How to Use APA Format: A Nursing Student’s Guide

In Chamberlain’s RN to BSN Online Option, and across all nursing programs, students use American Psychological Association (APA) style frequently for their academic work. Understanding APA format is a valuable skill that supports your academic success and professional development.

Using APA style allows you to support the ideas in your work, helps readers locate the materials you've referenced, gives proper credit to original authors, and provides a consistent format that maintains academic integrity across the healthcare field.

APA 7th Edition Updates

Chamberlain follows the 7th edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, which is the current version as of 2026.1 If you’ve used earlier versions, here are the key updates you should know:

Key Changes from 6th to 7th Edition

Running Head Simplification

• Student papers now only include the running head on the title page (not on every page)
• Professional papers still use running heads throughout

Updated Heading Formats

• Five levels of headings with clearer formatting distinctions
• Level 1 headings are now centered and bold
• Improved hierarchy makes papers easier to navigate

Simplified Reference Formatting

• Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) are now presented as URLs
• No longer need to write “Retrieved from” for most online sources
• Publisher location is no longer required in book citations

Social Media and Website Citations

• Updated formats for citing social media posts
• Clearer guidelines for websites and online content
• New standards for mobile apps and software

Citing AI-Assisted Writing Tools

An emerging issue in academic writing is how to cite AI tools when used for research assistance. While policies vary by institution, here are some things to keep in mind:

• If you use AI tools like ChatGPT for brainstorming or research assistance, consult your course syllabus and instructor about AI tool policies.
• Chamberlain maintains academic integrity standards regarding AI use.
• When required to cite AI assistance, follow APA 7th edition guidelines for algorithmic sources.

Nursing-Specific APA Adaptations

Healthcare writing often requires specific adaptations:

• Clinical practice guidelines have particular citation formats.
• Evidence-based databases require specific formatting.
• Patient privacy considerations affect how you reference case studies.
• Research terminology must be precise and properly cited.

What Will I Need to Include for APA Format?

APA format includes the following essential elements for nursing papers:

• Title page with running head and page numbers
• Lines are double-spaced throughout the entire document
• 1-inch margins on all sides
• Times New Roman 12-point type (or other approved fonts like Calibri 11-point type)
• Headings organized by level (per instructor guidelines)
• In-text citations for all sources used
• Reference page listing all cited sources alphabetically

How Do We Document Sources Used?

Proper documentation is fundamental to academic integrity in nursing. Citations are needed for both paraphrasing and using direct quotations. Your references page should include complete information about each source used in your citations.

How Do You Use Citations When Paraphrasing?

Paraphrasing means expressing the author’s ideas in your own words without adding new ideas. If the author states, “The grass is green,” you might paraphrase by writing either of the following:

• Green is the color of the grass (Author surname, year).
• According to Author (year), green is the color of the grass.

Important: Pay close attention to punctuation—it’s very important in APA style!

How Do You Cite a Direct Quote?

Quoting means using the author's exact words without adding or changing anything. You might cite the quotation, “The grass is green,” in either of the following formats:

• According to Author surname (year), “the grass is green” (p. xx).
• “The grass is green” (Author surname, year, p. xx).

What Does a Reference Page Look Like?

Here are a few things to keep in mind. A reference page should be:

• Double-spaced with no added spaces between entries
• In alphabetical order, based on the first author's surname
• Formatted with a hanging indent (second line and beyond are indented)

APA Citations for Nursing Sources

Nursing students work with specialized sources that require specific citation formats. Here are examples for the most common types you'll encounter:

Nursing Journals

Journal article with DOI: Brown, L. K., & Martinez, R. J. (2025). Evidence-based wound care protocols in acute care settings. American Journal of Nursing, 125(3), 45–52. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NAJ.0000000000000000

Journal article without DOI: Williams, P. A. (2024). Medication reconciliation in home health nursing. Journal of Nursing Education, 63(8), 512–-518.

Multiple authors (up to 20): Thompson, K. L., Rodriguez, M., Chen, W., O'Brien, S., Patel, N., Johnson, D., Lee, H., & Davis, R. (2025). Collaborative care models in nursing education. Journal of the American Medical Association, 329(12), 1024-–1031. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2025.0000

Clinical Practice Guidelines

American Heart Association guidelines: American Heart Association. (2025). ACLS provider manual: Advanced cardiovascular life support. American Heart Association.

CDC clinical recommendations: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2025, January 15). Healthcare infection control practices advisory committee recommendations. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.cdc.gov/infectioncontrol/guidelines

NIH protocols: National Institutes of Health. (2024). Clinical guidelines for diabetes management. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/professionals/diabetes-guidelines

Government Health Websites

CDC website: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2025, February 10). Vaccine administration guidelines for healthcare providers. https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/admin/index.html

NIH website: National Institute of Nursing Research. (2024, December 5). Symptom science research. National Institutes of Health. https://www.ninr.nih.gov/research-and-funding/symptom-science

Medicare.gov: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (2025). Quality measures for nursing homes. https://www.medicare.gov/care-compare/

Evidence-Based Practice Databases

CINAHL database article: Anderson, T. M., & Foster, K. L. (2025). Pain management in postoperative care. In CINAHL Information Systems. https://www.ebsco.com/products/research-databases/cinahl-database

PubMed citation: Garcia, R., & Thompson, L. (2024). Nurse burnout and patient outcomes. PubMed Central. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC0000000/

Cochrane Library: Simpson, M. J., & Wright, D. K. (2025). Effectiveness of early mobility protocols [Systematic review]. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2025(3). https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD000000

Medical and Nursing Textbooks

Print textbook: Potter, P. A., & Perry, A. G. (2025). Fundamentals of nursing (11th ed.). Elsevier.

E-book: Ignatavicius, D. D., & Workman, M. L. (2024). Medical-surgical nursing: Concepts for interprofessional collaborative care (10th ed.). Elsevier. https://evolve.elsevier.com

Chapter in edited book: Roberts, K. L. (2025). Cardiac assessment techniques. In S. Jones & M. Davis (Eds.), Advanced nursing assessment (pp. 145-–167). Springer Publishing.

Patient Education Materials

Handout or brochure: American Heart Association. (2024). Understanding your heart failure medications [Patient education handout].

Hospital patient education material: Mayo Clinic. (2025). Managing diabetes at home [Patient education brochure]. Mayo Clinic Health System.

Chamberlain Online Lessons

When citing course materials from Chamberlain's online platform:

Canvas course lesson: Hannon, M. (2025). Week 3: Evidence-based practice in nursing [Online lesson]. Chamberlain University Canvas. https://chamberlain.instructure.com

Recorded lecture: Pagel, J. (2025, January 20). Introduction to nursing research methods [Video lecture]. Chamberlain University.

Common APA Mistakes in Nursing Papers

Avoid these frequent errors that can impact your grades:

Citation Errors

• Missing page numbers for direct quotes. Always include page numbers when quoting directly.
• Incorrect author-date format. Remember: (Author, year) not (Author year) or [Author, year].
• Citing secondary sources improperly. Use “as cited in” format when referencing a source you haven’t read directly.

Reference Page Issues

• URLs that aren’t clickable. Include the full link with https://.
• Missing DOIs. Always include DOIs when available for journal articles.
• Incorrect alphabetization. Remember to alphabetize by first author’s surname, not article title.

Formatting Problems

• Inconsistent spacing. Keep everything double-spaced, including references.
• Wrong indentation on references. Use hanging indents (first line flush left, subsequent lines indented).
• Incorrect heading levels. Follow the five-level heading hierarchy consistently.

Common Content Mistakes

• Using “I” inappropriately. Check instructor guidelines; some nursing papers allow first person, others don’t.
• Including retrieval dates unnecessarily. Only include retrieval dates for sources that may change (like Wikipedia).
• Not distinguishing between references and bibliography. APA uses a reference list (only cited sources), not a bibliography.

Quick APA Format Checklist for Nursing Papers

Use this checklist before submitting your paper:

Title Page

☐ Running head on title page only (student papers)
☐ Page number in upper- right corner
☐ Title centered and bold
☐ Your name
☐ Chamberlain University
☐ Course number and name
☐ Instructor name
☐ Assignment due date

Document Formatting

☐ Times New Roman 12-point type throughout
☐ Double-spacing with no extra spaces
☐ 1-inch margins on all sides
☐ Page numbers on every page
☐ Proper heading levels used consistently

In-Text Citations

☐ All paraphrased ideas are cited
☐ All direct quotes include page numbers
☐ Author-year format used correctly
☐ No missing citations

Reference Page

☐ Starts on new page
☐ “References” centered at top
☐ Alphabetical order by author surname
☐ Hanging indent for each entry
☐ Double-spaced throughout
☐ All in-text citations have corresponding references
☐ All references were actually cited in the paper

Free APA Templates and Resources for Nursing Students

Chamberlain provides comprehensive APA resources to support your success, which you can access by logging into your course, navigating to Modules, selecting Course Resources, scrolling to Program Resources, and clicking APA Resources.

There you'll find pre-formatted templates with title pages and document structures that meet APA 7th edition standards, saving you time and ensuring consistency across all your papers. You’ll also discover fully annotated sample papers showing proper APA format with nursing-specific examples and visual guides highlighting key formatting elements, along with citation quick-reference cards; common source type examples for journals, websites, and textbooks; and helpful formatting reminders and troubleshooting tips.

The Chamberlain Writing Center offers one-on-one support for APA questions, paper review services for formatting and citation help, and workshops and webinars on academic writing.

Take the Next Step in Your Nursing Education

Mastering APA format is an important skill that supports your success throughout your nursing education and professional career. Whether you're documenting evidence-based research, contributing to scholarly publications, or simply strengthening your academic writing skills, solid APA knowledge serves you well.

If you’re considering nursing education, Chamberlain University offers supportive, flexible programs designed for your success. Our RN to BSN Online Option and other nursing programs provide flexible formats, experienced faculty, academic support, and a supportive learning community committed to your success.

Chamberlain’s Enrollment Representatives are available to answer your questions and guide you through the application process. Get started by calling 877-507-7427 or connecting online.

Chamberlain University, an HLC-accredited institution, offers bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral, and certificate programs in nursing and healthcare professions. With a growing network of campuses and robust online programs, Chamberlain continues to build on more than 135 years of excellence in preparing extraordinary healthcare professionals.

¹Source: apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/paper-format/title-page

This guide reflects APA 7th edition standards. For the most current APA formatting guidelines, consult the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.) and the official APA Style website.

APA Format FAQ for Nursing Students

What version of APA does Chamberlain use?

Chamberlain uses APA 7th edition, which is the current standard as of 2026. All your papers should follow 7th edition guidelines.

How do I cite a nursing journal in APA?

For a basic journal citation, include: Author(s), (Year), Article title, Journal Title, Volume(Issue), page range, and DOI or URL if available. See our nursing journal examples above for specific formats.

Do I put my credentials after my name on APA papers?

No. For academic papers, use only your first and last name on the title page. You only include credentials (RN, BSN, MSN) on professional documents like resumes, not on student papers.

How do I cite clinical practice guidelines in APA?

Clinical practice guidelines are typically cited as organizational authors. Include: Organization name, (Year), Title in italics, Publisher or URL. See our clinical guidelines section above for examples.

What is the difference between APA 6 and APA 7?

Key differences include: running heads only on title page for students, simplified reference formats, no publisher location needed, updated DOI format as URLs, and new guidelines for online sources and social media.

How do I format a nursing care plan in APA?

Nursing care plans follow standard APA formatting with adaptations for tables and clinical information. Consult your instructor for specific requirements, as formats may vary by course.

Can I use first person in nursing papers?

It depends on the assignment. Reflective essays and some case studies allow first person (“I” and “my”), while research papers typically use third person. Always check your instructor’s guidelines for each assignment.

How do I cite patient education materials?

Cite patient education materials with the organization name as author, year, title in italics, and indicate [Patient education handout] or [Brochure] in brackets. See our examples above.

How do I cite a Chamberlain online lesson in APA?

Include instructor name, year, lesson title in italics, [Online lesson], Chamberlain University Canvas, and the URL if stable. See our Chamberlain online lessons section for detailed examples.

How do I cite a journal article with multiple authors?

For one or two authors, list both names. For three to 20 authors, list all names. For 21 or more authors, list the first 19, insert an ellipsis (...), then the final author. See our examples above.

What is the difference between a reference list and a bibliography?

APA uses a reference list, which includes only sources you actually cited in your paper. A bibliography is a broader list that may include background reading. Nursing papers use reference lists.

How do I cite the CDC or NIH website?

For CDC or NIH, use the full organization name as author, include the date of publication or update, title in italics, and the full URL. Include “U.S. Department of Health and Human Services” as publisher when appropriate. See examples above.

By Chamberlain University