Nursing Problem Assessment via Leadership and Policy

Course: NURS-FPX 4900 – Capstone Project for Nursing (BSN FlexPath)

Assessment 1: Assessing the Problem – Leadership, Collaboration, Communication, Change Management, and Policy Considerations

In this assessment, you will identify a patient, family, or population health problem relevant to your practice. Analyze the problem through the lenses of leadership, collaboration, communication, change management, and policy. Use evidence from peer-reviewed literature and professional standards to support your analysis. Consider how these elements influence nursing practice and health outcomes.

Instructions

1. Define a patient, family, or population health problem that is relevant to your personal nursing practice. Explain its significance and your relationship to the issue.
2. Analyze evidence from at least three peer-reviewed sources published within the last five years. Discuss how the evidence relates to best practices for addressing the problem.
3. Examine the roles of leadership, collaboration, communication, change management, and policy in solving the problem. Provide examples of how these factors could be applied.
4. Discuss potential barriers to implementation and how they might be overcome through strategic planning.
5. Ensure your paper adheres to APA 7th edition formatting, including a title page, abstract, and reference list.

Length Requirements

Submit a 5-7 page paper (excluding title page, abstract, and references), approximately 1,250 to 1,750 words.

Grading Rubric/Marking Criteria

• Problem Definition and Relevance (20%): Clearly defines the health problem and explains its importance to practice.
• Evidence Analysis (30%): Integrates relevant peer-reviewed evidence with insightful connections to the problem.
• Application of Key Concepts (30%): Thoroughly examines leadership, collaboration, communication, change management, and policy.
• Barriers and Solutions (10%): Identifies realistic barriers and proposes feasible strategies.
• APA Formatting and Writing Quality (10%): Follows APA guidelines; writing is clear, organized, and free of errors.

Grading is based on demonstration of competencies; aim for Distinguished level by exceeding expectations in analysis and application.

Sample Answer Content: Nurses facing medication error issues often start by reviewing incident reports to pinpoint systemic flaws in hospital protocols. Drawing from leadership theories, they can advocate for team training sessions that foster open communication and reduce repeat mistakes. Policies like those from the Joint Commission guide the creation of safety checklists that align with evidence-based standards.

Effective collaboration involves gathering input from pharmacists and physicians to refine processes without assigning blame. Change management strategies, such as phased implementation, help staff adapt to new electronic prescribing systems. Overall, these steps build a culture of continuous improvement in patient safety.

References

• Melnyk, B.M. and Fineout-Overholt, E., 2019. Evidence-based practice in nursing & healthcare: A guide to best practice. 4th ed. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer. Available at: https://books.google.com/books?id=abcDAAAQBAJ.
• Polit, D.F. and Beck, C.T., 2021. Nursing research: Generating and assessing evidence for nursing practice. 11th ed. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer. DOI: 10.1097/NOR.0000000000000825.
• Huber, D.L., 2022. Leadership and nursing care management. 7th ed. St. Louis: Elsevier. Available at: https://www.elsevier.com/books/leadership-and-nursing-care-management/huber/978-0-323-69168-0.
• Weiss, S.A. and Tappen, R.M., 2019. Essentials of nursing leadership & management. 7th ed. Philadelphia: F.A. Davis Company. DOI: 10.1097/NND.0000000000000601.