Overview
In this unit you will have the opportunity to explore clinical governance, its application to nursing and the health care setting. You will apply a specific governance framework to your clinical setting and evaluate its effectiveness. You will also examine the use of clinical audits as part of a quality improvement cycle as a means for measuring clinical effectiveness and improving patient care.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Students must be enrolled in CL22 Master of Clinical Nursing or CL16 Graduate Certificate in Clinical Nursing to undertake this unit.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 2 - 2023
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Postgraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a pass/fail (non-graded) unit. To pass the unit, you must pass all of the individual assessment tasks shown in the table above.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback – Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
- Explain the concept of clinical governance and justify its relevance to the clinical setting and nursing practice
- Apply a framework derived from the National Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care to evaluate clinical governance in a clinical setting
- Explain the use of clinical audits as part of a quality improvement cycle to improve nursing practice and patient care
- Identify deviations from best practice and discuss areas for improvement.
NA
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Workplace Project - 0% | ||||
| 2 - Presentation - 0% | ||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Knowledge | ||||
| 2 - Communication | ||||
| 3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills | ||||
| 4 - Research | ||||
| 5 - Self-management | ||||
| 6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility | ||||
| 7 - Leadership | ||||
| 8 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | ||||
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- Academic Learning Centre services
- Access to MIMS through the university library
- CQ U library search engines for research articles
- CQUniversity library literature search tools
- Wordprocessing, spreadsheeting and powerpoint software
- Zoom account (Free)
- Zoom app on your smart phone or access to Zoom on your laptop
- Endnote bibliographic software. This is optional for formatting references.
- CQUniversity Library Nursing Resources
- Zoom (both microphone and webcam capability)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 7th Edition (APA 7th edition)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
l.m.thompson@cqu.edu.au
l.jack@cqu.edu.au
c.johnston-devin@cqu.edu.au
a.monson@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Welcome to the unit.
Self-directed learning module.
Nursing and clinical governance.
Chapter
Find out what is in the 'Student Support' link.
Find out how to access the library and databases.
Click on the '?Need Study Help' link and learn what study help resources are available at the Academic Learning Centre.
Complete readings and activities as outlined in Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Recorded presentations:
- Welcome and Unit Introduction O Week.
- Assessments 1and 2.
- Nursing and Clinical Governance.
Assessment 1 and 2 - Review the assessment tasks and make a study plan.
Activity - Access the General Discussion Page and post a welcome note to introduce yourself to your colleagues by providing your:
- Name
- Where you work
- Why you are studying the Graduate Certificate in Clinical Nursing.
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Zoom - Drop-in question and answer - Unit content and assessments.
Assessment 1 - Discuss your audit topic with your educator, NUM and/or Unit Coordinator.
Assessment 2 - Discuss presentation schedule with your Graduate Program Coordinator (partnered students) or Unit Coordinator (non-partnered students).
Announcements and Discussion Boards - Check for posts and updates.
Student email - Check your student email at least twice per week for communication.
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Recorded presentation: Listen to the presentation.
Assessment 1 - Start writing your Audit plan.
Announcements and Discussion Boards - Check for posts and updates.
Student email - Check your student email at least twice per week for communication.
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Zoom - Drop-in question and answer - Unit content and assessments.
Assessment 1 - Continue preparing assessment. You might wish to seek assessment preparation help from the Academic Learning Centre and/or Studiosity.
Announcements and Discussion Boards - Check for posts and updates.
Student email - Check your student email at least twice per week for communication.
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Recorded presentation: Listen to the presentation.
Assessment 1 - Audit plan should be nearly completed. Check assessment originality through Turnitin and make relevant changes. You might wish to seek assessment preparation help from the Academic Learning Centre and/or Studiosity.
Announcements and Discussion Boards - Check for posts and updates.
Student email - Check your student email at least twice per week for communication.
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
There are no timetabled learning activities during mid-term break.
Please use this week to progress your assessments.
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Zoom - Drop-in question and answer - Unit content and assessments.
Assessment 1 - Finalise your assessment. Review originality through Turnitin and make relevant changes.
Announcements and Discussion Boards - Check for posts and updates.
Student email - Check your student email at least twice per week for communication.
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Recorded presentation: Listen to the presentation.
Assessment 1 - Submit assessment to Assessment 1 submission portal on Unit Moodle site.
Announcements and Discussion Boards - Check for posts and updates.
Student email - Check your student email at least twice per week for communication.
Workplace Project - Audit Plan Due: Week 7 Wednesday (30 Aug 2023) 5:00 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Zoom - Drop-in question and answer - Unit content and assessments.
Assessment 2 - Start your audit and data collection.
Announcements and Discussion Boards - Check for posts and updates.
Student email - Check your student email at least twice per week for communication.
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Recorded presentation: Listen to the presentation.
Assessment 2 - Continue your audit and data collection.
Announcements and Discussion Boards - Check for posts and updates.
Student email - Check your student email at least twice per week for communication.
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Zoom - Drop-in question and answer - Unit content and assessments.
Assessment 2 - Start to analyse your data and preparing your 1-slide PowerPoint presentation.
Announcements and Discussion Boards - Check for posts and updates.
Student email - Check your student email at least twice per week for communication.
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Recorded presentation: Listen to the presentation.
Assessment 2 - Finalise audit data collection, analyse results, write up 1-slide PowerPoint, practice your presentation.
Announcements and Discussion Boards - Check for posts and updates.
Student email - Check your student email at least twice per week for communication.
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Zoom - Drop-in question and answer - Unit content and assessments.
Assessment 2 - Present your audit at your study day (partnered students) or online (non-partnered students).
Announcements and Discussion Boards - Check for posts and updates.
Student email - Check your student email at least twice per week for communication.
Assessment 2 - Clinical Audit Report (Oral Poster Presentation). Due: Week 12 Wednesday (4 Oct 2023) 5:00 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
As this unit is offered online, students are asked to prepare their own individual study plan to undertake self-directed study throughout the term. A key to your success is a strategic self-directed approach to learning and regular contact with your Unit Coordinator. Please check the Announcements page and unit content at least twice a week - there will be regular announcements about assessments and unit resources posted throughout the term and reviewing this information is essential to unit knowledge and your success.
1 Workplace Project
a. Describing your audit might include identifying if your audit is in paper/digital format, prospective or retrospective, the number of observations to be undertaken, how many questions are in your audit, describe your audit questions (yes, no, not applicable, open-ended questions), the frequency of auditing, how will you analyse your audit, who will you report your audit findings to.
b. Consider the quality improvement cycle to describe the steps you will implement to undertake your nursing audit.
Week 7 Wednesday (30 Aug 2023) 5:00 pm AEST
Submit your assessment via the unit Moodle site in Microsoft Word format only and by the due date.
Week 9 Friday (15 Sept 2023)
An announcement will be posted to the Unit Moodle site advising when assessment marking is complete and results have been released.
To achieve a pass in this assessment students must be successful in all 3 major criteria. Structure and Presentation, Content, and Referencing).
To be successful in each of the major criteria students must be successful in one half of the given minor criteria i.e. 3/6; 4/8
| PASS | FAIL |
| STRUCTURE & PRESENTATION | STRUCTURE & PRESENTATION |
· The nursing audit plan is logical and coherent. · The plan adheres to presentation requirements with no more than three errors. · There are no more than three different spelling errors. · There are no more than three different grammatical and three different punctuation errors. |
· The audit plan has issues with logic and coherence and/or does not audit a nursing practice. · The plan does not adhere to presentation requirements and has more than three errors. · There are more than three different spelling errors. · There are more than three different grammatical and three different punctuation errors. |
| CONTENT | CONTENT |
· Provides an overview of clinical governance. · Explains the processes and systems in place to identify clinical risk in the student’s health service. · Clearly cites an appropriate nursing practice to audit. · Justifies the selection of the nursing practice to be audited. · Discusses nursing audit with appropriate nurse leaders in the health care facility or ward. · Justifies the selection of the relevant NSQHSS or Aged Care Quality Standard. · Provides relevant background, clinical risks and evidence-informed rationale/s for auditing the selected nursing practice. · Clearly describes the components of the nursing audit tool. · Identifies the processes/steps taken to initiate the audit. |
· An overview of clinical governance is not provided, is incorrect, or inadequately described. · The processes and systems in place to identify clinical risk in the student’s health service are not explained clearly. · The nursing practice chosen to audit is not a nursing practice or a clearly stated nursing practice. · The selection of the nursing practice to be audited is not adequately justified. · Leaders approached to discuss your audit are not nursing leaders. · The selection of the relevant NSQHSS or Aged Care Quality Standard is not adequately justified. · Background, clinical risks and evidence-informed rationale/s for auditing selected nursing practice are not provided, are irrelevant or inadequately explained. · The nursing audit tool is not adequately described. · The steps/processes taken to initiate the audit are not adequately identified. |
| REFERENCING | REFERENCING |
· The presentation is substantiated with current, peer reviewed literature using the APA 7th edition referencing style (current CQUniversity abridged edition). · The literature cited is current, i.e., published in the last 5 years, reputable and may include seminal works. · There are less than three different errors with in-text APA 7th edn referencing. · There are less than three different errors in APA 7th edn referencing in the reference list. |
· Presentation is not substantiated with current, peer reviewed literature using the APA 7th edition referencing style (current CQUniversity abridged edition). · The literature cited is not current, i.e., not published within the last 5 years, not from reputable sources and is not seminal work. · There are three or more errors with in-text APA 7th edn referencing. · There are three or more errors with the APA 7th edn referencing in the reference list. |
- Explain the concept of clinical governance and justify its relevance to the clinical setting and nursing practice
- Apply a framework derived from the National Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care to evaluate clinical governance in a clinical setting
2 Presentation
Aim
The aim of this presentation is to demonstrate your applied understanding of clinical audits, and the associated quality standards, as part of the quality improvement cycle. Your analysis of the audit results will include compliance with, or deviations from, evidence-informed nursing practice in your clinical workplace, as you identified in Assessment 1, the significance of the selected nursing practice and what will happen next as a result of the audit findings.
Instructions
This assessment is to be undertaken in the clinical setting where you currently practice and builds on Assessment 1. Based on the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS, 2017) or the Aged Care Quality Standard (ACQS, 2019) selected in Assessment One, and in collaboration with your local nursing leadership team, undertake a nursing clinical audit and present your findings. You are not required to repeat information from Assessment 1 unless brief detail is required to give context to your presentation. You are to present the audit cycle: the steps that you undertook to conduct your audit, the audit findings, and identify what actions were or will be undertaken as a result of your audit findings.
Please follow the steps below to complete your assessment task:
1. Using your audit plan from Assessment 1:
• Review the audit tool
• In collaboration with your nursing management team/support determine the sample size for your audit (see explanation video on Moodle)
• Review the audit implementation steps
• Determine the timeframe for the audit, ensuring enough time to analyse and write up your report.
2. Ensure you have the NSQHS (2017) or ACQS (2019) selected in Assessment One for comparison or benchmarking to achieve compliance.
3. Design a poster using one slide in PowerPoint to report on the audit and give a 5-minute oral presentation. Your presentation should summarise your audit, including data collection, findings, recommendations, and references (this does not include your notes for you to deliver your 5-minute presentation).
• Students enrolled in a partnered program – Present your audit through a 5-minute oral poster presentation at your local health service
I. Students enrolled in the partnered program pathway do not have to upload their poster presentation to Moodle – you are assessed in your local health service within your graduate program.
• Students enrolled in the non-partnered pathway:
I. Register to attend a Zoom session to present your poster. The times and dates of the oral presentation Zoom sessions are identified in the ‘Due Date, then Presentation Date’ in this assessment task, thereby, giving you time to request rostered time off through your workplace rostering system to ensure your attendance.
II. Upload your poster to the Assessment Two submission portal on the Unit Moodle site by the due date.
III. Attend your selected Zoom session and present your 5-minute oral poster presentation.
Literature and references
In this assessment use at least five to eight contemporary references (5 years or less) sourced from the CQUniversity library to support your discussion. You may also use seminal scholarly literature where relevant. Suitable references include peer-reviewed journal articles as well as textbooks, and credible websites. When sourcing information, consider the 5 elements of a quality reference: currency, authority, relevance, objectivity, and coverage. Grey literature from the internet must be from reputable websites such as government, university, or peak national bodies, for example, the Australian College of Nursing. Note, websites such as Stat Pearls, Life in the Fastlane, and Wikipedia are not suitable for this assessment task. Lecture notes are not primary sources of evidence and should not be used in this assessment.
Requirements
• Use a conventional legible font. Any images used must be published with a Creative Commons (CC) license and the source attributed as per the requirements of their CC license.
• Use formal academic language.
• Write in the third-person context, however you may use first-person context for the actions you undertook to complete your audit.
• You must include in-text citations, and a reference list, however both can be included in small font to reduce the visual impact. Remember, that your referencing should be readable to your audience and presented on the one PowerPoint slide.
• Use the seventh edition American Psychological Association (APA) referencing style. The CQUniversity Academic Learning Centre has an online APA Referencing Style Guide.
Resources
• National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards(NSQHSS, 2017) or Standards or the Aged Care Quality Standards (ACQS, 2019).
• You can use unit provided materials and other credible sources, e.g., journal articles, books, to reference your argument. The quality and credibility of your sources are important. Please note, lecture notes are not peer reviewed primary sources of evidence.
• We recommend that you access your discipline specific Nursing Resource Guide.
• For information on academic communication, writing and referencing please go to the Academic Learning Centre Moodle site. The Academic Communication section has many helpful resources including information for students with English as a second language. There are also Oral Presentation resources.
• For information on using PowerPoint please go to the Academic Learning Centre Computing Basics section – How to use PowerPoint.
• For information on using Zoom to present your assessment, please go to Zoom web conferencing.
• Submit at least one draft of your assessment before the due date to review your Turnitin Similarity Score before uploading your final submission. Instructions are available here.
Submission
Submission instructions are related to if you are enrolled in a partnered program or not.
| Students in a Partnered Graduate Program | Students will present their poster as organised by their partnered Graduate Program Coordinator in their local health service. You are required to upload your signed completed rubric, to the Assessment Two portal in the Unit Moodle site. You do not need to upload your presentation; upload your completed rubric ensuring it is signed by you and your Graduate Program Coordinator. Please note, by signing your marked rubric prior to uploading to the Unit Moodle site, you are declaring that the rubric and result you are uploading is not altered after receiving the same from your Graduate Program Coordinator.
|
| Students NOT in a Partnered Graduate Program | Students will submit a poster using one PowerPoint slide via the Assessment Two portal on the Unit Moodle site by the due date. Students will then attend their selected presentation time and present a five-minute oral presentation of their poster.
|
Week 12 Wednesday (4 Oct 2023) 5:00 pm AEST
Students in a Partnered Graduate Program - Students will present their poster as organised by their partnered Graduate Program Coordinator in their local health service. You are required to upload your signed completed rubric, to the Assessment Two portal in the Unit Moodle site. You do not need to upload your presentation; upload your completed rubric ensuring it is signed by you and your Graduate Program Coordinator. Please note, by signing your marked rubric prior to uploading to the Unit Moodle site, you are declaring that the rubric and result you are uploading is not altered after receiving the same from your Graduate Program Coordinator. Students NOT in a Partnered Graduate Program - Students will submit a poster using one PowerPoint slide via the Assessment Two portal on the Unit Moodle site by the due date. Students will then attend their selected presentation time and present a five-minute oral presentation of their poster.
Exam Week Friday (20 Oct 2023)
An announcement will be posted to the Unit Moodle site advising when assessment marking is complete and results have been released.
To achieve a pass in this assessment students must be successful in each of the 3 major criteria – Poster presentation, Content and Referencing.
To be successful in each of the major criteria students must be successful in one half of the given minor criteria, i.e., 2/4, 4/8.
| PASS | FAIL |
| POSTER PRESENTATION | POSTER PRESENTATION |
· The poster is aesthetically pleasing and holds the viewer’s attention. · Figures, photos, and writing are well balanced in the poster. · Font size and style enhance the readability of the poster. |
· The poster is not aesthetically pleasing and does not hold the viewer’s attention. · Figures, photos, and writing are not well balanced in the poster. · Font size and style does not enhance or distracts the readability of the poster. |
| CONTENT (Poster and oral presentation) | CONTENT (Poster and oral presentation) |
· Provides clear purpose and subject of presentation. · Clearly identifies type of audit and audit tools. · Outlines the audit process including working with local team/s and timeframe/s. · Provides pertinent examples, facts, and/or statistics. · Explains the selected National Safety and Quality Health Service Standard or Aged Care Quality Standard for comparison. · Reports findings clearly, explaining the benefits of auditing in relation to clinical governance. · Reports recommendations that are relevant and practicable to improve the identified nursing practice. · Demonstrates knowledge by answering all viewer questions with explanations and elaboration. |
· Does not provide clear purpose or subject of presentation. · Does not clearly identify type of audit and audit tools. · Does not outline audit process including working with local team/s and timeframe/s. · Does not provide pertinent examples, facts, and/or statistics or these are unclear. · Does not explain the selected National Safety and Quality Health Service Standard or Aged Care Quality Standard for comparison. · Does not report findings or findings are unclear or not relevant and benefits of audit are not adequately explained in relation to clinical governance. · Does not report recommendations or recommendations are not practicable or relevant to improve the identified nursing practice. · Demonstrates lack of knowledge by not answering all viewer questions with explanations and elaboration. |
| ORAL PRESENTATION | ORAL PRESENTATION |
· One slide used. · Adheres to 5-minute time limit. · Holds attention of audience with the use of direct eye contact. · Speaks with fluctuation in volume and inflection to maintain audience interest. · Does this matter? Is this an unrealistic expectation? · Emphasises key points. Such as? · Engages audience in presentation e.g., presents with enthusiasm, asks questions, seeks feedback about audit. · Answers questions adequately. |
· More than one slide used. · Does not adhere to 5-minute time limit. · Does not hold attention of audience with the use of direct eye contact. · Does not speak with fluctuations in volume and inflections to maintain audience interest. · Does not emphasise key points. · Does not engage audience in presentation; e.g., does not present with enthusiasm, asks minimal or no questions and/or feedback about audit. · Answers questions inadequately. |
| REFERENCING | REFERENCING |
· Presentation is substantiated with current, peer reviewed literature using the APA 7th edition referencing style (current CQUniversity abridged edition). · The literature cited is current i.e., published in the last 5 years. · There are less than three different errors with in-text APA 7 referencing. · There are less than three different errors in the APA 7 reference list. |
· Presentation is not substantiated with current, peer reviewed literature using the APA 7th edition referencing style (current CQUniversity abridged edition). · The literature cited is not current i.e., published in the last 5 years, not from reputable sources and is not a seminal work. · There are three or more errors with in-text APA 7 referencing. · There are three or more errors with the APA 7 reference list. |
- Explain the use of clinical audits as part of a quality improvement cycle to improve nursing practice and patient care
- Identify deviations from best practice and discuss areas for improvement.
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
