The two parts of the Capstone paper are designed to be combined into one document and used in conjunction with your storyboard to present a quality improvement plan. You may use these documents demonstrate to your employer an understanding of quality improvement processes that improve patient care and/or patient safety.
Assignment Template
You will use the Walden University APA Course Template to complete this Assignment.
o Walden University. Walden templates: General templates: APA course paper template with advice (6th ed.). Retrieved from http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/templates/general#s-lg-box-2774360
§ Delete the abstract page in the template. This is not required for this course.
§ The template includes the correct font and formatting: 12 pt. Times New Roman font, double spacing, and 1-inch margins on all sides.
Writing Standards
· Review the Academic Writing Expectations Checklist Capstone Level found in your Week 1 Learning Resources
o Note the new expectations for Use of evidence and Credit to Source
o Use a Scholarly Voice
§ http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/scholarlyvoice
§ http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/webinars/scholarlywriting#s-lg-box-2773859
o Review the Walden University Writing Center webpage: Using Evidence: Synthesis – http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/evidence/synthesis
Rubrics (found on the Course Information page)
· Week 3 Assignment Rubric
· Week 5 Assignment Rubric
Capstone Paper, Part I
· Introduction (Completed in Week 1)
o State the practice problem in measurable terms and that reflect quality indicators.
This is the same problem described in the Week 1 Practice Experience discussion.
Provide the rationale for selecting the practice problem
o Include a purpose statement.
· Analysis of Evidence (Completed in Week 2)
o Synthesize a minimum of 5 evidence-based practice resources that support your practice problem. Include a minimum of two to three research studies obtained from the Walden Library.
· Quality Improvement Process (Completed in Week 3)
o Describe the quality improvement process and a brief overview the quality model that will be used to improve your practice problem. Include a description of a quality tool that will be used in the quality improvement plan.
o This process will be used to support the detailed proposed quality improvement plan in Week 4
o Explain why the specific quality model was selected and document your explanation with references.
o Summary
§ Summarize the key points discussed in the paper.
Capstone Paper, Part II
· Quality Improvement Plan (Completed in Week 4)
o Using the Quality Improvement Model as a framework provide a detailed explanation of the quality improvement plan that you will use to address the practice problem.
o Use the scholarly references identified in the analysis of evidence to support the quality improvement plan.
· Resources (Completed in Week 5)
o Describe the resources needed to support the change in practice such as personnel time, supplies for staff education, cost of new equipment, or cost of software.
o Explain why each resource is necessary.
· Summary
o Summarize the key points discussed in the paper.
Capstone Paper Schedule and Due Dates
Capstone Paper, Part 1
Week Assigned
Date Due
Introduction
· State the practice problem in measurable terms and that reflect quality indicators.
o This is the same problem described in the Week 1 Practice Experience discussion.
o Keep in mind that this section may need to be revised after you complete all of the other sections.
· Provide the rationale for selecting the practice problem.
Week 1
Day 7 of Week 3
Analysis of Evidence
· Synthesize a minimum of at least five evidence-based practice resources that support your practice problem.
Week 2
Day 7 of Week 3
Quality Improvement Process
· Describe the quality improvement process. Include a description of a quality tool that will be used in the quality improvement plan
· This process will be used to support the proposed quality improvement plan.
· Explain why the specific process was selected and document your explanation with references.
· Summary
o Summarize the key points discussed in the paper.
o Submit to Week 3 Assignment drop box
Week 3
Day 7 of Week 3