Writing in nursing

Writing is an important tool in the education of nursing students as well as in the everyday workplaces of the profession. For students learning to become nurses, writing about specific nursing theories and practices, medical cases, and client experiences helps them better understand concepts and skills through research and analytical thinking.

For professional nurses, writing is a crucial mode of communication with colleagues in the health care profession, communication that can improve the quality of care for patients, or clients, as they are increasingly called.

Nurses write charts about their clients (a practice called charting), staff memos, patient education booklets, and policies for using a health care facility. They may also contribute research articles to journals in the field or craft arguments to persuade decision makers to change or adopt a particular health care policy.

Related topics:

Forms of writing in nursing

Questions nurses ask

Kinds of evidence nurses use

Writing conventions in nursing

APA system for citation in nursing writing

Sample student paper: Nursing practice paper