DNP Anesthesia Capstone Project Ideas

DNP Anesthesia Capstone Project Ideas

The Doctor of Nursing Practice with specialization in Nurse Anesthesia (NA-DNP) prepares advanced practice nurses with comprehensive skills in anesthetic management across diverse clinical settings for patients throughout the lifespan. The nurse anesthesia program addresses the essential leadership competencies required to translate evidence-based practice into clinical care, transform healthcare delivery systems, and evaluate outcomes for diverse patient populations and healthcare communities.

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) are prepared to translate research and evidence into clinical practice, assess complex patient populations, and lead healthcare system improvements to ensure quality enhancement and patient safety. Nurse anesthesia programs maintain excellent CRNA certification examination pass rates. Following graduation, NA-DNP students pursue nursing practice opportunities across the United States, with many remaining active in state and national professional organizations.

Capstone Project Ideas

1. Implementing Maternal Hemorrhage Simulation in Obstetrics

Focus Area: Obstetric Anesthesia and Emergency Management

Obstetric hemorrhage remains a significant and often preventable cause of maternal morbidity and mortality. This project would develop and implement a standardized simulation-based training program for obstetric departments to improve team coordination, enhance clinical decision-making, and ultimately improve patient outcomes. The project would evaluate the effectiveness of simulation training on knowledge retention, team communication, and response times during actual emergencies.

2. Needlestick and Sharps Injury Prevention Among Healthcare Workers

Focus Area: Occupational Safety and Infection Control

Healthcare workers face significant risk of bloodborne pathogen exposure through needlestick and sharps injuries, particularly hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV. This project would assess current injury rates, identify risk factors, and implement evidence-based prevention strategies. The study could focus on specific populations, such as anesthesia providers in resource-limited settings, and evaluate the effectiveness of safety devices, training programs, and policy changes.

3. Sugammadex vs. Traditional Reversal Agents: Impact on Postoperative Complications

Focus Area: Pharmacology and Patient Outcomes

This project would compare the incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications between patients receiving sugammadex versus traditional neuromuscular blocking reversal agents. The study would examine factors such as respiratory complications, length of stay, patient satisfaction, and cost-effectiveness in a generalizable population of adult surgical patients.

4. STOP-BANG Screening Tool Implementation in Gastrointestinal Laboratories

Focus Area: Procedural Sedation and Risk Assessment

Undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) poses significant risks during procedural sedation. This quality improvement project would implement the STOP-BANG questionnaire as a standardized screening tool in gastrointestinal laboratories to identify high-risk patients and evaluate its impact on procedural safety, airway management decisions, and adverse event rates.

5. Acceleromyography Implementation for Neuromuscular Monitoring

Focus Area: Monitoring Technology and Quality Improvement

Residual neuromuscular blockade contributes to significant perioperative morbidity. This project would evaluate the implementation of quantitative neuromuscular monitoring devices in clinical practice, assessing barriers to adoption, effectiveness of educational interventions, and impact on patient outcomes. The study would examine both provider knowledge and actual device utilization rates.

6. Validation of STBUR Questionnaire for Pediatric Sleep-Disordered Breathing

Focus Area: Pediatric Anesthesia and Risk Assessment

Children with sleep-disordered breathing are at increased risk for perioperative respiratory adverse events (PRAE). This project would validate the STBUR questionnaire as a reliable screening tool for identifying children at risk for PRAE, potentially improving perioperative safety through better risk stratification and management planning.

7. Perioperative Opioid Administration and Persistent Opioid Use Following Surgery

Focus Area: Pain Management and Opioid Stewardship

This retrospective analysis would examine the relationship between acute perioperative opioid administration and the development of persistent opioid use following adult colorectal surgery. The project would identify risk factors, optimal dosing strategies, and develop evidence-based guidelines for perioperative opioid management to minimize the risk of chronic opioid dependence.

8. Anesthetic Management Guidelines for Parturients with Fontan Physiology

Focus Area: Congenital Heart Disease and Obstetric Anesthesia

Pregnant patients with Fontan palliation present unique physiological challenges requiring specialized anesthetic management. This project would develop evidence-based recommendations for the peripartum care of these complex patients, addressing the balance between preload, pulmonary vascular resistance, and cardiac output in the setting of single ventricle physiology and pregnancy-related physiological changes.

9. Intraoperative Methadone in Cardiac Surgery: Impact on Postoperative Pain Management

Focus Area: Cardiac Anesthesia and Pain Management

This retrospective analysis would evaluate the effectiveness of intraoperative methadone administration on postoperative opioid requirements, pain scores, patient satisfaction, and clinical recovery following adult cardiac surgery. The project would provide evidence for optimizing perioperative pain management strategies in this high-risk population.

10. Cost-Effectiveness Analysis: Propofol Monotherapy vs. Combination Sedation for GI Endoscopy

Focus Area: Health Economics and Procedural Sedation

This economic evaluation would compare the cost-effectiveness of intravenous propofol monotherapy versus combination sedation techniques for outpatient gastrointestinal endoscopy procedures. The analysis would consider direct costs, procedure times, recovery times, patient satisfaction, and safety outcomes to inform evidence-based sedation protocols.

DNP Faculty Expertise Areas

Our faculty bring diverse expertise to support student research and clinical scholarship:

• Epidemiology and Research Methods – Supporting population health studies and outcome research
• Genetics and Genomics – Advancing personalized anesthesia care
• Global Health – Addressing anesthesia needs in resource-limited settings
• Healthcare Policy – Influencing policy through evidence-based practice
• Education and Training – Developing innovative educational approaches
• Evidence Translation – Converting research into clinical practice guidelines
• Pain Management – Advancing multimodal and opioid-sparing techniques
• Patient Safety – Implementing quality improvement initiatives
• Substance Use Disorders – Screening, intervention, and treatment protocols
• Patient-Centered Care – Enhancing patient experience and outcomes

Project Development Considerations

When selecting a capstone project, students should consider:

• Clinical Relevance – Address current challenges in anesthesia practice
• Evidence Gap – Identify areas where research is needed
• Feasibility – Ensure project scope is manageable within timeframe
• Impact Potential – Consider how findings could improve patient care
• Stakeholder Support – Engage clinical partners and administrators
• Ethical Considerations – Obtain appropriate approvals and oversight
• Sustainability – Plan for implementation and long-term adoption

Conclusion

The DNP in Nurse Anesthesia capstone project represents the culmination of doctoral education, demonstrating the ability to translate evidence into practice and lead quality improvement initiatives. These project ideas reflect current priorities in anesthesia practice, from patient safety and quality improvement to health economics and specialized population care. Students are encouraged to work closely with faculty mentors to refine their project focus and develop methodologically sound approaches to addressing important clinical questions.

For additional support and resources, students should consult with faculty advisors, utilize institutional research support services, and engage with professional organizations such as the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) for guidance on current practice priorities and research opportunities.