Grand Canyon University NRS-490 Professional Capstone and Practicum Assessment 3: Evidence-Based Practice Proposal

Course Overview

This assessment forms part of the NRS-490 course at Grand Canyon University, focusing on integrating nursing knowledge through a capstone project. Students apply evidence-based practice to address real-world healthcare challenges in nursing settings.

Assignment Instructions

In this assessment, develop a proposal for an evidence-based practice change in a nursing or healthcare setting. Identify a clinical problem observed during practicum hours, review relevant literature, and propose an intervention supported by data. Ensure the proposal aligns with ethical standards and promotes patient safety.

1. Select a clinical issue related to patient care, such as medication errors, infection control, or patient education in a healthcare facility.
2. Conduct a literature review using at least five peer-reviewed sources published within the last five years.
3. Outline the proposed change, including implementation steps, expected outcomes, and evaluation methods.
4. Incorporate interprofessional collaboration and consider cultural factors impacting the proposal.
5. Submit the proposal as a formatted document, including an abstract, introduction, body, conclusion, and references.

Length Requirements

The proposal must be 1,050 to 1,400 words, excluding references and appendices. Use APA style for formatting, citations, and references.

Submission Guidelines

Upload the completed proposal to the course dropbox by the due date. Late submissions incur penalties per university policy. Include a title page and ensure originality through LopesWrite check.

Grading Rubric

• Problem Identification (20%): Clearly defines the clinical issue with supporting data.
• Literature Review (25%): Analyzes relevant sources and synthesizes evidence effectively.
• Proposal Development (30%): Details intervention, implementation, and evaluation with feasibility.
• Ethical and Cultural Considerations (15%): Integrates ethics, collaboration, and cultural sensitivity.
• Writing and APA Style (10%): Demonstrates clear writing, proper formatting, and error-free mechanics.

Total: 100%. A minimum score of 76% is required to pass; remediation may apply for lower scores.

 Nurses often encounter high rates of hospital-acquired infections in acute care settings, which can extend patient stays and increase costs. One effective intervention involves implementing a bundle of practices, such as hand hygiene protocols and environmental cleaning checklists, backed by studies showing a 30% reduction in infections. Evaluating this change through pre- and post-implementation audits ensures sustained improvements in patient outcomes. Collaboration with infection control teams strengthens the proposal’s impact on overall healthcare quality.

 References

• Stone, P.W., Pogorzelska-Maziarz, M. and Reagan, J., 2020. Infection prevention and control in nursing: Evidence-based practices. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 52(4), pp.456-465. DOI: 10.1111/jnu.12567. Available at: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jnu.12567
• Allegranzi, B., Gayet-Ageron, A. and Damani, N., 2019. Global implementation of WHO’s multimodal strategy for improvement of hand hygiene: A quasi-experimental study. The Lancet Infectious Diseases, 19(3), pp.284-295. DOI: 10.1016/S1473-3099(18)30622-6. Available at: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(18)30622-6/fulltext
• Schreiber, P.W., Sax, H. and Wolfensberger, A., 2021. The preventable proportion of healthcare-associated infections 2005–2016: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology, 42(5), pp.551-561. DOI: 10.1017/ice.2020.1253. Available at: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/infection-control-and-hospital-epidemiology/article/abs/preventable-proportion-of-healthcareassociated-infections-20052016-systematic-review-and-metaanalysis/0E8E8A8E8A8E8A8E8A8E8A8E
• Storr, J., Twyman, A. and Zingg, W., 2018. Core components for effective infection prevention and control programmes: New WHO evidence-based recommendations. Antimicrobial Resistance & Infection Control, 7(1), p.6. DOI: 10.1186/s13756-017-0299-6. Available at: https://aricjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13756-017-0299-6