Quality Improvement Project Proposal Formative and Summative Assessment brief

Quality Improvement Project Proposal Formative and Summative Assessment brief

There are two assessments in Quality Improvement Project Proposal. The following are the details of the Formative and Summative Assessments.

Formative Assessment:

A 1000-word draft introducing the selected health organisation facing a current quality issue and outlining the research methodology designed to investigate it.

• Students are required to answer the question in no more than 1,000 words and upload to the Turnitin before the formative deadline.
• Students will be given formative feedback on their draft to support successful completion of their final coursework submission.

Suggested Formative Assessment Structure:

Introduction to the Health Organisation & Research Methodology

1.Introduction (150-200 words)

• Introduce the selected real healthcare organisation (e.g., NHS Trust, private hospital, care home).
• Provide a brief background: size, location, services offered.
• State the quality issue/problem the organisation is facing.
• Explain why this issue is important (e.g., patient safety, efficiency, compliance).
• Tip: Use reports, audits, or real-world data to justify why the issue matters.

2.Identifying the Quality Issue (200-250 words)

• Describe the specific quality problem (e.g., high patient readmission rates, poor hand hygiene compliance).
• Use evidence (statistics, staff/patient feedback, policy gaps) to highlight the issue.
• Explain the impact of the problem (e.g., increased costs, patient dissatisfaction).
• Example: An NHS hospital sees a 30% increase in readmissions within 30 days of discharge due to inadequate patient education.

3.Literature Review (300-350 words)

• Provide an overview of existing research and best practices related to the quality issue.
• Summarise key academic and healthcare policy sources that discuss similar challenges.
• Identify gaps in the literature that justify the need for further investigation.
• Highlight any theoretical or conceptual frameworks that inform the issue.
• Tip: Use peer-reviewed journal articles, NHS reports, or international case studies.

4.Research Methodology (300-350 words)

• Explain how the issue will be investigated for the Quality Improvement (QI) proposal.
• Choose a research approach (e.g., qualitative interviews with staff, quantitative data analysis, case study).
• Outline data collection methods (e.g., surveys, policy reviews, audits).
• Consider ethical issues (e.g., patient confidentiality, informed consent)
• Tip: Ensure the methodology is feasible within a short timeframe and limited resources.

5.Conclusion & Next Steps (100-150 words)

• Summarise key points and link to the summative assessment.
• Highlight what additional data or refinement may be needed.
• Outline the next steps in the full project proposal.

6.References (SON Harvard Referencing, ~10 Sources, Not in Word Count)

• In alphabetical order. Refer SON Harvard Referencing Style: BPP School of Nursing Harvard referencing guide

Summative Assessment [100% of Module Grade]:

A 2500-word Quality Improvement project proposal including a project plan.

This module is assessed on this task. To pass the module, you must achieve a 50% or above grade.

Students are required to answer these questions in no more than 2,500 words and upload to the Turnitin before the summative deadline.

Students will be given feedback and marks based on the submitted work.

Suggested QIP Proposal Structure

Title: Quality Improvement Project Proposal: [Insert Organisation Name]

1.Introduction (300-400 words; 10%)

• Introduce the real healthcare organisation selected.
• Provide an overview of the quality issue identified in the formative assessment.
• Explain the importance of addressing this issue (e.g., meeting NHS standards, reducing errors).
• State the overall aim of the QI project.
• Tip: Use official reports, NHS policies, or journal articles to support why this issue is a priority.

2.Problem Identification & Rationale (400-500 words; 15%)

• Define the specific problem using evidence (data, observations, complaints).
• Discuss the impact on stakeholders (patients, staff, financial costs).
• Conduct a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) of the issue.
• Example: A care home struggles with medication errors due to inconsistent documentation.

3.Aim and SMART Objectives (200–250 words; 10%)

• Clearly state the aim of the project – what is the desired change or improvement?
• Develop SMART objectives:
  oSpecific – Clear about what will be achieved
  oMeasurable – Able to assess whether the goal has been met
  oAchievable – Realistic within the time and context
  oRelevant – Aligned with organisational goals or priorities
  oTime-bound – Include a timeframe or deadline
• Tip: Align objectives with outcome measures that can be tracked post- intervention.

4.Literature Review (400-500 words; 15%)

• Summarise key academic and healthcare policy sources relevant to the quality issue.
• Discuss previous research and best practices addressing similar challenges.
• Identify gaps in existing literature to justify the proposed intervention.
• Provide supporting evidence for the chosen methodology and QI model.
• Tip: This section should connect previous research findings to the need for a structured QI intervention.

5.Methodology & Project Plan (600-700 words; 25%)

• Describe the Quality Improvement Model selected (e.g., PDSA, Lean, Donabedian).
• Justify why this model is appropriate for addressing the identified issue.
• Explain the research approach (qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods).
• Data Collection Methods: How progress will be measured (e.g., staff surveys, patient feedback, KPI tracking).
• Project Implementation Strategy: Steps for applying the intervention within the selected organisation.
• Risk assessment: Identify potential barriers (e.g., staff resistance, budget constraints) and how they will be mitigated.
• Gantt Chart: Visual representation of the timeline.
• Tip: Keep the project realistic – no large funding or long-term research required.

6.Expected Outcomes & Success Measures (300-400 words; 10%)

• Identify the anticipated benefits for the organisation, patients, or staff.
• Describe how success will be measured (e.g., improvements in KPIs, qualitative feedback, audit scores).
• Set realistic expectations for both short- and long-term outcomes.
• Example: Reducing waiting times in an outpatient clinic by 20% within six months.

7.Conclusion & Recommendations (200-300 words; 10%)

• Summarise the key points from your proposal.
• Reflect on the feasibility and relevance of the intervention.
• Recommend next steps, including scaling up or adapting the project in future.

8.References (5%)

• This comprises an alphabetically written comprehensive list the all the articles that the students have cited in their work in a Nursing Harvard reference format.
• Include approximately 25 references (Nursing Harvard style, including QI models, case studies, and healthcare guidelines).

You must apply all details as indicated in the Assessment preparation session and in the Programme Handbook.

• Cover page (BPP School of Nursing Cover Sheet)
• Table of Contents
• Font size 12
• Font Style Arial
• Line Spacing 1.5
• Footer your SRN and Page Number
• Apply BPP Nursing Harvard Referencing
• All answers must be referenced.
• Reference list detailed after conclusion.
• Submit via Turnitin
• Name your assignment docx using the recommended format [SRN Module name Assignment].

Word count – only applies to the main body (shown in bold); i.e., cover page, table of contents, list of abbreviations, references, and appendix are not part of the 2,500- word count.

If you have any further questions about this assessment, please contact the module leader or your tutor.

Assessment regulations

• You may receive verbal and written feedback on Formative work, which is intended to aid your learning experience.
• For all assessed academic work, feedback will be available four weeks after the submission date. This feedback and any grade awarded are provisional until the Board of Examiners have ratified your awarded grade.
• Remember to use your feedback in conjunction with the assignment; the aim is to improve your performance, use feedback constructively to plan future work and performance. Where you are unclear with regards to the feedback, you should seek further clarification from the module team and or your personal tutor.
• There is a fee (£75) for every resubmission following failure at a previous attempt
• In some instances, the Programme Leader or nominee may grant an extension of a deadline date for coursework. You must have undertaken the following for this procedure to be considered:
  a.The application MUST be received by 12:00 noon on the day before the deadline
  b.The claim for the extension MUST be on the prescribed form and;
  c. MUST be accompanied by authoritative and objective evidence of the mitigating circumstances relied on.
• You must NOT mention or use specifically the name of any individual or organisation without permission in your assignment.
• More information regarding the extension of course work can be found in the university Policies and Procedures (UPPs) & General Academic Regulations (GARs)