NURS 6600 CAPSTONE SYNTHESIS PRACTICUM DISCUSSION 3
NURS 6600 CAPSTONE SYNTHESIS PRACTICUM DISCUSSION 3
Discussion: Practicum Project Methodology and Evaluation
Consider the following scenario:
With a clear conception of her Practicum Project goal and objectives, Sandra was optimistic that she was on the right track. Then she started to consider the methodology for her project and realized how much she still needed to figure out. She began to think about the theories and concepts she had examined in her program of study and how they might inform her methodology. The biggest challenge, she discovered, was in mapping the strategies that would help her achieve each objective. How would she decide what would be most effective? What barriers were likely to arise? She also realized that she needed to think about evaluation early in order to establish appropriate criteria and make sure she could assess the evidence related to the process, impact, and outcomes of her project. She wondered how she might use formative evaluation to develop and improve the project, as well as how she could use summative evaluation following the implementation of the project to determine if it had been successful. NURS 6600 Capstone Synthesis Practicum Discussion 3
Consider the models, theories, and concepts you have examined in your program of study as they relate to your project. Which of these can be applied to the development of the methodology to help you achieve the project objectives? Which ones can be used to help you establish criteria and methods of evaluation for your project?
In this Discussion, you examine and propose the methodology for your Practicum Project and evaluation methods. The insights you gain through this Discussion should be integrated into your Practicum Project Plan, which is due in Week 5.
To prepare for NURS 6600 Capstone Synthesis Practicum Discussion 3:
Reflect on the Practicum Project goal and objectives you developed in Week 3.
Refer to the Practicum Project Plan (PPP) Overview document as needed for information related to the assignment. NURS 6600 Capstone Synthesis Practicum Discussion 3
Consider the models, theories, and concepts you have examined in your program of study as they relate to your project. How can this information be applied to the development of the methodology and evaluation for your project?
Review the information on methodology in the Learning Resources, and conduct additional research to facilitate your analysis for your project. Evaluate the who, what, how, where, and when associated with each objective: Who will make what change, by how much, where, and by when? Consider the methods you could use to meet each objective. Devise your methodology in as much detail as possible to identify how you could meet each objective. For example, identify which professional organizations or regulatory bodies you would consult (by viewing their websites or contacting them directly) to gather evidence.
Review the information on formative and summative evaluation in this week’s Learning Resources, and conduct additional research to facilitate your analysis for your project. How could you evaluate the achievement of your Practicum Project objectives using formative and/or summative evaluation? Begin to develop an evaluation plan for your Practicum Project. NURS 6600 Capstone Synthesis Practicum Discussion 3
Post a brief summary of your Practicum Project focus, including the goal and objectives of your Practicum Project (to serve as a reminder for your colleagues). Explain your selected methodology, and justify your selection. Include a detailed explanation of how you could meet each objective using this methodology. Also explain your evaluation plan, noting at which points during your Practicum Project formative and/or summative evaluation will occur. NURS 6600 Capstone Synthesis Practicum Discussion 3
Respond to at least two of your colleagues on two different days, using one or more of the following approaches:
Comment on your colleague’s methodology, offering suggestions for improvement as appropriate.
Suggest an alternative evaluation method for your colleague’s project. NURS 6600 Capstone Synthesis Practicum Discussion 3
Required Readings for NURS 6600 Capstone Synthesis Practicum Discussion 3
Reminder: Review resources from previous courses as necessary.
Black, P. (2010). Formative assessment. In P. Peterson, E. Baker, & B. McGaw (Eds.), International encyclopedia of education (3rd ed., pp. 359–364). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier.
Note: Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
This article outlines the history of formative assessment and its application and use as an evaluation tool.
Duers, L. E., & Brown, N. (2009). An exploration of student nurses’ experiences of formative assessment. Nurse Education Today, 29(6), 654–659.
Note: Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
This article compares formative and summative assessment and presents examples of the application of formative assessment in nursing education.
Gantt, L. T. (2013). The effect of preparation on anxiety and performance in summative simulations. Clinical Simulation in Nursing, 9(1), e25–e33.
Note: Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
This article describes how a nursing simulation lab uses formative and summative evaluation. The article discusses strategies for improving nurses’ performance on summative evaluations and explores the use of formative evaluation as a strategy for improving performance on summative evaluations. NURS 6600 Capstone Synthesis Practicum Discussion 3
Pellegrino, J. W. (2010). Technology and formative assessment. In P. Peterson, E. Baker, & B. McGaw (Eds.), International encyclopedia of education (3rd ed., pp. 42–47). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier.
Note: Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
The author discusses the importance of formative assessment and examines how technology can be used to support the assessment process. NURS 6600 Capstone Synthesis Practicum Discussion 3
NURS 6600: Capstone Synthesis Practicum Nursing Informatics and Leadership & Management
Practicum Professional Experience Plan
Course Description
Students in this course apply the MSN curriculum experience by translating knowledge into practice through participation in professional activities and the development of a culminating project. Students apply theory, principles, and concepts related to their area of specialization in order to enhance nursing practice and promote positive social change. Note: This course requires a minimum of 144 practicum hours.*
*Note: Students enrolled in the Nursing Informatics specialization will have already completed 72 hours of a practicum experience in NURS 6431. This course provides an additional 144 practicum hours.
Complete each section below.
Section 1: Quarter/Term/Year and Contact Information
Quarter/Term/Year:
Student Contact Information
Name: Chizelle T. Archie
Street Address: 2275 Wintergreen Drive
City, State, Zip: Semmes, Alabama 36575
Home Phone:
Fax:
Preceptor Contact Information
Name: Crystal McDonald
Organization: Springhill Medical Center
Street Address: 3719 Dauphin Street
City, State, Zip: Mobile, Alabama 36608
Fax:
E-mail:
Section 2: Practicum Professional Development Objectives
Refer to the instructions in Week 1 to create practicum professional development objectives that meet the requirements for this course. NURS 6600 Capstone Synthesis Practicum Discussion 3
Objective 1: Improve time management skills in a leadership role while managing work-life balance.
Objective 2: Gain confidence and experience in my role performance in a supportive environment with preceptor and other experienced healthcare professionals in leadership roles in a variety of settings.
Objective 3: Utilize effective relaxation and stress reduction techniques to allow me to complete my task that will ultimately lead to my beginning a new career as an advanced beginning professional. NURS 6600 Capstone Synthesis Practicum Discussion 3
Section 3: Projected Timeline/Schedule
Estimate how many hours you expect to work on your practicum each week. Per the practicum guidelines, you may use half your hours for professional development and up to half for your Practicum Project (i.e., 72 hours to accomplish your practicum professional development objectives and 72 hours to complete your Practicum Project objectives, which you will establish later in this course).
This timeline is intended as a planning tool; your actual schedule may differ from the projections you are making now.
I intend to complete the 144 practicum hours according to the following timeline/schedule:
| Number of Hours Projected for Week | Number of Weekly Hours for Professional Development | Number of Weekly Hours for Practicum Project | |
| Week 1 | 15 | 8 | 7 |
| Week 2 | 15 | 8 | 7 |
| Week 3 | 15 | 8 | 7 |
| Week 4 | 14 | 6 | 8 |
| Week 5 | 12 | 4 | 8 |
| Week 6 | 14 | 8 | 6 |
| Week 7 | 14 | 8 | 6 |
| Week 8 | 11 | 6 | 5 |
| Week 9 | 12 | 6 | 6 |
| Week 10 | 12 | 6 | 6 |
| Week 11 | 10 | 4 | 6 |
| Total Hours (must meet the following requirements) | 144 Hours | 72 | 72 |
Section 4 – Signatures
Student Signature (electronic): Chizelle T. Archie Date: 08/31/2017
Practicum Faculty Signature (electronic)**: Date:
** Faculty signature signifies approval of Practicum Professional Experience Plan (PPEP)
Submit your Practicum Professional Experience Plan on or before Day 7 of Week 1 for Faculty review and approval.
Once approved, you will receive a copy of the PPEP for your records. You must share an approved copy with your Preceptor. The Preceptor is not required to sign this form. NURS 6600 Capstone Synthesis Practicum Discussion 3
Practicum Project Focus, Goals and Objectives
In the Community Living Center or CLC, there have been consistent low scores for the Quality Measure (QM) for pressure ulcers. Specifically, there is a problem with pressure injuries to the heel areas. Lack of education of front line nursing assistants and poor handoff process is the focus of my project. My goal is to improve the pressure ulcer prevention program in the CLC. To do this, my objectives will be to provide the front line staff with the necessary educational offerings on pressure ulcer prevention and to work on the handoff process between shifts and team members. Improving team dynamics will also be essential to my project.
Methodology
I will be using focus group, observation and interview methodology to collect and gather the information needed to analyze the problem on the CLC units. Focus groups, interviews and observation of handoffs will allow me to gain insight to what kind of handoff is currently being done and I will be able to analyze if the process is consistent on all three shifts. In the pre-test meetings with the NA’s, I will be able to use the focus group to gain their insight on what needs to be changed so they feel they have the necessary information in order to do their job effectively. Qualitative information will be obtained that will be reviewed for evidence of a trend pattern. It will be important for me to understand what the staff thinks is the reason they don’t get the proper handoff and why they don’t constantly have the pressure interventions in place. I will use the suggestions from the groups, interviews and my own observations to educate the NAs and revise the handoff process to a consistent and standardized one across all three shifts on all units in the CLC. NURS 6600 Capstone Synthesis Practicum Discussion 3
Evaluation
In order to evaluate if the face-to-face training sessions with the front line nursing assistants (NAs) was effective, the nursing assistants will first be given a pre-test to measure the assessment of learning needs. This feedback directly from the NA’s can allow me to understand if any changes need to be made in the future planned training. An open question on the pre-test will ask for feedback and ask for suggestions/concerns on this issue. Formative assessments can be used by the instructor and the students to guide improvements in the ongoing teaching and learning context (Carnegie Mellon, n.d.). Formative assessments are commonly used in educational settings and can enhance teaching effectiveness (Pellegrino, 2010). Developed in the UK, formative assessments can produce a clear picture of the child’s strengths and future needs (Black, 2010 NURS 6600 Capstone Synthesis Practicum Discussion 3).
Summative assessments will be then used to evaluate the NA’s assessment of their learning following the pressure ulcer training. This will be done through a post-test to evaluate the effectiveness of the instructional program. Individual feedback will be given to each NA to show them how they have improved after getting the training. Feedback provides the student with clarity and self-esteem that can validate the worth of the training (Duers & Brown, 2009 NURS 6600 Capstone Synthesis Practicum Discussion 3).
In order to evaluate the improvement of the handoff process, audits of care plan interventions will be completed to check to see if there is improvement once the handoff process has been revised. The goal is that the handoff process is standardized and all information regarding high risk residents has been handed-off to the front line staff, ensuring the correct prevention interventions are in place.
For the evaluation of my overall project goal of improving the QM scores for pressure ulcers in the CLC, I plan to use a summative evaluation based upon the benchmarks of other CLCs. The measure of success can be evaluated by a summative assessment of comparing scores from one quarter to another as well as by comparing and using benchmarks (Carnegie Mellon, n.d.). This can be done through the SAIL data which ranks your scores against each CLC in the VA. Strategic Analytics for Improvement and Learning (SAIL) is a system for summarizing performance within Veterans Health Administration (VHA) CLC’s (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2017 NURS 6600 Capstone Synthesis Practicum Discussion 3). An improvement in the SAIL score of pressure ulcers in the next quarter would validate the success of my project.
References
Black, P. (2010). Formative assessment. In P. Peterson, E. Baker, & B. McGraw (Eds), International encyclopedia of education (3rd ed, pp. 359-364). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier. Retrieved from Walden Library Databases.
Carnegie Mellon. (n.d.). The whys and hows of assessment. Retrieved from : http://www.cmu.edu/teaching/assessment/howto/basics/formative-summative.html
Duers, L.E., & Brown, N. (2009). An exploration of student nurses’ experiences of formative assessment. Nurse Education Today, 29(6), 654-659. Retrieved from Walden Library Databases.
Pellegrino, J.W. (2010). Technology and formative assessments. In P. Peterson, E. Baker, & B. McGraw (Eds), International encyclopedia of education (3rd ed, pp. 42-47). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier. Retrieved from Walden Library Databases. NURS 6600 Capstone Synthesis Practicum Discussion 3
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. (2017). Quality of Care. Retrieved from https://www.va.gov/QUALITYOFCARE/measure-up/Strategic_Analytics_for_Improvement_and_Learning_SAIL.asp
The term egalitarianism describe the “social organization of peoples who have been empirically observed to practice a cultural ethos which encourages sharing, peaceful cooperation, and equality, while discouraging property accumulation, status-seeking, conflict, and authoritarianism” (Townsend, n.d.). In essence, a fancy synonym for kumbaya. The journal article I selected discusses how business must continue to look at corporate governance through the lens of theorist John Rawls (1999), but with a more rational approach. Neron (2015) makes the claim that an egalitarian marketplace can be just as dangerous as a hierarchical marketplace. “Business” since it term was coined, has long been faced with the charge that it fosters inequality. Many critic would argue that the current status of income distribution is unfair and unethical and that it must be changed. However, Neron (2015) concludes that a relationship approach egalitarianism is the best approach because it moves our society away from the hunter-gatherer mindset, and takes us into a marketplace where everyone contributes and receives equally based on outputs within the system in place. More so, since it can be difficult to explain to the masses why doctors make the same as sanitation workers. Both deal in health and safety and require certain skills, but one requires a higher level of critical analysis and decision-making. Additionally, not everyone can thrive in an egalitarian setting (Neron, 2015 NURS 6600 Capstone Synthesis Practicum Discussion 3).
I do agree with Neron’s (2015) conclusion. In an egalitarianism company, managers don’t have large offices with expensive furnishings. Instead, they work in efficient spaces that are identical to those that other workers use. Tony Hsieh, the CEO for Zappos, is famous for this type of workplace environment and it works. However, these companies also face problems as workers attempt to adapt to an egalitarian structure, especially if they come from backgrounds in traditional, hierarchical companies.
Neron, P. Y. (2015). Rethinking the very idea of egalitarian markets and corporations: Why relationships might matter more than distribution. Business Ethics Quarterly, 25(1), 93-124.
Rawls, John. 1999. A theory of justice. Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press.
Townsend, C. (n.d.). Egalitarianism, the evolution of. Retrieved from https://www.academia.edu/29417676/Egalitarianism_the_evolution_of