Week 2: Problem Identification and Description
Sample Answer for Week 2: Problem Identification and Description Included After Question
Week 2 Problem Identification and Description
i. Identify and describe the problem in clear and concise language. To help you think about what problem you might choose, keep in mind the health or nursing problems of the patient population(s) you currently serve, those you encountered in your clinical courses, or those you plan to work with in the future. o ▪ ▪
ii. Describe the clinical setting. Describe the service area for the clinic and population groups who attend the clinic services. ▪ What kinds of problems do you see in the clinic? Give a clear, explicit statement of the problem and target population, as well as the background of the specific problem relative to the clinical setting. o ▪
iii. Is it broad enough that you can analyze it from many theoretical and conceptual points of view and make suitable plans to address the problem from a number of perspectives?
▪ Is it of enough interest to you that you are willing to spend most of the semester thinking about it, assessing all its dimensions, planning in detail how to address it, and designing a detailed intervention and evaluation plan? Describe the significance of the evidence-based project that could be implemented in the selected setting to the nursing profession. Ask yourself why it is important to you. Consider your own clinical interest. o
▪ ▪ Describe clinical observations that point out the knowledge gap, clinical gap, etc. Describe the significant research in the area that has been done that delineates the gap in our knowledge. Your paper should be 3–4 pages in length, not including the cover or reference pages. You must reference a minimum of 3 scholarly sources in your paper. Use current APA format to style your paper and to cite your sources.
Week 3: The Integrative Literature Review Much effort should be devoted to this section as it is a key component of your work. This should be a synthesis of the literature, not a catalog of studies or simply analysis of the research you discover.
1. Perform a literature review using a minimum of seven (7) peer-reviewed articles and books, as well as non-research literature such as evidence-based guidelines, toolkits, standardized procedures, etc.
2. Review of areas in relationship to medicine, nursing, public health, etc.
1. The review should be critical and synthesize rather than just being a catalog of studies.
3. Summarize the key findings of the research and its relevancy to your project that point out the scientific status of the phenomenon under question.
Such a statement includes:
1. What we know and how well we know it.
2. What we do not know.
4. Describe any gaps in knowledge that you found and the effects this may have on advanced practice nursing as it relates to your project topic. Your integrative literature review should be 5–6 pages in length, not including the cover or reference pages. You must reference a minimum of 7 scholarly articles published within the past 5–7 years. Use current APA format to style your paper and to cite your sources.
Week 4: Project Aims, Values, and Desired Outcomes This section of your change project paper should include:
1. A reference to the project’s benefits in terms of cost, time, and/or quality that address needs or changes, results, impacts, or consequences that the project has on people, programs, or institutions.
2. Goals and objectives that are measurable, shared, and hypothetically agreed on by all key stakeholders. They are directly linked to the concept of project success factors.
3. What variables need to be considered and and whether or not you have control over them.
• • For example, if you were to implement a clinic-wide practice change, would budget be an issue and how would you address that variable? If you were to implement your study, consider how would you gather data. Would you choose the qualitative or quantitative method?
• An explanation of what your research will provide to the community, or to social change.
• A description of the desired outcomes: Specifically, state the purpose, focus, and viewpoint of the project as well as its expected accomplishments.
• • While you may not be implementing your project, you should have a goal in mind that relates to solving your problem. Establish a timeline for accomplishing your project goal(s). This section should be 3–4 pages in length, not including the cover or reference page, and should address the intended outcomes of your project. You must reference a minimum of 3 scholarly articles. Use current APA format to style your paper and to cite your sources. Review the rubric for more information on how the assignment will be graded.
Week 5: The Theoretical/Conceptual Framework The theoretical framework is a critical element of your work. A theoretical framework is the general representation of relationships in your problem and is based on existing theory. The conceptual framework is your idea on how the problem should be explored, and it is generally based on a theory. The difference between the two is the scope. Theory is broad; concept is narrow. In most research studies, your framework can be either theoretical or conceptual in nature. For the purposes of this project, you will most likely follow a conceptual framework, which is your idea on how the research problem will be explored (although you could have both).
For example: • • Theoretical framework: Stimulus is applied to elicit a response Conceptual framework: A new teaching method is applied to elicit improvement in midterm test scores. In this section of your change project paper, state the perspective through which the problem and/or phenomenon may be explored, and include the following:
1. Select a minimum of two theories.
2. Identify the process and logic in selecting these theoretical frameworks or conceptual frameworks for your study. 3. Discuss how each theory or model applies to the individual project.
3. Present the framework guiding your study. • o o Describe the assumptions of the framework. Describe each key component of the framework. 4. Discuss how each element of the phenomenon applies to the framework. • o o Apply each element of the theory to the elements of the phenomenon under study. Develop the rationale for the sample selection criteria. 5. Discuss, analyze, and critique pertinent research that uses the framework. Remember that research never proves theory. Your research project can only support or refute the theoretical propositions you are using as your framework. But if you do not use theory or conceptual frameworks in your research, you may not be able to put your findings in a context that could strengthen the nursing education profession! This section should be 3–4 pages in length, not including the cover or reference page. You must reference a minimum of 3 scholarly articles. Use current APA format to style your paper and to cite your sources. Review the rubric for more information on how the assignment will be graded. Week 7: Intervention for Proposed Clinical Change Project You are designing an executable population-based change project addressing identified practice-related problems or questions. This strongly emphasizes collaboration between advanced practice nurses and community agencies and includes working with an agency using practice data to provide answers, which are responsive to the needs of clinicians, administrators, and policy makers for improvement of programs or practices. This section of the change project should include a discussion of key concepts. 1. Clarify the issue under study. 2. Propose solutions or interventions based on the literature review. 3. Compare other views on the problem and solutions. 4. Address the APRN role in the intervention and discuss implications for clinical practice. 5. Discuss the implications of your change project. Some important things to consider and address: 1. Does your intervention have a clear connection to your research problem? 2. What are the specific methods of data collection you are going to use, such as surveys, interviews, questionnaires, or protocols? 3. How do you intend to analyze your results? 4. Provide a justification for subject selection and sampling procedure. 5. Describe potential limitations. Are there any practical limitations that could affect your data collection? How will you attempt to control the limitations? 6. How will your change project help fill gaps in understanding the research problem? This section should be 6–7 pages in length, not including the cover or reference page. You must reference a minimum of 5 scholarly articles. Use current APA format to style your paper and to cite your sources. Review the rubric for more information on how the assignment will be graded.
A Sample Answer For the Assignment: Week 2: Problem Identification and Description
Title: Week 2: Problem Identification and Description
| Excellent | Good | Fair | Poor | ||
| Main Postinga | 45 (45%) – 50 (50%)
Answers all parts of the discussion question(s) expectations with reflective critical analysis and synthesis of knowledge gained from the course readings for the module and current credible sources.
Supported by at least three current, credible sources.
Written clearly and concisely with no grammatical or spelling errors and fully adheres to current APA manual writing rules and style. |
40 (40%) – 44 (44%)
Responds to the discussion question(s) and is reflective with critical analysis and synthesis of knowledge gained from the course readings for the module.
At least 75% of post has exceptional depth and breadth.
Supported by at least three credible sources.
Written clearly and concisely with one or no grammatical or spelling errors and fully adheres to current APA manual writing rules and style. |
35 (35%) – 39 (39%)
Responds to some of the discussion question(s).
One or two criteria are not addressed or are superficially addressed.
Is somewhat lacking reflection and critical analysis and synthesis.
Somewhat represents knowledge gained from the course readings for the module.
Post is cited with two credible sources.
Written somewhat concisely; may contain more than two spelling or grammatical errors.
Contains some APA formatting errors. |
0 (0%) – 34 (34%)
Does not respond to the discussion question(s) adequately.
Lacks depth or superficially addresses criteria.
Lacks reflection and critical analysis and synthesis.
Does not represent knowledge gained from the course readings for the module.
Contains only one or no credible sources.
Not written clearly or concisely.
Contains more than two spelling or grammatical errors.
Does not adhere to current APA manual writing rules and style. |
|
| Main Post: Timeliness | 10 (10%) – 10 (10%)
Posts main post by day 3. |
0 (0%) – 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) – 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) – 0 (0%)
Does not post by day 3. |
|
| First Response | 17 (17%) – 18 (18%)
Response exhibits synthesis, critical thinking, and application to practice settings.
Responds fully to questions posed by faculty.
Provides clear, concise opinions and ideas that are supported by at least two scholarly sources.
Demonstrates synthesis and understanding of learning objectives.
Communication is professional and respectful to colleagues.
Responses to faculty questions are fully answered, if posed.
Response is effectively written in standard, edited English. |
15 (15%) – 16 (16%)
Response exhibits critical thinking and application to practice settings.
Communication is professional and respectful to colleagues.
Responses to faculty questions are answered, if posed.
Provides clear, concise opinions and ideas that are supported by two or more credible sources.
Response is effectively written in standard, edited English. |
13 (13%) – 14 (14%)
Response is on topic and may have some depth.
Responses posted in the discussion may lack effective professional communication.
Responses to faculty questions are somewhat answered, if posed.
Response may lack clear, concise opinions and ideas, and a few or no credible sources are cited. |
0 (0%) – 12 (12%)
Response may not be on topic and lacks depth.
Responses posted in the discussion lack effective professional communication.
Responses to faculty questions are missing.
No credible sources are cited. |
|
| Second Response | 16 (16%) – 17 (17%)
Response exhibits synthesis, critical thinking, and application to practice settings.
Responds fully to questions posed by faculty.
Provides clear, concise opinions and ideas that are supported by at least two scholarly sources.
Demonstrates synthesis and understanding of learning objectives.
Communication is professional and respectful to colleagues.
Responses to faculty questions are fully answered, if posed.
Response is effectively written in standard, edited English. |
14 (14%) – 15 (15%)
Response exhibits critical thinking and application to practice settings.
Communication is professional and respectful to colleagues.
Responses to faculty questions are answered, if posed.
Provides clear, concise opinions and ideas that are supported by two or more credible sources.
Response is effectively written in standard, edited English. |
12 (12%) – 13 (13%)
Response is on topic and may have some depth.
Responses posted in the discussion may lack effective professional communication.
Responses to faculty questions are somewhat answered, if posed.
Response may lack clear, concise opinions and ideas, and a few or no credible sources are cited. |
0 (0%) – 11 (11%)
Response may not be on topic and lacks depth.
Responses posted in the discussion lack effective professional communication.
Responses to faculty questions are missing.
No credible sources are cited. |
|
| Participation | 5 (5%) – 5 (5%)
Meets requirements for participation by posting on three different days. |
0 (0%) – 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) – 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) – 0 (0%)
Does not meet requirements for participation by posting on 3 different days. |
|
| Total Points: 100 | |||||