years vs. 120, 113, and 73, respectively). For all agents combined, adding a proton pump inhibitor significantly reduced bleeding risk (76 out of 10,000 per year vs. 115 out of 10,000 per year; number needed to treat = 256), although rivaroxaban still had the highest bleeding rate.

The next POEM identified 225 adults presenting to the emergency department with acute pain (mostly musculoskeletal); the average pain score was 6 to 7 out of 10. 32 They were then randomized to a single dose of 400-mg, 600-mg, or 800-mg ibuprofen. An hour after taking the medication, there was no difference between groups, which all had pain scores between 4.4 and 4.5.

The third POEM in this group is a meta-analysis of studies comparing two doses of the recombinant zoster vaccine (Shingrix) with one dose of the live, attenuated vaccine (Zostavax) for the prevention of shingles. 33 Shingrix was more effective but caused more systemic adverse events, although mild, and more injection site pain.

Finally, a systematic review identified 46 studies of the impact of exercise on fall risk in patients 59 years or older. 34 Most of the programs used moderate-intensity exercise, with about one hour of exercise three times per week. The researchers found that exercise significantly decreased the overall risk of falls and resulting injuries but did not affect the risk of multiple falls, hospitalization, or mortality. Fractures were less likely in the exercise group but not significantly.

Practice Guidelines

POEMs sometimes summarize high-impact practice guidelines from important organizations. Key messages from the three highest-rated guidelines are summarized in Table 7 . 35 – 37

The American College of Chest Physicians recommends initiating direct oral anticoagulant therapy in patients with newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation, avoiding aspirin or aspirin plus clopidogrel (Plavix) to prevent thromboembolism, using risk scores for stroke and bleeding, and avoiding cotreatment with aspirin and an anticoagulant if possible. 35

The American Diabetes Association/European Association for the Study of Diabetes guideline for type 2 diabetes mellitus continues to recommend educating patients about diabetes self-management and providing support as the cornerstone of therapy, and metformin as the preferred initial therapy. 36 If a second agent is needed, there are many options, although glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor antagonists or sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors are recommended for patients with established heart disease; sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors are preferred for patients with heart failure or chronic kidney disease.

The American College of Physicians recommendations for breast cancer screening generally parallel those of the USPSTF, which are supported by the American Academy of Family Physicians. Recommendations include shared decision-making in women 40 to 49 years of age, biennial mammography from 50 to 74 years of age or until the woman's life expectancy is less than 10 years, and eliminating the clinical breast examination as a screening test for women who undergo regular mammography. 37 – 39

The full text of the POEMs discussed in this article is available at https://www.aafp.org/journals/afp/content/top-poems/2019.html .

A list of top POEMs from previous years is available at https://www.aafp.org/afp/toppoems .

Editor's Note: This article was cowritten by Dr. Mark Ebell, who is deputy editor for evidence-based medicine for AFP and cofounder and editor-in-chief of Essential Evidence Plus, published by Wiley-Blackwell, Inc. Because of Dr. Ebell's dual roles and ties to Essential Evidence Plus, the concept for this article was independently reviewed and approved by a group of AFP 's medical editors. In addition, the article underwent peer review and editing by three of AFP 's medical editors. Dr. Ebell was not involved in the editorial decision-making process.—Sumi Sexton, MD, Editor-in-Chief.

The authors thank Wiley-Blackwell, Inc., for giving permission to excerpt the POEMs; Drs. Allen Shaughnessy, Henry Barry, David Slawson, Nita Kulkarni, and Linda Speer for their work in selecting and writing the original POEMs; the academic family medicine fellows and faculty of the University of Missouri–Columbia for their work as peer reviewers; Pierre Pluye, PhD, for his work in codeveloping the Information Assessment Method; and Maria Vlasak for her assistance with copyediting the POEMs for the past 26 years.

Shaughnessy AF, Slawson DC, Bennett JH. Becoming an information master: a guidebook to the medical information jungle. J Fam Pract. 1994;39(5):489-499.

Ebell MH, Barry HC, Slawson DC, et al. Finding POEMs in the medical literature. J Fam Pract. 1999;48(5):350-355.

Grad RM, Pluye P, Mercer J, et al. Impact of research-based synopses delivered as daily e-mail: a prospective observational study. J Am Med Inform Assoc. 2008;15(2):240-245.

Pluye P, Grad RM, Johnson-Lafleur J, et al. Evaluation of email alerts in practice: Part 2. Validation of the information assessment method. J Eval Clin Pract. 2010;16(6):1236-1243.

Hermida RC, Crespo JJ, Domínguez-Sardiña M, et al. Bedtime hypertension treatment improves cardiovascular risk reduction: the Hygia Chronotherapy Trial [published online October 22, 2019]. Eur Heart J . 2019. Accessed March 10, 2020. https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/advance-article/doi/10.1093/eurheartj/ehz754/5602478

Roerecke M, Kaczorowski J, Myers MG. Comparing automated office blood pressure readings with other methods of blood pressure measurement for identifying patients with possible hypertension. A systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Intern Med. 2019;179(3):351-362.

Slee A, Nazareth I, Bondaronek P, et al. Pharmacological treatments for generalised anxiety disorder [published correction appears in Lancet . 2019;393(10182):1698]. Lancet. 2019;393(10173):768-777.

Paskins Z, Sanders T, Croft PR, et al. Non-disclosure of symptoms in primary care: an observational study. Fam Pract. 2018;35(6):706-711.

de Vries YA, Roest AM, Bos EH, et al. Predicting antidepressant response by monitoring early improvement of individual symptoms of depression: individual patient data meta-analysis. Br J Psychiatry. 2019;214(1):4-10.

Mora S, Chang CL, Moorthy MV, et al. Association of nonfasting vs fasting lipid levels with risk of major coronary events in the Anglo-Scandinavian Cardiac Outcomes Trial–lipid lowering arm. JAMA Intern Med. 2019;179(7):898-905.

Cholesterol Treatment Trialists' Collaboration. Efficacy and safety of statin therapy in older people: a meta-analysis of individual participant data from 28 randomised controlled trials. Lancet. 2019;393(10170):407-415.

McNeil JJ, Wolfe R, Woods RL, et al.; ASPREE Investigator Group. Effect of aspirin on cardiovascular events and bleeding in the healthy elderly. N Engl J Med. 2018;379(16):1509-1518.

McNeil JJ, Woods RL, Nelson MR, et al.; ASPREE Investigator Group. Effect of aspirin on disability-free survival in the healthy elderly. N Engl J Med. 2018;379(16):1499-1508.

Bowman L, Mafham M, Wallendszus K, et al.; ASCEND Study Collaborative Group. Effects of aspirin for primary prevention in persons with diabetes mellitus. N Engl J Med. 2018;379(16):1529-1539.

Nordestgaard BG, Langsted A, Mora S, et al. Fasting is not routinely required for determination of a lipid profile—a joint consensus statement from the European Atherosclerosis Society and European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine. Eur Heart J. 2016;37(25):1944-1958.

Grundy SM, Stone NJ. 2018 cholesterol clinical practice guidelines: Synopsis of the 2018 American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology/Multisociety cholesterol guideline. Ann Intern Med. 2019;170(11):779-783.

Moriarty F, Ebell MH. A comparison of contemporary versus older studies of aspirin for primary prevention [published online November 21, 2019]. Fam Pract . 2019. Accessed March 10, 2020. https://academic.oup.com/fampra/advance-article/doi/10.1093/fampra/cmz080/5637484

Piepoli MF, Hoes AW, Agewall S, et al.; The Sixth Joint Task Force of the European Society of Cardiology and Other Societies on Cardiovascular Disease Prevention in Clinical Practice. 2016 European Guidelines on cardiovascular disease prevention in clinical practice. Eur Heart J. 2016;37(29):2315-2381.

Arnett DK, Blumenthal RS, Albert MA, et al. 2019 ACC/AHA guideline on the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines [published correction appears in J Am Coll Cardiol . 2019;74(10):1429–1430]. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2019;74(10):e177-e232.

Bibbins-Domingo K. Aspirin Use for the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease and Colorectal Cancer: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement. Ann Intern Med. 2016;164(12):836-845.

U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Aspirin use to prevent cardiovascular disease and colorectal cancer: preventive medication. April 2016. Accessed February 14, 2010. https://bit.ly/343LnT6

Zorzi M, Hassan C, Capodaglio G, et al. Long-term performance of colorectal cancer screening programmes based on the faecal immunochemical test. Gut. 2018;67(12):2124-2130.

Nieuwenburg SAV, Vuik FER, Kruip MJHA, et al. Effect of anticoagulants and NSAIDs on accuracy of faecal immunochemical tests (FITs) in colorectal cancer screening: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Gut. 2019;68(5):866-872.

Tian Y, Kharazmi E, Sundquist K, et al. Familial colorectal cancer risk in half siblings and siblings: nationwide cohort study. BMJ. 2019;364:l803.

Imperiale TF, Ransohoff DF, Itzkowitz SH, et al. Multitarget stool DNA testing for colorectal-cancer screening. N Engl J Med. 2014;370(14):1287-1297.

Segnan N, Senore C, Andreoni B, et al. Comparing attendance and detection rate of colonoscopy with sigmoidoscopy and FIT for colorectal cancer screening. Gastroenterology. 2007;132(7):2304-2312.

Schoen RE, Razzak A, Yu KJ, et al. Incidence and mortality of colorectal cancer in individuals with a family history of colorectal cancer. Gastroenterology. 2015;149(6):1438-1445.e1.

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Research Topics & Ideas: Nursing

50+ Nursing Research Topic Ideas To Fast-Track Your Project

Research topics for nursing dissertations and theses

Finding and choosing a strong research topic is the critical first step when it comes to crafting a high-quality dissertation, thesis or research project. If you’ve landed on this post, chances are you’re looking for a nursing-related research topic , but aren’t sure where to start. Here, we’ll explore a variety of nursing-related research ideas and topic thought-starters, including general nursing, medical-surgical nursing, pediatric nursing, obstetrics and gynaecological nursing, ICU and mental health nursing.

NB – This is just the start…

The topic ideation and evaluation process has multiple steps . In this post, we’ll kickstart the process by sharing some research topic ideas within the nursing domain. This is the starting point, but to develop a well-defined research topic, you’ll need to identify a clear and convincing research gap , along with a well-justified plan of action to fill that gap.

If you’re new to the oftentimes perplexing world of research, or if this is your first time undertaking a formal academic research project, be sure to check out our free dissertation mini-course. In it, we cover the process of writing a dissertation or thesis from start to end. Be sure to also sign up for our free webinar that explores how to find a high-quality research topic.

Overview: Nursing Research Topics

General nursing-related topics
Medical-surgical nursing
Pediatric nursing
Obstetrics and gynaecological nursing
ICU nursing
Mental health nursing

General Nursing Research Topics & Ideas

The impact of cultural competence on patient care in the UK
The importance of evidence-based practice in nursing for patients with HIV/AIDS
The effects of workplace stress on nurse well-being and performance
The role of nurse-patient communication for patients transitioning from adolescent to adult care
The impact of technology on nursing practice and patient outcomes
The importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in healthcare for the rehabilitation of patients post-surgery
The effects of fatigue on nurse performance in the emergency room
The impact of nurse staffing levels on patient outcomes in rural areas
The effectiveness of nurse-led interventions in managing chronic conditions: a case study of diabetes
The impact of patient-centred care on health outcomes for the elderly
The importance of patient safety in nursing: bedside nurse vigilance
The effects of empathy and compassion in critical care nursing
The role of nursing in disaster preparedness and response: a case study of the Haiti earthquake of 2021
The impact of the level of nursing education on patient outcomes
The importance of ethical considerations in frail care nursing practice

Topics & Ideas: Medical-Surgical Nursing

The impact of bedside care on patient outcomes in medical-surgical units
The role of the nurse in managing post-operative patient pain
The effects of nurse-patient ratios on patient outcomes in medical-surgical units
A systematic review of different approaches to patient education in medical-surgical units
The relationship between nurse-patient communication and patient satisfaction in medical-surgical units: perspectives and recommendations to improving patient satisfaction

Topics & Ideas: Pediatrics Nursing

The impact of family-centered care on pediatric patient outcomes with sickle cell anemia
The role of nursing interventions in promoting developmental and behavioral health in pediatric patients
The effects of play therapy on anxiety and pain in pediatric patients during hospitilisation
A systematic review of different approaches to pain management in pediatric cancer patients
The relationship between parent involvement and post-operative patient outcomes in pediatric units

Ideas: Obstetrics and Gynecological Nursing

The impact of nurse-led prenatal care on maternal and fetal outcomes in African American communities
The role of the nurse in promoting sexual and reproductive health for women in the UK
The effects of midwifery care on maternal satisfaction of primiparous women and birth outcomes
A comparative study of different approaches to childbirth education for expectant mothers and partners: perceptions of control
The relationship between lactation support and breastfeeding success of primiparous women

Topics & Ideas: ICU Nursing

The impact of nursing interventions on patient outcomes in intensive care units in a developing country
The role of the nurse in managing palliative and end-of-life care in the ICU
The effects of family presence on patient outcomes and satisfaction in the ICU: A systematic review of the literature
A comparative study of different approaches to pain management for trauma patients in the ICU
The relationship between nurse-patient communication and geriatric patient outcomes in ICU

Topics & Ideas: Mental Health Nursing

The impact of nurse-led therapy on adolescent patient outcomes in mental health settings
The role of the nurse in promoting recovery and resiliency in mental health patients through group interventions
The effects of mindfulness-based interventions on stress and anxiety in mental health patients: A systematic literature review
A comparative study of the role of nurses in applying different approaches to patient education in mental health settings
The association between nurse-patient therapeutic alliance and patient outcomes in mental health settings

Nursing Dissertation & Theses

While the ideas we’ve presented above are a decent starting point for finding a nursing-related research topic, they are fairly generic and non-specific. So, it helps to look at actual dissertations and theses to see how this all comes together.

Below, we’ve included a selection of research projects from various nursing-related degree programs to help refine your thinking. These are actual dissertations and theses, written as part of Master’s and PhD-level programs, so they can provide some useful insight as to what a research topic looks like in practice.

Nursing Workload and Interventions of Licensed Nurses in Nursing Homes: An Observational Time and Motion Study (Kang, 2021)
Missed Nursing Care: Accounting for Education, Experience, and Job Satisfaction in Registered Nurses (Bechard, 2021)
Examining Predictors of Attitudes and Knowledge of Registered Nurses and Nursing Students in Tennessee toward Pregnant and Perinatal Women with a Substance Use Disorder (Patrylo, 2021)
A Program Evaluation of the Organizational Readiness for Pathway to Excellence at Two Community Hospitals (Behling, 2021)
The Impact of Covid-19 Pandemic Policy Decisions on the Wellbeing of Nursing Home Residents in Missouri (White, 2022)
Battling A Parallel Pandemic: An Evaluation of Sustainable System-Level Nursing Support in Response To COVID-19 (Gifford, 2022)
Holistic Nursing Process Maps: a Tool for Student Nurses to Operationalize the Nursing Process to Increase Clinical Reasoning (Reyes, 2022)
Satisfaction and Work-Life Balance in Undergraduate Nursing Faculty: A Mixed-Methods Study (Crawford, 2021)
The Effect of Mindfulness Meditation on the Stress, Anxiety, Mindfulness, and Self-Compassion Levels of Nursing Students (Heinrich, 2022)
Effectiveness of Simulation-Based Case Studies in Undergraduate Nursing Students (Becnel, 2022)
A Telehealth Simulation Experiment: Exploring Prebriefing (Owen, 2022)
Perceptions of Lateral Violence Among Vocational Nursing Students, Associate Degree Nursing Students, and Bachelor’s Degree Nursing Students (Martha, 2022)
Nurse Educators’ Description of Ethics from a Disciplinary Perspective: A Qualitative Descriptive Research Study (Cuchetti, 2022)
A Literature Review of the Relationship Between Oral Health and Pneumonia Risk in the Geriatric Nursing Home Population (Swift, 2021)

Looking at these titles, you can probably pick up that the research topics here are quite specific and narrowly-focused , compared to the generic ones presented earlier. This is an important thing to keep in mind as you develop your own research topic. That is to say, to create a top-notch research topic, you must be precise and target a specific context with specific variables of interest . In other words, you need to identify a clear, well-justified research gap.

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Open access
Published: 03 September 2021

A literature-based study of patient-centered care and communication in nurse-patient interactions: barriers, facilitators, and the way forward

Abukari Kwame 1 &
Pammla M. Petrucka 2

BMC Nursing volume 20 , Article number: 158 ( 2021 ) Cite this article

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Providing healthcare services that respect and meet patients’ and caregivers’ needs are essential in promoting positive care outcomes and perceptions of quality of care, thereby fulfilling a significant aspect of patient-centered care requirement. Effective communication between patients and healthcare providers is crucial for the provision of patient care and recovery. Hence, patient-centered communication is fundamental to ensuring optimal health outcomes, reflecting long-held nursing values that care must be individualized and responsive to patient health concerns, beliefs, and contextual variables. Achieving patient-centered care and communication in nurse-patient clinical interactions is complex as there are always institutional, communication, environmental, and personal/behavioural related barriers. To promote patient-centered care, healthcare professionals must identify these barriers and facitators of both patient-centered care and communication, given their interconnections in clinical interactions. A person-centered care and communication continuum (PC4 Model) is thus proposed to orient healthcare professionals to care practices, discourse contexts, and communication contents and forms that can enhance or impede the acheivement of patient-centered care in clinical practice.

Peer Review reports

Providing healthcare services that respect and meet patients’ and their caregivers’ needs are essential in promoting positive care outcomes and perceptions of quality of care, thus constituting patient-centered care. Care is “a feeling of concern for, or an interest in, a person or object which necessitates looking after them/it” [ 1 ]. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) noted that to provide patient-centered care means respecting and responding to individual patient’s care needs, preferences, and values in all clinical decisions [ 2 ]. In nursing care, patient-centered care or person-centered care must acknowledge patients’ experiences, stories, and knowledge and provide care that focuses on and respects patients’ values, preferences, and needs by engaging the patient more in the care process [ 3 ]. Healthcare providers and professionals are thus required to fully engage patients and their families in the care process in meaningful ways. The IOM, in its 2003 report on Health Professions Education , recognized the values of patient-centered care and emphasized that providing patient-centered care is the first core competency that health professionals’ education must focus on [ 4 ]. This emphasis underscored the value of delivering healthcare services according to patients’ needs and preferences.

Research has shown that effective communication between patients and healthcare providers is essential for the provision of patient care and recovery [ 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ]. Madula et al. [ 6 ], in a study on maternal care in Malawi, noted that patients reported being happy when the nurses and midwives communicated well and treated them with warmth, empathy, and respect. However, other patients said poor communication by nurses and midwives, including verbal abuse, disrespect, or denial from asking questions, affected their perceptions of the services offered [ 6 ]. Similarly, Joolaee et al. [ 9 ] explored patients’ experiences of caring relationships in an Iranian hospital where they found that good communication between nurses and patients was regarded as “more significant than physical care” among patients.

According to Boykins [ 10 ], effective communication is a two-way dialogue between patients and care providers. In that dialogue, both parties speak and are listened to without interrupting; they ask questions for clarity, express their opinions, exchange information, and grasp entirely and understand what the others mean. Also, Henly [ 11 ] argued that effective communication is imperative in clinical interactions. He observed that health and illness affect the quality of life, thereby making health communication critical and that the “intimate and sometimes overwhelming nature of health concerns can make communicating with nurses and other healthcare providers very challenging” [ 11 ]. Furthermore, Henly [ 11 ] added that patient-centered communication is fundamental to ensuring optimal health outcomes, reflecting long-held nursing values that care must be individualized and responsive to patient health concerns. Given the prevalence of face-to-face and device-mediated communications and interactions in healthcare settings, we must explore and clarify who, what, where, when, why, and how interactions with individuals, families, and communities are receiving care and health services [ 11 ].

The value of effective communication in nurse-patient clinical interactions cannot be overemphasized, as “research has shown that communication processes are essential to more accurate patient reporting and disclosure” [ 12 ]. Respectful communication between nurses and patients can reduce uncertainty, enhance greater patient engagement in decision making, improve patient adherence to medication and treatment plans, increase social support, safety, and patient satisfaction in care [ 12 , 13 ]. Thus, effective nurse-patient clinical communication is essential to enhancing patient-centered care and positive care outcomes.

Patient-centered communication, also known as person-centered communication or client-centered communication, is defined as a process that invites and encourages patients and their families to actively participate and negotiate in decision-making about their care needs, as cited in [ 7 ]. Patient-centered communication is crucial in promoting patient-centered care and requires that patients and their caregivers engage in the care process. As McLean [ 14 ] observed, patient-centered care can be enhanced through patient-centered communication by valuing patients’ dignity and rights. Through open communication and collaboration, where information and care plans are shared among care providers, patients, and their families, care provision becomes patient-centered [ 14 ].

Given the interconnected nature of patient-centered care and communication, we must identify the barriers and enablers of patient-centered care and communication and proposed efficient ways to enhance that because patient-centered communication is essential in achieving patient-centered care. Our aim in this paper is to identify the barriers and facilitators of patient-centered care and communication and propose and present a patient-centered care and communication continuum (PC4) Model to explain how patient-centered care can be enhanced in nurse-patient clinical interactions. As Grant and Booth argued, critical reviews are often used to present, analyse, and synthesized research evidence from diverse sources, the outcome of which is a hypothesis or a model as an interpretation of existing data to enhance evidence-based practice [ 15 ]. Thus, this critical literature review study explores the questions: what are the barriers and facilitators of patient-centered care and how can patient-centered care be enhanced through effective clinical communication?

An earlier version of this study was submitted as part of author AK’s doctoral comprehensive exams in February 2021. An interdisciplinary doctoral committee recommended many of the included literature and the questions explored in this study based on the current discourse of patient-centered care advocated for in many healthcare facilities and in recognition of the universal healthcare access objective of the health sustainable development goal. Additional searches for literature were conducted between September and November 2020 using keywords such as barriers and facilitators of nurse-patient interaction, patient-centered care, patient-centered communication , and nurse-patient communication . Databases searched included CINAHL, PubMed, Medline, and Google Scholar. Included studies in this critical review were empirical research on nurse-patient interactions in different care settings published in English and open access. All relevant articles were read, and their main findings relevant to our review questions were identified and organized into themes and subthemes discussed in this paper. Other published studies were read, and together with those that addressed the review question, a model was developed regarding how to enhance patient-centered care through effective communication.

Barriers to Patient-Centered Care and Communication

Nurses constitute a significant workforce of care providers whose practices can severely impact care outcomes (both positive and negative). Nurses spend much time with patients and their caregivers. As a result, positive nurse-patient and caregiver relationships are therapeutic and constitute a core component of care [ 9 , 13 ]. In many instances, nurses serve as translators or patients’ advocates, in addition to performing their primary care duties. Although good nurse-patient relationships positively impact nurse-patient communication and interaction, studies have shown that several factors impede these relationships with significant consequences on care outcomes and quality [ 6 , 16 , 17 ]. Thus, these barriers limit nurses’ and other care providers’ efforts to provide healthcare that meets patients’ and caregivers’ needs. We categorize the barriers to patient-centered care and communication into four kinds: institutional and healthcare system-related, communication-related, environment-related, and personal and behaviour-related barriers. Although these barriers are discussed in separate subheadings, they are interlinked in complex ways during clinical practice.

Institutional and Healthcare System Related Barriers

Many barriers to providing patient-centered care and communication during nurse-patient interactions emanate from healthcare institutional practices or the healthcare system itself. Some of these factors are implicated in healthcare policy or through management styles and strategies.

Shortage of nursing staff, high workload, burnout, and limited-time constituted one complex institutional and healthcare system-level barrier to effective care delivery [ 18 , 19 ]. For instance, Loghmani et al. [ 20 ] found that staffing shortages prevented nurses from having adequate time with patients and their caregivers in an Iranian intensive care unit. Limitations in nursing staff, coupled with a high workload, led to fewer interactions between nurses, patients, and caregivers. Similarly, Anoosheh et al. [ 16 ] found that heavy nursing workload was ranked highest as a limiting factor to therapeutic communication in nurse-patient interactions in Iran.

In a study on communication barriers in two hospitals affiliated with Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Norouzinia et al. [ 21 ] found that shortage of nurses, work overload, and insufficient time to interact with patients were significant barriers to effective nurse-patient interactions. Similar factors are identified as barriers to nurse-patient communication and interactions in other studies [ 13 , 16 , 18 ]. For instance, Amoah et al. [ 16 ] reported that nursing staff shortage and high workload were barriers to patient-centered care and therapeutic communication among Ghanaian nurses and patients. Amoah and colleagues reported a patient’s statement that:

[B]ecause there are few nurses at the ward, sometimes you would want a nurse to attend to you, but he or she might be working on another patient, so in such case, the nurse cannot divide him or herself into two to attend to you both [ 16 ].

Nurses and patients and their caregivers have noted that limited time affects nurse-patient interactions, communication, and care quality. Besides, Yoo et al. [ 22 ] reported that limited visiting hours affected communications between caregivers and nurses in a tertiary hospital in Seoul, Korea. Since the caregivers had limited time to spend with patients, they had little knowledge about the intensive care unit and distrusted the nurses.

Although nursing staff shortage is a significant barrier to patient-centered care and communication that healthcare institutions and managers must know, some healthcare scholars have critique nurses’ complaints of time limitation. For instance, McCabe [ 7 ] argued that the quality of nurse-patient interactions is what matters and not the quantity of time spent with patients and their caregivers. McCabe maintained that “spending long periods with patients does not always result in positive nurse-patient relationships” [ 7 ]. He argued that implementing patient-centered care does not require additional time; hence, nurses’ perceptions of being too busy cannot excuse poor therapeutic communication during clinical interactions. Instead, nurses are encouraged to develop self-awareness, self-reflection, and a commitment to ensuring that patients receive the needed care.

Another institution-related barrier to patient-centered care and communication is the healthcare system’s emphasis on task-centered care. Care providers are more focused on completing care procedures than satisfying patients’ and caregivers’ needs and preferences. This barrier to patient-centered care and communication is acknowledged in several studies [ 7 , 14 , 20 , 22 , 23 ]. For example, McLean [ 14 ] studied dementia care in nursing homes in the United States. She found that patient-centered care and communication in one nursing home (Snow I) were severely affected when nurses, physicians, and care managers focused on completing tasks or observing care and institutional routines to the detriment of satisfying patients’ care needs. However, in the other care home (Snow II), patient-centered care was enhanced as nurses, physicians, and the care home managers focused on addressing patients’ needs and values rather than completing care routines and tasks.

Similarly, Yoo and colleagues [ 22 ] observed that nurse-patient communication was affected when the ICU nurses placed urgency on completing tasks linked directly to patients’ health (e.g., stabilizing vital signs) than communicating to addressed patients’ specific needs. This evidence shows that when nurses are more task-focused, patients and caregivers are treated as bodies and objects, on which medical and care practices must be performed to restore health. Research has shown that when nurses focus on task-oriented care, it becomes hard to provide holistic care to patients or teach and communicate with patients even when nurses are less busy [ 20 ].

Nursing managers and their management styles can affect patient-centered care and communication. Studies have revealed that the management styles that nursing managers implement can either facilitate or impede patient-centered care [ 14 , 22 ]. When nurse managers orient their nursing staff towards task-centered care practices, it affects nurse-patient interaction and communication. Moreover, when nurse managers fail to address their staff’s mental health needs and personal challenges, it influences how nurses attend to patients’ care needs. For example, nurses have indicated that nurse-patient communication is affected when nurse managers are unsupportive or unresponsive to their needs [ 20 ].

In a study exploring nursing and midwifery managers’ perspectives on obstacles to compassion giving and therapeutic care across 17 countries, Papadopoulos et al. [ 24 ] discovered that nurses and midwifery managers’ characteristics and experiences could facilitate or impede compassion and therapeutic interactions in nursing care. Negative personal attitudes, including selfishness, arrogance, self-centeredness, rudeness, lack of leadership skills, the desire for power, and feelings of superiority among nurses and midwifery managers, were obstacles to compassion building. The study further showed that managers who emphasize rules, tasks, and results do not prioritize relationship-building and see their staff as workers rather than team members [ 24 ]. Therefore, nurse managers and care administrators must monitor nurse-patient interaction and communication to address nurses’ concerns and support them, especially in resource-constrained and high patient turnover contexts [ 25 , 26 ].

Communication-Related Barriers

Effective communication is essential to providing patient-centered care. Studies have shown that poor communication between care providers and patients and their caregivers affects care outcomes and perceptions of care quality [ 7 , 16 , 27 , 28 ]. A consistent communication-related barrier in nurse-patient interaction is miscommunication, which often leads to misunderstandings between nurses, patients, and their families [ 20 ]. Other communication-related barriers include language differences between patients and healthcare providers [ 6 , 16 , 27 ], poor communication skills, and patients’ inability to communicate due to their health state, especially in ICU, dementia, or end-of-life care contexts [ 13 , 22 ]. For instance, in their maternity care study, Madula et al. [ 6 ] noted that language barriers significantly affected effective communication between nurses/midwives and expectant mothers. A patient in their study indicated that although many nurses were polite and communicated well, some nurses had challenges communicating with patients in the Chitumbuka language, which affected those nurses’ ability to interact effectively with patients [ 6 ].

Furthermore, Norouzinia et al. [ 21 ] asserted that effective communication could not be established when nurses and patients have a language difference. Moreover, the meanings of certain non-verbal communication acts (e.g., head nodding, eye gaze, touch) can invoke different interpretations across different cultures, which could impede the interactions between patients and nurses. Even in healthcare contexts where nurses and patients speak the same language, “differences in vocabulary, rate of speaking, age, background, familiarity with medical technology, education, physical capability, and experience can create a huge cultural and communication chasm” between nurses and patients [ 12 ]. In ICU and other similar care settings, nurses find it difficult to effectively communicate with patients because the mechanical ventilators made it hard for patients to talk [ 22 ].

To overcome the communication-related barriers, healthcare institutions must make it a responsibility to engage translators and interpreters to facilitate nurse-patient interactions where a language barrier exists. Moreover, nurses working in ICU and other similar settings should learn and employ alternative forms of communication to interact with patients.

Environment-Related Barriers

The environment of the care setting can impact nurse-patient communication and the resulting care. Thus, “good health care experiences start with a welcoming environment” [ 29 ]. Mastors believed that even though good medicine and the hands working to provide care and healing to the sick and wounded are essential, we must not “forget the small things: a warm smile, an ice chip, a warm blanket, a cool washcloth. A pillow flipped to the other side and a boost in bed” [ 29 ]. The environment-related barriers are obstacles within the care setting that inhibit nurse-patient interaction and communication and may include a noisy surrounding, unkept wards, and beds, difficulties in locating places, and navigating care services. Noisy surroundings, lack of privacy, improper ventilation, heating, cooling, and lighting in specific healthcare units can affect nurse-patient communication. These can prevent patients from genuinely expressing their healthcare needs to nurses, which can subsequently affect patient disclosure or make nursing diagnoses less accurate [ 13 , 18 , 21 ]. For instance, Amoah et al. [ 16 ] revealed that an unconducive care environment, including noisy surroundings and poor ward conditions, affected patients’ psychological states, impeding nurse-patient relationships and communication. Moreover, when care services are not well-coordinated, new patients and their caregivers find it hard to navigate the care system (e.g., locating offices for medical tests and consultations), which can constrain patient-centered care and communication.

Reducing the environment-related barriers will require making the care setting tidy/clean, less noisy, and coordinating care services in ways that make it easy for patients and caregivers to access. Coordinating and integrating care services, making care services accessible, and promoting physical comfort are crucial in promoting patient-centered care, according to Picker’s Eight Principles of Patient-Centered Care [ 30 ].

Personal and Behaviour Related Barriers

The kind of nurse-patient relationships established between nurses and patients and their caregivers will affect how they communicate. Since nurses and patients may have different demographic characteristics, cultural and linguistic backgrounds, beliefs, and worldviews about health and illnesses, nurses’, patients’, and caregivers’ attitudes can affect nurse-patient communication and care outcomes. For instance, differences in nurses’ and patients’ cultural backgrounds and belief systems have been identified as barriers to therapeutic communication and care [ 12 , 13 , 21 ]. Research shows that patients’ beliefs and cultural backgrounds affected their communication with nurses in Ghana [ 16 ]. These scholars found that some patients refused a blood transfusion, and Muslim patients refused female nurses to attend to them because of their religious beliefs [ 16 ]. Further, when nurses, patients, or their caregivers have misconceptions about one another due to past experiences, dissatisfaction about the care provided, or patients’ relatives and caregivers unduly interfere in the care process, nurse-patient communication and patient-centered care were affected [ 16 , 21 ].

Similarly, nurse-patient communication was affected when patients or caregivers failed to observe nurses’ recommendations or abuse nurses due to misunderstanding [ 20 ], while patients’ bad attitudes or disrespectful behaviours towards nurses can inhibit nurses’ ability to provide person-centered care [ 31 ]. The above-reviewed studies provided evidence on how patients’ and caregivers’ behaviours can affect nurses’ ability to communicate and deliver patient-centered care.

On the other hand, nurses’ behaviours can also profoundly affect communication and care outcomes in the nurse-patient dyad. When nurses disrespect, verbally abuse (e.g., shouting at or scolding), and discriminate against patients based on their social status, it affects nurse-patient communication, care outcomes, and patient disclosure [ 6 , 32 ]. For instance, Al-Kalaldeh et al. [ 18 ] believe that nurse-patient communication is challenged when nurses become reluctant to hear patients’ feelings and expressions of anxiety. When nurses ignore patients’ rights to share ideas and participate in their care planning, such denials may induce stress, discomfort, lack of trust in nurses, thereby leading to less satisfaction of care [ 18 ].

Furthermore, when nurses fail to listen to patients’ and caregivers’ concerns, coerce patients to obey their rules and instructions [ 16 , 17 , 20 ], or fail to provide patients with the needed information, nurse-patient communication and patient-centered care practices suffer. To illustrate, in Ddumba-Nyanzia et al.‘s study on communication between HIV care providers and patients, a patient remarked that: “I realized no matter how much I talked to the counselor, she was not listening. She was only hearing her point of view and nothing else, [and] I was very upset” [ 17 ]. This quote indicates how care provider attitudes can constrain care outcomes. Due to high workload, limited time, poor remunerations, and shortage of personnel, some nurses can develop feelings of despair, emotional detachment, and apathy towards their job, which can lead to low self-esteem or poor self-image, with negative consequences on nurse-patient interactions [ 13 , 18 ].

Given the significance of effective communication on care, overcoming the above personal and behaviour related barriers to patient-centered care and communication is crucial. Nurses, patients, and caregivers need to reflect on the consequences of their behaviours on the care process. Thus, overcoming these barriers begins with embracing the facilitators of patient-centered care and communication, which we turn to in the next section.

Facilitators of patient-centered care and communication

Patient-centered care and communication can be facilitated in several ways, including building solid nurse-patient relationships.

First, an essential facilitator of patient-centered care and communication is overcoming practical communication barriers in the nurse-patient dyad. Given the importance of communication in healthcare delivery, nurses, patients, caregivers, nursing managers, and healthcare administrators need to ensure that effective therapeutic communication is realized in the care process and becomes part of the care itself. Studies have shown that active listening among care providers is essential to addressing many barriers to patient-centered care and communication [ 7 , 13 ]. Although handling medical tasks promptly in the care process is crucial, the power of active listening is critical, meaningful, and therapeutic [ 22 ]. By listening to patients’ concerns, nurses can identify patients’ care needs and preferences and address their fears and frustrations.

Another facilitator of patient-centered care is by understanding patients and their unique needs [ 25 ], showing empathy and attending attitudes [ 7 , 13 ], expressing warmth and respect [ 22 ], and treating patients and caregivers with dignity and compassion as humans. For instance, McCabe [ 7 ] noted that attending, which obligates nurses to demonstrate that they are accessible and ready to listen to patients, is a patient-centered care process; a fundamental requirement for nurses to show genuineness and empathy, despite the high workload. Showing empathy, active listening, respect, and treating patients with dignity are core to nursing and care, and recognized in the Code of Ethics for Nurses [ 33 ], and further emphasized in the ongoing revision of the Code of Ethics for nurses [ 34 ].

Besides, engaging patients and caregivers in the care process through sharing information, inviting their opinion, and collaborating with them constitutes another facilitator of patient-centered care and communication. When patients and caregivers are engaged in the care process, misunderstandings and misconceptions are minimized. When information is shared, patients and caregivers learn more about their health conditions and the care needed. As McLean [ 14 ] argued, ensuring open communication between care providers and patients and their families is essential to enhancing patient-centered care. Conflicts ensue when patients or their families are denied information or involvement in the care process. As a result, the Harvard Medical School [ 30 ] identified patient engagement, information sharing, and nurse-patient collaboration during care as essential patient-centered care principles.

Finally, health policy must be oriented towards healthcare practices and management to facilitate patient-centered care and communication. These policies, at a minimum, can involve changes in management styles within healthcare institutions, where nurse managers and healthcare administrators reflect on nursing and care practices to ensure that the Code of Ethics of Nurses and patients’ rights are fully implemented. Resource constraints, staff shortages, and ethical dilemmas mainly affect care practices and decision-making. Nonetheless, if patients are placed at the center of care and treated with dignity and respect, most of the challenges and barriers of patient-centered care will diminish. Empowering practicing nurses, equipping them with interpersonal communication skills through regular in-service training, supporting them to overcome their emotional challenges, and setting boundaries during nurse-patient interactions will enhance patient-centered care practices.

In line with the above discussion, Camara et al. [ 25 ] identify three core dimensions that nurses, patients, and caregivers must observe to enhance patient-centered care: treating the patient as a person and seeing the care provider as a person and a confidant. Regarding the first dimension, care providers must welcome patients, listen to them, share information with them, seek their consent, and show them respect when providing care. The second dimension requires that the healthcare provider be seen and respected as a person, and negative perceptions about care providers must be demystified. According to Camara et al. [ 25 ], care providers must not overemphasize their identities as experts but rather establish good relationships with patients to understand patients’ personal needs and problems. Lastly, patients and caregivers must regard care providers as confidants who build and maintain patients’ trust and encourage patients’ participation in care conversations. With this dimension, patients and caregivers must know that nurses and other care providers have the patient at heart and work to meet their care needs and recovery process.

Camara et al.‘s [ 25 ] three dimensions are essential and position patients, their caregivers, and nurses as partners who must engage in dialogic communication to promote patient-centered care. As a result, effective communication, education, and increased health literacy among patients and caregivers will be crucial in that direction.

Enhancing Patient-Centered Care and Communication: A Proposed Model

Nursing care practices that promote patient-centered communication will directly enhance patient-centered care, as patients and their caregivers will actively engage in the care process. To enhance patient-centered communication, we propose person-centered care and communication continuum (PC4) as a guiding model to understand patient-centered communication, its pathways, and what communication and care practices healthcare professionals must implement to achieve person-centered care. In this PC4 Model, we emphasize the person instead of the patient because they are a person before becoming a patient. Moreover, the PC4 Model is supposed to apply to all persons associated with patient care; thus, respect for the dignity of their personhood is crucial.

Although much is written about patient-centered communication in the healthcare literature, there is a gap regarding its trajectory and what communication content enhances patient-centered communication. Also, little is known about how different clinical discourse spaces influence communication and its content during nurse-patient clinical interactions. Using evidence from Johnsson et al. [ 3 ], Murira et al. [ 23 ], and Liu et al. [ 35 ], among other studies, we outline the components of the PC4 Model and how different discourse spaces in the clinical setting and the content of communication impact patient-centered care and communication.

The proposed PC4 Model in this paper has three unbounded components based on the purpose of and how communication is performed among care providers, patients, and their caregivers. Figure 1 illustrates the PC4 Model, its features, and trajectory.

A Person-Centered Care and Communication Continuum (PC4 Model)

Task-Centered Communication

At the lowest end of the PC4 Model is task-centered communication. Here, the care provider’s role is to complete medical tasks as fast as possible with little or no communication with the patient and their caregivers. Patients and caregivers are treated as bodies or objects whose disease symptoms need to be studied, identified, recorded, treated, or cured. As Johnsson et al. [ 3 ] observed, communication content at this stage is mainly biomedically oriented, where nurses and other healthcare professionals focus on the precise medical information (e.g., history taking, medical examination, test results, medication, etc.) about the patient. With a task-centered orientation, nurses make journal entries about their patients’ disease state and ensure that treatment plans, diagnostic tests, and medical prescriptions are completed. Communication at this stage is often impersonal or rigid (see [ 23 ] for details). Care providers may address patients and their caregivers by using informal attributes (e.g., bed 12, the woman in the red shirt, card 8, etc.), thereby ignoring patients’ and caregivers’ personal and unique identities. Patients’ and caregivers’ nonverbal communication signs are mostly overlooked.

Motivations for task-centered communication can be attributed to time limitation, high workload, and staff shortage, thereby pushing nurses and other care providers to reach as many patients as possible. Moreover, the healthcare system’s orientation towards and preference for biomedically-focused care seems to favour task-centered communication [ 7 , 14 ].

Depending on the clinical discourse space under which patient-provider interactions occur, different forms of communication are employed. Clinical discourse spaces can be public (e.g., in the ward, patient bedside), private (e.g., consulting rooms, medical test labs, nurse staff station, etc.), or semi-private (e.g., along the corridor) [ 35 ]. In these clinical discourse spaces, nurse-patient communication can be uninformed (patients or caregivers are not informed about patients’ care conditions or why specific data and routines are performed). It can be non-private (others can hear what the nurse and patient are talking about) or authoritative (care providers demonstrate power and control and position themselves as experts) [ 23 ]. Finally, in task-centered communication, healthcare providers often use medical jargon or terminologies [ 3 ] since the goal of communication is not to engage the patient in the process. Usually, patients or their caregivers are not allowed to ask questions, or their questions get ignored or receive superficial, incomprehensible responses.

Process-Centered Communication

Process-centered communication is an intermediate stage on the continuum, which could slip back into the task-centered or leap forward into person-centered communication. Through process-centered communication, care providers make an effort to know patients and their caregivers as they perform care routines. Care providers ask patients or their caregivers questions to understand the care conditions but may not encourage patients or caregivers to express their thoughts about their care needs. Patients and caregivers are recognized as persons with uniques care needs but may not have the agency to influence the care process. Care providers may chit-chat with patients or their caregivers to pass the time as they record patients’ medical records or provide care. Unlike task-centered communication, there is informative and less authoritative communication between nurses and patients and their caregivers. The goal of process-centered communication could be a mixture of instrumental and relational, with less display of power and control by nurses.

Person-Centered Communication

This is the highest point of the PC4 Model, where patient-centered care is actualized. At this stage of the communication continuum, patients and caregivers are treated as unique persons with specific care needs and are seen as collaborators in the care process. As McLean [ 14 ] observed, caregiving becomes a transactional relationship between the care provider and receiver at the person-centered stage of the continuum. The care itself becomes intersubjective, a mutual relational practice, and an ongoing negotiation for care providers and receivers [ 14 ].

The content of communication at this stage of the continuum is both “personal” and “explanatory” [ 3 ]. Nurses and other healthcare providers create meaningful relationships with patients and their caregivers, understand patients’ concerns, needs, and problems, use open-ended questions to encourage patients or caregivers to express their thoughts and feelings about the care situation. Nurses and other healthcare professionals explain care routines, patients’ health conditions, and management plans in lay language to patients and caregivers through person-centered communication. Accomplishing this level includes employing alternative forms of communication to meet the needs of intensive care unit patients, deaf patients, and ventilated and intubated patients. For instance, it has been shown that “deaf people […] frequently do not have access to clear and efficient communication in the healthcare system, which deprives them of critical health information and qualified health care” [ 36 ]. Empathetic communication practices, including active listening, showing genuine interest in patients’ care, and respect and warmth, become a significant part of nursing care [ 3 , 7 , 14 , 22 ].

Different communication strategies are employed based on the care situation and context. Chit-chatting, as a form of personal communication [ 3 ], use of humor as a communication strategy [ 7 , 8 ], and even maintaining silence [ 28 ] are essential in enhancing person-centered care and communication. Both care providers and patients or their caregivers use relationship-building and -protecting humor (see [ 28 ] for details) to address difficult situations in the care process.

Implications of the PC4 Model for Nursing Practice

Given the values of effective communication in nurse-patient interactions and care outcomes, nurses and other healthcare providers must ensure that they develop therapeutic relationships with patients, their families, and caregivers to promote person-centered care and communication. Achieving that begins with knowing and reflecting on the barriers of therapeutic communication and ways to minimize them. The PC4 Model draws nurses and all healthcare providers’ attention to patient-centered care pathways and how effective communication is necessary. Healthcare professionals, including nurses, must be aware of how their communication orientation–––either oriented toward completing tasks, following care processes or toward addressing patients’ and their caregivers’ needs––can impact patient-centered care. Healthcare providers must observe the care context, patients’ unique situations, their non-verbal language and action, and whether they belong to historically marginalized groups or cultures.

Mastors [ 29 ] has offered healthcare providers some guidance to reflect on as they communicate and interact with patients and caregivers. Thus, (a) instead of asking patients, “What’s the matter?“ care providers must consider asking them, “What’s important to you?“ With this question, the patient is given a voice and empowered to contribute to their own care needs. Care providers should (b) check with patients in the waiting room to update patients whose waiting time has been longer than usual, based on the care context. They should also (c) try to remember their conversations with patients to build on them during subsequent interactions. This continuity can be enhanced by nurse managers reexamining how they deploy care providers to patients. The same nurse can be assigned to the same patients for the duration of the patient’s stay to help patients feel valued and visible [ 29 ].

Knowledge of cultural competence, sensitivity, humility, and interpersonal communication skills will help achieve and implement the PC4 Model. As Cuellar [ 37 ] argues, “[h]umility is about understanding and caring for all people [and] being empathetic.“ Cultural competence is a “dynamic process of acquiring the ability to provide effective, safe, and quality care to the patients through considering their different cultural aspects” [ 38 ]. The concept of cultural competence entails “cultural openness, awareness, desire, knowledge and sensitivity” during care [ 39 ]. It demands that care providers respect and tailor care to align with patients’ and caregivers’ values, needs, practices, and expectations, based on care and moral ethics and understanding [ 39 ]. Active listening and showing compassion as therapeutic relationship-building skills are essential, and continuous education and mentorship will be crucial to developing these skills among healthcare providers.

We invite qualitative and quantitative studies, especially on language use and communication strategies, to explore and evaluate the PC4 Model. Providing in-depth and experiential data on ways to increase its effectiveness as a tool to guide healthcare providers is highly desired. More knowledge can support healthcare providers in offering evidence-based patient-centered care in different healthcare settings and units.

Conclusions

Effective communication is an essential factor in nurse-patient interactions and a core component of nursing care. When communication in the nurse-patient dyad is patient-centered, it becomes therapeutic. It allows for trust and mutual respect in the care process, thereby promoting care practices that address patients’ and caregivers’ needs, concerns, and preferences. We have identified the barriers and facilitators of patient-centered care and communication and proposed a person-centered care and communication continuum (PC4 Model) to demonstrate how patient-centered communication intersects with patient-centered care.

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Abbreviations

Intensive Care Unit

Institution of Medicine

Person-Centered Care and Communication Continuum

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Acknowledgments

We express our gratitude to the first author’s doctoral committee members for their valuable comments, suggestions, and critique of an earlier version of this paper. We are also grateful to the anonymous reviewers for the insightful comments and suggestions that have helped us improve the study’s quality.

Authors' information

Abukari Kwame is a Ph.D. candidate in Interdisciplinary Studies in the College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, University of Saskatchewan, interested in patients' rights in nurse-patient clinical communications and interactions in the hospital setting. He holds two Master of Philosophy degrees in Indigenous Studies and English Linguistics. Abukari's research interests include language use in social interaction, health communication, First/Second language acquisition, African traditional medical knowledge, and Indigenous and qualitative research methodologies.

Pammla M. Petrucka is a professor in Nursing and has international research experience with many of her graduate students from Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean. Pammla has published extensively in the field of nursing. Her research interests are vast, including child and maternal health, Indigenous peoples' health, global health, and vulnerable populations, with extensive experiences in qualitative research and indigenous research methodologies. Pammla is co-editor of the BMC Nursing journal and a reviewer for many other academic journals.

The authors have not received any funding for the conduct, preparation, and publication of this paper.

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Kwame, A., Petrucka, P.M. A literature-based study of patient-centered care and communication in nurse-patient interactions: barriers, facilitators, and the way forward. BMC Nurs 20 , 158 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-021-00684-2

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Investigating the factors that influence nurse turnover and retention rates
Assessing the role of nurse staffing levels in patient outcomes and quality of care
Examining the relationship between nurse burnout and patient safety incidents
Investigating the effectiveness of nursing leadership in creating a positive work environment
The influence of nursing handovers on patient safety
Strategies to reduce medication errors in hospital settings
The role of electronic health records in enhancing patient safety
Impact of nurse-to-patient ratios on patient safety outcomes
Evaluating the effectiveness of patient safety training programs for nurses
Exploring the experiences of nurses from diverse backgrounds in the workplace
Assessing the impact of shift work on nurses’ physical and mental health
Investigating the relationship between nurse-patient ratios and patient outcomes
Examining the role of interprofessional collaboration in improving the nursing work environment
Exploring the use of technology to improve nursing workflow and productivity
Mitigating the economic and social costs of heart diseases among the aging population in the US
Investigating the effectiveness of nursing mentorship programs in retaining new nurses
Assessing the role of organizational culture in promoting nurse well-being and job satisfaction
Examining the impact of nursing education on nursing workforce preparedness
Exploring the factors that contribute to job satisfaction among nurses
Combating health care-associated infections: a community-based approach
Investigating the impact of nurse-led care on patient outcomes and satisfaction
Assessing the effectiveness of nursing support programs for nurses with mental health issues
Examining the role of nursing unions in advocating for the nursing workforce
Exploring the experiences of male nurses in the nursing workforce
Investigating the effectiveness of nurse-led clinics in reducing emergency department visits
Assessing the impact of nursing teamwork on patient outcomes and quality of care
Examining the role of nursing informatics in improving nursing workflow and patient care
Exploring the impact of nursing shortages on patient outcomes and quality of care
Investigating the effectiveness of nurse-led interventions for reducing hospital readmissions
Assessing the impact of nursing certification on nursing workforce competence and confidence
Examining the role of nursing education in promoting cultural competence in the nursing workforce
Exploring the experiences of nurses working in rural healthcare settings
Investigating the effectiveness of nursing delegation in improving patient outcomes and quality of care
Assessing the impact of nursing shortages on nurse job satisfaction and burnout
Examining the role of nursing research in informing nursing workforce policies and practices
Exploring the impact of nurse-led quality improvement initiatives on patient outcomes and satisfaction
Investigating the role of nursing leaders in promoting nursing workforce diversity and inclusion
Assessing the impact of nursing autonomy on nurse job satisfaction and performance
Examining the effectiveness of nursing residency programs in preparing new nurses for the workforce
Exploring the experiences of nurses working in correctional healthcare settings
Investigating the impact of nurse staffing levels on patient falls and injuries
Assessing the role of nursing education in promoting evidence-based practice in the nursing workforce
Examining the effectiveness of nursing preceptorship programs in improving nurse job satisfaction and retention
Exploring the role of nursing education in preparing nurses for leadership roles in the nursing workforce
Investigating the effectiveness of nursing empowerment interventions in improving nursing job satisfaction and performance
Assessing the impact of nursing shortages on the quality of nursing care provided to older adults in long-term care facilities.

Chronic Illness Management

Managing chronic diseases, such as diabetes, cancer, and heart disease, is a significant challenge for healthcare providers. Exploring different strategies for chronic disease management can help improve patient outcomes and enhance the quality of care.

List of Nursing Research Topics: Chronic Illness Management

The Role of Nurses in Managing Chronic Heart Disease
Impact of Nurse-led Interventions in Managing Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
The Effectiveness of Self-management Education in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes
Nursing Strategies for Chronic Pain Management
Chronic Kidney Disease Management: A Nursing Perspective
Palliative Care in Chronic Illness Management
Community Nursing and Chronic Illness: A Study on Patient Outcomes
The Role of Nurses in Managing Chronic Pediatric Asthma
Telehealth and Chronic Disease Management: The Future of Nursing Practice?
Evaluating the role of nursing in diabetes self-management
Strategies for improving patient adherence to chronic illness treatment plans
The impact of nurse-led interventions on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) management
Exploring the role of telehealth in chronic illness follow-up and monitoring
The effectiveness of nurse-led educational programs for patients with cardiovascular diseases
The Importance of Nurse-led Clinics in Chronic Illness Management
The Role of Nursing in Depression Management among Chronically Ill Patients
Empowering the vulnerable: enhancing health and social care for individuals with specific needs
Advanced Practice Nurses and Chronic Illness Management: A Systematic Review
The Impact of Holistic Nursing Care on Chronic Disease Management
The Effect of Nurse-led Health Education on Compliance in Chronic Disease Patients
The Role of Family Nurses in the Management of Chronic Illness in Home Settings
Nursing and the Management of Chronic Illness in Geriatric Populations
The Influence of Nursing Interventions on Quality of Life in Patients with Chronic Illness
Challenges Faced by Nurses in Managing Chronic Illness in Low-resource Settings
Cancer Pain: Assessment, Management, and Patient Empowerment
Evaluating the Role of School Nurses in Managing Chronic Illnesses in Children
Developing a Chronic Disease Management Model: The Crucial Role of Nursing
Nursing Intervention in Lifestyle Modification for Chronic Illness Patients
The Impact of Patient-Nurse Communication in Chronic Illness Management
The Role of Nursing in Medication Management for Chronic Illness Patients
The Effects of Nursing Care Coordination on Chronic Illness Outcomes
Mental Health and Chronic Illness: The Importance of Psychiatric Nursing
The Role of Nursing in the Self-Management of Chronic Illness: A Meta-Analysis
Nursing Interventions for Chronic Illness Management in Rural Areas
Nurses’ Role in Reducing Hospital Readmissions for Chronic Illness Patients
Digital healthcare and organizational learning: enhancing patient care through technology and knowledge management
The Impact of Nursing on Patient Empowerment in Chronic Illness Management
Cultural Competence in Nursing and Its Effect on Chronic Disease Management
The Role of Nursing Informatics in Chronic Illness Management
Evaluating the Role of Community Health Nurses in Chronic Illness Prevention
The Impact of Home Nursing on Chronic Illness Management in Aging Populations
The ongoing risk of HIV/AIDS among men who have sex with men
The Role of Oncology Nurses in the Management of Chronic Cancer Pain
The Effects of Nursing-led Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Chronic Illness Management
The Impact of Advanced Nursing Practice on Health Outcomes in Chronic Disease Management
The Use of Digital Health Technologies in Chronic Disease Management: A Nursing Perspective

Mental Health

Promoting mental health and well-being in vulnerable patient populations is another important area of nursing research. Nurses can investigate various interventions and programs that can help prevent mental health problems and improve patients’ overall well-being.

List of Nursing Research Topics: Mental Health

The impact of COVID-19 on mental health in healthcare workers
The effectiveness of telehealth for delivering mental health services
The role of social support in promoting mental health and wellbeing
Investigating the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions for mental health
Examining the use of virtual reality in treating mental health disorders
The impact of sleep on mental health outcomes
The role of exercise in promoting mental health and wellbeing
The effectiveness of psychotherapy in treating depression
Exploring the relationship between mental health and chronic pain
Investigating the impact of workplace stress on mental health in nurses
The effectiveness of nurse-led interventions for patients with depression
Exploring the impact of nurse-patient relationships on mental health outcomes
Strategies for improving mental health literacy among nursing professionals
Evaluating the role of nurses in suicide prevention and intervention
The challenges and strategies in nursing care for patients with dual diagnoses (co-existing mental health and substance use disorders)
Examining the use of music therapy for mental health promotion
The effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy for anxiety disorders
The relationship between mental health and nutrition
The impact of trauma on mental health outcomes
Investigating the use of art therapy in promoting mental health and wellbeing
The role of spirituality in mental health and coping
The effectiveness of group therapy for mental health disorders
The impact of stigma on mental health outcomes
Examining the effectiveness of psychopharmacology in treating mental health disorders
The role of family support in promoting mental health and wellbeing
Investigating the relationship between mental health and substance abuse
The effectiveness of animal-assisted therapy in promoting mental health and wellbeing
The impact of social media on mental health outcomes
Examining the use of humor in promoting mental health and wellbeing
The effectiveness of cognitive training for improving mental health outcomes
Investigating the impact of gender and cultural factors on mental health outcomes
The role of occupational therapy in promoting mental health and wellbeing
Examining the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy for mental health disorders
The relationship between mental health and physical activity
Investigating the use of peer support for mental health promotion
The effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction for mental health
The impact of technology on mental health outcomes
The role of nutrition in treating mental health disorders
Examining the use of hypnotherapy in promoting mental health and wellbeing
The effectiveness of psychotherapy for PTSD
Investigating the relationship between mental health and social determinants of health
The impact of social isolation on mental health outcomes
Examining the use of dance therapy in promoting mental health and wellbeing
The effectiveness of cognitive processing therapy for mental health disorders
The role of self-care in promoting mental health and wellbeing in nurses

Health Promotion

Research into health promotion strategies using technology, social media, and other digital tools is a rapidly growing area of nursing research. Such research can help identify innovative and effective ways to promote health and well-being in communities and patient populations.

List of Nursing Research Topics: Health Promotion

The effectiveness of community-based interventions in promoting physical activity and healthy eating habits
Investigating the impact of social media on health behavior and lifestyle changes
The role of nursing in promoting healthy behaviors and preventing chronic diseases
Identifying effective strategies for improving health literacy among underserved populations
Exploring the use of wearable technology in promoting physical activity and healthy lifestyles
Evaluating the effectiveness of nurse-led health promotion campaigns on community health outcomes
The role of nurses in promoting vaccinations in various populations
Strategies for nurses to address health literacy and its impact on patient outcomes
The influence of cultural competence in health promotion and disease prevention
Assessing the role of nurses in promoting physical activity and healthy lifestyles in at-risk populations
Investigating the role of family support in promoting healthy behaviors among children and adolescents
Examining the effectiveness of peer-led interventions in promoting healthy lifestyles
Investigating the impact of workplace wellness programs on employee health and productivity
The impact of milk consumption on children’s growth
The role of nursing in promoting smoking cessation and reducing tobacco use
Exploring the use of motivational interviewing in promoting behavior change and improving health outcomes
Investigating the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions in promoting mental and physical health
The role of social support in promoting healthy behaviors and preventing chronic diseases
Examining the effectiveness of school-based interventions in promoting healthy behaviors among children and adolescents
Exploring the use of technology in promoting health education and behavior change
Investigating the role of culture and ethnicity in promoting healthy behaviors and preventing chronic diseases
Nursing: a beautiful blend of art and science
Examining the effectiveness of community health worker programs in promoting healthy lifestyles
The role of nursing in promoting healthy aging and preventing age-related diseases
Investigating the impact of environmental factors on health behavior and lifestyle changes
Exploring the use of incentives in promoting behavior change and improving health outcomes
Investigating the effectiveness of group-based interventions in promoting healthy lifestyles
Examining the impact of policy interventions on health behavior and lifestyle changes
The effects of sleep deprivation on students’ cognitive functions and emotional state
The role of nursing in promoting healthy sleep habits and reducing sleep disorders
Investigating the effectiveness of mobile health interventions in promoting behavior change and improving health outcomes
Exploring the use of positive psychology interventions in promoting mental and physical health
Investigating the role of healthcare providers in promoting healthy behaviors and preventing chronic diseases
Examining the effectiveness of workplace policies in promoting healthy lifestyles
The role of nursing in promoting healthy sexual behaviors and preventing sexually transmitted infections
Investigating the impact of stress on health behavior and lifestyle changes
Exploring the use of community-based participatory research in promoting healthy behaviors and preventing chronic diseases
The delicate dance: balancing art and science in the nursing profession
Investigating the role of nutrition in promoting healthy behaviors and preventing chronic diseases
Examining the effectiveness of self-management interventions in promoting healthy lifestyles
The role of nursing in promoting healthy pregnancy and preventing maternal and child health problems
Investigating the impact of socioeconomic status on health behavior and lifestyle changes
Exploring the use of health coaching in promoting behavior change and improving health outcomes
Investigating the role of spirituality in promoting mental and physical health
Examining the effectiveness of school-based policies in promoting healthy lifestyles
The role of nursing in promoting healthy relationships and preventing intimate partner violence
Investigating the impact of social determinants of health on health behavior and lifestyle changes
Exploring the use of mobile applications in promoting healthy behaviors and preventing chronic diseases
Investigating the role of health literacy in promoting healthy behaviors and preventing chronic diseases

Palliative Care

Improving the quality of life of seriously ill patients and their families during end-of-life care is another critical area of nursing research. Nurses can explore different interventions and support programs that can enhance the palliative care experience.

List of Nursing Research Topics: Palliative Care

The effectiveness of palliative care on improving quality of life for cancer patients
Understanding the needs and experiences of family caregivers in palliative care
Palliative care and end-of-life decision-making: exploring patient and family preferences
Optimizing the clarifying diagnosis of stomach cancer
Improving access to palliative care for patients in rural areas
The role of spirituality in palliative care for terminally ill patients
Investigating the impact of music therapy on patients receiving palliative care
Developing effective communication strategies for discussing end-of-life care with patients and families
Exploring the experiences and needs of patients with non-cancer diagnoses in palliative care
The impact of nurse-led interventions in improving the quality of life for patients in palliative care
Evaluating the training needs of nurses in delivering end-of-life care
The role of nursing in managing symptoms and side effects in palliative care patients
Strategies for improving communication between nurses and families during end-of-life care
Assessing the ethical considerations and challenges faced by nurses in palliative care settings
Evaluating the effectiveness of home-based palliative care programs
Palliative care for pediatric patients: understanding unique challenges and opportunities
The impact of cultural and ethnic differences on palliative care provision
Investigating the role of social support in palliative care for older adults
The effectiveness of advance care planning in improving end-of-life care
Understanding the experiences and needs of patients with neurological diseases in palliative care
Exploring the impact of palliative care on reducing healthcare costs
Investigating the role of complementary therapies in palliative care
Improving symptom management in palliative care through medication optimization
Palliative care and spiritual care: exploring the intersection of these two domains
The impact of palliative care on reducing hospital readmissions
Investigating the role of occupational therapy in palliative care
Developing effective pain management strategies for patients receiving palliative care
Understanding the experiences and needs of patients with heart failure in palliative care
The role of pet therapy in improving quality of life for patients in palliative care
Investigating the impact of palliative care on reducing caregiver burden
Understanding the experiences and needs of patients with lung disease in palliative care
Exploring the impact of palliative care on reducing healthcare utilization
Investigating the role of nutrition in palliative care for patients with cancer
Understanding the experiences and needs of patients with kidney disease in palliative care
Improving palliative care for patients with dementia: exploring unique challenges and opportunities
The role of art therapy in improving quality of life for patients in palliative care
Investigating the impact of palliative care on reducing emergency department visits
Developing effective communication strategies for discussing end-of-life care with patients with cognitive impairment
Understanding the experiences and needs of patients with liver disease in palliative care
Palliative care for patients with substance use disorders: unique challenges and opportunities
Investigating the role of physiotherapy in palliative care
The effectiveness of psychotherapy in improving mental health outcomes for patients in palliative care
Understanding the experiences and needs of patients with multiple chronic conditions in palliative care
Improving symptom management in palliative care through non-pharmacological interventions
Investigating the impact of palliative care on reducing healthcare disparities
Palliative care and medical aid in dying: exploring ethical and legal considerations

Healthcare Disparities

Studying the factors that contribute to healthcare disparities between different populations and identifying strategies to address these disparities is an important area of nursing research. Nurses can examine the role of social determinants of health in healthcare disparities and propose solutions to improve access and equity in healthcare.

List of Nursing Research Topics: Healthcare Disparities

Examining the relationship between socioeconomic status and healthcare disparities
Investigating the impact of implicit bias on healthcare disparities
Analyzing the impact of racial and ethnic disparities on health outcomes
Identifying disparities in access to preventative care among different populations
Exploring the impact of language barriers on healthcare disparities
Investigating the impact of discrimination on healthcare outcomes
Identifying disparities in health insurance coverage and access to healthcare services
Exploring the importance of national health insurance for socioeconomic growth
Analyzing the impact of geographic location on healthcare disparities
Evaluating the role of nursing in addressing healthcare disparities in underserved communities
The impact of socioeconomic factors on patient outcomes and nursing interventions
Strategies for nurses to promote health equity in diverse patient populations
Assessing the influence of cultural competence on reducing healthcare disparities
The role of nursing advocacy in shaping policies to reduce health inequities
Examining disparities in mental health care access and utilization
Investigating disparities in maternal and child health outcomes
Exploring the relationship between healthcare disparities and chronic disease outcomes
Identifying disparities in end-of-life care and hospice utilization
Analyzing the impact of cultural differences on healthcare outcomes
Investigating disparities in healthcare provider communication and patient engagement
Examining the impact of healthcare policy on healthcare disparities
Global health learning in nursing and health care disparities
Identifying disparities in healthcare access and utilization among the LGBTQ+ community
Exploring the impact of environmental factors on healthcare disparities
Analyzing the impact of social determinants of health on healthcare disparities
Investigating disparities in healthcare access and utilization among rural populations
Examining disparities in healthcare access and utilization among urban populations
Identifying disparities in healthcare access and utilization among immigrants and refugees
Analyzing the impact of education level on healthcare disparities
Investigating disparities in healthcare access and utilization among older adults
Examining disparities in dental health access and utilization
Identifying disparities in mental health treatment and access to services
Analyzing the impact of stigma on healthcare outcomes for marginalized populations
Investigating disparities in healthcare access and utilization among incarcerated populations
Exploring disparities in healthcare access and utilization among individuals with disabilities
Analyzing the impact of institutional racism on healthcare disparities
Investigating disparities in healthcare access and utilization among low-income populations
Examining disparities in cancer screening and early detection
Identifying disparities in access to clinical trials and experimental treatments
Analyzing the impact of the digital divide on healthcare disparities
Investigating disparities in healthcare access and utilization among veterans
Exploring the impact of healthcare worker bias on healthcare disparities
Examining the relationship between healthcare disparities and infant mortality rates
Identifying disparities in healthcare access and utilization among people with limited English proficiency
Analyzing the impact of gender on healthcare disparities
Investigating disparities in healthcare access and utilization among individuals experiencing homelessness
Exploring the impact of COVID-19 on healthcare disparities among different populations

Patient-Centered Care

Enhancing patient-centered care, including patient feedback, patient-centered communication, and patient education, is another vital area of nursing research. Nurses can investigate the impact of patient-centered care on patient outcomes and identify ways to incorporate patient preferences and values in the care process.

List of Nursing Research Topics: Patient-Centered Care

The importance of patient-centered care in improving health outcomes
Exploring the effectiveness of patient-centered communication in clinical practice
Assessing patient satisfaction with patient-centered care
The impact of nursing staffing on patient-centered care
The role of family and caregiver involvement in patient-centered care
The use of technology to enhance patient-centered care
Patient education and empowerment in promoting patient-centered care
The role of nurses in facilitating shared decision-making in patient care
Evaluating the impact of personalized care plans on patient outcomes and satisfaction
Strategies for nurses to engage patients in their care across diverse cultural backgrounds
The influence of effective communication strategies on the delivery of patient-centered care
Assessing the barriers and facilitators to implementing patient-centered care in various healthcare settings
The impact of culture on patient-centered care
Measuring the quality of patient-centered care in healthcare settings
The benefits of interdisciplinary collaboration in patient-centered care
Understanding home dialysis: benefits, barriers, and impacts on elderly patients and the healthcare system
Addressing language barriers in patient-centered care
Exploring the challenges of implementing patient-centered care in healthcare organizations
The role of patient-centered care in reducing healthcare costs
The impact of patient-centered care on patient safety
The importance of patient-centered care for vulnerable populations
The role of leadership in promoting patient-centered care
Evaluating the impact of patient-centered care on healthcare outcomes
Examining the effectiveness of patient-centered care in chronic disease management
The impact of patient-centered care on patient adherence to treatment
The importance of patient-centered care in pediatric healthcare settings
The use of patient feedback to improve patient-centered care
Pediatric oncology: working towards better treatment through evidence-based research
The role of patient-centered care in addressing health disparities
Patient-centered care in end-of-life and palliative care settings
The role of healthcare professionals in promoting patient-centered care
The impact of patient-centered care on healthcare provider job satisfaction
The importance of patient-centered care in emergency and critical care settings
The use of simulation-based training to enhance patient-centered care
The impact of patient-centered care on patient experience and engagement
The role of healthcare policy in promoting patient-centered care
Addressing the needs of patients with complex medical needs in patient-centered care
The role of the nursing profession in promoting patient-centered care
Patient-centered care in mental health and psychiatric settings
The impact of patient-centered care on healthcare provider burnout
The role of patient-centered care in promoting shared decision-making
Examining the effectiveness of patient-centered care in rural healthcare settings
The impact of patient-centered care on patient quality of life
The use of patient-centered care in managing acute and chronic pain
Addressing the needs of elderly patients in patient-centered care
The impact of patient-centered care on healthcare system performance
Promoting patient-centered care through the use of standardized patient education materials

Nursing Education

Exploring innovative approaches to nursing education and training, such as simulation-based learning and online learning, is a growing area of nursing research. Such research can help identify effective ways to prepare nursing students for their future roles in the healthcare system.

List of Nursing Research Topics: Nursing Education

The impact of simulation-based training on nursing education outcomes
The effectiveness of online learning in nursing education
Innovative approaches to clinical teaching in nursing education
The role of technology in nursing education
Student perceptions of nursing education and their impact on learning outcomes
The impact of cultural competence training on nursing students’ attitudes and behaviors
The effectiveness of peer-led teaching in nursing education
Best practices for incorporating interprofessional education into nursing curricula
The role of reflective practice in nursing education
The effectiveness of flipped classroom models in nursing education
The impact of virtual reality and augmented reality tools in nursing education
Evaluating the effectiveness of online vs. traditional classroom nursing education
Strategies for enhancing interprofessional education in nursing curricula
The role of continuous professional development in enhancing nursing competencies
Assessing the influence of mentorship programs on nursing student success and retention
Transforming advanced nursing practice: embracing IOM recommendations and higher education
The impact of mentorship on nursing students’ learning and professional development
The use of team-based learning in nursing education
The effectiveness of hands-on skills training in nursing education
Student perceptions of clinical experiences in nursing education
The impact of service learning on nursing students’ attitudes and behaviors
The role of cultural humility in nursing education
The effectiveness of blended learning in nursing education
Best practices for incorporating patient-centered care into nursing curricula
The impact of standardized patient encounters on nursing education outcomes
Importance and application of patient education technology in healthcare
The use of case-based learning in nursing education
The role of faculty development in improving nursing education outcomes
The effectiveness of clinical reasoning strategies in nursing education
The impact of nursing education on patient outcomes
The role of simulation in teaching critical thinking in nursing education
Best practices for incorporating evidence-based practice into nursing curricula
The use of gamification in nursing education
The effectiveness of problem-based learning in nursing education
The impact of nursing education on student stress and burnout
The role of intercultural competence in nursing education
The effectiveness of collaborative learning in nursing education
The impact of teaching communication skills in nursing education
Best practices for incorporating patient safety into nursing curricula
The role of interprofessional collaboration in nursing education
The effectiveness of clinical coaching in nursing education
The impact of teaching teamwork skills in nursing education
The use of high-fidelity simulation in nursing education
The role of experiential learning in nursing education
Best practices for incorporating leadership development into nursing curricula
The impact of nursing education on student retention and graduation rates
The effectiveness of self-directed learning in nursing education

Healthcare Policy

Studying the impact of healthcare policy on the nursing profession and patient outcomes, including the role of nursing in healthcare reform efforts, is a crucial area of nursing research. Nurses can examine the policy’s effect on healthcare access, quality, and affordability and propose solutions to address policy gaps and challenges.

List of Nursing Research Topics: Healthcare Policy

The impact of the affordable care act on the nursing profession
Exploring healthcare informatics: evolution, challenges, and solutions
The role of nursing in healthcare reform efforts
The impact of medicare and Medicaid on nursing practice
The impact of private insurance on nursing practice
The impact of healthcare policies on nursing workforce development
Combating workplace violence in nursing: the impact of policies, legislation, and organizational culture
The role of nursing in healthcare policy decision-making
The impact of healthcare policies on patient outcomes
The role of nurses in implementing healthcare policies
The implications of universal healthcare policies on nursing roles and responsibilities
Evaluating the impact of health insurance reforms on nursing care delivery
Strategies for nurses to influence healthcare policy decisions at the national and state levels
The role of nursing in shaping policies related to patient rights and autonomy
Assessing the influence of healthcare policy on nursing education and licensure requirements
Evaluating the impact of nurse advocacy on shaping health policies at local and national levels
Strategies for nurses to stay updated on changing healthcare policies and their implications
The role of nursing in shaping policies related to electronic health records and patient privacy
Assessing the implications of global health policies on nursing practices and education
The influence of healthcare policies on the scope of practice for advanced practice nurses
The impact of healthcare policies on nursing education and training
The impact of healthcare policies on nurse staffing ratios
The impact of healthcare policies on patient satisfaction
Understanding the impact of the American Healthcare System Regulatory Acts
The impact of healthcare policies on healthcare costs
The impact of healthcare policies on healthcare disparities
The role of nursing in advocating for healthcare policy changes
The impact of healthcare policies on patient safety
The impact of healthcare policies on nursing job satisfaction
Understanding the US. Health Care Reform: necessity, challenges, and implementation
The impact of healthcare policies on nursing burnout
The impact of healthcare policies on nursing retention rates
The impact of healthcare policies on nursing leadership
The role of nursing in shaping healthcare policies
The impact of healthcare policies on healthcare quality
Workplace violence in healthcare: causes, regulations, and prevention strategies
The impact of healthcare policies on nursing productivity
The impact of healthcare policies on healthcare access
The impact of healthcare policies on nursing workload
The impact of healthcare policies on nursing autonomy
The impact of healthcare policies on nursing scope of practice
The impact of healthcare policies on nursing professional development
The impact of healthcare policies on nursing research
The role of nursing in developing healthcare policies
Massachusetts Health Reform Act: striving for universal coverage and controlled costs
The impact of healthcare policies on nursing career advancement
The impact of healthcare policies on nursing licensure and certification
The impact of healthcare policies on nursing accreditation
The impact of healthcare policies on nursing ethics
The impact of healthcare policies on nursing professionalism
The role of nursing in healthcare policy implementation and evaluation
The impact of healthcare policies on nursing informatics
The impact of healthcare policies on nursing diversity and inclusion
The impact of healthcare policies on nursing practice in rural areas
The impact of healthcare policies on nursing practice in underserved communities
The impact of healthcare policies on international nursing practice

The Importance of Research in Nursing

Research is the bedrock of nursing practice. It provides evidence-based knowledge that informs clinical decision-making, enhances patient outcomes, and advances the nursing profession. For nursing students, engaging in research activities offers several benefits:

Enhanced Clinical Practice

Evidence-based research provides nurses with the latest knowledge and techniques to deliver optimal patient care. It bridges the gap between theoretical learning and practical application, ensuring that patients receive the most current and effective treatments.

Professional Development

Engaging in research sharpens critical thinking and analytical skills. It fosters a culture of continuous learning, allowing nurses to stay updated with the ever-evolving medical field.

Contribution to the Field

By conducting research, nurses contribute to the larger body of knowledge in healthcare. Their findings can lead to improvements in patient care, the development of new interventions, or changes in healthcare policies.

Enhanced Patient Outcomes

Research equips nurses with the knowledge to educate patients, advocate for their needs, and make informed decisions. This ensures better health outcomes and improved patient satisfaction.

Career Advancement

For those looking to advance in their careers, research can open doors to academic positions, leadership roles, or specialized fields within nursing.

Tips for Selecting a Suitable Research Topic

Align with Interests

Choose a topic that genuinely interests you. This will keep you motivated throughout the research process.

Relevance to Current Trends

Consider current trends and challenges in healthcare. Addressing contemporary issues can make your research more impactful.

Feasibility

Ensure that you have access to the necessary resources and tools to conduct your research. This includes access to participants, equipment, and relevant literature.

It’s essential to choose a topic that’s neither too broad nor too narrow. A well-defined research question will guide your study and ensure it’s manageable.

Seek Guidance

Don’t hesitate to seek advice from mentors, professors, or professionals in the field. Their insights can help refine your topic and provide valuable direction.

In conclusion, research is a vital component of the nursing profession, driving innovation and ensuring the best patient outcomes. For nursing students and professionals, engaging in research is not only a pathway to academic and career success but also a means to contribute meaningfully to the betterment of patient care.

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How AI improves physician and nurse collaboration

A new artificial intelligence model helps physicians and nurses work together at Stanford Hospital to boost patient care.

April 15, 2024 - By Hanae Armitage

An artificial intelligence model in use at Stanford Hospital helps physicians and nurses know when a patient may be in decline, so they can act quickly to keep them out of the intensive care unit. vachcameraman - stock.adobe.com

With large language models that take notes during patient visits and algorithms that identify disease, artificial intelligence has begun to prove its worth as an assistant for physicians. But a new study from Stanford Medicine shows the potential of AI as a facilitator — one that helps doctors and nurses connect to achieve more efficient, effective patient care.

The study , which published in JAMA Internal Medicine last month, describes an AI-based model in use at Stanford Hospital that predicts when a patient is declining and flags the patient’s physicians and nurses. Ron Li , MD, a clinical associate professor of medicine and medical informatics director for digital health who is the senior author on the study, said the alert system helps clinicians connect more efficiently and effectively as well as intervene to prevent patients from deteriorating and landing in the intensive care unit.

Li, who worked with informatics postdoctoral scholar and lead author Robert Gallo , MD, on the evaluation, discussed their team’s approach to harnessing the algorithm and how it fosters clinician connection in a ceaselessly buzzing hospital environment. Lisa Shieh , MD, PhD, clinical professor of medicine; Margaret Smith , executive director of the Healthcare AI Applied Research Team , operations for primary care and population health; and Jerri Westphal, nursing informatics manager, also helped lead the study and the implementation of the AI system.

What is a deterioration model and how does AI fit in?

The algorithm is a prediction model that pulls data — such as vital signs, information from electronic health records and lab results — in near-real time to predict whether a patient in the hospital is about to suffer a health decline. Physicians aren’t able to monitor all of these data points for every patient all of the time, so the model runs in the background, looking at these values about every 15 minutes. It then uses artificial intelligence to calculate a risk score on the probability the patient is going to deteriorate, and if the patient seems like they might be declining, the model sends an alert to the care team.

What’s the benefit of having such a model run in a hospital?

The big question I want to answer is, “How do we use AI to build a more resilient health system in high-stakes situations?” There are many ways to do that, but one core characteristic for a resilient system is strong communication channels. This model is powered by AI, but the action it triggers, the intervention, is basically a conversation that otherwise may not have happened.

Nurses and physicians have conversations and handoffs when they change shifts, but it’s difficult to standardize these communication channels due to busy schedules and other hospital dynamics. The algorithm can help standardize it and draw clinicians’ attention to a patient who may need additional care. Once the alert comes into the nurse and physician simultaneously, it initiates a conversation about what the patient needs to ensure they don’t decline to the point of requiring a transfer to the ICU.

Tell me about how your team implemented and evaluated the model.

We integrated this model, which we did not create, into our workflow, but with a few tweaks. Originally, it sent an alert when the patient was already deteriorating, which we didn’t find very helpful. We adjusted the model to focus on predicting ICU transfers and other indicators of health decline.

We wanted to ensure the nursing team was heavily involved and felt empowered to initiate conversations with physicians about adjusting a patient’s care. When we evaluated the tool, which we had running for almost 10,000 patients, we saw a significant improvement in clinical outcomes — a 10.4% decrease in deterioration events, which we defined as transfers to the ICU, rapid response team events, or codes — among a subset of 963 patients with risk scores within a “regression discontinuity window,” which basically means they’re at the cusp of being high risk. These are patients whose clinical trajectory may not be as obvious to the medical team. For that group of patients, this model was especially helpful for encouraging physicians and nurses to collaborate to determine which patients need extra tending.

How have nurses and physicians responded to the integration of this new model?

The model is far from perfect. The reactions have overall been positive, but there is concern about alert fatigue, since not all alerts are flagging a real decline. When the model was validated on data from patients prior to implementation, we calculated that about 20% of patients flagged by the model did end up experiencing a deterioration event within six to 18 hours. At this point, even though it’s not a completely accurate model, it’s accurate enough to warrant a conversation. It shows that the algorithm doesn’t have to be perfect for it to be effective.

With that said, we want to improve the accuracy; you need to do that to improve trust. That’s what we’re working on now.

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About Stanford Medicine

Stanford Medicine is an integrated academic health system comprising the Stanford School of Medicine and adult and pediatric health care delivery systems. Together, they harness the full potential of biomedicine through collaborative research, education and clinical care for patients. For more information, please visit med.stanford.edu .

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When Patients Do Their Own Research

At its best, medicine will be a process of shared decision making, and doctors need to be prepared.

Futurist illustration of doctor holding notes

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Produced by ElevenLabs and News Over Audio (NOA) using AI narration.

Miscarriage early in pregnancy is very common—roughly one-fifth of detected pregnancies are thought to end in miscarriage, mostly in the first trimester. After a single miscarriage, patients are typically told that no further testing is needed; most women go on to have healthy pregnancies.

But after multiple miscarriages, doctors and patients begin a process of figuring out what is going on. In these situations, a lot of patients will take information gathering into their own hands. They’ll compile ideas from Google, WebMD, chat boards, support groups, friends, and friends of friends. Patients may arrive at their doctor’s office with file folders of information, a cobbled-together idea of their possibilities. Meanwhile, doctors have clinical knowledge, but they may struggle—especially given their limited time—to engage with their patients’ ideas and guide them.

Medicine wasn’t always this sort of shared process. Not long ago, medical decision making was largely left to doctors. Patients were a passive bunch, arriving at the doctor with their concerns and symptoms, and departing with their doctor’s orders. But today patients have incredible access to information online and elsewhere, and this has prompted a shift to what is sometimes called “shared decision making”: patients and doctors, together, sharing the burden of making consequential health choices.

Emily Oster: Thinking about pregnancy like an economist

This approach sounds great in principle. Shouldn’t patients be involved in decision making about their own health? In the area of obstetrics, the alternative brings to mind deliveries of the 1950s—white-coated doctors smoking cigarettes in their office while women labor in “twilight sleep,” even, in many cases, strapped to the bed. Surely if women had been involved, they would have opted for something a bit more comfortable.

In practice, though, shared decision making can be a source of frustration and confusion, for both sides. From the patient side, it can feel like doctors are either expecting too much engagement— Isn’t it your job to know what to do?— or not listening and not taking the patient’s ideas and preferences seriously. Sometimes it feels like all of this at once. From the medical side, frustration also comes in several forms—with patients who do not want to engage with the decision, and with those who do but are unwilling to listen to expert advice. Why won’t they listen to me? A patient who arrives with her own research can give the impression that she believes her Google search makes her an expert in medicine.

We, the authors of this article, come at this from both angles—one of us is a doctor, and one of us is an expert in statistics who has made a career of helping millions of pregnant people sort through data to make their own best decisions. We both believe that shared decision making in medicine can work, but many doctor-patient interactions today are not working. In our new book, The Unexpected , we try to provide a road map for improving this interaction, focusing on pregnancy. Our idea is simple. Two things are missing from this conversation: some common knowledge, and a script.

First, patients cannot engage with shared decision making if they do not understand the basics of their condition. To return to the example of miscarriage: A very large share of first-trimester miscarriages are a result of chromosomal abnormalities. If a patient does not know how chromosomes work in conception and what might influence them, discussing miscarriage prevention will be difficult. A patient doesn’t possess a doctor’s understanding of their condition—this would be unrealistic—but acquiring basic knowledge will allow patients to most effectively hear and process what is being said.

In particular, patients may benefit from getting a handle on the fundamental medical terminology associated with whatever symptoms they are presenting. Unfamiliar jargon can spark fear far beyond what one would feel if she knew what was being said. “Antiphospholipid antibody syndrome” sounds terrifying if you don’t know that, for many, it’s a treatable condition. When patients do not understand, many will shut down, unable to ask the questions they have or engage with the choices they need to make.

As a result, before doctors ask people to engage with decisions about their health, they need to prepare them. Our book tries to do this for people facing complicated pregnancy conditions. In other cases—cancer treatment, diabetes, other chronic illnesses—different resources exist. Patients should do some homework before they go to the doctor’s office.

The second thing these conversations need is a script. If patients and their doctor had limitless time to talk, then maybe it would be okay to enter the conversation with only a vague idea of the purpose. But time is limited, and that means a script is key, prioritizing questions where the answers matter for decisions.

To return to the miscarriage example, a script might start with the details of what happened. Knowing exactly when in pregnancy a loss occurred, what kind of testing followed it, and how many times it has happened will shape next steps. A second question is whether there are clues as to why it happened, which will inform whether it will happen again. A script might end by talking about what can be done to decrease risk, if anything.

Read: When evidence says no, but doctors say yes

In the best form of this conversation, the doctor brings a deep understanding of what might be going on medically with the patient, the range of possible tests, and what those tests might reveal to the patient. The patient brings a knowledge of their own preferences and their own emotional state. How much information do they want to know? Would they be willing to use more complex medical treatments if they were recommended? Are they even ready to engage emotionally with thinking about trying for pregnancy again?

The central recognition here is that shared decision making isn’t about both sides bringing the same thing to the table and deliberating about it. It’s about two different types of expertise—expertise in medicine on the part of the doctor, and expertise in herself on the part of the patient. Seeing this, in turn, can help the doctors and the patient both recognize when one decision maker should be paramount, or when a decision requires input from both.

An emergency situation—when, say, a person has been in a bike accident, his blood pressure is low, and he is bleeding from his head—isn’t the time for shared decision making. This is when the medical side takes over. No patient needs to be asked whether they think it’s a good idea to scan their head for a skull fracture. At the other end of the spectrum are decisions such as prenatal genetic screening and testing, which are in many cases almost exclusively about patient values and preferences.

Most decisions fall somewhere in between, requiring medical input but with room for patients’ preferences to play a role. Attempting a vaginal birth after a C-section is an example here—both a repeat Cesarean and an attempted vaginal birth have their risks and benefits. The medical expertise comes in explaining these risks and benefits, but the decision for many women here should come down to their own preferences.

With better understanding, clear scripts, and a sense of when different decision makers should dominate, we believe there is space for some decision making to be truly shared. But one more crucial element should be present: trust. Sometimes the desire by patients to play a role in their medical care can seem like a lack of trust in their doctors. And on the flip side, when patients do not feel like their concerns, ideas, or preferences are being listened to, they can lose trust in their provider to find what is best for them . Good decisions require the trust to recognize that we are all rowing in the same direction, and the willingness to engage so we can get there.

When you buy a book using a link on this page, we receive a commission. Thank you for supporting The Atlantic.

21 Healthcare Topics Patients Cared Most About in 2021 (And How to Plan for 2022)

Solv creates powerful solutions for providers to offer an engaging patient experience, and grow their practice. For patients, we have an app where 9 million healthcare consumers search for care every month. With many consumers turning to Solv for their everyday healthcare needs, we have a team dedicated to making the healthcare system easier for our users to navigate.

For providers, understanding the topics that patients are reading about online can unlock new perspectives. There are a few illuminating takeaways in this data about what patients are missing from their healthcare experience.

Our blog for healthcare consumers was viewed over 1.5 million times in 2021. We compiled all of the trending topics patients cared the most about this year to help you understand what they were concerned about. Here are the top topics (and blogs!) healthcare consumers were reading in 2021.

21 Healthcare Topics Patients Cared Most About in 2021 (And How to Plan for 2022)

The majority of patients were reading up on everyday healthcare concerns

From creative ways to remove a splinter to how to fight the flu , healthcare consumers spent the majority of their time online reading up on everyday health concerns. 68% of the readership of our top blogs covered everyday obstacles patients face in seeking care.

What’s the takeaway?

We know that 72% of consumers search for a healthcare provider online , and a whopping 89% of the U.S. population Google their symptoms before they reach out to their doctor. More than ever, patients are taking their health-related questions online.

And you can see the value in patients finding answers online, especially when patient volume is high . Patients can look up simple things—like which foods are healthy—that don’t require a provider.

How to take action

Take advantage of this surging website traffic by building up your own website with blog content. This is a long-term strategy that will inevitably boost your online bookings .

Start a blog on your website, and answer commonly asked questions for your patients online. You can even email or post on social media when these topics are timely—like tips to avoid the flu during respiratory season—to serve as a reminder for your patients.

6 Creative Ways to Remove a Splinter | #1 viewed blog in 2021 | 12:55 average minutes spent reading
Antibiotics: Everything You Need to Know | 7:10 average minutes spent reading
Can You Get an STD Test at an Urgent Care? | 8:07 average minutes spent reading
10 Flu (& COVID-19) Fighters for Your Family | 5:48 average minutes spent reading
What to Do if You Get a Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) | 19:04 average minutes spent reading
4 "Healthy" Foods That Can Kill You | 12:05 average minutes spent reading
Breast Self-Exams: Do You Need Them? Everything You Need to Know | 21 average minutes spent reading

Patients are investing time in understanding how their healthcare experience should be

Patients are curious about their health. We’ve seen this rising trend in patient behavior since 2017, and it continues 5 years later.

Consumers are becoming active participants in their healthcare. Patients research on Google before they seek care, they want to be prepared for conversations with providers, and they expect to know the cost of the care they are paying for up front.

Patients spent an average of 7.7 minutes reading each of these blogs (and if you’re familiar with marketing and website data, this is extremely high!) This hints to us that healthcare consumers are really invested in the topic.

Patients want to understand and be able to participate in their healthcare experiences.

Get clear on how important your office’s role in your patients’ healthcare experience actually is. Great patient care doesn’t stop at patient experience. Are you being transparent with your pricing and enabling your patients to make the best financial decisions when it comes to their care? Are you helping patients understand how to navigate the healthcare system when they need it? Are you educating patients about when it’s appropriate to seek ambulatory care?

Healthcare is confusing for everyone—but it shouldn’t be. Everyone deserves to be free from the stress of everyday healthcare.

Use these topics as a starting point for what information your own patients might be missing. Create a plan to help patients navigate the confusing healthcare system better, and will improve their experience with your brand.

What You Need to Know About Going to Urgent Care During Pregnancy
What is a Nurse Practitioner? Doctors vs. Nurse Practitioners
Guide to Navigating an Urgent Care Visit Without Insurance
Reduce Your Urgent Care Wait Time by Booking Your Visit Online
5 Mistakes To Avoid When Going to Urgent Care
What Services Do Urgent Care Centers Provide?
How Much Does Urgent Care Cost?

COVID topics were focused on getting back to “normal”

Of course, patients were also spending time researching topics related to the COVID-19 pandemic this year. Compared to the information patients wanted about COVID in 2020, most of the top-read articles this year were about getting back to normal. Well, the new normal.

Patients spent 2021 learning to adapt to life with COVID-19. In 2021, they were reading up on vaccination, how to protect themselves and their families, and how to handle un-vaxxed family members during the holidays.

Keep educating your patients on vaccines, their efficacy, and the impact widespread vaccination can have on our population. But keep in mind that your patients are human, and they care most about how the virus affects them and their families. Vaccination means getting back to ‘normal,’ being able to travel again, and feeling safe doing everyday activities.

COVID Vaccine Booster Shots: What You Need to Know
Delta Got You Down? Facts About the Variant and Tips To Protect Yourself
Fully Vaccinated? Here’s What You Can Start Doing Again Safely
10 Tips to Help You Find a COVID Vaccine Appointment
Etiquette Expert: Host a Joyous Thanksgiving and Avoid Covid Conflict
Solv It! Keeping Kids Healthy in the Face of COVID and the Delta Variant
Going Back to School During COVID

Understanding the topics that your patients are reading about can unlock powerful information for providers. Use these takeaways and action items to build your 2022 strategies around the office. Are you going to do more education on how your clinic works? Are you going to introduce new information on common healthcare concerns? Revamp your COVID education?

*all reporting based on data from 1/1/21–12/5/21.

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Technology as a Tool for Improving Patient Safety

Introduction .

In the past several decades, technological advances have opened new possibilities for improving patient safety. Using technology to digitize healthcare processes has the potential to increase standardization and efficiency of clinical workflows and to reduce errors and cost across all healthcare settings. 1 However, if technological approaches are designed or implemented poorly, the burden on clinicians can increase. For example, overburdened clinicians can experience alert fatigue and fail to respond to notifications. This can lead to more medical errors. As a testament to the significance of this topic in recent years, several government agencies [(e.g. the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services (CMS)] have developed resources to help healthcare organizations integrate technology, such as the Safety Assurance Factors for EHR Resilience (SAFER) guides developed by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC). 2,3,4 However, there is some evidence that these resources have not been widely used.5 Recently, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) started requiring hospitals to use the SAFER guides as part of the FY 2022 Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems (IPPS), which should raise awareness and uptake of the guides. 6

During 2022, research into technological approaches was a major theme of articles on PSNet. Researchers reviewed all relevant articles on PSNet and consulted with Dr. A Jay Holmgren, PhD, and Dr. Susan McBride, PhD, subject matter experts in health IT and its role in patient safety. Key topics and themes are highlighted below.

Clinical Decision Support

The most prominent focus in the 2022 research on technology, based on the number of articles published on PSNet, was related to clinical decision support (CDS) tools. CDS provides clinicians, patients, and other individuals with relevant data (e.g. patient-specific information), purposefully filtered and delivered through a variety of formats and channels, to improve and enhance care. 7

Computerized Patient Order Entry

One of the main applications of CDS is in computerized patient order entry (CPOE), which is the process used by clinicians to enter and send treatment instructions via a computer application. 8 While the change from paper to electronic order entry itself can reduce errors (e.g., due to unclear handwriting or manual copy errors), research in 2022 showed that there is room for improvement in order entry systems, as well as some promising novel approaches.

Two studies looked at the frequency of and reasons for medication errors in the absence of CDS and CPOE and demonstrated that there was a clear patient safety need. One study found that most medication errors occurred during the ordering or prescribing stage, and both this study and the other study found that the most common medication error was incorrect dose. Ongoing research, such as the AHRQ Medication Safety Measure Development project, aims to develop and validate measure specifications for wrong-patient, wrong-dose, wrong-medication, wrong-route, and wrong-frequency medication orders within EHR systems, in order to better understand and capture health IT safety events.9 Errors of this type could be avoided or at least reduced through the use of effective CPOE and CDS systems. However, even when CPOE and CDS are in place, errors can still occur and even be caused by the systems themselves. One study reviewed duplicate medication orders and found that 20% of duplicate orders resulted from technological issues, including alerts being overridden, alerts not firing, and automation issues (e.g., prefilled fields). A case study last year Illustrated one of the technological issues, in this case a manual keystroke error, that can lead to a safety event. A pharmacist mistakenly set the start date for a medication to the following year rather than the following day , which the CPOE system failed to flag. The authors recommended various alerts and coding changes in the system to prevent this particular error in the future.

There were also studies in 2022 that showed successful outcomes of well-implemented CPOE systems. One in-depth pre-post, mixed-methods study showed that a fully implemented CPOE system significantly reduced specific serious and commonly occurring prescribing and procedural errors. The authors also presented evidence that it was cost-effective and detailed implementation lessons learned drawn from the qualitative data collected for the study. A specific CPOE function that demonstrated statistically significant improvement in 2022 was automatic deprescribing of medication orders and communication of the relevant information to pharmacies. Deprescribing is the planned and supervised process of dose reduction or stopping of a medication that is no longer beneficial or could be causing harm. That study showed an immediate and sustained 78% increase in successful discontinuations after implementation of the software. A second study on the same functionality determined that currently only one third to one half of medications are e-prescribed, and the study proposed that e-prescribing should be expanded to increase the impact of the deprescribing software. It should be noted, however, that the systems were not perfect and that a small percentage of medications were unintentionally cancelled. Finally, an algorithm to detect patients in need of follow-up after test results was developed and implemented in another study . The algorithm showed some process improvements, but outcome measures were not reported.

Usability

Usability of CDS systems was a large focus of research in 2022. Poorly designed systems that do not fit into existing workflows lead to frustrated users and increase the potential for errors. For example, if users are required to enter data in multiple places or prompted to enter data that are not available to them, they could find ways to work around the system or even cease to use it, increasing the potential for patient safety errors. The documentation burden is already very high on U.S. clinicians, 10 so it is important that novel technological approaches do not add to this burden but, if possible, alleviate it by offering a high level of usability and interoperability.

One study used human-factored design in creating a CDS to diagnose pulmonary embolism in the Emergency Department and then surveyed clinician users about their experiences using the tool. Despite respondents giving the tool high usability ratings and reporting that the CDS was valuable, actual use of the tool was low. Based on the feedback from users, the authors proposed some changes to increase uptake, but both users and authors mentioned the challenges that arise when trying to change the existing workflow of clinicians without increasing their burden. Another study gathered qualitative feedback from clinicians on a theoretical CDS system for diagnosing neurological issues in the Emergency Department. In this study too, many clinicians saw the potential value in the CDS tool but had concerns about workflow integration and whether it would impact their ability to make clinical decisions. Finally, one study developed a dashboard to display various risk factors for multiple hospital-acquired infections and gathered feedback from users. The users generally found the dashboard useful and easy to learn, and they also provided valuable feedback on color scales, location, and types of data displayed. All of these studies show that attention to end user needs and preferences is necessary for successful implementation of CDS. However, the recent market consolidation in Electronic Health Record vendors may have an impact on the amount of user feedback gathered and integrated into CDS systems. Larger vendors may have more resources to devote to improving the usability and design of CDS, or their near monopolies in the market may not provide an incentive to innovate further. 11 More research is needed as this trend continues.

Alerts and Alarms

Alerts and alarms are an important part of most CDS systems, as they can prompt clinicians with important and timely information during the treatment process. However, these alerts and alarms must be accurate and useful to elicit an appropriate response. The tradeoff between increased safety due to alerts and clinician alert fatigue is an important balance to strike. 12

Many studies in 2022 looked at clinician responses to medication-related alerts, including override and modification rates. Several of the studies found a high alert override rate but questioned the validity of using override rates alone as a marker of CDS effectiveness and usability. For example, one study looked at drug allergy alerts and found that although 44.8% of alerts were overridden, only 9.3% of those were inappropriately overridden, and very few overrides led to an adverse allergic reaction. A study on “do not give” alerts found that clinicians modified their orders to comply with alert recommendations after 78% of alerts but only cancelled orders after 26% of alerts. A scoping review looked at drug-drug interaction alerts and found similar results, including high override rates and the need for more data on why alerts are overridden. These findings are supported by another study that found that the underlying drug value sets triggering drug-drug interaction alerts are often inconsistent, leading to many inappropriate alerts that are then appropriately overridden by clinicians. These studies suggest that while a certain number of overrides should be expected, the underlying criteria for alert systems should be designed and regularly reviewed with specificity and sensitivity in mind. This will increase the frequency of appropriate alerts that foster indicated clinical action and reduce alert fatigue.

There also seems to be variability in the effectiveness of alert systems across sites. One study looked at an alert to add an item to the problem list if a clinician placed an order for a medication that was not indicated based on the patient’s chart. The study found about 90% accuracy in alerts across two sites but a wide difference in the frequency of appropriate action between the sites (83% and 47%). This suggests that contextual factors at each site, such as culture and organizational processes, may impact success as much as the technology itself.

A different study looked at the psychology of dismissing alerts using log data and found that dismissing alerts becomes habitual and that the habit is self-reinforcing over time. Furthermore, nearly three quarters of alerts were dismissed within 3 seconds. This indicates how challenging it can be to change or disrupt alert habits once they are formed.

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

In recent years, one of the largest areas of burgeoning technology in healthcare has been artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. AI and machine learning use algorithms to absorb large amounts of historical and real-time data and then predict outcomes and recommend treatment options as new data are entered by clinicians. Research in 2022 showed that these techniques are starting to be integrated into EHR and CDS systems, but challenges remain. A full discussion of this topic is beyond the scope of this review. Here we limit the discussion to several patient-safety-focused resources posted on PSNet in 2022.

One of the promising aspects of AI is its ability to improve CDS processes and clinician workflow overall. For example, one study last year looked at using machine learning to improve and filter CDS alerts. They found that the software could reduce alert volume by 54% while maintaining high precision. Reducing alert volume has the potential to alleviate alert fatigue and habitual overriding. Another topic explored in a scoping review was the use of AI to reduce adverse drug events. While only a few studies reviewed implementation in a clinical setting (most evaluated algorithm technical performance), several promising uses were found for AI systems that predict risk of an adverse drug event, which would facilitate early detection and mitigate negative effects.

Despite enthusiasm for and promising applications of AI, implementation is slow. One of the challenges facing implementation is the variable quality of the systems. For example, a commonly used sepsis detection model was recently found to have very low sensitivity. 13 Algorithms also drift over time as new data are integrated, and this can affect performance, particularly during and after large disturbances like the COVID-19 pandemic. 14 There is also emerging research about the impact of AI algorithms on racial and ethnic biases in healthcare; at the time of publication of this essay, an AHRQ EPC was conducting a review of evidence on the topic. 15 These examples highlight the fact that AI is not a “set it and forget it” application; it requires monitoring and customization from a dedicated resource to ensure that the algorithms perform well over time. A related challenge is the lack of a strong business case for using high-quality AI. Because of this, many health systems choose to use out-of-the-box AI algorithms, which may be of poor quality overall (or are unsuited to particular settings) and may also be “black box” algorithms (i.e., not customizable by the health system because the vendor will not allow access to the underlying code). 16 The variable quality and the lack of transparency may cause mistrust by clinicians and overall aversion to AI interventions.

In an attempt to address these concerns, one article in 2022 detailed best practices for AI implementation in health systems, focusing on the business case. Best practices include using AI to address a priority problem for the health system rather than treating it as an end itself. Additionally, testing the AI using the health system’s patients and data to demonstrate applicability and accuracy for that setting, confirming that the AI can provide a return on investment, and ensuring that the AI can be implemented easily and efficiently are also important. Another white paper described a human-factors and ergonomics framework for developing AI in order to improve the implementation within healthcare systems, teams, and workflows. The federal government and international organizations have also published AI guidelines, focusing on increasing trustworthiness (National Artificial Intelligence Initiative) 17 and ensuring ethical governance (World Health Organization). 18

Conclusion and Next Steps

As highlighted in this review, the scope and complexity of technology and its application in healthcare can be intimidating for healthcare systems to approach and implement. Researchers last year thus created a framework that health systems can use to assess their digital maturity and guide their plans for further integration.

The field would benefit from more research in several areas in upcoming years. First and foremost, high-quality prospective outcome studies are needed to validate the effectiveness of the new technologies. Second, more work is needed on system usability, how the systems are integrated into workflows, and how they affect the documentation burden placed on clinicians. For CDS specifically, more focus is needed on patient-centered CDS (PC CDS), which supports patient-centered care by helping clinicians and patients make the best decisions given each individual’s circumstances and preferences. 19 AHRQ is already leading efforts in this field with their CDS Innovation Collaborative project. 20 Finally, as it becomes more common to incorporate EHR scribes to ease the documentation burden, research on their impact on patient safety will be needed, especially in relation to new technological approaches. For example, when a scribe encounters a CDS alert, do they alert the clinician in all cases?

In addition to the approaches mentioned in this article, other emerging technologies in early stages of development hold theoretical promise for improving patient safety. One prominent example is “computer vision,” which uses cameras and AI to gather and process data on what physically happens in healthcare settings beyond what is captured in EHR data, 21 including being able to detect immediately that a patient fell in their room. 22

As technology continues to expand and improve, researchers, clinicians, and health systems must be mindful of potential stumbling blocks that could impede progress and threaten patient safety. However, technology presents a wide array of opportunities to make healthcare more integrated, efficient, and safe.

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Dullabh P, Sandberg SF, Heaney-Huls K, et al. Challenges and opportunities for advancing patient-centered clinical decision support: findings from a horizon scan. J Am Med Inform Assoc. 2022: 29(7):1233-1243. doi: 10.1093/jamia/ocac059. PMID: 35534996; PMCID: PMC9196686.
https://cds.ahrq.gov/cdsic
Yeung S, Downing NL, Fei-Fei L, et al. Bedside computer vision: moving artificial intelligence from driver assistance to patient safety. N Engl J Med. 2018;387:1271-1273. https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMp1716891
Espinosa R, Ponce H, Gutiérrez S, et al. A vision-based approach for fall detection using multiple cameras and convolutional neural networks: a case study using the UP-Fall detection dataset. Comput Biol Med. 2019;115:103520. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compbiomed.2019.103520

This project was funded under contract number 75Q80119C00004 from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The authors are solely responsible for this report’s contents, findings, and conclusions, which do not necessarily represent the views of AHRQ. Readers should not interpret any statement in this report as an official position of AHRQ or of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. None of the authors has any affiliation or financial involvement that conflicts with the material presented in this report. View AHRQ Disclaimers

Perspective

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Annual Perspective

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Emergency department crowding: the canary in the health care system. November 3, 2021

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Improving the specificity of drug-drug interaction alerts: can it be done? April 6, 2022

A qualitative study of prescribing errors among multi-professional prescribers within an e-prescribing system. December 23, 2020

The tradeoffs between safety and alert fatigue: data from a national evaluation of hospital medication-related clinical decision support. July 29, 2020

Assessment of health information technology-related outpatient diagnostic delays in the US Veterans Affairs health care system: a qualitative study of aggregated root cause analysis data. July 22, 2020

Reducing drug prescription errors and adverse drug events by application of a probabilistic, machine-learning based clinical decision support system in an inpatient setting. August 21, 2019

Improving medication-related clinical decision support. March 7, 2018

The frequency of inappropriate nonformulary medication alert overrides in the inpatient setting. April 6, 2016

The effect of provider characteristics on the responses to medication-related decision support alerts. July 15, 2015

Best practices: an electronic drug alert program to improve safety in an accountable care environment. July 1, 2015

Impact of computerized physician order entry alerts on prescribing in older patients. March 25, 2015

Differences of reasons for alert overrides on contraindicated co-prescriptions by admitting department. December 17, 2014

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In Reversal, Expert Panel Recommends Breast Cancer Screening at 40

Some researchers said the advice did not go far enough. The panel also declined to recommend extra scans for women with dense breast tissue.

A medical professional points at a mammogram scan displayed on a screen.

By Roni Caryn Rabin

Citing rising breast cancer rates in young women, an expert panel on Tuesday recommended starting regular mammography screening at age 40, reversing longstanding and controversial guidance that most women wait until 50.

The panel, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, finalized a draft recommendation made public last year . The group issues influential advice on preventive health, and its recommendations usually are widely adopted in the United States.

In 2009, the task force raised the age for starting routine mammograms to 50 from 40, sparking wide controversy. At the time, researchers were concerned that earlier screening would do more harm than good, leading to unnecessary treatment in younger women, including alarming findings that lead to anxiety-producing procedures that are invasive but ultimately unnecessary.

But now breast cancer rates among women in their 40s are on the rise, increasing by 2 percent a year between 2015 and 2019, said Dr. John Wong, vice chair of the task force. The panel continues to recommend screening every two years for women at average risk of breast cancer, though many patients and providers prefer annual screening.

“There is clear evidence that starting screening every other year at age 40 provides sufficient benefit that we should recommend it for all women in this country to help them live longer and have a better quality of life,” said Dr. Wong, a primary care clinician at Tufts Medical Center who is the director of comparative effectiveness research for the Tufts Clinical Translational Science Institute.

The recommendations have come under harsh criticism from some women’s health advocates, including Representative Rosa DeLauro, Democrat of Connecticut, and Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Democrat of Florida, who say the advice does not go far enough.

In a letter to the task force in June , they said that the guidance continued to “fall short of the science, create coverage gaps, generate uncertainty for women and their providers, and exacerbate health disparities.”

Weighing in again on a hotly debated topic, the task force also said there was not enough evidence to endorse extra scans, such as ultrasounds or magnetic resonance imaging, for women with dense breast tissue.

That means that insurers do not have to provide full coverage of additional screening for these women, whose cancers can be missed by mammograms alone and who are at higher risk for breast cancer to begin with. About half of all women aged 40 and older fall into this category.

In recent years, more mammography providers have been required by law to inform women when they have dense breast tissue and to tell them that mammography may be an insufficient screening tool for them.

Beginning in September, all mammography centers in the United States will be required to give patients that information.

Doctors often prescribe additional or “supplementary” scans for these patients. But these patients frequently find they have to pay all or some of the charges themselves, even when the additional tests are performed as part of preventive care, which under law should be offered without cost.

Medicare, the government health plan for older Americans, does not cover the additional scans. In the private insurance market, coverage is scattershot, depending on state laws, the type of plan and the plan’s design, among other factors.

The task force sets the standards for what preventive care services must be covered by law by health insurers at no cost to patients.

The panel’s decision not to endorse the extra scans has significant implications for patients, said Robert Traynham, a spokesman for AHIP, the association that represents health insurance companies.

“What that means for coverage is that there is no mandate to cover these specific screenings for women with dense breasts at zero-dollar cost-sharing,” he said.

While some employers may choose to have their health insurance plans do so, it is not required by law, Mr. Traynham said.

Kathleen Costello, a retiree in Southern California who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017 when she was 59, said she was convinced that mammograms missed her cancer for many years.

She underwent screening annually, and every year she received a letter saying that she was cancer-free. The letters also told her that she had dense breast tissue and that additional screening was available but not covered by insurance.

Six months after an all-clear mammogram in 2016, she told her doctor that her right breast felt stiff. The doctor ordered a mammogram and an ultrasound.

“In 30 seconds, the ultrasound found the cancer,” Ms. Costello said in an interview, adding that she knew because “the technician blanched and left the room.”

The mass was four centimeters in size, Ms. Costello added: “It’s hard for me to accept that it grew in six months from undetectable to four centimeters.”

But Dr. Wong, of the task force, said there was no scientific evidence to prove that supplemental imaging, by either M.R.I. or ultrasound, reduces breast cancer progression and extends life for women with dense breast tissue.

There is ample evidence, on the other hand, that supplemental screenings may lead to frequent false-positive findings and to biopsies, contributing to stress and unnecessary invasive procedures.

“It’s tragic,” Dr. Wong said. “We are as frustrated as women are. They deserve to know whether supplemental screenings would be helpful.”

But medical organizations like the American College of Radiology endorse supplemental screening for women with dense breast tissue. There is research showing that ultrasound in conjunction with mammography does detect additional cancers in patients with dense tissue, said Dr. Stamatia Destounis, chair of the college’s breast imaging commission.

For women with dense breasts who are at average risk of breast cancer, recent research indicates that M.R.I. is the best supplemental scan, Dr. Destounis said, “with far better cancer detection and more favorable positive predictive values.”

The college also recommends annual screening for women at average cancer risk, rather than screening every two years as recommended by the panel. The radiologists group is pressing for a recommendation that all women should be assessed for breast cancer risk before age 25, so that women at high risk can start screening even before they turn 40.

Growing evidence shows that Black, Jewish and other minority women develop breast cancer and die from it before age 50 more frequently than do other women, Dr. Destounis noted.

Trans men who have not had mastectomies must continue to be screened for breast cancer, she added, and trans women, whose hormone use puts them at greater risk for breast cancer than the average man, should discuss screening with their doctor.

While the panel’s advice to start screening at age 40 is “an improvement,” Dr. Destounis said, the final recommendations “do not go far enough to save women’s lives.”

Roni Caryn Rabin is a Times health reporter focused on maternal and child health, racial and economic disparities in health care, and the influence of money on medicine. More about Roni Caryn Rabin

The Fight Against Breast Cancer

Citing rising breast cancer rates in young women, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommended starting regular mammography screening at age 40 , reversing longstanding guidance that most women wait until 50.

Clinics around the United States are starting to offer patients a new service: having their mammograms read not just by a radiologist, but also by an A.I. model .

Risk calculators can offer a more personalized picture of an individual patient’s breast cancer risk. But experts warn that the results need to be interpreted with the help of a doctor.

We asked doctors to weigh in on the new mammograms guidelines and how younger women can understand and mitigate their breast cancer risk .

Scientists have long known that dense breast tissue is linked to an increased risk of breast cancer. A recent study adds a new twist .

Women are less likely to die when treated by female doctors, study suggests

Hospitalized women are less likely to die or be readmitted to the hospital if they are treated by female doctors, a study published Monday in the Annals of Internal Medicine found.

In the study of people ages 65 and older, 8.15% of women treated by female physicians died within 30 days, compared with 8.38% of women treated by male physicians.

Although the difference between the two groups seems small, the researchers say erasing the gap could save 5,000 women’s lives each year.

The study included nearly 800,000 male and female patients hospitalized from 2016 through 2019. All patients were covered by Medicare. For male hospitalized patients, the gender of the doctor didn’t appear to have an effect on risk of death or hospital readmission.

The data alone doesn’t explain why women fare better when treated by other women. But other studies suggest that women are less likely to experience “miscommunication, misunderstanding and bias” when treated by female doctors, said lead study author Dr. Atsushi Miyawaki, a senior assistant professor of health services research at the University of Tokyo Graduate School of Medicine.

The new research is part of a growing field of study examining why women and minorities tend to receive worse medical care than men and white patients. For example, women and minority patients are up to 30% more likely to be misdiagnosed than white men.

“Our pain and our symptoms are often dismissed,” said Dr. Megan Ranney, dean of the Yale School of Public Health. “It may be that women physicians are more aware of that and are more empathetic.”

Research shows that women are less likely than men to receive intensive care but more likely to report having negative experiences with health care, having their concerns dismissed, and having their heart or pain symptoms ignored, the authors wrote in the new study. Male physicians are also more likely than female doctors to underestimate women’s risk of stroke .

Part of the problem, Miyawaki said, is that medical students get “limited training in women’s health issues.”

Dr. Ronald Wyatt, who is Black, said his 27-year-old daughter recently had trouble getting an accurate diagnosis for her shortness of breath. An emergency room physician told her the problem was caused by asthma. It took two more trips to the emergency room for his daughter to learn that she actually had a blood clot in her lungs, a potentially life-threatening situation.

“There is a tendency for doctors to harbor sexist stereotypes about women, regardless of age, such as the notion that women’s symptoms are more emotional or their pain is less severe or more psychological in origin,” said Wyatt, former chief science and chief medical officer at the Society to Improve Diagnosis in Medicine, a nonprofit research and advocacy group.

Women seem to experience fewer of these problems when treated by other women.

For example, a study published JAMA Surgery in 2021 found that women patients developed fewer complications if their surgeon was female. Another JAMA Surgery study published in 2023 found all patients had fewer complications and shorter hospital stays if they were operated on by female surgeons, who worked more slowly than their male counterparts.

Women primary care doctors also tend to spend more time with their patients , Ranney said. Although that extra attention is great for patients, it also means that women see fewer patients per day and earn less, on average, than male doctors.

Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health, said several studies suggest that female doctors follow medical evidence and guidelines , and that their patients have better outcomes.

“There’s lots of variation between women and men physicians,” said Jha, who was not involved in the new study. Women “tend to be better at communication, listening to patients, speaking openly. Patients report that communication is better. You put these things together, and you can understand why there are small but important differences.”

The authors of the study said it’s also possible that women are more forthcoming about sensitive issues with female physicians, allowing them to make more informed diagnoses.

That doesn’t mean that women should switch doctors, said Dr. Preeti Malani, a professor of medicine at the University of Michigan. For an individual patient, the differences in mortality and readmission rates seen in the new study are tiny.

“It would be a mistake to suggest that people need to find physicians of the same gender or race as themselves,” Jha said. “The bigger issue is that we need to understand why these differences exist.”

Malani said she’s curious about what women doctors are doing to prevent patients from needing to be readmitted soon after discharge. “How much care and thought is going into that discharge plan?” Malani asked. “Is that where women are succeeding? What can we learn about cultural humility and asking the right questions?”

Others aren’t convinced that the new study proves a physician’s gender makes a big difference.

Few hospitalized patients are treated by a single doctor, said Dr. Hardeep Singh, a professor at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and a patient safety researcher at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center.

Hospital patients are treated by teams of physicians, especially if they need specialist care, in addition to nurses and other professionals, Singh said.

“How often do you see the same doc every day in the hospital?” Singh asked. “The point is that it’s not a one-man or one-woman show. Outcomes are unlikely to depend on one individual, but rather on a clinical team and the local context of care. … One name may appear on your bill, but the care is team-based.”

However, Singh said his research on misdiagnoses shows that doctors in general need to do a better job listening to patients.

Jha said he’d like the health system to learn what women doctors are doing right when they treat other women, then teach all physicians to practice that way.

“We should train everyone to be better at generating trust and being worthy of trust,” Jha said.

Wyatt said the country needs to take several steps to better care for women patients, including “de-biasing training” to teach doctors to overcome stereotypes. The health care system also needs to increase the number of women physicians in leadership, recruit more female doctors and do a better job at retaining them. All physicians also need more understanding of how adverse childhood experiences affect patient health, particularly for women, he said.

“More than once I’ve had white female patients tell me they came to be because I listened and they trusted me,” Wyatt said.

Liz Szabo is an independent health and science journalist. Her work has won multiple national awards. One of her investigations led to a new state law in Virginia.

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COMMENTS

77 Exciting Medical Research Topics (2024)
Medical research is the gateway to improved patient care and expanding our available treatment options. However, finding a relevant and compelling research topic can be challenging. Use this article as a jumping-off point to select an interesting medical research topic for your next paper or clinical study.
100+ Healthcare Research Topics (+ Free Webinar)
Here, we'll explore a variety of healthcare-related research ideas and topic thought-starters across a range of healthcare fields, including allopathic and alternative medicine, dentistry, physical therapy, optometry, pharmacology and public health. NB - This is just the start….
Clinical Research in Prehospital Care: Current and Future Challenges
2. Research in Prehospital Care: State of the Art. Prehospital care is a rapidly evolving field, with ongoing research aiming to improve patient outcomes and optimize emergency medical services [].Current clinical research studies in prehospital care are investigating a range of topics, including airway management, hemorrhage control, pain management, and stroke care [24,25].
Impact of Patient Engagement on Healthcare Quality: A Scoping Review
Engaged patients can improve health outcomes and transform health care. Patients have several expectations of the health system in regard to value, responsibility ... PE is a relatively new concept and lack of prior research studies on the topic is noted. Second, we have only included papers written in English language and conducted the search ...
Top 20 Research Studies of 2022 for Primary Care Physicians
This article summarizes the top 20 research studies of 2022 identified as POEMs (patient-oriented evidence that matters), excluding COVID-19. Statins for primary prevention of cardiovascular ...
Top 20 Research Studies of 2019 for Primary Care Physicians
This should improve patient outcomes. Of more than 20,000 research studies published in 2019 in the journals reviewed by the POEMs team, 254 met criteria for validity, relevance, and practice ...
Patient-centered care: achieving higher quality by designing care
Patient-centered care was the subject of the 2017 Health System Leadership Conference sponsored by Israel's National Institute for Health Policy Research and held at the Dead Sea. The recent IJHPR articles noted above are clearly a step in the right direction of improving patient-centered care.
Research Topics In Nursing (+ Free Webinar)
General Nursing Research Topics & Ideas. The impact of cultural competence on patient care in the UK. The importance of evidence-based practice in nursing for patients with HIV/AIDS. The effects of workplace stress on nurse well-being and performance. The role of nurse-patient communication for patients transitioning from adolescent to adult care.
Research at Mayo Clinic
Research highlights. The Digital Innovation Lab promotes advances in machine learning and artificial intelligence through cloud-based computing technologies. The Women's Health Research Center supports projects to understand sex differences and how unique processes of the female body affect health. The Collaborative Lupus Initiative for New ...
Patients' experiences of patient‐centred care in hospital setting: A
In this research, we use the term 'patient-centred care' to also cover person-centred care. Patient-centred care is associated with positive outcomes such as patient satisfaction, engagement in care and increased quality of life [12, 13]. However, PCC is poorly understood and implemented .
The Safety of Inpatient Health Care
TOPICS. AI in Medicine; ... because the admission was canceled or the patient was admitted for research purposes). Table 1. ... Patient-care events (57 of 147 events [38.8%]) and adverse drug ...
A literature-based study of patient-centered care and communication in
Providing healthcare services that respect and meet patients' and caregivers' needs are essential in promoting positive care outcomes and perceptions of quality of care, thereby fulfilling a significant aspect of patient-centered care requirement. Effective communication between patients and healthcare providers is crucial for the provision of patient care and recovery. Hence, patient ...
Current Trends in Critical Care Nursing Research
Between January 2022 (Volume 31, Issue 1) and the current May 2023 journal issue (Volume 32, Issue 3), AJCC published 71 reports of original research. These recent papers addressed a wide range of research topics, including bedside patient care, palliative and end-of-life care, intensive care unit (ICU) survivorship, measurement and prediction of patient problems, family concerns ...
Care Management
Care Management. Care management is a set of activities to improve patient care, reduce unnecessary need for additional medical care, avoid duplication of care, and help patients and their caregivers more effectively manage their health conditions. AHRQ provides data, resources, and research to improve care management of patients with chronic ...
Research on Improving Patient Experience
Improving Patient Experience with Hospital Care. Research on Improving Patient Experience. Content last reviewed March 2024. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. This page summarizes current and recent research funding AHRQ's CAHPS grants related to Improving patient experience with ambulatory and hospital care.
Top EBP Topics in Nursing: Improving Patient Outcomes
These topics often have the potential to generate innovative and effective research. Consider ethical issues. Consider topics related to ethical issues in nursing practice. For example, bereavement care, , and patient privacy are all ethical issues that can be explored in an EBP project.
Top Nursing Research Topics for Students and Professionals
List of Nursing Research Topics: Nursing Workforce. The impact of nurse staffing levels on patient outcomes in acute care settings. The effectiveness of nurse retention strategies on improving nurse job satisfaction. The role of nursing leadership in creating a positive work environment.
Topics
Guides for key topics in patient safety through context, epidemiology, and relevant AHRQ PSNet content. ... Mental Health Care (Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology) Go to this topic. Neurology. Go to this topic. Obstetrics. ... Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. 5600 Fishers Lane Rockville, MD 20857 Telephone: (301) 427-1364. Careers ...
Change and Innovation in Healthcare: Findings from Literature
Nowadays, the topic is extremely relevant, rendering organizational change an urgency. The work is structured on a double level of analysis. In the beginning, the paper collects the overall literature on the topic of organisational change in order to identify, on the basis of the citation network, the main existing theoretical approaches.
How AI improves physician and nurse collaboration
The algorithm can help standardize it and draw clinicians' attention to a patient who may need additional care. Once the alert comes into the nurse and physician simultaneously, it initiates a conversation about what the patient needs to ensure they don't decline to the point of requiring a transfer to the ICU.
When Patients Do Their Own Research
A patient doesn't possess a doctor's understanding of their condition—this would be unrealistic—but acquiring basic knowledge will allow patients to most effectively hear and process what ...
21 Healthcare Topics Patients Cared Most About in 2021 (And How ...
For providers, understanding the topics that patients are reading about online can unlock new perspectives. There are a few illuminating takeaways in this data about what patients are missing from their healthcare experience. Our blog for healthcare consumers was viewed over 1.5 million times in 2021. We compiled all of the trending topics patients cared the most about this year to help you ...
Technology as a Tool for Improving Patient Safety
During 2022, research into technological approaches was a major theme of articles on PSNet. Researchers reviewed all relevant articles on PSNet and consulted with Dr. A Jay Holmgren, PhD, and Dr. Susan McBride, PhD, subject matter experts in health IT and its role in patient safety. Key topics and themes are highlighted below.
UCSF Health Celebrates Launch of the Hospital of the Future
About UCSF Health: UCSF Health is recognized worldwide for its innovative patient care, reflecting the latest medical knowledge, advanced technologies and pioneering research. It includes the flagship UCSF Medical Center, which is a top-ranked specialty hospital, as well as UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals, with campuses in San Francisco and Oakland; Langley Porter Psychiatric Hospital and ...
Akiko Iwasaki on what causes long COVID, brain fog, the Yale Paxlovid
AMA Update covers a range of health care topics affecting the lives of physicians, residents, medical students and patients. From private practice and health system leaders to scientists and public health officials, hear from the experts in medicine on COVID-19, medical education, advocacy issues, burnout, vaccines and more.
'The next frontier of emergency medicine': House calls following
Each vehicle will serve six to eight patients per day. "Additional benefits to patients receiving care at home include reduced risk of serious falls or catching infections in the hospital, as well as other improved outcomes," added Kelly P. Owen, professor of emergency medicine. "The ED to Home program is the next frontier of emergency ...
In Reversal, Expert Panel Recommends Breast Cancer Screening at 40
Breast cancer rates among women in their 40s are on the rise, increasing by 2 percent a year between 2015 and 2019. Credit... Michael Hanschke/picture alliance, via Getty Images
Women are less likely to die when treated by female doctors ...
Although the difference between the two groups seems small, the researchers say erasing the gap could save 5,000 women's lives each year. The study included nearly 800,000 male and female ...
Patient and public involvement in research: a review of practical
Patient and public involvement (PPI) in every aspect of research will add valuable insights from patients' experiences, help to explore barriers and facilitators to their compliance/adherence to assessment and treatment methods, bring meaningful outcomes that could meet their expectations, needs and preferences, reduce health care costs, and improve dissemination of research findings.
1 in 5 milk samples from grocery stores test positive for bird flu. Why
(SACRAMENTO) The Food and Drug Administration announced Tuesday that samples of pasteurized milk taken from grocery store shelves had tested positive for bird flu, also known as Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) or H5N1.On Thursday, the agency announced that one in five milk samples nationwide showed genetic traces of the virus. Milk samples from areas with infected herds were more ...