Assignment
Purpose
The identification of a significant practice problem and associated project need are the cornerstone of a practice change project. The purpose of this assignment is to conduct an organizational needs assessment. The formulation of a comprehensive organizational needs assessment supports the professional formation of the DNP-prepared nurse. To complete the assessment of the organizational need, you will need to interview a key decision-maker at the practicum site. If you are not implementing your DNP Project at a practicum site, complete the assignment as if you had interviewed a key decision-maker at a practicum site.
Instructions
To create flexibility, we are providing you options on this assignment. For this assignment, each of the sections can be presented either as a narrative or as a concept map. Concept maps are an effective way to express complex ideas, especially for visual learners.
Please note that you are not required to complete any or all sections as a concept map. If you choose to use a concept map for a section, it should be created in Microsoft Word and placed in that section of your paper. The concept map must meet all the requirements of the assignment rubric for that section. The rubric and page length requirements of the paper are the same whether you complete the sections of this assignment as a narrative or as a concept map.
Follow these guidelines when completing each component of this assignment. Contact your course faculty if you have questions.
- Use the most current version of the APA formatted Microsoft Word document for the DNP Program. The document is located in Student resources and saved as a Microsoft Word Document and will end in “docx.”
- All Chamberlain University policies related to plagiarism must be observed.
- Review the rubric for the grading criteria.
The assignment includes the following components:
- Title Page
- Title of the paper
- Student name
- Chamberlain of Nursing
- Course number and course name
- Session month and year [May session 2022]
- Introduction
- Start your introduction with a powerful purpose statement or two to stimulate interest.
- Introduce the practice problem or need.
- Provide a preview of what the paper will include with a strong thesis sentence.
- Identification of the Practice Problem or Need
- Describe the practice problem or need.
- Discuss how the practice problem or need was determined.
- Briefly summarize the evidence in the literature which is focused on the practice problem and builds a compelling case for the practice problem. using in-text citations/ and references, to support the need for change.
- A minimum of 3 current (within 5 years) research articles from peer-reviewed journals are required. Non-research data can also be added to the 3 articles to support the compelling nature of the practice problem. (Examples of sources of Non-research data are the CDC, state or county Health Department, Kaiser Family Foundation, AHRQ.)
- Describe the source of the evidence or data at the practicum site to support the need for change at the practicum site. This may be the infection rate, obesity prevalence, or diabetic patients with A1C of 7 or higher, for example. This evidence might also be from a conversation with the organizational leader. State the source of the data that supports this need at the practicum site.
- Identification of Stakeholders (Stakeholders have some form of stake or interest in the project outcomes.)
- Identify (state explicitly) key stakeholders who will support the change.
- Identify (state explicitly) key stakeholders who may resist the change.
- Identify (state explicitly) stakeholders who will have the most influence on positive or negative changes related to your identified problem.
- Gap Analysis Table
- Complete the gap analysis table, which can be downloaded at the following link:
- Link (Word doc): Gap Analysis Template (Links to an external site.)
- Include the table in your paper. Review the following instructions on how to copy a table in Word:
- Link (webpage): Move or Copy a Table (Links to an external site.)
- Answer all of the questions completely and separately. Do not combine answers.
- What is currently happening at the practicum site?
- What should be happening at the practicum site based on current evidence?
- What is your practice gap? (state what is currently happening and state what should be happening)
- Why is there a practice gap?
- What factors are contributing to the practice gap?
- What evidence do you have to demonstrate there is a practice gap?
- Complete the gap analysis table, which can be downloaded at the following link:
- Conclusion
- Write one concise paragraph, providing a clear and logical summation of the paper.
- Summarize the main points from the needs assessment section above. (New information should not be included in the conclusion)
- APA Standards and References
- Use appropriate Level I headers.
- Create the reference page with a minimum of three current (within 5 yrs) peer-reviewed journal articles.
- References and citations are in current APA style.
- Each reference has a matching citation.
Writing Requirements (APA format)
- 1-inch margins
- Double-spaced pages
- 12-point Times New Roman font or 11-point Arial
- Headings & subheadings
- In-text citations
- Title page
- References page
- Standard English usage and mechanics
Course Outcomes
This assignment enables the student to meet the following course outcomes:
- Formulate a needs-based organizational assessment to inform strategic leadership decision-making. (POs 3, 5, 7)
- Develop strategies to lead project planning, implementation, management, and evaluation to promote high value healthcare.
Assignment Grading Rubric
| Week 2 Assignment Grading Rubric | ||
| Criteria | Ratings | Pts |
| This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Introduction Requirements: 1. Start your introduction with a powerful purpose statement to stimulate interest. 2. Introduce the practice problem or need. 3. Provide a preview of what the paper will include with a strong thesis sentence. | 20 pts Includes all requirements and provides an in-depth introduction. 18 pts Includes all requirements and provides a sufficient introduction. 16 pts Includes 2 requirements and/or provides a partial introduction. 0 pts Provides an undeveloped introduction. | 20 pts |
| This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Identification of the Practice Problem or Need Requirements: 1. Describe the practice problem or need. 2. Discuss how the practice problem or need was determined. 3. Briefly summarize the evidence in the literature which is focused on the practice problem and builds a compelling case for the practice problem. 4. A minimum of 3 current (within 5 years) research articles from peer-reviewed journals are required. Non-research data can also be added to the 3 articles to support the compelling nature of the practice problem. (Examples of sources of non-research data are the CDC, state or county Health Department, Kaiser Family Foundation, AHRQ.) 5. Describe the source of the evidence or data at the practicum site to support the need for change at the practicum site. (This may be the infection rate, obesity prevalence, or diabetic patients with A1C of 7 or higher, for example. This evidence might also be from a conversation with the organizational leader. State the source of the data that supports this need at the practicum site.) | 25 pts Includes all requirements and an provides an in-depth discussion about the practice problem or need. 23 pts Includes at least 4 requirements and/or provides a sufficient discussion about the practice problem or need. 20 pts Includes at least 3 requirements and/or provides a partial discussion about the practice problem or need. 0 pts Provides an undeveloped discussion about the practice problem or need. | 25 pts |
| This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Stakeholders Requirements: 1. Identify (state explicitly) key stakeholders who will support the change. 2. Identify (state explicitly) key stakeholders who may resist the change. 3. Identify (state explicitly) stakeholders who will have the most influence on positive or negative changes related to your identified problem. | 20 pts Includes all requirements and provides an in-depth evaluation of stakeholders. 18 pts Includes at least 2 requirements and/or provides a sufficient evaluation of stakeholders. 16 pts Includes at least 1 requirements and/or provides a partial evaluation of stakeholders. 0 pts Provides an undeveloped evaluation of stakeholders. | 20 pts |
| This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Gap Analysis Requirements: 1. Embed the completed gap analysis table in your paper. Please answer all of the questions separately. Do not combine answers. 2. What is currently happening at the practicum site? 3. What should be happening at the practicum site based on current evidence? 4. What is your practice gap ? (State what is currently happening and what should be happening.) 5. Why is there a practice gap ? 6. What factors are contributing to the practice gap? 7. What evidence do you have to demonstrate there is a practice gap? | 25 pts Includes all requirements of the gap analysis and provides an in-depth gap analysis table presentation. 23 pts Includes at least 6 requirements of the gap analysis and/or provides a sufficient gap analysis table presentation. 20 pts Includes at least 5 requirements of the gap analysis and/or provides a partial gap analysis table presentation. 0 pts Provides an undeveloped gap analysis table presentation. | 25 pts |
| This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Conclusion Requirements: 1. Write one concise paragraph, providing a clear and logical summation of the paper. 2. Summarize the main points from the needs assessment section above. | 20 pts Includes all requirements and provides an in-depth summary in the conclusion. 18 pts Includes all requirements and provides a sufficient summary in the conclusion. 16 pts Includes at least 1 requirement and provides a partial summary in the conclusion. 0 pts Provides an undeveloped summary of the main points in the needs assessment in the conclusion. | 20 pts |
| This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome APA Style and Standards Requirements: 1. Uses appropriate Level I headers. 2. Create the reference page with a minimum of three (3) current (within 5 yrs) peer-reviewed journal articles. 3. References and citations are in current APA style. 4. Each reference has a matching citation. | 10 pts Includes all requirements of APA style and standards. 9 pts Includes 3 requirements of APA style and standards. 8 pts Includes 2 requirements of APA style and standards. 0 pts Includes 1 requirement of APA style and standards. | 10 pts |
| This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Clarity of Writing Requirements: 1. Standard English grammar and sentence structure 2. No spelling or typographical errors 3. Organized presentation of ideas | 10 pts Includes all requirements of clarity of writing. 9 pts Includes 2 requirements of clarity of writing. 8 pts Includes 1 requirement of clarity of writing. 0 pts Includes fewer than all requirements and/or demonstrates poor clarity of writing. | 10 pts |
| Total Points: 130 |
