NURS 8302 Assignment 1 Applying Project Management Approaches for a Quality Improvement Practice Gap INSTRUCTIONS PLUS RUBRIC
NURS 8302 Assignment 1 Applying Project Management Approaches for a Quality Improvement Practice Gap INSTRUCTIONS PLUS RUBRIC
Assignment 1: Applying Project Management Approaches for a Quality Improvement Practice Gap
Project management allows for a clear and focused workflow to approach an issue or task. These approaches streamline a process, allow for checks and balances, and ensure all stakeholders are active participants in the process. Project management approaches often utilize SMART objectives to define and set the objectives for the project.
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Each letter of the acronym SMART defines a different criterion for the objective. A SMART objective is specific, measurable, assignable, realistic, and timely. These objectives help to steer the work and direct the stakeholders to the completion of the project.
For this Assignment, you will reflect on project management approaches that could be used to address a quality improvement practice gap. You will develop SMART objectives for the planning and execution of a quality improvement project, and will consider potential project management approaches or activities that could be used in executing this project.
To Prepare:
- Review the Learning Resources for this week, and consider the approaches of project management.
- Refer to the Week 3 Discussion, and reflect on the quality improvement practice gap you identified.
- Consider how you might apply the project management approaches examined this week to address the quality improvement practice gap you identified.
- Think about how you might develop SMART objectives for the planning and execution of a project to address the quality improvement practice gap you identified.
- Consider any other project management approaches or activities you might recommend using for your project that will address the quality improvement practice gap you identified.
The Assignment: (2–3 pages)
- Briefly describe the quality improvement practice gap you identified in your nursing practice or organization. Be specific.
- Develop at least two SMART objectives you might apply in the project planning phase or execution phase to address the quality improvement practice gap you identified.
- Recommend at least two project management activities you would use for your project, addressing the quality improvement practice gap you identified. Explain your justification for why these activities would provide the best support. Be specific and provide examples.
Reminder: The College of Nursing requires that all papers submitted include a title page, introduction, summary, and references. The Sample Paper provided at the Walden Writing Center provides an example of those required elements (available at https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/templates/general#s-lg-box-20293632). All papers submitted must use this formatting.
By Day 7
Submit your Assignment by Day 7 of Week 4.
Submission and Grading Information
To submit your completed Assignment for review and grading, do the following:
- Please save your Assignment using the naming convention “WK4Assgn1+last name+first initial.(extension)” as the name.
- Click the Week 4 Assignment 1 Rubric to review the Grading Criteria for the Assignment.
- Click the Week 4 Assignment 1 link. You will also be able to “View Rubric” for grading criteria from this area.
- Next, from the Attach File area, click on the Browse My Computer button. Find the document you saved as “WK4Assgn1+last name+first initial.(extension)” and click Open.
- If applicable: From the Plagiarism Tools area, click the checkbox for I agree to submit my paper(s) to the Global Reference Database.
- Click on the Submit button to complete your submission.
Grading Criteria
To access your rubric:
Week 4 Assignment 1 Rubric
Check Your Assignment Draft for Authenticity
To check your Assignment draft for authenticity:
Submit your Week 4 Assignment 1 draft and review the originality report.
Submit Your Assignment by Day 7 of Week 4
To participate in this Assignment:
Week 4 Assignment 1
Rubric Detail
Select Grid View or List View to change the rubric’s layout.
Content
Name: NURS_8302_Week4_Assignment1_Rubric
Excellent | Good | Fair | Poor | ||
Briefly describe the quality improvement practice gap you identified in your nursing practice or organization. Be specific. | Points Range: 23 (23%) – 25 (25%)
The response accurately and clearly describes in detail the quality improvement practice gap identified in their nursing practice or organization. The response provides accurate and specific details that fully support the selection of the quality improvement practice gap identified. |
Points Range: 20 (20%) – 22 (22%)
The response accurately describes the quality improvement practice gap identified in their nursing practice or organization. The response provides accurate details that support the selection of the quality improvement practice gap identified. |
Points Range: 18 (18%) – 19 (19%)
The response inaccurately or vaguely describes the quality improvement practice gap identified in their nursing practice or organization. The response provides inaccurate or vague details that may support the selection of the quality improvement practice gap identified. |
Points Range: 0 (0%) – 17 (17%)
The response inaccurately and vaguely describes the quality improvement practice gap identified in their nursing practice or organization, or it is missing. The response provides inaccurate and vague details that do not support the selection of the quality improvement practice gap identified, or it is missing. |
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Develop at least two SMART objectives you might apply in the project planning phase or execution phase to address the quality improvement practice gap you identified. | Points Range: 32 (32%) – 35 (35%)
The response accurately and completely develops two SMART objectives that comprehensively address the quality improvement gap identified. |
Points Range: 28 (28%) – 31 (31%)
The response accurately develops two SMART objectives to address the quality improvement gap identified. |
Points Range: 25 (25%) – 27 (27%)
The response inaccurately or vaguely develops two SMART objectives to address the quality improvement gap identified. OR The response develops less than two SMART objectives. |
Points Range: 0 (0%) – 24 (24%)
The response inaccurately and vaguely develops two SMART objectives to address the quality improvement gap identified, or it is missing. |
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Recommend at least two project management activities you would use for your project addressing the quality improvement practice gap you identified, and explain your justification for why these activities would provide the best support. Be specific, and provide examples. | Points Range: 23 (23%) – 25 (25%)
The response accurately and clearly describes in detail two project management activities to address the quality improvement practice gap identified. The response includes relevant, specific, and appropriate examples that fully support the justification for the use of project management activities to address the quality improvement practice gap identified. |
Points Range: 20 (20%) – 22 (22%)
The response accurately describes two project management activities to address the quality improvement practice gap identified. The response includes relevant, specific, and accurate examples that support the justification for the use of project management activities to address the quality improvement practice gap identified. |
Points Range: 18 (18%) – 19 (19%)
The response inaccurately or vaguely describes two project management activities to address the quality improvement practice gap identified. OR The response recommends less than two project management activities. The response includes inaccurate and irrelevant examples that may support the justification for the use of project management activities to address the quality improvement practice gap identified. |
Points Range: 0 (0%) – 17 (17%)
The response inaccurately and vaguely describes two project management activities to address the quality improvement practice gap identified, or it is missing. The response includes inaccurate and vague examples that do not support the justification for the use of project management activities to address the quality improvement practice gap identified, or it is missing. |
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Written Expression and Formatting – Paragraph Development and Organization: Paragraphs make clear points that support well-developed ideas, flow logically, and demonstrate continuity of ideas. Sentences are carefully focused—neither long and rambling nor short and lacking substance. A clear and comprehensive purpose statement and introduction is provided which delineates all required criteria. | Points Range: 5 (5%) – 5 (5%)
Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity. A clear and comprehensive purpose statement, introduction, and conclusion is provided which delineates all required criteria. |
Points Range: 4 (4%) – 4 (4%)
Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity 80% of the time. Purpose, introduction, and conclusion of the assignment is stated, yet is brief and not descriptive. |
Points Range: 3 (3%) – 3 (3%)
Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity 60%–79% of the time. Purpose, introduction, and conclusion of the assignment is vague or off topic. |
Points Range: 0 (0%) – 2 (2%)
Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity < 60% of the time. No purpose statement, introduction, or conclusion was provided. |
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Written Expression and Formatting – English writing standards: Correct grammar, mechanics, and proper punctuation | Points Range: 5 (5%) – 5 (5%)
Uses correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation with no errors. |
Points Range: 4 (4%) – 4 (4%)
Contains a few (1 or 2) grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. |
Points Range: 3 (3%) – 3 (3%)
Contains several (3 or 4) grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. |
Points Range: 0 (0%) – 2 (2%)
Contains many (≥ 5) grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors that interfere with the reader’s understanding. |
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Written Expression and Formatting – The paper follows correct APA format for title page, headings, font, spacing, margins, indentations, page numbers, parenthetical/in-text citations, and reference list. | Points Range: 5 (5%) – 5 (5%)
Uses correct APA format with no errors. |
Points Range: 4 (4%) – 4 (4%)
Contains a few (1 or 2) APA format errors. |
Points Range: 3 (3%) – 3 (3%)
Contains several (3 or 4) APA format errors. |
Points Range: 0 (0%) – 2 (2%)
Contains many (≥ 5) APA format errors. |
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Total Points: 100 | |||||
Name: NURS_8302_Week4_Assignment1_Rubric

Grading Rubric
Performance Category | 100% or highest level of performance
100% 16 points |
Very good or high level of performance
88% 14 points |
Acceptable level of performance
81% 13 points |
Inadequate demonstration of expectations
68% 11 points |
Deficient level of performance
56% 9 points
|
Failing level
of performance 55% or less 0 points |
Total Points Possible= 50 | 16 Points | 14 Points | 13 Points | 11 Points | 9 Points | 0 Points |
Scholarliness
Demonstrates achievement of scholarly inquiry for professional and academic topics. |
Presentation of information was exceptional and included all of the following elements:
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Presentation of information was good, but was superficial in places and included all of the following elements:
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Presentation of information was minimally demonstrated in all of the following elements:
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Presentation of information is unsatisfactory in one of the following elements:
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Presentation of information is unsatisfactory in two of the following elements:
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Presentation of information is unsatisfactory in three or more of the following elements
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16 Points | 14 Points | 13 Points | 11 Points | 9 Points | 0 Points | |
Application of Course Knowledge
Demonstrate the ability to analyze and apply principles, knowledge and information learned in the outside readings and relate them to real-life professional situations |
Presentation of information was exceptional and included all of the following elements:
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Presentation of information was good, but was superficial in places and included all of the following elements:
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Presentation of information was minimally demonstrated in the all of the following elements:
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Presentation of information is unsatisfactory in one of the following elements:
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Presentation of information is unsatisfactory in two of the following elements:
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Presentation of information is unsatisfactory in three of the following elements
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10 Points | 9 Points | 6 Points | 0 Points | |||
Interactive Dialogue
Initial post should be a minimum of 300 words (references do not count toward word count) The peer and instructor responses must be a minimum of 150 words each (references do not count toward word count) Responses are substantive and relate to the topic. |
Demonstrated all of the following:
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Demonstrated 3 of the following:
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Demonstrated 2 of the following:
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Demonstrated 1 or less of the following:
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8 Points | 7 Points | 6 Points | 5 Points | 4 Points | 0 Points | |
Grammar, Syntax, APA
Points deducted for improper grammar, syntax and APA style of writing. The source of information is the APA Manual 6th Edition Error is defined to be a unique APA error. Same type of error is only counted as one error. |
The following was present:
AND
AND
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The following was present:
AND/OR
AND/OR
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The following was present:
AND/OR
AND/OR
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The following was present:
AND/OR
AND/OR
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The following was present:
AND/OR
AND/OR
AND/OR
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The following was present:
AND/OR
AND/OR
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0 Points Deducted | 5 Points Lost | |||||
Participation
Requirements |
Demonstrated the following:
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Failed to demonstrate the following:
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0 Points Lost | 5 Points Lost | |||||
Due Date Requirements | Demonstrated all of the following:
A minimum of one peer and one instructor responses are to be posted within the course no later than Sunday, 11:59 pm MT. |
Demonstrates one or less of the following.
A minimum of one peer and one instructor responses are to be posted within the course no later than Sunday, 11:59 pm MT. |
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