1. Communication errors are one of the leading causes of medical errors — this translates to poor patient outcomes, longer hospital stays, and increased costs (Tiwary, Rimal, Paudyal, Sidgel, and Basnyat, 2019).
Assessment Task 2 Overview “The safety and quality of the care provided in Australia’s health system is of utmost importance to all patients, their families, and carers. A safe and high- quality health system provides the most appropriate and best-value care, while keeping patients safe from preventable harm” (AIHW, 2024). The professional nurse plays a vital role in the quality improvement of health care services. However, nurses cannot make these improvements in isolation. They must include other professionals and ancillary personnel in their initiatives. Total quality commitment and change initiatives also must include all levels of an organisation structure. You are a graduate registered nurse working on a surgical ward in a large metropolitan hospital. As an emerging clinical leader, you have been asked by your Nurse Unit Manager to propose a quality improvement initiative to address one (1) of the following patient safety risk concerns: 1. Communication errors are one of the leading causes of medical errors — this translates to poor patient outcomes, longer hospital stays, and increased costs (Tiwary, Rimal, Paudyal, Sidgel, and Basnyat, 2019). 2. Human error form a significant portion of preventable mishaps in healthcare (Sameera, Bindra, and Rath, 2021). Errors are multifactorial and even a competent individual can commit an error. Human errors pose a threat to patient and organisational safety. Use the Quality Improvement Proposal template provided and respond to the following through your proposal: 1. Identify the patient safety risk concern that you would like to address in a change initiative. Provide a purpose, background, two (2) specific and achievable objectives and evaluation of change concepts, inclusive of (2) specific evaluation practices for your change initiative proposal. Use current literature to support your proposal. (500 words) 2. Stakeholder engagement is a pivotal aspect of quality improvement. Identify the main stakeholders whom you need to engage in your change initiative proposal and critically discuss communication strategies with the stakeholders. (350 words) 3. Identify the leadership style that you will adopt in this innovation for change. Analyse how the two (2) specific attributes of this leadership style would benefit and guide success of this quality improvement proposal. (300 words) 4. Identify two (2) possible barriers to change, one (1) individual and one (1) organisational that you could encounter when implementing change. Critically discuss using current literature. (350 words) Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2022) Health care safety and quality, AIHW, Australian Government, accessed 10 January 2024. Sameera, V., Bindra, A., & Rath, G. P. (2021). Human errors and their prevention in healthcare. Journal of anaesthesiology, clinical pharmacology, 37(3), 328–335. https://doi.org/10.4103/joacp.JOACP_364_19 Tiwary, A., Rimal, A., Paudyal, B., Sigdel, K. R., & Basnyat, B. (2019). Poor communication by health care professionals may lead to life-threatening complications: examples from two case reports. Welcome open research, 4, 7. https://doi.org/10.12688/wellcomeopenres.15042.1 https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/health-care-quality-performance/health-care-safety-and-quality https://doi.org/10.4103/joacp.JOACP_364_19 https://doi.org/10.12688/wellcomeopenres.15042.1 Assessment Task 2 Rubric Criteria (marks) High Distinction (HD) 100- 85% Distinction (D) 84-75% Credit (CR) 74-65% Pass (PA) 64-50% Fail (NN) 49-0% Fail – No attempt Section A –Written assignment construction Structure, Mechanics, and Intelligibility 5 marks 4.3 – 5 3.8 – 4.2 3.3 – 3.7 2.5 – 3.2 0 – 2.4 0 Quality Improvement Proposal Template used. Cohesive writing that has information organised appropriately within each paragraph. Each paragraph relates to a discrete idea. There are clear linking sentences that link each paragraph to the next. Quality Improvement Proposal Template used. The writing is organised into paragraphs, and the information is organised appropriately within the paragraph. Each paragraph relates to a discrete idea. There are clear linking sentences that link most paragraphs to the next. Quality Improvement Proposal Template used. The writing is organised into paragraphs, and the information is mostly organised appropriately within the paragraph. Most paragraphs relate to a discrete idea. There are clear linking sentences that link most paragraphs to the next. Quality Improvement Proposal Template used. The writing is organised into paragraphs, and the information is somewhat organised appropriately within the paragraph. Some paragraphs relate to a discrete idea. The paragraphs mostly link to one another. Quality Improvement Proposal Template has not been followed. There is evidence of paragraphs, however paragraph structure is disorganised, with no clear ideas, and no links to the topic being discussed. No paragraphs. The reader cannot make sense of the content. Grammar, spelling and punctuation. 5 Marks 4.3 – 5 3.8 – 4.2 3.3 – 3.7 2.5 – 3.2 0 – 2.4 0 There are no errors with grammar, spelling and punctuation, and the meaning is easily discernible. There are minimal (1-2) errors with grammar, spelling, and punctuation. However, the meaning is easily discernible. There are some (3-4) errors with grammar, spelling, and punctuation. The errors detract somewhat, but the meaning is easily discernible. There are multiple (5-6) errors with grammar, spelling, and punctuation. The errors detract, but the meaning is discernible with some effort. There are substantial (>7) errors with grammar, spelling, and punctuation, such that the errors detract significantly from the meaning. Grammar, spelling, and punctuation are such that the reader cannot make sense of the content. Section B – Knowledge and application of evidence Knowledge, understanding and Critical Thinking - Patient safety risk concern, purpose, background, two (2) specific and achievable objectives and two (2) evaluation of change processes. 15 marks 12.7 - 15 10.7 – 12.6 8.9 – 10.6 7.5 – 8.8 0.5 – 7.4 0 Clear and concise identification of the specific patient safety risk concern (Purpose). Clear and comprehensive background of the specific patient safety risk concern. Two (2) objectives identified are specific and achievable. Two (2) evaluation of change process identified and are relevant to the patient safety risk concern. Comprehensive, concise Clear identification of the specific patient safety risk concern (Purpose). Significant and concise background of the specific patient safety risk concern. Two (2) objectives identified are specific and achievable. Two (2) evaluation of change process identified and are relevant to the patient safety risk concern. Significant and concise critical discussion that is all Identification of the specific patient safety risk concern has some clarity (Purpose). Background of the specific patient safety risk concern has some clarity. Two (2) objectives identified are somewhat specific and achievable. Two (2) evaluation of change process identified and are somewhat relevant to the patient safety risk concern. Identification of the specific patient safety risk concern lacks clarity (Purpose). Background of the specific patient safety risk concern lacks clarity. Either one (1) or both objectives identified are either omitted/ or not specific and/or achievable. Either one (1) or both of the evaluation of change No identification of the specific patient safety risk concern (Purpose). Background of the specific patient safety risk concern not identified. Either one (1) or both objectives of the specific patient safety risk concern not identified or are not appropriate, specific and/or achievable. Evaluation of change processes either omitted or No attempt critical discussion that is all directly relevant to the patient safety risk concern and supported by a wide range of relevant and credible evidence. directly relevant to the patient safety risk concern and supported by a range of relevant and credible evidence. Discussion is relevant to the patient safety risk concern, however, is descriptive throughout and mostly supported by relevant and credible evidence. processes are vague however have some relevance to the patient safety risk concern. Discussion has some relevance to the patient safety risk concern, however, is descriptive throughout and supported by some relevant and credible evidence. irrelevant to the patient safety risk concern. Discussion has limited relevance to the patient safety risk concern and not supported by relevant and credible evidence. Knowledge, understanding and Critical Thinking Identify main stakeholders and critically discuss communication strategies with them. 15 marks 12.7 - 15 10.7 – 12.6 8.9 – 10.6 7.5 – 8.8 0.5 – 7.4 0 Clear and concise and thorough identification of major stakeholders. Comprehensive and concise critical discussion that is relevant to stakeholder engagement and communication of proposed patient safety initiative. All arguments are supported and justified and supported by a wide range of relevant and credible evidence. Significant and concise and thorough identification of major stakeholders. Significant and concise critical discussion that is directly relevant to stakeholder engagement and communication of proposed patient safety initiative. Most arguments are supported and justified and supported by a range of relevant and credible evidence Identification of major stakeholders has some clarity. Discussion is relevant to stakeholder engagement and communication of proposed patient safety initiative; however, discussion is descriptive throughout. Some arguments are supported and mostly supported by relevant and credible evidence Identification of major stakeholders lack clarity. Discussion has some relevance to stakeholder engagement and communication of proposed patient safety initiative; however, discussion is descriptive throughout. Many arguments lack support and justification and supported by some relevant and credible evidence. No identification of major stakeholders. Discussion has limited relevance to stakeholder engagement and communication of proposed patient safety initiative. Most arguments are not supported and/or justified and not supported by relevant and credible evidence. No attempt Knowledge and understanding and Critical Thinking Identify the leadership style that you will adopt. Analyse the attributes of this specific leadership style to guide success in the change 12.7 - 15 10.7 – 12.6 8.9 – 10.6 7.5 – 8.8 0.5 – 7.4 0 Clear and concise identification of an appropriate leadership style adopted. Comprehensive, concise, and critical discussion directly relevant to the leadership style's attributes and how they would benefit and guide success of the safety risk concern initiative. All arguments are supported Significant and concise identification of an appropriate leadership style adopted. Significant, concise, and critical discussion directly relevant to the leadership style's attributes and how they would benefit and guide success of the safety risk concern initiative. Most arguments are supported and justified and Somewhat clear identification of an appropriate leadership style. Discussion is relevant to the attributes of the leadership style and how they would benefit and guide success of the safety risk concern initiative, however, the discussion is descriptive throughout. Some arguments are supported and mostly supported by relevant and Identification of an appropriate leadership style lacks clarity or inappropriate leadership style identified. Discussion has some relevance to the attributes of the leadership style and how they would benefit and guide success of the safety risk concern initiative, however, the discussion is descriptive throughout. Many arguments lack support and justification and supported Identification of an inappropriate leadership style and/or identification of leadership style omitted. Discussion is not justified and lacks