MSc NURSING NURSING AND PUBLIC HEALTH  COURSEWORK BRIEF

MSc NURSING NURSING AND PUBLIC HEALTH  COURSEWORK BRIEF

The module is assessed by ONE item of coursework:

Component: a written strategic report of 3000 words Percentage module mark: 100%

Learning outcomes assessed: 1, 2, 3

Submission date: 29^th July 2023, 6.00pm

Module Learning Outcomes

1. Critically analyse values, theory, concepts and principles of public health and global health and the social, political and economic factors that determine health status and health inequalities
2. Discuss critically how epidemiology, research and evidence inform the role of the nurse in assessing health needs and interventions to improve the health and wellbeing of communities
3. Critically evaluate the challenges that public and global health present to the role of the nurse and the nursing profession

Assessment

A strategic written report of 3000 words:

Critically analyse and evaluate why and how the nurse’s contribution to public health should take an upstream perspective and how this can be accounted for theoretically. Apply to a health issue or topic of your choice.

Rationale for the assessment: The intention is that this assessment will act as a vehicle for the development of a rigorous and critical synthesis of relevant public health/health promotion theory, concepts and evidence. The application of this synthesis to a specific health issue or topic will enable you to evaluate the case for the public health role of the nurse going more upstream.

Assessment guidance

Please read the following guidance carefully. It is intended to help you plan and write your assignment and to remain focused.

• the report should be a critical synthesis, and the application, of relevant public health/ health promotion theory, concepts and evidence. It should demonstrate the expression of all three module learning outcomes. This does not mean the report is directly about the learning outcomes (for example writing a specific section about each specified outcome). Rather, it means that satisfying the module learning outcomes will come from how you tailor the expression of each outcome to craft argument and address the assigned task. The module learning outcomes should help you to interpret the task and decide what information to include. You will need to be selective about the material you include as you may find it a “tight squeeze” getting it into 3000 words!
• the report should demonstrate the application of the public health downstream – upstream continuum to the chosen health issue or topic, the implications of this for the public health role of the nurse and public health and how this can be accounted for theoretically
• full engagement with the module learning resources on the FutureLearn digital platform is essential to the successful achievement of the module

The following is not meant to be a strict or exhaustive guide on what to include in your assignment but it might help you get a sense of how to go about it:

• authoritative knowledge and understanding of the meaning of public health and health promotion and related concepts. This should include analysis and evaluation of:
  • authoritative knowledge and understanding of the downstream – upstream public health continuum and its application to an appropriate choice of health issue or topic
  • the complex and contested nature of health and how different models or theories of health underpin the downstream-upstream continuum
  • choice of health issue or topic in terms of public health, global health and epidemiology (why is this a public health issue?)
  • the social determinants of the health issue or topic including health inequities and the causes of health inequities

• the importance to the nurse’s public health role of a community health needs assessment and of taking a community /population perspective
• what ‘going upstream’, applied to, and acting on, the health issue or topic (in terms of the social determinants of health), might mean for the nurse’s public role. For example, you might want to think about partnerships and collaboration, (including engaging with the local community), advocacy, approaches to promoting health in terms of their aims and underpinning values, community health needs assessment, influencing policy
• the challenges for the nurse in going more upstream in their public health practice. The challenges should emerge from the arguments presented in your discussions
• make two or three (maximum) recommendations that address these Each recommendation should be specific and concise, realistic, actionable and focused on strengthening the nursing contribution to public health. The recommendations should directly relate to the challenges you have discussed.

Coursework submission

Your work must be submitted, by the submission deadline, through the FINAL COURSEWORK link on the module AULA page. The submission link will be availableapproximately two weeks before the submission deadline.The time recorded on thesubmission log is the official time of submission. University regulations state that worksubmitted late will receive a mark of 0% (zero).

Coursework presentation

Your work for marking should be presented in Microsoft Word or a compatible format, one and half or double spaced, in a minimum font size of 12 (Arial or Times New Roman) and the surround (margins) should be at least 2.5cm (1 inch).

Word limit: A penalty will be applied for work that is below or exceeds the 3000-word limit by more than 10% (less than 2700 words or more than 3300 words). The penalty will be a 10% reduction of the mark awarded.

Writing style: the assignment should be written in a formal academic style. Presentation is important. Leave plenty of time before the submission date to carefully read through your work to check for errors, that it all makes sense and has addressed the requirements of the assessment.

• write in the third This means avoiding using first person pronouns for example, ‘I’, ‘me’, ‘my’, ‘we, ‘our’. Writing in the third person should help you to remain objective and avoid personal opinion

• a sentence should make complete sense and start with a capital letter and end with a full stop (.). Long sentences can be difficult to follow or understand so keep them reasonably A paragraph is a collection of sentences grouped around a theme
• use professional terminology, for example, write hypertension (not raised blood pressure) and blood glucose (not blood sugar). Avoid using jargon and ‘slang’ (for example, always write ‘children’ and not ‘kids’)
• use acronyms and initialisms with caution. Their frequent use in a piece of writing can confuse rather than provide clarity for the reader. A general rule, the first time an acronym or initialism is used, is to write the complete term followed by an abbreviated form in brackets immediately afterwards. Subsequently use only the acronym or initialism, for example, North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD)
• avoid the use of inappropriate acronyms or initials. For example, write diabetes mellitus and not DM

Report writing: this plays an important role in providing information and allowing decision making in the workplace and therefore is a typical piece of writing found in any organisation. It is a structured form of writing (more so than an essay), containing headings and subheadings, that is written for a specific purpose and audience in order to inform decision makers and/or public opinion and make recommendations. It might be useful to think about the intended recipient/s of your report. In other words, the decision maker/s (person or people) who you are aiming to inform and convince (for example, this might be the Chief/Senior Nursing Officer of a hospital or department; Ward Sister/Manager; multidisciplinary team etc.)

Report structure: see guidance below

Marking: to pass the assignment you will need a minimum mark of 70%.

Your mark will depend on:

• the extent to which the assignment addresses the task and satisfies the module learning outcomes
• how well the assignment meets the criteria in the marking grid (below). This has been designed to address the following areas (UK Quality Code for Higher Education 2014)
• knowledge relevant to the subject area and use knowledge, understanding and skills in the systematic and critical assessment of a wide range of concepts, ideas, and data
• intellectual skills and powers of creativity
• problem solving abilities
• self-direction
• ability to see relationships between what you have learned
• ability to consider the relevant subject within broader contexts
• ability to apply subject related knowledge into a professional context
• ability to communicate: strive to ensure that what you write is clear and specific. Ensure that everything written in your work is expressed coherently, logically, has relevance and a significant purpose
• critical awareness: rather than taking ideas for granted they should be subject to critical

The following areas are components of critical awareness:

Challenging implicit values: this entails exploration of any taken for granted ‘truths’ or ‘common sense ’and assumptions. The development of your work should be guided by asking questions such as ‘why’ or ‘so what?’ about everything.  Be curious and inquisitive. Depth and breadth of reading will expose you to different perspectives and deeper understandings

Contextualising a source: this involves thinking why the author of a source you are using or referring to might hold that opinion or make that point. Think ‘why?’ to the question ‘well he/she would say that wouldn’t they’? Our background or experiences shape our

‘view of the world’ so think about how and why the author’s background may influence or explain their viewpoint or argument.

Argument: An academic argument is your position on the subject/ topic area that convinces the reader that the conclusions and recommendations are valid/reliable. The position provides the reader with your perspective or point of view on the subject based on, and supported by, relevant theory and evidence drawn from a broad range of sources. Good academic argument is objective and should examine and consider different perspectives and views including their strengths and limitations. Academic argument is coherent, logical and analytical. The skill of academic argument is demonstrating that a coherent thread runs through your work, from the abstract/summary and introduction to the conclusion by pursuing an idea, perspective or issue. The meaning should be clear. It does not necessarily mean you have to argue for or against something but remember you need to acknowledge counter arguments and alternative positions. Evaluate evidence, theories or research findings and the contribution they make to the overall argument or debate.

Important information on the following areas, that you are encouraged to read carefully, are discussed in the module guide:

• applying for an extension or deferral
• academic integrity and how to avoid plagiarism in assessed work
• reassessment and resits
• confidentiality within assessed work
• special education needs
• disability support

Help you can expect when preparing your assessed assignment:

• direction to suggested reading
• academic support in each week’s seminar
• you may show a hard (printed copy) of a draft element only (500 words) of your work to the module leader. The module leader will only indicate whether you are covering the right material in the right way and will give advice on how to make improvements. You should not email assigned work in progress to the module Please do not ask the module leader to look at your draft work on a mobile phone device
• the module leader will not look at completed work. It is important to remember that the process of providing support in preparation for submission and the marking/moderating of the work submitted are two very distinct processes, of which the latter is formal and regulated
• feedback from a tutorial does not guarantee that the work will pass or whether the work is ready for submission
• seek support from the module leader and not from other lecturers/colleagues, to prevent receiving potentially erroneous or misleading advice
• tutorials are the mechanisms to discuss assessment plans and rough drafts and to discuss issues arising relating to the module learning outcomes. Further advice re: referencing, grammar, can be sought from the Centre for Academic Writing (CAW)
• it is your responsibility to make appointments for tutorials and to inform the module leader if an arranged tutorial needs to be cancelled or postponed
• If you experience difficulty at any stage concerning module attendance or the anticipated completion of the module coursework, please contact the module leader as soon as possible.