The Bachelor's thesis in nursing: Characteristics and students' approach and satisfaction

Aim: The aim of the study was to describe the characteristics of the Bachelor's thesis of fourth-year nursing students at a Spanish public university, the criteria that students used to choose a topic and students' degree of satisfaction after completing the Bachelor's thesis. Design: Quantitative study. Methods: We examined 420 Bachelor's theses carried out from 2013 to 2018 and conducted an online survey among fourth-year students in the 2017-18 and 2018-19 academic years (81 completed questionnaires). Results: The Bachelor's thesis took the form of a research proposal. The most frequent proposal type was a qualitative hospital-based study whose objective was to understand the experiences of adult or adolescent patients, close family members, or nurses. Students chose topics for personal reasons. Most participants reported feeling satisfied with the knowledge and skills acquired. Conclusions: Students completing a Bachelor's thesis in the form of a research proposal have the potential to transfer their research skills to their nursing practice.