Assessment 2: Essay
Weighting: 40%
Word count: There is a word limit of 1200 words. Use your computer to total the number of words used in your assignment. However, do not include the reference list at the end of your assignment in the word count. In-text citations will be included in the additional 10% word count. If you exceed the word limit by more than 10% the marker will stop marking at 1200 words plus 10%.
Due Date: Monday 40 of September 2017 (Week 8) at 1700hrs Submission details: Refer to Submission Requirements (p.21) Marking Criteria and Standards: See (p.16-19)
Aim of assessment
This assessment provides the student with the opportunity to critically analyse the application of leadership styles in clinical practice.
Essay Topic:
Imagine your colleague says:
-It does not matter what type of leadership style is used; it has little effect on patient safety-
Identify and describe three leadership styles and critically analyse how each of these leadership styles may or may not promote patient safety.
Details
The essay requires:
A definition of patient safety.
A concise description of three leadership styles and their essential characteristics.
A discussion of the relationship between leadership and patient safety in clinical practice.
Critical analysis of how each of these three leadership styles could be used to promote patient safety in one specific instance (for example, reducing medication error, reducing the incidence of patient falls) in the hospital inpatient setting.
Student Directions:
Carefully read and understand the student directions and the Marking Criteria and Standards: Assessment 2, that are provided to assist you in preparation and submission of your Essay. Use at least five (5) recent (i.e. from 2011) peer reviewed, academic, research /evidence-based iournal articles (preferably from nursing or midwifery management and leadership journals) to adequately support critical discussion points. The quality of your critical discussion will depend largely on the appropriateness and quality of references and how well these are used to provide evidence and support for that discussion.
In the construction of your written work use only academic literature. Further, it is not acceptable to copy any information from other sources, including Websites or other electronic sources, other students, books, journals, and present it as your own work (please see Student Academic Misconduct policy:
httq://oolicies.uws.edu.auiview.current.oho?id=00051).
,School of Nursing and Midwifery Page 14 of 34
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401022 – Leadership in Nursing and Midwifery Learning Guide – Spring 2017
The work is to conform to the conventions of academic writing, with logical flow of ideas, clarity and conciseness of expression, non- discriminatory use of language, and consistently accurate spelling, grammar, punctuation, and sentence and paragraph construction.
Where you are discussing the relationship between leadership and patient safety and substantiating points from resources such as academic literature you will need to write in the third person in an appropriate academic style.
Resources
i. Examples may be available on the vUWS site.
ii. There area number of textbooks and resources available through the Western Sydney University
Library that may assist you. Please refer to the unit’s vUWS site for specific unit resources