Written Assignment: Applying key concepts in everyday care

Word Limit:  2000 words (+/- 10%) including in-text referencing, excluding reference list

WA Rationale: Nursing is set to undergo fundamental changes in response to Australia’s ageing population. This WA (written assignment) will give you the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the first 5 weeks of concepts discussed in NUR341.  Completing this WA will further develop your critical thinking skills, strengthen your ability to document clearly and concisely, and will allow you to reflect on the specific skills and knowledge that you will need in order to meet the needs of an ageing demographic.

Task :

1. Read the weekly readings from the set text (Bernoth & Winkler, 2017) for weeks 1 – 5.

2. KEY MESSAGES:

• Identify 5 interesting points, or ‘key messages’ from each weeks’ collection of readings.

• Key messages may be things that you find interesting, or feel are important for an RN to understand.
• Please note: week 1 has 3 chapters allocated – you are required to identify 5 key messages from the 3 chapters in total, not 5 messages from each chapter.
• Paraphrase (use your own words) these points using CONSICE (ie. cut out the fluff and write as an RN would) syntax.
• Page numbers are required, in brackets, next to each key message, i.e. (p86), rather than the full intext citation of (Bernoth & Winkler, 2017, pg 86).

3. IMPORTANCE TO NURSING:

• Analyse and apply each key message to the ACUTE clinical area.
• As a starting point, think about ‘why a registered nurse needs to know about this key message.” Support each concise statement with academic research.
• Intext citations are required for each of the 25 entries in this column (i.e. Hughes, 2016).

4. RESEARCH INTO PRACTICE:

• For each key message, identify realistic strategies RNs may implement in their daily practice to deliver quality care to their older adult patients, relevant to the research that supports your key message.
• For example, what does this research “look like” in a nurse’s every day shift? Or, “how can I do this on a shift,” or what “strategy” can be used to implement this.
• Do not be tempted to provide more theoretical research here – you will miss out on far too many marks – use your critical thinking skills and your knowledge of the nurses’ role to demonstrate research in practice.
• Full intext citations are required in this column.

Presentation Font:

Size 10 Calibri

Spacing: Single

Must be presented on a pre-formatted template.. Use clear, coherent English that demonstrates progression towards the standard for written communication for professional nursing practice in Australia; remember that your ability to write concisely and unambiguously relates writing clear, safe and efficient patient notes.

Abbreviations may be used after explanation. i.e.

“….request an electrocardiogram (ECG). An ECG may…….”

 References

Referencing Style: APA 6th as per the CDU Guidelines

Minimum 14 academic quality references dated between 2012 – 2018.

Peer reviewed research articles are to be used predominately – no consumer websites.

Maximum 3 textbooks can be used.

Hints

✓ Avoid direct quotes COMPLETELY, in all areas of this assignment.

✓ Do not use bullet points.

✓ Avoid listing items – this does not demonstrate your knowledge (ie:  Chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, osteoarthritis, chronic kidney disease……is a waste of words.  simply “Chronic diseases” is sufficient)

✓ Remember 1 needs to relate to 1a, which needs to relate to 1b and so on. 

✓ Ageing NOT Aging (stick with the Australian spelling, not US)

✓ Your word count DOES not include your reference list.

✓ Acute care is provided in hospitals – make this the location of your strategies.  Week 4’s topic is primary health care.  As acute nurses, we often forget that patients have a life outside of the hospital. Think about how acute care nurses either promote or encourage opportunities available from PHC to their acute patients. Discharge planning may play a large role here.)

✓ Make your points specific to the nursing care of the OA, not generic nursing of all ages. 

✓ Concise writing takes practice.  Think of it as writing like an RN writes – no fluff, padding or superfluous words – be content focused but make your meaning unambiguously clear.  For example:

NOT CONSISE: The average age of people in Australia is rising because of a population boom that occurred in the period following World War Two.  This is important for registered nurses in Australia to know, as ageing adults can have complex presentations with multiple chronic diseases in acute settings, such as hospitals and emergency departments.  As people age, they are more likely to need health care which will put even more strain on the health care system.

CONSISE:  Older adults can have more complex presentations due to multiple chronic diseases, and these presentations will increase in frequency as our population ages.

Example:  This example demonstrates ONE of the FIVE lines required to complete week one.  Your assignment, when complete, will have a total of 25 lines – 5 for each week.   (See the Example file attached separately)