NURS 492 is the capstone of Liberty's RN to BSN. Its written work is a two-part research paper on the science of nursing, a paper on caring as the art of nursing, a PowerPoint connecting your practice to your faith, a reflection paper on the program, and four forums.
Liberty's catalog lists the course as NURS 492 Advanced Concepts of Nursing Practice, 3 credit hours; Canvas and the course guide file print it as NURS492.
What NURS 492 covers
The catalog description: This is the capstone course for the RN-BSN program. The student engages in academic endeavors that reflect application, synthesis and evaluation of concepts and nursing issues studied throughout the completion program. Application of educational experience to professional growth and contribution to the nursing profession is emphasized.
The capstone asks students to apply, synthesize and evaluate the concepts and issues studied across the RN to BSN completion program, and to connect their education to professional growth and contribution to the profession. The texts are Buresh and Gordon, From Silence to Voice, about how nurses communicate their work to the public, and Doornbos et al., Transforming Care: A Christian Vision of Nursing Practice.
The course moves from science to art: Weeks 3 and 4 are research (a professional nursing organization's focus on evidence-based practice, then a literature review of one practice with recommendations), Week 5 is caring and the nursing metaparadigm, Week 7 links practice and faith, and Week 8 looks back over the program.
Textbook named in the published guide: Buresh & Gordon, From Silence to Voice (2013). Doornbos et al., Transforming Care: A Christian Vision of Nursing Practice (2005). Check the current edition in your Canvas section.
NURS 492 assignments, week by week
Every graded written assignment in the published guide has its own how-to guide below. Quizzes, exams, checklists and class introductions are left out because there is nothing to write.
| Week | Assignment | Points | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Discussion Board Forum 1 | 65 | Thread at least 400 words |
| 2 | Discussion Board Forum 2 | 65 | Thread at least 400 words |
| 3 | Discussion Board Forum 3 | 65 | Thread at least 400 words |
| 3 | Research: The Science of Nursing Part 1 | 100 | At least 3 pages (title and reference pages not counted) |
| 4 | Research: The Science of Nursing Part 2 | 225 | At least 5 pages |
| 5 | Caring: The Art of Nursing | 160 | At least 5 pages (reference page not counted) |
| 6 | Discussion Board Forum 4 | 65 | Thread at least 400 words |
| 7 | Connecting Your Faith PowerPoint | 105 | At least 15 slides with notes (title and reference slides not counted) |
| 8 | Reflection Paper | 150 | At least 4 pages |
Week 1: Discussion Board Forum 1
A 400-word thread with 2 recent scholarly citations and a biblical worldview, and two 250-word replies with 2 citations each. How to write NURS 492 Week 1 Discussion Board Forum 1.
Week 2: Discussion Board Forum 2
The second forum: a 400-word thread and two 250-word replies, each with 2 recent citations and a biblical worldview. How to write NURS 492 Week 2 Discussion Board Forum 2.
Week 3: Discussion Board Forum 3
The third forum: a 400-word thread and two 250-word replies, each with 2 recent citations and a biblical worldview. How to write NURS 492 Week 3 Discussion Board Forum 3.
Week 3: Research: The Science of Nursing Part 1
A 3-page-plus paper on a professional nursing organization and its focus on evidence-based practice, with 2 recent sources. How to write NURS 492 Week 3 Research: The Science of Nursing Part 1.
Week 4: Research: The Science of Nursing Part 2
The largest NURS 492 item: a 5-page-plus literature review of one practice in your specialty, with recommendations for change. How to write NURS 492 Week 4 Research: The Science of Nursing Part 2.
Week 5: Caring: The Art of Nursing
A 5-page-plus paper defining nursing, persons, health, environment and caring as an art, and how the Christian faith shapes caring. How to write NURS 492 Week 5 Caring: The Art of Nursing.
Week 6: Discussion Board Forum 4
The last forum: a 400-word thread and two 250-word replies, each with 2 recent citations and a biblical worldview. How to write NURS 492 Week 6 Discussion Board Forum 4.
Week 7: Connecting Your Faith PowerPoint
A 15-slide-plus PowerPoint with notes linking your nursing practice to the Christian faith, with 4 recent scholarly sources. How to write NURS 492 Week 7 Connecting Your Faith PowerPoint.
Week 8: Reflection Paper
A 4-page-plus reflection on your RN to BSN courses at Liberty and your plans for the future, with 3 citations. How to write NURS 492 Week 8 Reflection Paper.
How NURS 492 is graded
The published guide totals 1,010 points. Research: The Science of Nursing is 325 (Part 1 100, Part 2 225), Caring: The Art of Nursing 160, the reflection paper 150, the faith PowerPoint 105 and the four forums 65 each (260). The final survey carries no points; the checklist is 10.
| Graded item | Points |
|---|---|
| Research: The Science of Nursing Part 1 | 100 |
| Research: The Science of Nursing Part 2 | 225 |
| Caring: The Art of Nursing | 160 |
| Reflection Paper | 150 |
| Connecting Your Faith PowerPoint | 105 |
| Discussion Board Forums (4) | 260 |
| Course Requirements Checklist | 10 |
The published scale puts an A at 900 to 1010 points.
Week timing in the published guide: Each course module/week (except Module/Week 1) begins on Tuesday morning at 12:00 a.m. (ET) and ends on Monday night at 11:59 p.m. (ET). The final module/week ends at 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Friday.
How to approach NURS 492
Choose the professional nursing organization for Part 1 with Part 2 in mind: Part 2 must include one research article from that organization and review a single practice in your specialty. A specialty organization (AACN for critical care, AWHONN for women's health, ENA for emergency nursing) gives you both a focus on evidence and a journal.
Every forum post needs two scholarly citations from the last five years and a biblical worldview, replies included, so plan sources for eight posts, not four.
Questions students ask
What is NURS 492 Research: The Science of Nursing?
Part 1 (Week 3) is a 3-page-plus paper on a professional nursing organization's focus on evidence-based practice; Part 2 (Week 4) is a literature review of a single practice in your specialty with recommendations for change, at least 5 pages with a research article from that organization and at least five other recent peer-reviewed articles.
How long is the NURS 492 reflection paper?
At least 4 pages, reflecting on your past nursing courses at Liberty and looking to the future, supported by three citations in current APA.
Working through NURS 492 now?
Tell us the week and the assignment. A tutor who knows the course replies with a plan for the draft.