How to Write an APA Literature Review for Nursing: A Student’s Guide

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Writing an APA literature review for nursing school can seem overwhelming at first—but with the right structure, tools, and mindset, it becomes a manageable and even rewarding process. Whether you’re working on a BSN, MSN, or DNP research paper, this guide will help you format and write a strong literature review in APA style, while boosting your chances of academic success.

What Is a Literature Review in Nursing?

A literature review in nursing summarizes, analyzes, and synthesizes scholarly articles, clinical studies, and peer-reviewed journals related to a specific topic in nursing practice or theory. It’s commonly required in:

  • Evidence-based practice (EBP) projects

  • Research papers

  • Capstone and DNP projects

  • Systematic reviews

Long-tail keyword: “how to write an APA literature review for nursing research paper”

What Makes APA Literature Reviews Unique?

The APA (American Psychological Association) 7th edition format emphasizes clarity, organization, and proper citation. Nursing students often use APA style in all formal written assignments.

Key APA Features:

  • Title page

  • Abstract (optional for class assignments, required for publication)

  • Double-spacing, 1-inch margins

  • Running head and page numbers

  • In-text citations in author-date format

  • Full reference list

Step-by-Step: Writing an APA Literature Review for Nursing

1. Choose a Focused Nursing Topic

Pick a relevant and manageable topic. Examples include:

  • Nurse-led diabetes management in primary care

  • Patient outcomes in telehealth-based nursing

  • Nurse burnout and patient safety

Use databases like CINAHL, PubMed, and Google Scholar to find quality peer-reviewed sources.

2. Search and Select Scholarly Articles

Search for recent (within the last 5 years) peer-reviewed research articles that align with your topic. Select studies that are:

  • Methodologically sound

  • Relevant to your research question

  • From reputable nursing journals

Tip: Use long-tail keywords like “effects of nurse education programs on hypertension control.”

3. Create a Literature Matrix for Organization

Use a chart or matrix to compare articles by:

  • Authors and year

  • Purpose and research questions

  • Study design and sample

  • Key findings

  • Implications for nursing practice

4. Write Thematic Summaries

Organize your literature review by themes, not individual articles. Group your sources under headings like:

  • Medication adherence in chronic illness

  • Role of nurses in patient education

  • Technology in nursing interventions

Each paragraph should compare and contrast multiple sources.

5. Use Proper APA In-Text Citations

Use the author-date citation format in APA:

✅ Smith and Jones (2020) found that…
✅ Nurse-led interventions improved adherence (Brown, 2021).

6. Format the APA Title Page and References

APA Title Page Includes:

  • Title of paper

  • Student name

  • University

  • Course name

  • Instructor

  • Due date

References Page:

  • Alphabetical order

  • Hanging indent

  • Follows APA 7th edition style

  • Example:

    Johnson, A. M., & Lee, R. J. (2022). The impact of nurse-led telehealth. Journal of Nursing Practice, 45(3), 200–210. https://doi.org/10.xxxx/jnp.45.3.200

Tools That Can Help

  • Zotero or Mendeley for reference management

  • Grammarly or Hemingway for grammar clarity

  • NursingStudyHub.com for 1-on-1 writing help and APA formatting checks

How NursingStudyHub.com Can Support You

Our nursing academic experts can:

  • Help you develop literature review outlines

  • Assist in APA-style formatting

  • Review and edit your citations and references

  • Teach you how to analyze and synthesize sources

  • Offer tutoring for evidence-based practice writing

Final Tips

✅ Start early
✅ Stick to scholarly nursing sources
✅ Use APA-style guides or Purdue OWL
✅ Stay organized using a literature matrix
✅ Ask for help if needed!

Published by Henry