Assessed Course Learning Outcomes
LO1 Identify, analyse and apply concepts of integrated risk management as they relate to inter- professional healthcare.
LO3- Articulate and apply clinical governance as it relates to quality and safety standards and the importance of leading risk mitigation in healthcare.
LO4- Describe and apply risk management legislation, regulations, policies and or guidelines when making decisions.
LO6- Apply clinical reasoning and critical thinking skills as they relate to teamwork, interprofessional collaboration for safe patient care.
LO7- Synthesise and apply principles of quality, safety and risk management into simulated healthcare practice settings.
Rationale
This assessment will evaluate your ability to critically analyse a patient safety incident, identify key safety and quality issues, conduct a root cause analysis, and propose evidence-based strategies for improvement. This task will also assess your understanding of the role of nurses in promoting patient safety and quality care.
Task Instructions
Case Study Analysis: You will be provided with a detailed case study involving a patient safety incident. Carefully read and analyse the case study, focusing on the context, key events, and outcomes.
Essay Structure:
1. Summary of the Case Study (150 words)
Provide a detailed summary of the patient safety incident, including the context, key events, and outcomes.
Describe the patients condition, the healthcare setting, and the roles of the healthcare
professionals involved.
2. Identification of Key Safety and Quality Issues (200 words)
Identify and discuss the primary safety and quality issues highlighted in the case study.
Explain how these issues impacted patient care and outcomes.
Include specific examples from the case to illustrate these issues.
3. Root Cause Analysis (RCA) (350 words)
Conduct a thorough root cause analysis of the incident.
Identify the underlying factors that contributed to the incident, such as system failures, communication breakdowns, or human errors.
Use a structured RCA tool, such as the “5 Whys” or Fishbone Diagram, to systematically explore the root causes.
4. Impact on Patient and Healthcare Team (400 words)
Discuss the short-term and long-term impact of the incident on the patient, including physical, emotional, and psychological effects.
Analyse the impact on the healthcare team, including stress, morale, and professional practice.
Consider the broader implications for the healthcare organisation, such as reputation and legal consequences.
5. Recommendations for Prevention (400 words)
Propose evidence-based strategies to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Discuss how these strategies address the root causes identified in the RCA.
Include specific interventions, such as policy changes, staff training, or technological solutions.
Explain how these interventions can be implemented and monitored for effectiveness.
6. Use of Evidence and Literature
Support your analysis and recommendations with relevant literature and evidence.
Include references to current guidelines, research studies, and best practices in patient safety and quality improvement.
7. Clarity and Structure of the Report
Ensure your report is well-organised, with clear headings and subheadings for each section.
Use professional and concise language, avoiding jargon and complex terminology.
Proofread your report for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors.
Acceptable AI Use
For this Assessment Item, acceptable AI use is set at:
Level 1: AI Assisted Structure Checking
Description: Students may use Artificial intelligence (AI) tools to organise and check the structure and flow of their Assessment Item. This includes grammar checks, coherence, and flow of arguments but excludes using AI to generate new text and/or new content.
Additional Information Required: Indicate the AI tool(s) used for structure checking at the beginning of the Assessment Item and include the prompts you have used. Save copies of your drafts and content before/after AI was used, to produce upon request.
Academic Integrity
Students should be familiar with, and abide by, policy on Academic Integrity and the definition of Academic Misconduct. Penalties apply to students found to have breached these policies and procedures. Please ensure you have completed the mandatory Academic Integrity training and have familiarised yourself with Academic Integrity at UniSQ.
You are required to complete the Academic Integrity module, before you submit your first assessment. Please access the module here.
Relevant Information and Resources
USQ academic writing. https://www.usq.edu.au/library/study-support/assignments Referencing https://www.usq.edu.au/library/referencing
Artificial Intelligence Guide https://usq-qld.libguides.com/artificial-intelligence-students
Plagiarism How to avoid plagiarism https://www.unisq.edu.au/library/referencing/plagiarism
Assessment Marking Criteria
Refer to the Marking Guide for this Assessment Item below.
Submission Information
This assessment must be submitted in electronic format as a Microsoft Word document (no PDFs) via Turnitin. The Turnitin process may take up to 24 hours to produce a report. Therefore, allow adequate time to do this and address any issues of plagiarism* detected by Turnitin before final submission.
*Any percentage that relates to plagiarism detected by Turnitin is a concern and requires you to address this. The following link provides information on Turnitin: https://www.unisq.edu.au/current- students/ict/systems/turnitin
Return of Assessment Items and Feedback for Learning
Release of your grade will be planned to occur approximately 3 weeks post the published submission date. If you are granted an extension, you can expect the same time frame (3 weeks from your submission). Moderation: All staff assessing your work meet to discuss and compare their judgements and to ensure all markers are marking similarly before marks/grades are finalised.
Extensions and Penalties for Late Submission
Information on extensions can be found here here, and late penalties here.
NUR3201 Marking Rubric | Trimester 2, 2025
Provide a detailed summary of the patient safety incident.
Describe the patients condition, the healthcare setting, and the role of the healthcare professional.
Outstanding
Excellent
Proficient
Satisfactory
Unsatisfactory
10- 8.5
8.4- 6.4
6.5- 5.1
5- 3.5
3.4- 0
Highly relevant and concise description of the patient safety incident including detailed description of the patients condition, the healthcare setting, and the role of the healthcare professional.
Relevant description of the patient safety incident including sufficient details of the patients condition, the healthcare setting, and the role of the healthcare professional.
Adequate description of the patient safety incident including suitable details of the patients condition, the healthcare setting, and the role of the healthcare professional.
Basic description of the patient safety incident including some details of the patients condition, the healthcare setting, and the role of the healthcare professional.
Absent, limited, unclear to no detail of the patient safety incident partially including details of the patients condition, the healthcare setting, and the role of the healthcare professional.
Identify and discuss the primary safety and quality issues highlighted in the case study.
Explain how these issues impacted patient care and outcomes.
20- 17
16.9- 15
14.9- 10.1
10- 6.1
6.0- 0
Highly relevant, very well- structured, and concise description of the primary safety and quality issues present in the case study, with a detailed description of how these issues impacted patient care and outcomes.
Relevant, well-structured description of the primary safety and quality issues present in the case study, with sufficient details of how these issues impacted patient care and outcomes.
Adequate description of the primary safety and quality issues present in the case study, with suitable details of how these issues impacted patient care and outcomes.
Basic description of the primary safety and quality issues present in the case study, with some detail of how these issues impacted patient care and outcomes.
Absent, limited unclear to no detail of the primary safety and quality issues present in the case study, with little to no detail of how these issues impacted patient care and outcomes.
Conduct a root cause analysis of the incident.
20- 17
16.9- 15
14.9- 10.1
10- 6.1
6.0- 0
Highly relevant, very well- structured, logical and concise root cause analysis identifying the underlying issues, and exceptional use of a structured RCA tool to systematically explore the root causes.
Relevant, logically structured and concise root cause analysis identifying most of the underlying issues, and strong use of a structured RCA tool to
systematically explore the root causes.
Adequately relevant and structured root cause analysis identifying some of the underlying issues, and sufficient use of a structured RCA tool to explore the root causes.
Basic root cause analysis identifying some underlying issues, and basic use of a structured RCA tool to explore the root causes.
Limited or no explanation of the root cause analysis and the underlying issues, and little to no use of a structured RCA tool to explore the root causes.
Discuss the short term and long term impact of the incident on the patient.
Analyse the impact on the healthcare team, including stress, morale and
professional practice.
20- 17
16.9- 15
14.9- 10.1
10- 6.1
6.0- 0
Highly relevant and concise discussion of the short- and long-term impact of the incident pattern. Highly relevant analysis on the impact of the healthcare team, including stress, morale and professional practice.
Relevant and concise discussion of the short- and long-term impact of the incident pattern.
Relevant analysis on the impact of the healthcare team, including stress, morale and professional practice.
Adequately and concise discussion of the short- and long-term impact of the incident pattern.
Adequate analysis on the impact of the healthcare team, including stress, morale and professional practice.
Basic discussion of the short- and long-term impact of the incident pattern. Basic analysis on the impact of the healthcare team, including stress, morale and professional practice.
Limited or no explanation of the short and long term impact of the incident on the patient or the healthcare team.
Recommendation for Prevention.
20- 17
16.9- 15
14.9- 10.1
10- 6.1
6.0- 0
Highly relevant, very clear and concise recommendations for prevention including highly relevant and very clear evidence based strategies, and specific interventions.
Relevant, clear and concise recommendations for prevention including relevant and clear evidence based strategies, and specific interventions.
Adequate recommendations for prevention including some evidence based strategies, and some specific interventions.
Basic recommendations for prevention including basic or irrelevant evidence based strategies, and interventions.
Limited to no recommendations for prevention including irrelevant or unclear evidence based strategies, and irrelevant or unclear interventions.
10- 8.5
8.4- 6.4
6.5- 5.1
5- 3.5
3.4- 0
Word limit
Expression, spelling /grammar, structure
Application of APA 7 in text referencing
Range of Reference Sources
List of References (see USQ APA referencing)
APA References list in A-Z order by author
Correct Style
Highly relevant and very concise reflection on nursing practice including the role of nurses and how the case has influenced your understandings.
Your essay was supported with well-integrated in-text references by more than >10 high quality current or seminal relevant references which included a range of:
peer reviewed journals
textbooks
.org and .edu websites
Used direct quotes sparingly and only when relevant
References were included and correctly set out APA References list in A-Z order by author and set out on a separate page
Reference list correctly labelled as References and centred on page.
No or limited mistakes in citation or referencing format (APA 7th edn)
Relevant and concise reflection on nursing practice including the role of nurses and how the case has influenced your understandings.
Your essay was supported with well-integrated in-text references by 8 – 10 high quality current or seminal relevant references which included a range of:
peer reviewed journals
textbooks
.org and .edu websites
Used a few direct quotes
No or limited mistakes in citation or referencing format (APA 7th edn)
Adequate reflection on nursing practice including the role of nurses and how the case has influenced your understandings.
Your essay was supported with well-integrated in-text references by 6 -8 relevant which included a range of:
peer reviewed journals
textbooks
.org and .edu websites
Used direct quotes
Some mistakes in citation or referencing format (APA 7th edn)
Basic reflection on nursing practice including the role of nurses and how the case has influenced your understandings.
Your essay was supported with well-integrated in-text references by 5 relevant references which included a range of sources:
peer reviewed journals
textbooks
.org and .edu websites
Used many direct quotes
Multiple mistakes in citation or referencing format (APA 7th edn)
Limited to no reflection on nursing practice including the role of nurses and how the case has influenced your understandings.
Your essay was supported with well-integrated in text references by 0-4 relevant references which included:
peer reviewed journals
textbooks
.org and .edu websites
Used direct quotes mostly
References were not included and or References were not correctly set out
– APA References list in A- Z order by author and set out on a separate page.
Reference list not labelled and /or not correctly labelled and not centred on page.
Requires extensive development.
NOTE | Assessment items submitted more than 10 Calendar Days after the published due date without an approved extension, or more than 10 Calendar Days after the revised due date where an extension has been granted, will receive a mark of zero. Assessment Policy Link Overall mark is out of 100 and this assessment
is weighted at 50%