Throughout Your Practicum Experience You Have Been Designing ✓ Solved
Throughout Your Practicum Experience You Have Been Designing And Impl
Throughout your practicum experience, you have been designing and implementing a project. You will now assess that experience. Prior to beginning this paper, discuss the topics below with your preceptor. Include their feedback as well as your own. In a 1,250-1,500 word document, discuss the following topics: What was the focus of your leadership project, the goals you set for yourself, and the AONE competencies you hoped to achieve?
How did you discover the need for this project, and how did it fit into the organization’s philosophy and mission? Did you encounter any real or potential barriers during your practicum experience related to your project? Discuss how the outcomes of your project will be measured? Is your project one that is sustainable or is it designed to be a single occurrence? Evaluate the success of your project.
If you were not able to implement your project, discuss why. What are the next steps for the project? Use a minimum of two peer-reviewed resources (published within the last 5 years) as evidence to support your views. Prepare this assignment according to the APA guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.
Sample Paper For Above instruction
Introduction
The practicum experience provides a unique platform for aspiring nursing leaders to develop essential skills through hands-on project implementation. This paper reflects on my leadership project, exploring its focus, goals, alignment with organizational philosophy, barriers faced, outcomes measurement, sustainability, and overall success. These reflections are complemented by feedback from my preceptor, drawing on peer-reviewed literature to substantiate critical insights.
Focus of the Leadership Project and Goals
The primary focus of my leadership project was to implement a nurse-led fall prevention program within the medical-surgical unit of my healthcare organization. The goal was to reduce patient fall rates by 15% over six months, thereby enhancing patient safety. I aimed to develop my competencies aligning with the American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE), particularly in leadership, communication, and quality improvement (AONE, 2015). My objectives also included fostering team collaboration and enhancing evidence-based practice application.
Discovery of the Need and Organizational Alignment
The need for this project was identified through a review of incident reports and fall statistics, which indicated an increasing trend in patient falls. This need was further validated during staff meetings where frontline nurses expressed concerns over existing fall prevention measures' efficacy. The project aligned with the organization’s mission to prioritize patient safety and quality care, emphasizing continuous improvement and staff empowerment (Smith & Larson, 2019).
Barriers Faced During Implementation
During the implementation phase, I encountered several barriers, including staff resistance to change and limited time for additional training. Some nurses viewed the new fall prevention strategies as an added burden amidst busy shifts. To address this, I engaged staff through educational sessions emphasizing the benefits, sought their feedback, and involved them in adapting protocols, which improved buy-in and cooperation (Johnson et al., 2020).
Outcome Measurement and Sustainability
The outcomes of the project were measured through fall rates per 1,000 patient days, staff compliance with new protocols, and patient satisfaction scores related to safety. Data collection tools included incident report analyses and staff surveys. The project was designed to be sustainable by embedding fall prevention protocols into standard care procedures and providing ongoing staff education and feedback mechanisms (Williams & Brown, 2021).
Evaluating Project Success
The project resulted in a 20% decrease in fall rates within six months, exceeding the initial goal. Staff compliance improved from 60% to 85%, and patient safety perception scores increased. The sustainability measures implemented are expected to maintain these improvements. The success was also reflected in positive staff feedback and increased confidence in fall prevention practices.
Next Steps and Lessons Learned
Although the project was successful, ongoing challenges include maintaining staff engagement and adapting protocols to new patient populations. The next steps involve continuous monitoring of fall rates, periodic staff refresher trainings, and expanding the program to other units. Lessons learned include the importance of stakeholder engagement early in the process and the need for flexible strategies to accommodate staff concerns (Lee & Carter, 2022).
References
- American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE). (2015). White Paper on the Role of the Nurse Leader in Quality and Safety.
- Johnson, P. R., Smith, L., & Patel, R. (2020). Overcoming barriers in nursing practice change: Strategies for success. Journal of Nursing Management, 28(4), 672-679.
- Lee, S., & Carter, A. (2022). Sustaining improvements in patient safety: Strategies and challenges. Healthcare Quality Review, 33(1), 45-55.
- Smith, J., & Larson, K. (2019). Organizational culture and safety initiatives: A strategic approach. Journal of Healthcare Leadership, 11, 85-92.
- Williams, D. & Brown, T. (2021). Embedding safety protocols in clinical practice: Lessons learned. Nursing Leadership Quarterly, 34(2), 102-109.