Policy Analysis Project Guidelines

Purpose

The purpose of this application is to provide the student an opportunity to interview a nurse leader who is doctorally-prepared in nursing, complete a basic organizational assessment, and to critically appraise a selected healthcare policy that might serve as the preceptor, facility, and policy for the DNP project.

Course Outcomes

This assignment provides documentation of student ability to meet the following course outcomes.

CO 1: Distinguish selected factors affecting U.S. healthcare delivery systems and organizations

(PO #9).

CO 2: Examine factors affecting healthcare finance and payment systems (PO #9).

CO 6: Evaluate selected healthcare policy models and frameworks (PO #9).

CO 9: Formulate strategies for coalition building and health advocacy (PO #2).

CO 10: Synthesize selected policy analyses affecting advanced practice nursing (PO #2).

 

Points

This assignment is worth a total of 350 points.

Due Date

Submit your completed application under the Dropbox tab by Sunday 11:59 p.m. MT of Week 4 as directed.

Requirements

1. To complete this assignment, you will need to access to the following databases: CINAHL, MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, and the Joanna Briggs Institute. You may access these databases through the Chamberlain College of Nursing Online Library. The library contains tutorials on how to search these databases.

2. The Policy Analysis project is worth 350 points and will be graded on quality of information, use of citations, use of Standard English grammar, sentence structure, and overall organization based on the required components as summarized in the directions, grading criteria, and rubric.
3. Create your formal written paper using Microsoft Word 2010 or later (a part of Microsoft Office), which is the required format for all Chamberlain College of Nursing documents. You can tell that the document is saved as a MS Word document because it will end in “.docx.”
4. Follow the directions and grading criteria closely. Any questions about this project should be addressed to the course faculty.
5. The length of the project report is to be no less than six and no greater than eight pages excluding title page and reference pages.
6. APA format is required with both a title page and reference page. Use the required components of the review as Level 1 headers (upper and lower case, centered).
   1. Introduction (consistent with APA formatting guidelines)
   2. Description of selected healthcare policy issue
   3. Presentation of selected healthcare policy analysis
   4. Conclusion

Preparing the Project Report

You will use the NR708 Policy Analysis Project Interview Guide Form provided in Course Resources to record information from the interview you complete with an appropriate nurse leader. Then, use the information gained from the interview to compile the formal written paper, which is submitted for grading. You will submit the Interview Guide as it discusses the organizational assessment.

The following are best practices for preparing this project report.

1. When introducing the interview, be sure to identify appropriate background information regarding the interview process (who, what, where, when, and why).
2. When describing the policy issue, be sure to identify appropriate details gleaned from the policy issue interview. Be sure to discuss the organizational assessment of the facility and how the policy was chosen for this paper and possible DNP project.
3. When presenting the policy analysis, be sure to fully address each step of the eightfold pathway.

Directions and Grading Criteria

Category	Points	%	Description
Introduction	20	5%	Introduces the interview, purpose of the interview, and provides rationale for engaged interview process.
Description of Policy Issue	80	23%	Please discuss the organizational assessment and how you decided upon this particular policy. Also include any subtopics regarding selected healthcare policy issue. Use examples from the interview that support your assertions and relevant examples from your practice situation.
Presentation of Policy Analysis	80	23%	Include eight subtopics regarding selected healthcare policy analysis pathway. Summarize your subtopics using examples from the interview that support your assertions as well as relevant examples from your practice situation.
Conclusion	10	3%	An effective conclusion identifies the main ideas and major conclusions from the body of your report. Minor details are left out. Summarize the benefits of the selected policy analysis to nursing practice.
Interview Form/Organizational Assessment	100	29%	Complete interview form attached. Comprehensive organizational assessment and policy analysis during interview.
Clarity of writing	20	5%	Use of standard English grammar and sentence structure. No spelling errors or typographical errors. Organized around the required components using appropriate headers.
APA format	40	12%	All information taken from another source, even if summarized, must be appropriately cited in the report (including citation of interview) and listed in the references using APA (6th ed.) format: 1.   Document setup 2.   Title and reference pages 3.   Citations in the text and references.
Total:	350	100%	A quality report will meet or exceed all of the above requirements.

Grading Rubric

Assignment Criteria	Meets Criteria	Partially Meets Criteria	Does Not Meet Criteria
Introduction (20 points)	Excellent introduction of interview process. Rationale is well-presented and purpose fully developed. 18–20 points	Basic understanding and/or limited use of interview application and/or inappropriate emphasis on an area. 13–17 points	Little or very general introduction of interview process. Little to no explanation; inappropriate emphasis on an area. 0–12 points
Description of Policy Issue (80 points)	Excellent discussion of organizational assessment and why the selected healthcare policy issue was selected. Interview subtopics are supported with examples. 72–80 points	Basic discussion of organizational assessment and/or why the selected healthcare policy issue was selected. Interview process and/or issue not supported with examples. 51–71 points	Little or very general discussion of organizational assessment and why the selected healthcare policy issue was selected. Little or no interview process application or issue not supported with examples. 0–50 points
Presentation of Policy Analysis (80 points)	Excellent discussion of all eight required subtopics. Presentation of policy analysis is supported with examples. 72–80 points	Basic discussion of all eight required subtopics and/or presentation of policy analysis not supported with examples. 51–71 points	Little or very general discussion of all eight required subtopics, or missing one or more of required subtopics. Little or no application to interview and/or practice examples. 0–50 points
Conclusion (10 points)	Excellent understanding of policy analysis. Conclusions are well-evidenced and fully developed. 9–10 points	Basic understanding and/or limited use of policy analysis and/or inappropriate emphasis on an area. 7–8 points	Little understanding of policy analysis. Little to no explanation; inappropriate emphasis on an area. 0–6 points
Organizational Assessment/Interview Form (100 points)	Excellent discussion of the interview form of the organizational assessment & the health policy selected. 90-100 Points	Some discussion on the interview form of the organizational assessment & of the health policy selected 75-89 Points	Little discussion of the interview form of the organizational assessment & discussion of the selected health policy. 0-74 Points
Clarity of writing (20 points)	Excellent use of standard English showing original thought. No spelling or grammar errors. Well-organized with proper flow of meaning. 18-20 points	Some evidence of own expression and competent use of language. No more than three spelling or grammar errors. Well-organized thoughts and concepts. 13-17 points	Language needs development. Four or more spelling and/or grammar errors. Poorly organized thoughts and concepts. 0–12 points
APA format (40 points)	APA format correct with no more than one or two minor errors. 36–40 points	Three to five errors in APA format and/or one to two citations are missing. 26–35 points	APA formatting contains multiple errors and/or several citations are missing. 0–25 points
Total Points Possible =    375  points