Assessing the Problem: Leadership, Collaboration, Communication, Change Management, and Policy Considerations

The assessment requirements, outlined below, correspond to the scoring guide criteria, so be sure to address each main point. Read the performance-level descriptions for each criterion to see how your work will be assessed. In addition, note the additional requirements for document format and length and for supporting evidence.

• Define a patient, family, or population health problem thats relevant to your practice.
  • Summarize the problem youll explore.
  • Identify the patient, family, or group you intend to work with during your practicum.
  • Provide context, data, or information that substantiates the presence of the problem and its significance and relevance to the patient, family, or population.
  • Explain why this problem is relevant to your practice as a baccalaureate-prepared nurse.
• Analyze evidence from peer-reviewed literature and professional sources that describes and guides nursing actions related to the patient, family, or population problem youve defined.
  • Note whether the authors provide supporting evidence from the literature thats consistent with what you see in your nursing practice.
  • Explain how you would know if the data are unreliable.
  • Describe what the literature says about barriers to the implementation of evidence-based practice in addressing the problem youve defined.
  • Describe research that has tested the effectiveness of nursing standards and/or policies in improving patient, family, or population outcomes for this problem.
  • Describe current literature on the role of nurses in policy making to improve outcomes, prevent illness, and reduce hospital readmissions.
  • Describe what the literature says about a nursing theory or conceptual framework that might frame and guide your actions during your practicum.
• Explain how state board nursing practice standards and/or organizational or governmental policies could affect the patient, family, or population problem youve defined.
  • Describe research that has tested the effectiveness of these standards and/or policies in improving patient, family, or population outcomes for this problem.
  • Describe current literature on the role of nurses in policy making to improve outcomes, prevent illness, and reduce hospital readmissions.
  • Describe the effects of local, state, and federal policies or legislation on your nursing scope of practice, within the context of this problem.
• Propose leadership strategies to improve outcomes, patient-centered care, and the patient experience related to the patient, family, or population problem youve defined.
  • Discuss research on the effectiveness of leadership strategies.
  • Define the role that you anticipate leadership must play in addressing the problem.
  • Describe collaboration and communication strategies that you anticipate will be needed to address the problem.
  • Describe the change management strategies that you anticipate will be required to address the problem.
  • Document the time spent (your practicum hours) with these individuals or group in the Core Elms Volunteer Experience Form.
• Organize content so ideas flow logically with smooth transitions.
• Apply APA style and formatting to scholarly writing.

Additional Requirements

• Format: Format your paper using APA style.  is provided to help you in writing and formatting your paper. Be sure to include:
  • A title page and reference page. An abstract is not required.
  • Appropriate section headings.
• Length: Your paper should be approximately 5-7 pages in length, not including the reference page.
• Supporting evidence: Cite at least five sources of scholarly or professional evidence that support your central ideas. Resources should be no more than five years old. Provide in-text citations and references in APA format.
• Proofreading: Proofread your paper, before you submit it, to minimize errors that could distract readers and make it more difficult for them to focus on its substance.