NURS-FPX 4010 – Leading People, Processes, and Organizations in Interprofessional Practice

Assessment 3: Interdisciplinary Communication Improvement Plan – Reducing Medication Errors

Course and Assessment Overview

Course: NURS-FPX 4010 – Leading People, Processes, and Organizations in Interprofessional Practice (Capella University)

Assessment: Assessment 3 – Interdisciplinary Communication Improvement Plan

Length: 1,200–1,500 word paper (approximately 4–5 double-spaced pages, excluding title page and references), aligned with common NURS-FPX 4010 assessment expectations

Format: Word-processed, double-spaced, 12-point font, required academic referencing style

Submission: Upload to the Assessment 3 area in the LMS after completing the interview and issue identification in Assessment 2

Assessment Context

Capella NURS-FPX 4010 assessments commonly require learners to identify an interprofessional issue—such as communication failures—and design a feasible improvement plan that enhances collaboration and patient outcomes. In this assessment, you will develop an interdisciplinary communication improvement plan focused on reducing medication errors in an inpatient setting. The plan builds on information hypothetically gathered during Assessment 2 through interviews or analysis of an identified issue.

Scenario

The organisation has reported an increase in near misses and medication errors occurring during handoffs and transitions of care. Incident reports reveal inconsistent documentation, incomplete verbal handoffs, and confusion regarding medication changes among nurses, physicians, and pharmacists. Senior leadership has requested an interprofessional proposal to strengthen communication processes, reduce medication errors, and improve overall patient safety.

Assessment Instructions

1. Introduction (Approx. 150–200 words)

• Clearly state the interprofessional problem: communication breakdowns contributing to medication errors in the selected practice setting

• Briefly explain why this issue is significant for patient safety, quality of care, and organisational performance, using current data or reports when available

• Present the purpose of the paper and preview the major sections

2. Interdisciplinary Issue Description and Evidence (Approx. 250–300 words)

• Describe how communication failures manifest in the setting, such as handoff gaps, unclear medication orders, documentation inconsistencies, or fragmented communication between disciplines

• Summarise relevant local data (for example, incident reports or audits) and link the issue to current evidence on medication safety and communication failures

• Identify key disciplines involved (nurses, physicians, pharmacists, and others) and explain how the issue affects each group and patient outcomes

3. Proposed Interdisciplinary Communication Improvement Plan (Approx. 450–500 words)

Design a specific, evidence-informed plan to improve communication and reduce medication errors by strengthening team processes, tools, and behaviours.

• Describe the core components of the plan, such as standardised handoff tools (SBAR), structured medication reconciliation, interdisciplinary huddles, read-back and teach-back practices, and shared electronic documentation templates

• Summarise 3–5 recent peer-reviewed or authoritative sources that support these strategies and demonstrate their effectiveness in improving communication and medication safety

• Clearly define the roles and responsibilities of each discipline in implementing and sustaining the plan

• Link plan components to key interprofessional practice concepts, including shared mental models, mutual respect, accountability, and role clarity

4. Implementation Approach and Change Management (Approx. 250–300 words)

• Outline a realistic implementation timeline that may include preparation, pilot testing, evaluation, and broader rollout

• Identify likely barriers, such as time constraints, competing priorities, resistance to changing communication practices, or documentation burden, and propose practical strategies to address them

• Describe strategies for stakeholder engagement, including staff involvement in planning, use of champions or super users, and sharing early performance data

5. Outcomes and Evaluation (Approx. 200–250 words)

• Define measurable outcomes that will demonstrate effectiveness, such as medication error rates, near-miss reports, compliance with structured handoff tools, and staff perceptions of communication quality

• Explain how data will be collected, analysed, and reviewed with the interprofessional team

• Describe how evaluation findings will inform refinement, sustainability, and spread of the communication improvement plan

6. Conclusion (Approx. 100–150 words)

• Reinforce the link between effective interdisciplinary communication and safer medication practices

• Summarise anticipated benefits for patients, staff, and the organisation

Assessment 3 Rubric – Interdisciplinary Communication Improvement Plan

Criterion 1: Clarity and Significance of the Interdisciplinary Issue (20%)

• Distinguished: Clearly describes the communication issue and links it to medication safety risks using local information and current evidence

• Proficient: Describes the issue and its significance with generally adequate detail

• Basic: Broad description with limited evidence

• Below Basic: Issue description is vague or poorly connected to patient safety

Criterion 2: Quality and Relevance of the Proposed Plan (30%)

• Distinguished: Proposes a well-structured, feasible communication plan grounded in multiple high-quality sources and clearly aligned with the practice context

• Proficient: Logical plan supported by relevant evidence, with some areas needing more depth

• Basic: Descriptive plan with limited evidence or contextual alignment

• Below Basic: Plan is incomplete or poorly aligned with the issue

Criterion 3: Implementation and Change Management (20%)

• Distinguished: Presents a realistic implementation strategy with strong stakeholder engagement and barrier management

• Proficient: Feasible approach with some attention to barriers

• Basic: General implementation outline with limited detail

• Below Basic: Implementation approach is unclear or impractical

Criterion 4: Outcomes, Evaluation, and Interprofessional Focus (20%)

• Distinguished: Clearly defines measurable outcomes, evaluation processes, and shared interprofessional accountability

• Proficient: Reasonable outcomes and evaluation with moderate interprofessional focus

• Basic: Outcomes and evaluation are broadly defined

• Below Basic: Outcomes and evaluation are poorly articulated

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Criterion 5: Writing, Organisation, and Referencing (10%)

• Distinguished: Writing is clear, concise, well organised, and adheres to academic referencing standards

• Proficient: Minor issues with clarity or referencing

• Basic: Noticeable problems with flow or consistency

• Below Basic: Significant writing or referencing deficiencies

Medication errors often occur at points of care transition where multiple clinicians are involved in prescribing, dispensing, and administering medications. Communication failures during handoffs can lead directly to omissions, duplications, or incorrect medication administration. Implementing a structured SBAR-based handoff process that explicitly addresses recent medication changes, allergy status, and pending orders—supported by standardised electronic documentation and pharmacist involvement in complex cases—provides a practical strategy for reducing miscommunication. When nurses, physicians, and pharmacists commit to shared communication tools and regular interdisciplinary huddles, teams frequently report improved clarity of care plans and a measurable reduction in near misses and medication errors.

Sustained improvement in medication safety requires more than the introduction of structured communication tools; it depends on cultivating a culture of interprofessional accountability and psychological safety. Research indicates that teams that regularly engage in shared reflection, feedback, and mutual learning are more likely to maintain effective communication practices and achieve lasting reductions in medication errors. Nurse leaders play a critical role in modelling clear communication expectations, reinforcing adherence to standardised processes, and supporting collaboration across disciplines to enhance patient safety outcomes (Reeves et al., 2017).

Recent References

• Tariq, R.A., Vashisht, R., Sinha, A. and Scherbak, Y. (2024) ‘Medication errors’, StatPearls. Treasure Island, FL: StatPearls Publishing. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK519065/

• Manias, E. (2018) ‘Medication communication: A concept analysis’, Journal of Advanced Nursing, 74(4), pp. 809–821. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.13492

• O’Daniel, M. and Rosenstein, A.H. (2008) ‘Professional communication and team collaboration’, in Hughes, R.G. (ed.) Patient safety and quality: An evidence-based handbook for nurses. Rockville, MD: AHRQ.

• Reeves, S., Pelone, F., Harrison, R., Goldman, J. and Zwarenstein, M. (2017) ‘Interprofessional collaboration to improve professional practice and healthcare outcomes’, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2017(6), CD000072. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD000072.pub3