Essay including a personal reflection

2.4 Assessment Details
2.4.1 Essay including a personal reflection

Weight:	30%
Type of Collaboration:	Individual
Due:	Monday 19th August, 2019 at midnight
Submission:	Refer to Section 2.5 of the LG – General Submission Requirements
Format:	Essay including a personal reflection
Length:	1,000 words
Curriculum Mode:	Essay

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Aim of assessment

Standard 1 of the NMBA Registered Nurse Standards for Practice outlines the requirement for nurses to use best available evidence for safe, quality practice and to develop practice through reflection on experiences, knowledge, actions, feelings and beliefs (NMBA, 2016).
The aim of this essay is for students to describe, and reflect on, a nursing related event reported in the media and using the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) standards developed by ACSQHC (Australian Commission for Safety and Quality in Healthcare) identify what nurses might do to improve their practice and reduce the risk of a similar error.

Details

A copy of the article of the nursing related incident and NSQHS standard that you must base your essay on is available on vUWS in the assessment 1 folder located in the assessments tab.
Students will write an appropriately structured essay that includes and/or addresses the following points. A guide to the number of words you may wish to use for each section is provided in brackets after each point.

– A concise introduction that identifies the incident to be discussed with background information, a thesis statement (a statement that tells the reader what you believe about the topic), and outline of the main ideas to be discussed in the essay (Approximately 150 words)
– A comprehensive description of the nursing incident including an explanation of the nurse’s role in the incident (Approximately 150 words)
– Identify and explain the consequences of this incident for the nurse and the health consumer (patient and their family) (Approximately 150 words)
– Identify and describe the nursing actions, through the development of a nursing action plan, that demonstrates how the nurses can improve their practice in a way that prevents the incident reoccurring (Approximately 250 words)
– A brief reflection of the incident using the points below from Rolfe et al’s (2001) reflective model (1 or 2 sentences on each point below). (Approximately 150 words)
– What? What feelings did this event evoke (suggest) for you?
– So What? So what does this tell you about the nurse’s actions in this incident (were they appropriate, were they correct, was it best practice?). What do you think the nurse might have been thinking when the mistake occurred?
– Now What? Now what knowledge could the nurse have remembered and applied to ensure the incident didn’t occur. Is there additional information the nurse needs in order to be safe?
– Use the link below to view Rolfe’s et al.’s (2001) reflective model and see an example of how this can be applied

Click to access ReflectiveModelRolfe.pdf

– A conclusion that concisely summarises the main ideas raised in the essay, restates the thesis statement and concludes with a final statement (Approximately 150 words)
– Appropriate use of language and conventions, and appropriate support of relevant academic resources, including appropriate NMBA and ACSQHC standards throughout the essay
– Your introduction, main body and conclusion paragraphs in this essay must use 3rd person. However, your reflection paragraph may use 1st or 3rd person
– Applies appropriate, academic resources and uses correct APA 6th style referencing both in text and on a complete reference list

Important Note: The marking criteria add up to a mark of 60. The assessment is weighted at 30%. Therefore, your mark out of 60 will be converted to a mark out of 30% for your final grade.

5 https://www.smh.com.au/national/sydney-grandmother-who-died-after-nurses-error-was-already-at-deaths-door-court-hears-20150222-13lim1.html – ARTICLE

Exemplar:

Examples may be available on the vUWS site.

Resources:

Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care. (2017). National safety and
quality health service standards (2nd.ed). Retrieved from https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/our-work/assessment- to-the-nsqhs-standards/nsqhs-standards-second-edition/ Nursing and Midwifery Board [NMBA]. (2016). Registered Nurses standards for practice. Retrieved https://www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/codes-guidelines-statements/professional-standards.aspx
Rolfe, G., Freshwater, D., Jasper, M. (2001) Critical reflection in nursing and the helping professions:
a user’s guide. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

There are a number of textbooks and resources available through the Western Sydney University Library that may assist you. Please refer to the unit’s vUWS site for specific unit resources in the assessment zone.

Marking Criteria:

Criteria	High Distinction	Distinction	Credit	Pass	Unsatisfactory
Introduction: Contains background information, a thesis statement and an outline of the main ideas to be discussed	Introduction provides comprehensive background information, a concise thesis statement and a comprehensive outline of the main ideas to be discussed in the essay.	Introduction provides thorough background information, a clear thesis statement and a thorough outline of the main ideas to be discussed in the essay.	Introduction provides adequate background information, a thesis statement and a clear outline of main ideas to be discussed in the essay, maybe with lack of clarity in places	Introduction provides some background information, a thesis statement and an outline of main ideas to be discussed in the essay. However, some of these components may not be well presented	Introduction provides little or vague background information, no or non-comprehensive thesis statement, no or poorly coordinated and articulated main ideas to be discussed in the essay.
/5	4.5-5	4	3.5	2.5-3	≤2
Describes the nursing incident, explaining the nurse’s role in the incident	Comprehensive description of the incident. Comprehensive explanation of the nurse’s role in the incident. Discussion is well supported by evidence- based/peer re- viewed/appropriate academic sources.	Thorough description of the incident. Thorough explanation of the nurse’s role in the incident. Discussion is well supported by evidence- based/peer re- viewed/appropriate academic sources	Satisfactory description of the incident. Clear explanation of the nurse’s role in the incident. Discussion is supported by evidence- based/peer re- viewed/appropriate academic sources but may be a limited range.	Basic description of the incident. Mostly descriptive explanation of the nurse’s role in the incident. Discussion is supported by evidence- based/peer re- viewed/appropriate academic sources but may be a limited range.	Minimal or no description of the incident. Minimal or no explanation of the nurse’s role in the incident. Discussion is not supported by evidence- based/peer re- viewed/appropriate academic sources.
/10	8.5-10	7.5-8	6.5-7	5-6	≤4.5
Identifies and explains the consequences of the nursing incident for the nurse and the health care consumer’s	Comprehensive analysis of the consequences of the incident for the nurse and health care consumer’s. Discussion is supported by evidence- based/peer re- viewed/appropriate academic sources and three or more NMBA documents.	Thorough analysis of the consequences of the incident for the nurse and health care consumer’s. Discussion is supported by evidence- based/peer re- viewed/appropriate academic sources and two or more NMBA documents.	Satisfactory analysis of the consequences of the incident for the nurse and health care consumer’s. Discussion is supported by evidence- based/peer re- viewed/appropriate academic sources and NMBA documents.	Basic analysis of the consequences of the incident for the nurse and health care consumer’s. Discussion is supported by evidence- based/peer re- viewed/appropriate academic and NMBA documents.	Minimal or no analysis of the consequences of the incident for the nurse and health care consumer’s. Discussion is not supported by evidence- based/peer re- viewed/appropriate academic sources and NMBA documents.

Criteria	High Distinction	Distinction	Credit	Pass	Unsatisfactory
/10	8.5-10	7.5-8	6.5-7	5-6	≤4.5
Identifies and describes the nursing actions, through the development of a nursing action plan, that demonstrates how the nurses can improve their practice in a way that prevents the incident reoccurring.	Comprehensive development of an action plan that demonstrates how the nurse can improve their practice in a way that prevents the incident reoccurring. Discussion is supported by appropriate academic sources, including at least 5 peer reviewed journal articles plus relevant ACQSHC Standards document.	Thorough development of an action plan that demonstrates how the nurse can improve their practice in a way that prevents the incident reoccurring. Discussion is supported by appropriate academic sources, including at least 4 peer reviewed journal articles plus relevant ACQSHC Standards document.	Satisfactory development of an action plan that demonstrates how the nurse can improve their practice in a way that prevents the incident reoccurring. Discussion is supported by some appropriate academic sources, including at least 3 peer reviewed journal articles plus relevant ACQSHC Standards document.	Basic development of an action plan that demonstrates how the nurse can improve their practice in a way that prevents the incident reoccurring. Discussion is supported by appropriate academic sources, including at least 2 peer reviewed journal articles plus relevant ACQSHC Standards document.	Minimal or no development of an action plan and therefore, does not demonstrate how the nurse can improve their practice in a way that prevents the incident reoccurring. Discussion does not draw on relevant or peer reviewed sources or relevant ACQSHC Standards document.
/15	13-15	11.5-12.5	10-11	7.5-9.5	≤9.5
Reflection of the incident using Rolfe et al’s (2001) reflective model	Comprehensively reflects on the ’What’, ’So What’ and ’Now What’ for this incident	Thoroughly reflects on the ’What’, ’So What’ and ’Now What’ for this incident	Clear reflection on the ’What’, ’So What’ and ’Now What’ for this incident	Basic reflection of the ’What’, ’So What’ and ’Now What’ for this incident	Minimal or no reflection of this incident
/10	8.5-10	7.5-8	6.5-7	5-6	≤4.5
Conclusion Summarises main ideas raised in the essay, restates thesis statement and concludes with a final statement.	Conclusion clearly and concisely summarises all the main ideas raised and restates thesis statement.	Conclusion clearly summarises all the main ideas raised and restates thesis statement.	Conclusion satisfactorily summarises main ideas raised, and attempts to restate thesis statement.	Conclusion summarises most main ideas raised. Thesis statement is restated, but may be repetitive or not clear.	Conclusion does not attempt to summarise the main ideas raised. Thesis statement is not restated, or identified. Conclusion not evident.
/5	4.5-5	4.0	3.5	2.5-3.0	≤2.0
Presentation and Referencing: Uses language conventions, appropriate paragraph structure and APA 6th ed. referencing style.	Legible presentation of text with conventional spelling, grammar and punctuation. Minimal use of direct quotes. Appropriately constructed and effectively linked paragraphs that match the sequence outlined in the introduction. References consistently follow APA 6th ed. style with flawless referencing.	Legible presentation of text with conventional spelling, grammar and punctuation, though with minor errors. Direct quotes used sparingly. Appropriately constructed and mostly effectively linked paragraphs that match the sequence outlined in the introduction. References consistently follow APA 6th ed. style with no errors.	Some errors in spelling, punctuation and grammar, but they do not interfere with meaning. Direct quotes used sparingly. Mostly appropriately constructed and mostly effectively linked paragraphs that match the sequence outlined in the introduction. References consistently follow APA 6th ed. style with minimal errors.	Some errors in spelling, punctuation and grammar that occasionally interfere with meaning. Over reliance on direct quotes. Mostly appropriately constructed paragraphs but few effective links, or they do not match the sequence outlined in the introduction. References provided but not according to APA 6th ed. style. Some references missing or incorrect.	Non-conventional spelling, punctuation and grammar that frequently interfere with meaning. Over reliance on direct quotes. Poorly constructed paragraphs with few effective links; does not match the sequence outlined in the introduction. References inadequate and frequent errors in referencing style. No reference list.
/5	4.5-5	4	3.5	2.5-3	≤2