NURS-FPX4905: Capstone Project for Nursing – Course Overview

NURS-FPX4905: Capstone Project for Nursing is a critical course in Capella University’s Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program. This course serves as the culminating experience for nursing students, allowing them to demonstrate their leadership, critical thinking, and clinical expertise through a comprehensive capstone project. The course includes a 40-hour practicum where students apply their knowledge and skills to real-world healthcare settings, making a meaningful impact on patient care, organizational processes, or healthcare policy.


What You Will Learn in NURS-FPX4905: Capstone Project for Nursing

In NURS-FPX4905, students will design and implement a project that reflects their learning throughout the MSN program, focusing on an area of healthcare that is meaningful to them. This project allows students to integrate evidence-based practice, leadership, quality improvement, and patient-centered care principles to solve real-world challenges.

Key learning outcomes include:

  • Capstone Project Design: Students will create a capstone project that addresses a specific issue within healthcare, such as improving patient outcomes, enhancing nursing practice, or optimizing healthcare processes.

  • Practicum Experience: The course includes a 40-hour practicum, where students will gain hands-on experience applying their project in a clinical or healthcare setting, working directly with patients and healthcare teams.

  • Leadership and Management: The capstone project provides an opportunity for students to demonstrate their leadership and management skills by coordinating and overseeing the implementation of their project, collaborating with other healthcare professionals, and managing resources effectively.

  • Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving: Students will use their critical thinking skills to assess healthcare challenges, evaluate solutions, and implement strategies that improve patient care or healthcare systems.

  • Communication and Professionalism: The course emphasizes professional communication, requiring students to effectively present their findings, recommendations, and outcomes to stakeholders, including healthcare teams, administrators, and patients.


Key Topics Covered in NURS-FPX4905

The course provides a deep dive into several critical aspects of nursing practice, including:

  • Capstone Project Proposal: Learn how to design a proposal for your capstone project, which includes identifying a healthcare problem, researching evidence-based solutions, and outlining measurable goals.

  • Practicum Experience: Gain practical experience by implementing your project in a real healthcare environment, engaging in patient care or system improvement initiatives.

  • Project Implementation: Understand how to plan, implement, and manage a nursing project, including resource management, team coordination, and overcoming barriers to success.

  • Evidence-Based Practice: Apply evidence-based research to solve clinical problems, enhance patient care, and optimize healthcare practices.

  • Healthcare Collaboration: Work with interdisciplinary teams to ensure your capstone project aligns with organizational goals and improves healthcare delivery.


Learning Objectives of NURS-FPX4905

By the end of NURS-FPX4905, students will:

  • Design and implement a comprehensive capstone project that addresses a significant healthcare issue.

  • Demonstrate leadership and management skills in coordinating a project and collaborating with other healthcare professionals.

  • Apply evidence-based practice to develop solutions that improve patient outcomes or enhance nursing practice.

  • Reflect on the outcomes of the capstone project, assessing its impact on healthcare practices or patient care.

  • Communicate project findings and recommendations effectively to stakeholders in a professional and impactful manner.


Who Should Take NURS-FPX4905: Capstone Project for Nursing?

NURS-FPX4905 is designed for students in Capella University’s MSN program, particularly those in leadership, education, clinical practice, or healthcare management tracks. This course is ideal for:

  • Nurse Leaders: Nurses in leadership positions who want to implement a project that improves patient care or healthcare systems.

  • Advanced Practice Nurses (APNs): Nurse practitioners, nurse anesthetists, and nurse midwives who wish to address a clinical issue through their capstone project.

  • Nurse Educators: Nurses interested in advancing their teaching practice by improving healthcare education or training programs.

  • Nurse Researchers: Nurses focused on utilizing evidence-based research to improve nursing practice or patient outcomes.

  • Healthcare Administrators: Nurses pursuing administrative or policy roles who want to design projects that impact organizational or system-wide changes.