How to Write a Nursing Essay: A Complete Step-by-Step Guide

Nursing essays are unlike any other academic assignment — they demand clinical knowledge, reflective thinking, evidence-based practice and academic writing skills all at once. Whether you are writing a reflective account using Gibbs, a care plan analysis, or a critical essay on patient safety, this guide gives you the exact framework to write a nursing essay that impresses your markers and earns the grade you deserve.

Types of Nursing Essays

Before you start writing, it helps to understand which type of nursing essay you have been asked to produce. Each requires a slightly different approach:

• Reflective essays — require you to reflect on a clinical experience using a structured model such as Gibbs, Driscoll or Johns. These are the most common nursing essay type.
• Critical analysis essays — ask you to evaluate a nursing issue, policy, intervention or concept using evidence from the literature.
• Care plan essays — require you to assess a patient scenario and plan care using nursing frameworks such as Roper-Logan-Tierney or Orem's Self-Care Model.
• Literature review essays — require you to synthesise existing research on a nursing topic, identify themes and evaluate the quality of evidence.
• Case study essays — present a clinical scenario and ask you to apply theory, legislation and evidence to analyse nursing practice.
• SOAP notes — structured clinical documentation covering Subjective, Objective, Assessment and Plan.

Before You Start Writing

The most common mistake nursing students make is starting to write too soon. Before you type a single word, do the following:

1. Read the assignment brief carefully — identify exactly what the question is asking, the word count, the referencing style and the submission deadline.
2. Identify the key themes — highlight the main concepts in the question (e.g. patient safety, person-centred care, infection control).
3. Search the literature — use CINAHL, PubMed, NICE guidelines, NMC standards and NHS resources to find relevant, up-to-date evidence.
4. Create an outline — plan your introduction, main body sections and conclusion before writing.
5. Check your referencing style — nursing essays typically use Harvard referencing, though some institutions use APA or Vancouver.

Essay Structure

Most nursing essays follow a standard academic structure — introduction, body and conclusion — but the content of each section depends on the essay type. Here is a general framework:

• Introduction (10%) — introduce the topic, define key terms, outline your argument and signpost the structure of the essay.
• Body (80%) — develop your argument across logically ordered paragraphs, each with a clear point, evidence and analysis.
• Conclusion (10%) — summarise your key points, restate your argument and suggest implications for nursing practice.

For reflective essays, the structure follows the chosen reflective model (e.g. Gibbs' six stages). For care plan essays, the structure follows the nursing process (assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, evaluation). See our guide on how to write a reflective essay using Gibbs' model for a detailed walkthrough.

Writing the Introduction

Your introduction sets the tone for everything that follows. A strong nursing essay introduction should:

• Open with a clear statement of the topic and its relevance to nursing practice
• Define any key terms or concepts central to the essay
• Briefly outline the key areas the essay will cover
• State your overall argument or perspective (for critical essays)
• Be approximately 10% of the total word count

Writing the Body

The body of your nursing essay is where you develop your argument, present evidence and demonstrate critical thinking. Each paragraph should follow the PEEL structure:

• P — Point: State the main point of the paragraph clearly
• E — Evidence: Support with a peer-reviewed source, guideline or policy
• E — Explain: Analyse and explain how the evidence supports your point
• L — Link: Connect back to the essay question or your overall argument

Aim for one main idea per paragraph. Avoid making claims without evidence, and always analyse rather than simply describing. The difference between a 2:2 and a First in nursing is almost always the depth of critical analysis, not the breadth of content covered.

Using Evidence-Based Practice

Evidence-based practice (EBP) is central to nursing and your essay must reflect this. When selecting and using evidence, follow these principles:

Use a hierarchy of evidence

• Level 1: Systematic reviews and meta-analyses (strongest evidence)
• Level 2: Randomised controlled trials (RCTs)
• Level 3: Cohort studies and case-control studies
• Level 4: Expert opinion, clinical guidelines (NICE, WHO, NMC)
• Level 5: Anecdotal evidence, personal experience (weakest — avoid over-reliance)

Key nursing databases and sources

• CINAHL — the most comprehensive nursing and allied health database
• PubMed / MEDLINE — medical and nursing research
• NICE Guidelines — national clinical guidelines for England
• NMC Standards — professional standards for nurses in the UK
• The Cochrane Library — systematic reviews and meta-analyses
• NHS Evidence — UK clinical evidence base

Reflective Writing in Nursing

Reflective essays are a core part of nursing education and professional development. They require you to analyse a clinical experience in depth — not simply describe what happened, but explore what you felt, what you learned and how it will change your future practice.

Gibbs' Reflective Cycle (most commonly used)

1. Description — What happened? (brief, factual account)
2. Feelings — What were you thinking and feeling?
3. Evaluation — What was good and bad about the experience?
4. Analysis — What sense can you make of the situation? (link to theory and evidence)
5. Conclusion — What else could you have done?
6. Action Plan — What will you do differently next time?

Other reflective models used in nursing

• Driscoll's What? Model — What? So What? Now What? (simpler structure, good for shorter reflections)
• Johns' Model of Structured Reflection — focuses on aesthetics, personal values, ethics and empirics
• Kolb's Experiential Learning Cycle — concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualisation, active experimentation

Writing the Conclusion

Your conclusion should bring together the key threads of your essay and leave the marker with a clear sense of your argument. A strong nursing essay conclusion should:

• Briefly summarise the key points made in the body — do not introduce new information
• Restate your overall argument or answer to the essay question
• Reflect on the implications for nursing practice
• For reflective essays — state clearly what you will do differently in future practice
• Be approximately 10% of the total word count

Avoid phrases like "In conclusion, this essay has shown..." — they are formulaic and add nothing. Instead, open your conclusion with a substantive statement that draws your argument together.

Referencing in Nursing

Most UK nursing programmes use Harvard referencing, though some use APA 7th edition or Vancouver. Always check your university's referencing guide. Key sources to reference in nursing essays include:

• The NMC Code (2018) — Nursing and Midwifery Council professional standards
• NICE guidelines — always reference by guideline number and year
• Peer-reviewed journal articles from CINAHL, PubMed or The Lancet
• Government and NHS policy documents
• Nursing textbooks — ensure editions are current (within last 5–7 years)

See our complete guide on how to use Harvard referencing correctly for full examples covering every source type.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Describing instead of analysing — the most common mistake. Always explain the significance of evidence, not just what it says.
• Over-relying on textbooks — markers want to see peer-reviewed journal articles and clinical guidelines, not just nursing textbooks.
• Using out-of-date sources — nursing practice changes rapidly. Avoid sources older than 10 years unless they are foundational texts.
• Breaching patient confidentiality — always anonymise patient details in reflective essays.
• Writing in first person incorrectly — reflective essays use first person ("I felt", "I observed"). Critical essays are usually written in third person — check your brief.
• Ignoring the NMC Code — many nursing essay questions expect you to reference professional standards. Not doing so signals a lack of professional awareness.
• Poor paragraph structure — each paragraph must have one clear point supported by evidence and analysis.
• Exceeding the word count — most markers deduct marks for submissions significantly over the word count. Be concise.

FAQs

Do nursing essays have to be written in first person?

It depends on the essay type. Reflective nursing essays are always written in first person — you are describing your own experience and feelings. Critical analysis, literature review and care plan essays are typically written in third person. Always check your assignment brief and your university's academic writing guidelines.

How many references should a nursing essay have?

As a general guide, aim for one reference per 100–150 words of your essay. A 2,000-word nursing essay should have approximately 15–20 references. Ensure the majority are peer-reviewed journal articles from the last 10 years, supplemented by clinical guidelines and professional standards.

Can I use the NMC Code as a reference in nursing essays?

Yes — the NMC Code is one of the most important references in any UK nursing essay. It sets out the professional standards that all nurses must meet and is expected to appear in most nursing assignments, particularly those addressing ethics, accountability, patient safety and professional practice.

What is the difference between a reflective essay and a critical essay in nursing?

A reflective essay is personal — it centres on your own clinical experience and uses a reflective model to structure your analysis of that experience. A critical essay is more academic — it examines a nursing topic, concept or issue from multiple perspectives using peer-reviewed evidence, without necessarily drawing on personal experience.

What referencing style do nursing students use in the UK?

Most UK nursing programmes use Harvard referencing. However, some institutions use APA 7th edition, and some medical schools use Vancouver (numeric) referencing. Always check your university's academic skills or library website for the specific referencing guide your programme follows.