Honors Nursing Research: Prevalence of Cardiac Comorbidities in Breast Cancer Survivors
As an Honors Nursing Student, I was paired with a faculty member and cohort of five other students during my spring semester of my sophomore year. With this group, we created a research project that focused on the effects of cardiac comorbidities on breast cancer survivors. Throughout this project, we synthesized preexisting research and data, complied data tables and statistical data, and created a research poster that we will present in the spring semester of my senior year at a research conference.
PICO Question
My cohort divided into three groups of two people to develop a topic for our research. Each group developed a PICO question and found two supporting articles to present our findings to the class. We all voted on which PICO question would be the basis for our research. The top voted PICO question was based on the cardiac comorbidities in breast cancer survivors and further guided our topic selection for our project.
Top Voted PICO:
Is drug therapy/chemotherapy in breast cancer patients related to increased coronary artery disease?
Research Synthesis
After identifying our topic of researching cardiac comorbidities in breast cancer survivors, we all agreed our research project will be a cross-sectional secondary data analysis. Therefore, my cohort and I searched preexisting research articles through databases including PubMed, Embase, and Cinahl. Once we gathered sufficient articles that were relevant, we compiled key information into an evidence table for quick reference.
Throughout this experience, I was able to improve my skills of researching relevant articles to a selected topic by using key word searches. I also gained skills in reading and pulling relevant information out of complex and lengthy evidence based articles.
Example of evidence table
Abstract Submission & Poster Development
One of the main goals of this research project is to be able to present our findings to a research conference. As a class, we agreed we would apply to the Midwest Nursing Research Society (MRNS) conference and IU Cancer Research Day. The application process required our cohort to create and submit an abstract of our project. Included in this abstract was a detailed, but brief background of why we chose to conduct this project, our methods and results of the study, and how nurses can help care for breast cancer survivors to achieve better health outcomes.
After we applied to both research conferences, we were unfortunately declined our admission to MRNS. While we were a little disappointed with this setback, we were accepted to present at IU Cancer Research Day. With this in mind, throughout Fall 2025, my cohort and I worked on developing a strong poster that adequately reflected our research project and findings. Our poster highlights the purpose of our research, how we conducted our research, the results we found, and explained how it is relevant to nursing care. We also are in the process of creating two tables to include in the poster for better understanding. One table will break down the number of cardiac comorbidities participants had, and the other table will break down sample characteristics. Below is our current poster and plan to finish the results section in the coming weeks.
(will update once finished)
Presentation
Our final milestone for this multi-semester research project will be presenting our poster at IU Cancer Research Day in May 2026. Reaching this point represents more than the completion of an academic requirement, but it also reflects the persistence, collaboration, and learning that has shaped my experience since Fall 2024. Throughout the presentation day, I will have the opportunity to discuss our project and network with students and healthcare professionals, gaining insight from their questions and perspectives while also reflecting on how much my understanding of research has evolved. Sharing our findings will be especially meaningful, as it allows me to recognize the collective effort my cohort and I invested over multiple semesters. This experience will serve as a moment to step back, appreciate our growth as researchers, and acknowledge the value of contributing to the broader conversation in cancer research and healthcare.
Reflection
Overall, my experience throughout this research project was a valuable learning experience that strengthened both my academic and professional growth. Through the process of reviewing evidence, analyzing data, and connecting research findings to nursing practice, I gained a deeper appreciation for the role of evidence-based practice in improving patient outcomes. I also developed stronger skills in collaboration, time management, and professional communication while working with my cohort to meet our project goals. Most importantly, this experience reinforced the importance of lifelong learning in nursing and helped me recognize how research empowers nurses to advocate for patients, influence practice, and contribute meaningfully to the healthcare profession.