NR 520 Module 3: Project Area of Interest Form for a Professional Practice Issue

NR520 Applied Theoretical Foundations, Scientific Inquiry, and Decision-Making

Module 3 Assessment: Project Area of Interest Form Professional Practice Issue

There are two parts to this assessment. In the first (Part I), students will consider a professional practice issue or problem, and develop a clinical/practice question to guide an evidence-based practice process improvement project. Second (Part II), students will select a qualitative and quantitative article related to the professional practice issue. Students will answer the questions related to quantitative and qualitative research within the Professional Practice Issue form. Consider different professional practice issues related to future professional practice in the master’s-

prepared advanced practice role. Think about your practicum project and where this will take place. What issues or problems, have you identified in the practicum practice setting? (Other suggested issues or problems might include unit nurse staffing, supply access, patient falls, or staff to patient/family communication.) How might you resolve the issues or problems with an evidence-based practice quality improvement project?

1. Complete the Project Professional Practice Issue form.

2. Choose one quantitative and one qualitative scholarly source which will help you identify why this issue or problem is important to nursing and healthcare. Answer the questions related to

quantitative and qualitative research within the Professional Practice Issue form.

NR520 Module 3 Assessment: Project Area of Interest Form Professional Practice Issue

Consider your practicum work setting and environment. Complete the following:

(1)
What issues or problems are you working on or want to work on for your MSN evidence-based practice quality improvement project? How would the Johns Hopkins model be used to support this project process? (This is brainstorming.)

Answer
The professional practice issue in my practicum setting is patient falls among adults older than 65 years on a medical-surgical unit. Falls increase injuries, length of stay, and healthcare costs. For my MSN evidence-based practice quality improvement project, I plan to implement structured hourly rounding and improved patient fall education. The Johns Hopkins Nursing Evidence-Based Practice Model will guide this project using the PET process. First, I will define the practice question about fall prevention. Second, I will review current research evidence. Third, I will translate the evidence into practice by implementing the intervention and evaluating results.

(2)
Thinking about these issues or problems, what internal organization data is currently available, tracked, or reviewed? (What is it that indicated to you that this was an issue or problem? Do not drill down to the details; keep it broad. Do you see patterns developing? Such as between 2-4 am most patients between the ages of 65-85 fall.)

Answer
The organization tracks fall rates per 1,000 patient days, falls with injury, patient age, time of fall, and unit location. Incident reports show that most falls happen at night and involve older adults trying to go to the bathroom without help. There is also data on staffing levels and call light response times. The pattern shows that lower staffing and delayed response times may increase fall risk.

(3)
Based on the data that is available, what is done with it? (Are process improvement plans generated? Are there groups of people that work on this? Such as a Root Cause Analysis group? Clinical nurse specialists? Nurse managers?)

Answer
The Quality Improvement Committee and nurse managers review fall data monthly. Root Cause Analysis is completed for serious falls. Education sessions are sometimes provided, and reminders are posted. However, fall rates remain a concern, and current strategies are not always consistent.

(4)
When this issue or problem is improved / positive change occurs, how will you know you have been successful? (What measures? Can be patient-centered, financial, clinical-based?)

Answer
Success will be measured by a reduction in total fall rates and falls with injury within six months. Data will be compared before and after the intervention. Other measures include improved staff compliance with hourly rounding and improved patient satisfaction scores related to safety.

(5)
Identify why this issue or problem is important to nursing and healthcare. (You should include at least 2 scholarly sources here which include 1 quantitative and 1 qualitative design)

Answer
Patient falls are important to nursing and healthcare because they affect patient safety and quality of care. A recent quantitative study by Morris et al. (2024) examined a hospital fall prevention education program and measured falls per 1,000 bed days. The study showed that structured education programs can reduce falls in acute care hospitals. A qualitative study by McLennan et al. (2024) explored views of nurses, patients, and families about fall prevention. The study found that teamwork, communication, and leadership support are key factors in successful fall prevention programs. Together, these studies show that both measurable outcomes and staff experiences are important in improving safety.

(6)
What are the real or potential barriers to you implementing your intervention to the problem? (Identify at least (4) potential barriers.)

Answer
Potential barriers include staff resistance to change, limited staffing, time constraints, and inconsistent documentation. Other barriers may include poor communication between shifts and lack of leadership support.

NR520 Applied Theoretical Foundations, Scientific Inquiry, and Decision-Making

(7)
Who (inside and outside) can you connect with to refine & develop this work? NR520 Module 3 Assessment: Project Area of Interest Form Professional Practice Issue

Answer
I can collaborate with nurse managers, bedside nurses, clinical nurse specialists, and the quality improvement team.
I can consult faculty mentors and patient safety experts outside the organization.

(8)
State your PICO(T) Elements

Answer
P – Hospitalized adults over 65 years on a medical-surgical unit

I – Structured hourly rounding and enhanced fall education

C – Usual care without structured rounding

O – Reduced fall rates and fall-related injuries

T – Six months

(9)
From you PICOT elements, state your clinical practice or EBP question.

Answers

In hospitalized adults over 65 years on a medical-surgical unit (P), how does structured hourly rounding and enhanced fall education (I), compared to usual care (C), affect fall rates and fall-related injuries (O) over six months (T)?

(10)
Quantitative Research

Reflect upon the nursing professional practice issue of interest that you identified. In addition, consider the intervention that you proposed to improve the issue. Be sure to reference and cite the quantitative scholarly source you identified in item 5 from above. Include the full reference for article (APA Format) and hyperlink to article.

With both the issue and the intervention in mind, respond to the following:

· What type of evidence produced through quantitative research would be helpful to better understand the selected practice issue?

· How might quantitative research findings shape your efforts to improve the issue?

· Describe an example (real or hypothetical) of a quantitative research design that would provide valuable evidence regarding this issue (may refer to source above related to question 5).

Answers

Quantitative research provides numerical data such as fall rates and injury rates. This type of evidence helps determine if the intervention works. The study by Morris et al. (2024) used measurable outcomes to compare fall rates before and after an intervention. These findings support the use of structured education and rounding to reduce falls. A randomized controlled trial or quasi-experimental design would provide strong evidence by comparing two groups and measuring statistical differences. NR520 Module 3 Assessment: Project Area of Interest Form Professional Practice Issue

Reference:

Morris, M. E., Thwaites, C., Lui, R., McPhail, S. M., Haines, T., Kiegaldie, D., Heng, H., Shaw, L., Hammond, S., McKercher, J. P., Knight, M., Carey, L. M., Gray, R., Shorr, R., & Hill, A. (2024). Preventing hospital falls: Feasibility of care workforce redesign to optimise patient falls education. Age and Ageing , 53 (1). https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afad250

(11)
Qualitative Research

Reflect upon the nursing professional practice issue of interest that you identified. In addition, consider the intervention that you proposed to improve the issue. Be sure to reference and cite the qualitative scholarly source you identified in item 5 from above. Include the full reference for article (APA Format) and hyperlink to article.

With both the issue and the proposed practice change in mind, respond to the following:

· What type of evidence produced through qualitative research would be helpful to better understand the selected practice issue?

· How might qualitative research findings shape your efforts to improve the issue?

· Describe an example (real or hypothetical) of a qualitative research design that would provide valuable evidence regarding this issue (may refer to source above related to question 5).

Answers

Qualitative research provides information about experiences and perceptions. The study by McLennan et al. (2024) used interviews to explore barriers and facilitators of fall prevention. This type of evidence helps understand staff attitudes and patient concerns. A phenomenological or interview-based study would help identify challenges in workflow and communication. These insights can guide better implementation of the fall prevention program and improve long-term success.

Reference:

McLennan, C., Sherrington, C., Tilden, W., Jennings, M., Richards, B., Hill, A. M., … & Haynes, A. (2024). Considerations across multiple stakeholder groups when implementing fall prevention programs in the acute hospital setting: a qualitative study. Age and Ageing , 53 (10), afae208. https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afae208

NR520 Module 3 Assessment: Project Area of Interest Form Professional Practice Issue