ASSIGNMENT 2: Written Assignment/Case Study
Assessment 2 provides a case study that identified potential challenges for new graduates and provides opportunity to propose evidence-based recommendations to address these problems. Using a case study, you will be required to identify potential challenges for new graduates and propose evidence-based recommendations to address these problems. Please review Appendix B to find the Graduate Case Study, assignment questions and assessment rubric.
Due date: 13/10/2021 1600 hours (4pm)
Weighting: 50%
Length and/or format: 1800 words +/- 10%
Purpose: Transitioning to professional practice is a critical phase for the novice Registered Nurse. Managing professional role requirements, organisational technologies and team dynamics while on shift can be challenging. This is often accompanied by changed personal circumstances, with graduates balancing shift work, working full time and socialisation with friends and family. Using a case study, you will be required to identify potential challenges for new graduates and propose evidence-based recommendations to address these problems.
Learning outcomes assessed: LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4, LO5 & LO6.
How to submit: This assessment must be submitted via Turnitin through LEO.
Multiple submissions can be made up until the due date for the assessment (please note that there can be a 24-48 hour lock out period between each submission). Resubmissions are NOT permitted after the due date.
Return of assignment: Grades and feedback will be made available through Turnitin in accordance with ACU policy.
Assessment criteria: The criterion-referenced rubric on Appendix B should be used to guide your writing. This rubric will also form the basis of your feedback.
WORD COUNT
Writing requires skill and being able to write within a specified word limit is an essential component of professional and academic work. Reading and writing critically are fundamental skills which demonstrate an understanding and an ability to make judgements and solve problems, hence why only 10% of a word count should be direct quotes. That is, if the word count is 1500 words only 150 of those words should be direct quotes. Word counts provide students with an indication of the amount of detail and work required for each assessment item.
What is included in a word count?
Essentially, all text within an assessment item from the introduction through to the conclusion is counted in the word count. This includes all in-text citations, direct quotes and headings. The word count does not include the following:
• Title page
• Reference list
• Appendices
• Tables
• Figures and legends
REFERENCING
This unit requires you to use the APA 7th Edition referencing system.
See the ‘Academic referencing’ page of the Student Portal for more details.
ACU POLICIES AND REGULATIONS
It is your responsibility to read and familiarise yourself with ACU policies and regulations, including regulations on examinations; review and appeals; acceptable use of IT facilities; and conduct and responsibilities. These are in the ACU Handbook, available from the website.
A list of these and other important policies can be found at the University policies page of the Student Portal.
Assessment policy and procedures
You must read the Assessment Policy and Assessment Procedures in the University Handbook: they include rules on deadlines; penalties for late submission; extensions; and special consideration. If you have any queries on Assessment Policy, please see your Lecturer in Charge.
Please note that:
(1) any numerical marks returned to students are provisional and subject to moderation;
(2) students will not be given access to overall aggregated marks for a unit, or overall unit grade calculated by Gradebook in LEO; and,
(3) students will be given a final mark and grade for their units after moderation is concluded and official grades are released after the end of semester.
Academic integrity
You have the responsibility to submit only work which is your own, or which properly acknowledges the thoughts, ideas, findings and/or work of others. The Academic Integrity and Misconduct Policy and the Academic Misconduct Procedures are available from the website. Please read them, and note in particular that cheating, plagiarism, collusion, recycling of assignments and misrepresentation are not acceptable. Penalties for academic misconduct can vary in severity and can include being excluded from the course.
Turnitin
The Turnitin application (a text-matching tool) will be used in this unit, in order to enable:
• students to improve their academic writing by identifying possible areas of poor citation and referencing in their written work; and
• teaching staff to identify areas of possible plagiarism, collusion or contractual cheating in students’ written work.
While Turnitin can help in identifying problems with plagiarism, avoiding plagiarism is more important. Information on avoiding plagiarism is available from the Academic Skills Unit.
For any assignment that has been created to allow submission through Turnitin (check the Assignment submission details for each assessment task), you should submit your draft well in advance of the due date (ideally, several days before) to ensure that you have time to work on any issues identified by Turnitin. On the assignment due date, lecturers will have access to your final submission and the Turnitin Originality Report.
Please note that electronic marking, Grademark, is used in this unit using Turnitin. Turnitin will be used as a means of submitting, marking and returning assessment tasks and so a text matching percentage will appear on your submission automatically.
FIRST PEOPLES AND EQUITY PATHWAYS DIRECTORATE FOR ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER STUDENTS
Every campus provides information and support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Students. Indigenous Knowings are embedded in curricula for the benefit of all students at ACU.
STUDENT SUPPORT
If you are experiencing difficulties with learning, life issues or pastoral/spiritual concerns, or have a disability/medical condition which may impact on your studies, you are advised to notify your Lecturer in Charge, Course Coordinator and/or one of the services listed below as soon as possible.
For all aspects of support please visit ACU Info section in the Student Portal.
• Academic Skills offers a variety of services, including workshops (on topics such as assignment writing, time management, reading strategies, referencing), drop-in sessions, group appointments and individual consultations. It has a 24-hour online booking system for individual or group consultations.
• Campus Ministry offers pastoral care, spiritual leadership and opportunities for you to be involved with community projects.
• The Career Development Service can assist you with finding employment, preparing a resume and employment application and preparing for interviews.
• The Counselling Service is a free, voluntary, confidential and non-judgmental service open to all students and staffed by qualified social workers or registered psychologists.
• Disability Services can assist you if you need educational adjustments because of a disability or chronic medical condition; please contact them as early as possible.
INHERENT REQUIREMENTS
• To support your progression in this unit, students are directed to access the course inherent requirements, on the link below, to understand the essential aspects of their course. If you require assistance to enable you to achieve the knowledge, skills and attitudes outlined in the inherent requirements, please speak with your academic and or a disability advisor for support.
• www.acu.edu.au/inherent-requirements
ONLINE RESOURCES AND TECHNOLOGY REQUIREMENTS
The LEO page for this unit contains further readings/discussion forums. https://leo.acu.edu.au/course/view.php?id=41430
In addition, for this unit you will be required to use the following technologies:
• Computer
• Microphone
• Camera
• Zoom

TEXTS AND REFERENCES
Required text(s)
Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (2021). National safety and quality health service (NSQHS) Standards (2nd edition-version 2). Retrieved from https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/standards/nsqhsstandards and https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/sites/default/files/2019-04/NationalSafety-and-Quality-Health-Service-Standards-second-edition.pdf (PDF version)
Chang, E., & Daly, J. (Eds.) (2020). Transitions in nursing: Preparing for professional practice. (5th ed.). Elsevier. Available in hard copy on all campuses. Also available online through library. Select online version to access via “ClinicalKey for nursing Australia books”
Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia. (2016). Registered nurse standards for practice.
https://www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/Codes-Guidelines-Statements/Professionalstandards/registered-nurse-standards-for-practice.aspx
Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia. (2018). Code of conduct for nurses.
http://www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/Codes-Guidelines-Statements.aspx
Recommended references
Borbasi, S., & Jackson, D. (2019). Navigating the maze of research: Enhancing nursing and midwifery practice. (5th ed.). Elsevier. Available in hard copy on all campuses. Also available online through library. Select online version to access via “ClinicalKey for nursing Australia books”
Daly, J., Speedy, S., & Jackson, D. (Eds) (2017). Contexts of nursing: An introduction. (5th ed.). Elsevier. Not available on Canberra campus in hard copy but all other campuses. 5th ed (2017). Available online through “ClinicalKey for nursing Australia books”
Duckett, S., & Willcox, S. (2015). The Australian health care system. (5th ed.). Oxford University Press. 4th ed Available in hard copy on all campuses. 5th ed available online through library via ProQuest Ebook Central.
Fedoruk, M., & Hofmeyer, A. (2014). Becoming a nurse: Making the transition to practice (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press. The first edition (2012) is available in hard copy on all campuses.
Forrester, K., & Griffiths, D. (2015). Essentials of law for health professionals. (4th ed.)
Elsevier. Hard copy is available on all campuses. Also available online via the library. Select online version to access through “ClinicalKey for nursing Australia Books” or “ProQuest Ebook Central”.
Stanley, D. (2017). Clinical leadership in nursing and healthcare: Values into action (2nd ed.). Wiley-
Blackwell. Available online via the library. Select online version to access through “Ebook Central Academic Complete”.
Willis, E., Reynolds, L., & Keleher, H. (Eds.) (2019). Understanding the Australian health care system.(4th ed.) Elsevier Australia Available at all campuses in hard copy. Also available online via the library. Select online version to access through “ClinicalKey for nursing Australia books.