Assessment 01 – Assessing the Problem: Leadership,
Collaboration, Communication, Change Management, and
Policy Considerations
For this assessment, define the patient, family, or population health problem that will be the
focus of your capstone project. Assess the problem from a leadership, collaboration,
communication, change management, and policy perspective.
Before you complete the instructions detailed in the courseroom, first select one of the following
to be the problem you focus on for your capstone project:
• Patient Health Problems
o Obesity: A medical condition characterized by an excessive amount of body fat.
Obesity increases the risk of various diseases, including heart disease, diabetes,
and certain cancers. The management of obesity involves dietary changes,
physical activity, and sometimes medication or surgery.
o Cancer: A group of diseases characterized by the uncontrolled growth and
spread of abnormal cells. There are many types of cancer, including breast, lung,
and colon cancer. Treatment varies based on the type and stage and may
include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and other therapies.
• Family Health Problems
o Alcoholism: A chronic disease characterized by uncontrolled drinking and a
preoccupation with alcohol. Alcoholism can have profound effects on family
dynamics, leading to financial difficulties, neglect, and strained relationships.
o Tobacco Addiction: A dependence on nicotine, primarily from smoking
cigarettes or using smokeless tobacco products. Tobacco addiction poses
significant health risks to the user and can expose family members to harmful
secondhand smoke.
• Population Health Problems
o Diabetes: A chronic metabolic disorder where the body cannot regulate blood
sugar levels, leading to a range of complications. At a population level, diabetes
is associated with lifestyle factors, genetics, and access to healthcare.
o Congestive Heart Failure: A condition where the heart doesn’t pump blood as
efficiently as it should, leading to symptoms like shortness of breath and fatigue.
Congestive heart failure is a major public health concern due to its high
prevalence and associated hospitalizations.
These health problems are significant challenges for healthcare providers and public health
experts. Addressing these issues requires a comprehensive approach that includes preventive
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measures, early detection, and effective treatment strategies. Education and awareness
campaigns, community engagement, and policy changes are also essential to improving
population health outcomes.
After you have selected one of the problems from the list above, return to the detailed
instructions in the courseroom to complete your assessment.
Practicum Focus Sheet
Assessment 1
Note: Expect to spend at least 2 hours with the patient, family, or group you’ll be working with
during this portion of your practicum, assessing the health problem you’ve defined from a
leadership, collaboration, communication, change management, and policy perspective. This
includes time you may elect to spend in consultation with subject matter or industry experts.
You’ll report on the results of this work as part of your next assessment.
For this portion of your practicum, consider the following:
• Identify the patient, family, or group you intend to work with.
• Think about what you hope to learn.
o What’s your rationale for choosing this particular patient, family, or group?
• Consider how you’ll present your ideas about the problem to the patient, family, or group
and convince them of its significance.
• Which leadership, collaboration, communication, and change management skills will you
need to apply in order to work successfully with your chosen patient, family, or group?
• Which potential barriers do you foresee in presenting the problem to this patient, family,
or group?
• Which change management strategies might you employ to overcome these barriers?
o For example, you might consider creating a sense of urgency supported by data or
policy requirements
The assessment requirements, outlined below, correspond to the scoring guide criteria, so be sure to address each main point. Read the performance-level descriiptions for each criterion to see how your work will be assessed. In addition, note the additional requirements for document format and length and for supporting evidence.
Define a patient, family, or population health problem that’s relevant to your practice.
Summarize the problem you’ll explore.
Identify the patient, family, or group you intend to work with during your practicum.
Provide context, data, or information that substantiates the presence of the problem and its significance and relevance to the patient, family, or population.
Explain why this problem is relevant to your practice as a baccalaureate-prepared nurse.
Analyze evidence from peer-reviewed literature and professional sources that describes and guides nursing actions related to the patient, family, or population problem you’ve defined.
Note whether the authors provide supporting evidence from the literature that’s consistent with what you see in your nursing practice.
Explain how you would know if the data are unreliable.
Describe what the literature says about barriers to the implementation of evidence-based practice in addressing the problem you’ve defined.
Describe research that has tested the effectiveness of nursing standards and/or policies in improving patient, family, or population outcomes for this problem.
Describe current literature on the role of nurses in policy making to improve outcomes, prevent illness, and reduce hospital readmissions.
Describe what the literature says about a nursing theory or conceptual framework that might frame and guide your actions during your practicum.
Explain how state board nursing practice standards and/or organizational or governmental policies could affect the patient, family, or population problem you’ve defined.
Describe research that has tested the effectiveness of these standards and/or policies in improving patient, family, or population outcomes for this problem.
Describe current literature on the role of nurses in policy making to improve outcomes, prevent illness, and reduce hospital readmissions.
Describe the effects of local, state, and federal policies or legislation on your nursing scope of practice, within the context of this problem.
Propose leadership strategies to improve outcomes, patient-centered care, and the patient experience related to the patient, family, or population problem you’ve defined.
Discuss research on the effectiveness of leadership strategies.
Define the role that you anticipate leadership must play in addressing the problem.
Describe collaboration and communication strategies that you anticipate will be needed to address the problem.
Describe the change management strategies that you anticipate will be required to address the problem.
Document the time spent (your practicum hours) with these individuals or group in the Capella Academic Portal Volunteer Experience Form.
Organize content so ideas flow logically with smooth transitions.
Apply APA style and formatting to scholarly writing
Format: Format your paper using APA style. APA Style Paper Tutorial [DOCX] is provided to help you in writing and formatting your paper. Be sure to include:
A title page and reference page. An abstract is not required.
Appropriate section headings.
Length: Your paper should be approximately 5–7 pages in length, not including the reference page.
Supporting evidence: Cite at least five sources of scholarly or professional evidence that support your central ideas. Resources should be no more than five years old. Provide in-text citations and references in APA format.
Proofreading: Proofread your paper, before you submit it, to minimize errors that could distract readers and make it more difficult for them to focus on its substance.
