The Purpose of this assignment is to formulate a clinical question that will be the basis for the quality improvement proposal you will be beginning this semester. Part 2 of this proposal will be developed in NURS 495. Consider the type of patient care issue that you would like to learn more about. You can also refer to the  National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators  for a list of possible topics to research.  Please use patient Falls for this assignment. Describe the background of the question, present the question using the PICOT format, and discuss your rationale for selecting this question. The paper should be no more than 3 pages (not including title page and references).  Please keep in mind, when you are completing the second part of your Quality Improvement Project in NURS 495, you will need to develop a business plan to implement the findings you have found in the literature. Be sure to select a patient care topic that you will allow you to develop a plan for implementation.  Your Paper will be based on the following criteria: Assignment #1: PICOT Question and Justification Due Date Jan 29, 2017 11:59 PM Hide Rubrics Rubric Name: Assignment #1: PICOT Question and Justification Criteria Level 3 Level 2 Level 1 Clinical Question 30 points (21-30 points) The question is explicit, and clearly and succinctly stated 20 points (10-20 points) The question is somewhat clearly and succinctly stated. 9 points (0-9 points) The question is evident in the paper’s main points, but not well stated. PICOT Format 30 points (21-30 points) Paper contains all five components accurately. 20 points (10-20 points) Paper contains at least three components accurately. 9 points (0-9 points) Paper contains at least one of the components accurately Rationale for Question 30 points (21-30 points) Rationale for selection of question is explicit, clear, and logical. 20 points (10-20 points) Rationale for selection of question is somewhat explicit, clear, and logical 9 points (0-9 points) Rationale for selection of question is not explicit, clear, and/or logical Spelling, sentance structure, Organization, Grammar 10 points (7-10 points) Excellent spelling, sentence structure and grammar throughout the paper. Excellent organization and easy to read. 6 points (3-6 points) Some spelling, sentence structure and grammar errors. Paper generally is readable. Some organization problems 2 points (0-2 points) Many spelling, sentence structure, and grammar mistakes throughout the paper. Difficult to read with very little organization. Overall Score Level 3 67 or more Level 2 30 or more Level 1 0 or more Assignment #2: Summary Table - Levels of Evidence (Due Week 5 - 2/12/2017; 20% of final grade) After you have defined your PICOT question and identified your patient care issue, you can begin and the first part of your quality improvement (QI) project. In order to do this you will need to do a literature search to find evi.

1. The Purpose of this assignment is to formulate a clinical
question that will be the basis for the quality improvement
proposal you will be beginning this semester. Part 2 of this
proposal will be developed in NURS 495.
Consider the type of patient care issue that you would like to
learn more about. You can also refer to the
National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators
for a list of possible topics to research.
Please use patient Falls for this assignment.
Describe the background of the question, present the question
using the PICOT format, and discuss your rationale for
selecting this question. The paper should be no more than 3
pages (not including title page and references).
Please keep in mind, when you are completing the second part
of your Quality Improvement Project in NURS 495, you will
need to develop a business plan to implement the findings you
have found in the literature. Be sure to select a patient care
topic that you will allow you to develop a plan for
implementation.
Your Paper will be based on the following criteria:
Assignment #1: PICOT Question and Justification
Due Date
Jan 29, 2017 11:59 PM
Hide Rubrics
Rubric Name: Assignment #1: PICOT Question and Justification

2. Criteria
Level 3
Level 2
Level 1
Clinical Question
30 points
(21-30 points)
The question is explicit, and clearly and succinctly stated
20 points
(10-20 points)
The question is somewhat clearly and succinctly stated.
9 points
(0-9 points)
The question is evident in the paper’s main points, but not well
stated.
PICOT Format
30 points
(21-30 points)
Paper contains all five components accurately.
20 points
(10-20 points)
Paper contains at least three components accurately.
9 points

3. (0-9 points)
Paper contains at least one of the components accurately
Rationale for Question
30 points
(21-30 points)
Rationale for selection of question is explicit, clear, and logical.
20 points
(10-20 points)
Rationale for selection of question is somewhat explicit, clear,
and logical
9 points
(0-9 points)
Rationale for selection of question is not explicit, clear, and/or
logical
Spelling, sentance structure, Organization, Grammar
10 points
(7-10 points)
Excellent spelling, sentence structure and grammar throughout
the paper. Excellent organization and easy to read.
6 points
(3-6 points)
Some spelling, sentence structure and grammar errors. Paper
generally is readable. Some organization problems
2 points

4. (0-2 points)
Many spelling, sentence structure, and grammar mistakes
throughout the paper. Difficult to read with very little
organization.
Overall Score
Level 3
67 or more
Level 2
30 or more
Level 1
0 or more
Assignment #2: Summary Table - Levels of Evidence
(Due Week 5 - 2/12/2017; 20% of final grade)
After you have defined your PICOT question and identified
your patient care issue, you can begin and the first part of your
quality improvement (QI) project. In order to do this you will
need to do a literature search to find evidence for your topic.
Once you have found the evidence in the literature, construct a
table of evidence from studies relevant to your topic that you
have found from your literature search. In general, you should
limit your literature search to articles and major reviews which
have been published during the last five years. There should be
a minimum of six articles reviewed and you can include
systematic reviews. The columns in the table should include the

5. following:
Title, journal in which the study was published, year it was
published
Type of study (
refer to the table on page 62 of this article
)
The research question or hypothesis
The study methodology
The level of the evidence (refer to )
Description of the subjects and sample size
Major findings from the study
Additional resources can be found at the following website.
(Health Sciences Library, 2012 Evidence-Based Practice Tools)
http://libguides.hsl.washington.edu/ebptools
.
Please refer to the following reading in week 1 Presentation,
AACN 2012 Levels of Evidence:
Peterson, M. H., Barnason, S., Donnelly, B., Hill, K., Miley, H.,
Riggs, L., & Whiteman, K. (2014). Choosing the Best Evidence
to Guide Clinical Practice: Application of AACN Levels of
Evidence.
Critical Care Nurse
,
34
(2), 58-68
Here is an example of how to construct a table of evidence:
Authors Names, Source, and Year
Type of Study
Research Question/Hypothesis
Methodology/
Study Design
Level of Evidence
Description of Subjects and Sample Size
Major Findings
Jones and Smith,
Nursing Research

6. 2012
Descriptive study about nurses in critical care units who smoke.
Do nurses in critical care smoke more than nurses in medical
surgical unit?
Mailed survey of hospital employees at a large university
setting
150 nurses
in critical care,150 nurses in med/surg,
80% female between ages of 25-45
There was no significant difference in smoking based on the
unit worked.
Your assignment will be graded with the following rubric.
Due Date
Feb 12, 2017 11:59 PM
Hide Rubrics
Rubric Name: Assignment #2: Summary Table - Levels of
Evidence
Criteria
Level 3
Level 2
Level 1

7. Research Data
20 points
(13-20 points)
Title, type of study, research question, and methods are
provided for all articles.
12 points
(6-12 points)
Title, type of study, research question, and methods are
provided for some articles
5 points
(0-5 points)
Title, type of study, research question, and methods are not
provided for most articles
Study Description
20 points
(13-20 points)
The description of the study discusses sample size and
participants explicitly, clearly, and succinctly.
12 points
(6-12 points)
The description of the study discusses sample size and/or
participants somewhat clearly.
5 points
(0-5 points)

8. The description of the study does not discuss sample size or
participants.
References
20 points
(13-20 points)
Paper contains more than five reference citations
12 points
(6-12 points)
Paper contains at least three reference citations.
5 points
(0-5 points)
Paper contains a reference citation.
Organization and Writing
10 points
(7-10 points)
The paper is well organized, easy to read, and free of
grammatical and syntax errors.
6 points
(3-6 points)
The paper is organized, easy to read, and has minor grammatical
and syntax errors and contains no more than a few typographical
errors.
2 points
(0-2 points)

9. The paper is organized, somewhat easy to read, and contains no
more than one or two grammatical and syntax errors.
Study Findings
30 points
(21-30 points)
Paper has an outstanding discussion of each study’s major
findings as in the table presented in (AACN’s Levels of
Evidence).
20 points
(10-20 points)
Paper has a good discussion of each study’s major findings as in
the table presented in (AACN’s Levels of Evidence).
9 points
(0-9 points)
Paper lacks discussion of each study’s major findings as in the
table presented in (AACN’s Levels of Evidence).
Overall Score
Level 3
63 or more
Level 2
27 or more
Level 1

10. Assignment #3: Quality Improvement Proposal Paper Part 1
(Due Week 7 - 2/26/2017; 25% of final grade)
This is the first of a two-part assignment. The second part of
this assignment will be developed in NURS 495.
For Part 1, based on the PICOT question you developed and the
evidence you obtained in the literature, you will present a
literature review based on the findings that address possible
interventions for your identified clinical question.
For Part 2, (which will be completed in NURS 495), you will
continue to develop your Quality Improvement (QI) Plan. In the
second part of the paper, you will utilize the research that you
conducted in this class to develop an implementation and
evaluation plan for your identified patient care need. This will
include identifying a timeline, stakeholders, responsibilities for
implementation and feedback, identifying needed resources,
outlining budgetary needs and developing an evaluation plan.
Further information will be given in NURS 495 on developing
your plan, however it would be helpful to keep the requirements
for the second part of the paper in mind when choosing your
topic to research.
In NURS 495, you will also be conducting an interview of a
nurse manager. After you have completed your QI plan, you will
be presenting you plan to the nurse manager you interviewed for
feedback.
Please be sure to keep a copy of your paper with your
instructor’s comments after the end of the semester. You will be
continuing this project in NURS 495.
Part 1 should be between 7-10 pages (not including cover page
and references). It will be graded with the following rubric:
Due Date
Feb 26, 2017 11:59 PM

11. Hide Rubrics
Rubric Name: Assignment #3: Quality Improvement
Intervention/Proposal Paper Part 1
Criteria
Level 3
Level 2
Level 1
Statement of the Problem
30 points
(21-30 points)
The paper includes a clear and accurate statement of the
problem to be addressed. The primary focus of the intervention
is clearly identified. A convincing case for an intervention
related to the problem is presented.
20 points
(10-20 points)
The paper includes a somewhat accurate statement of the
problem to be addressed. The primary focus of the intervention
is not clearly identified. A case for an intervention related to
the problem is not thoroughly discussed.
9 points

12. (0-9 points)
The paper lacks a clear statement of the problem to be
addressed. The primary focus of the intervention is missing. A
convincing case for an intervention related to the problem is not
included
Literature Review
30 points
(21-30 points)
Research literature is adequately discussed using recent
references from seven or more scientific journal articles.
20 points
(10-20 points)
Research literature is discussed using recent references from
five or more scientific journal articles.
9 points
(0-9 points)
Research literature is not discussed, and fewer than five
scientific journal articles are cited
Summary Findings
30 points
(21-30 points)
Summary findings related to both the problem statement and
proposed intervention are well presented.
20 points
(10-20 points)
Summary findings related to either the problem statement or

13. proposed intervention are not well presented.
9 points
(0-9 points)
Summary findings related to the problem statement or proposed
intervention are missing or not well presented.
Format and Submission
10 points
(7-10 points)
Assignment was submitted on time, is proper length, is well
formatted, and appropriately uses APA style.
6 points
(3-6 points)
Assignment was submitted on time, is proper length, and has
only a few errors involving APA style.
2 points
(0-2 points)
Assignment was submitted late, is not the proper length, and
may have errors involving APA style
Overall Score
Level 3
87 or more
Level 2
39 or more
Level 1
0 or more

14. Assignment #4: Quality Improvement Poster Presentation
(Due Week 8 - 3/5/2017; 10% of final grade)
The purpose of this assignment is for you to present a summary
of your proposal and share with the class your knowledge and
expertise on this specific aspect of evidence-based practice.
After completing the quality improvement proposal paper, you
should summarize your paper into a presentation. Presentation
formats include PowerPoint or handouts with/without
audio/video aids. PowerPoint presentations should be a
maximum of 12 slides
(please refer to unit 6 of the APA tutorial in the Toolkit section
of the classroom for guidance on how to do a presentation).
This presentation will be posted for everyone to view and
respond.
Due Date
Mar 5, 2017 11:59 PM
Hide Rubrics
Rubric Name: Assignment #4: QI Poster Presentation

15. Criteria
Level 3
Level 2
Level 1
EBP Problem Statement
20 points
(13-20 points)
The presentation includes a clear statement of the problem.
12 points
(6-12 points)
The presentation includes a statement of the problem.
5 points
(0-5 points)
The presentation includes a weak statement of the problem.
EBP Summary
50 points
(33-50 points)
Summary findings related to both the problem statement and
proposed intervention are well presented.
32 points
(16-32 points)

16. Major summary findings related to the problem statement or the
proposed intervention are presented.
15 points
(0-15 points)
Some of the summary findings related to the problem statement
or the proposed intervention are presented.
Organization
30 points
(21-30 points)
Presentation is well organized, uses headings and bulleted lists
when needed. Presentation has well thought out graphics, fonts,
and background color. No misspellings or grammatical errors.
20 points
(10-20 points)
Presentation is mostly well Organized; Presentation is generally
easy to read with appropriate fonts. Has few misspellings or
grammatical errors.
9 points
(0-9 points)
Presentation not well organized; some information appears out
of sequence. Fonts are difficult to read; background color does
not add to readability. Many misspellings and grammatical
errors.
Overall Score
Level 3
65 or more
Level 2

17. 30 or more
Level 1
0 or more