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Advanced Clinical Practice Improvement Project

Module description

*Please note that Degree Apprenticeship programmes have variable start dates and modules are taught across the full year.

This module will provide you with the opportunity to create an action plan for change via a service improvement project. This will allow you to build on your experiences gained in previous modules by focusing on an area of service improvement that is particular to your area of clinical specialism.

The project will demonstrate originality in the application of knowledge, together with a practical understanding of how established techniques of research and enquiry are used to carry out a project of enquiry. You may present your project in the form of a change initiative in practice action plan. 

Module aims - intentions of the module

You will use both the theoretical knowledge you will acquire, throughout the taught part of the course, and the analytical skills you will develop to create your action plan.

The aim of this module is to:

• Plan a quality improvement activity in a specific area of practice
• Develop your academic skills to source and review evidence-based resources
• Enhance your skills as a reflective practitioner using workplace based significant events.
• Analyse-critically how healthcare outcomes are measured
• Make links with local healthcare stakeholders and resources

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. Evaluate critically the range of evidence-based standards and clinical guidelines which underpin the rationale for the quality improvement project in your area of clinical professionalism.
• 2. Interpret, critique and draw conclusions from published data (including analysis of methods and statistical techniques used) including the impact of policy on health and social care as applicable to your project/research.
• 3. Explore and evaluate the range of legal, ethical, professional, financial and organisational policies and procedures that may apply to your action plan.
• 4. Identify and justify the measures and systems which may be utilised when measuring the impact and effectiveness within your action plan.
• 5. Prepare an evidence-based action plan that critically engages with the research literature and generates practice innovation or explores service redesign solutions in response to service need as applicable to the project.

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 6. Justify the rationale for research governance and ethical frameworks as applicable to your action plan.
• 7. Demonstrate ways in which patients and the wider public can be involved in healthcare or health services research or quality improvement (using your own action plan or that of others).

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 8. Reflect critically on personal practice and make connections between known and unknown areas, to allow for personal development, adaptation and change.
• 9. Communicate your innovation/service improvement accurately and effectively through appropriate media with peers, tutors and the public.

Syllabus plan

Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, an example of an overall structure is as follows:

• Sourcing and appraising evidence-based resources
• Monitoring and evaluating practice
• Significant event analysis
• Quality improvement activities
• Patient public involvement, patient surveys
• Systems of enquiry and analysis of outcomes, findings or developments
• Peer disseminating of findings and outcomes; presentation skills and writing for publication

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Re-assessment notes

All items of assessment must be passed in order to pass the module. In the event of you failing either of the assessments, the module will be capped at 49 until the assessment is passed.  

Re-submission of a revised written assignment should include response to the written feedback provided on first assessment.

If you pass re-assessments taken as a result of deferral, your re-assessment will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment and the overall module mark will not be capped. 

If you pass re-assessments taken as a result of referral (i.e. following initial failure in the assessment), the overall module mark will be capped at 50%.? 

If you fail re-assessments taken as a result of referral (i.e. following initial failure in the assessment), you will be failed in the module.? 

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Basic reading:

Silver SA, Harel Z, McQuillan R, et al. How to Begin a Quality Improvement Project. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol.2016;11(5):893-900. doi:10.2215.CJN.11491015

Backhouse A, Oqunlayi F. Quality improvement into practice. BMJ. 2020;368:m865. Published 2020 Mar 31. doi:10.1136/bmj.m865

Holzmueller CG, Pronovost PJ. Organising a manuscript reporting quality improvement or patient safety reserach. BMJ Qual Saf. 2013;22(9):777-785. doi:10.1136/bmjqs-2012-001603

Key words search

Improvement project, action plan, service development, research, audit, evaluation