The summative assessment for this module is a 4000 word essay based on a potential clinical service improvement initiative. No student should be introducing an actual service improvement in their clinical area.
The main focus of this assignment is the service improvement process which will help students to become aware of the processes involved with improving practice and the relevant evidence that informs this process.
The service improvement should be focused on improving the patient’s experience of care and must be managed in accordance with current improvement methodology. Explain the rationale for the required improvement and describe the evidence base underpinning this change.
Students would be expected to demonstrate how they would test out a small scale service improvement applying appropriate theoretical and service models of change such as the Plan Do Study Act (PDSA) cycles.
Topic
Introducing a tool that improves communication between health care professionals, e.g. SBAR
Model frameworks for quality improvements
1000 lives Quality Improvement Guide for educators and students.
http://www.1000livesplus.wales.nhs.uk/home
Model for Improvement Langley et al (1996, p28)
Institute Health Care Improvement ( ICI) Open School
Introduction
The Introduction must state clearly, the purpose and intentions of the essay
The introduction should contain definitions of any key terms used within the main body of the assignment and state the proposed service improvement to be discussed.
This is a theoretical service improvement so there should be no need for a statement of confidentiality.
Main body.
This should briefly set out the background to the proposed service improvement, providing the evidence base to support this change (no more than 250 words).
The student is expected to provide references to appropriate sources of literature including relevant published research, health policy documents, national guidelines and frameworks for practice.
The proposed framework methodology should be briefly introduced with a rationale. The framework can provide the structure of the remainder of the essay. For example the PDSA cycle.
Plan: what to do including how you propose to:
Identify stakeholders
Gain management permission and support
Educate stakeholders
Leadership styles
Ethical considerations
Manage resistance
Identify logistics/resources
Do: how you propose to manage the process and collect data?
Study: how do you propose to study the data, e.g. audit? What will you do following this stage?
Act: How will the change be evaluated: do we keep the change or adapt the change or abandon it? What else can be done?
use this structure to demonstrate how the proposed improvement to practice will be carried out. Evidence of critical appraisal of the methods to be used and the potential outcomes of the planned improvement project are expected.
Conclusion
This section should summarise the assignment as a whole.
It should indicate the main issues addressed, highlighting pertinent issues arising from the critical appraisal of the evidence base to support the change, the chosen improvement methodology and the application of this model to the change project discussed.
