Attention Wizard: Please be careful with class, Check it and let me know if you can handle it.

Week 2: Capstone Research Companion

Introduction to the Practicum Project & the Professional Portfolio

1. In Week 1, you began preparing for your practicum as an avenue for professional growth and development. This week, you finalize your professional development objectives and submit your Professional Experience Plan.

As part of your practicum, you will also develop and implement a Practicum Project. Your project will address an authentic problem, situation, issue, or potential area for improvement that is significant to your practicum setting. It is your chance to apply and analyze evidence-based change within a healthcare organization. This week, you consult with your practicum Faculty Member and Preceptor to identify a focus for your project.

Additionally, you begin to compile your Professional Portfolio, due in Week 10, which represents your academic and professional growth as a nurse executive. This week, you examine the guidelines for this Portfolio.

Learning Objectives

Students will:

· Construct measurable professional development objectives to be accomplished during the practicum experience

· Organize practicum hours and experiences to meet professional development objectives.

Learning Resources

Cope, V., & Murray, M. (2018, March 2). Use of professional portfolios in nursing. Nursing Standard, 32(30), 55-63. https://doi.org/10.7748/ns.2018.e10985.

Hannans, J., &Olivo, Y. (2017, November 28). Craft a positive nursing digital identity with an eportfolio. American Nurse Today. https://wwww.americannursetoday.com/craft-a-positive-nursing-digital-identity-with-an-eportfolio/

Schneider,A. (2016). Building a professional nursing portfolio. https://www.rn.com/nursing-news-building-professional-nursing-portfolio/

Webb, T.,Diamond-Wells, T., & Jeffs, D. (2017). Career mapping for professional development and succession planning. Journal for Nurses in Professional Development, 33(1), 25-32. https://doi.org/10.1097/NND.0000000000000317.

Walden University Library. (n.d.-a). Choosing your topic. https://academicguides.walden.edu/library/topic.

Walden University Field Experience. (n.d.). Field experience: College of Nursing: Student resources and Manuals. https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/fieldexperience/son/formsanddocuments.

Document: Professional Experience Plan Template Plan (Word document).

Document: Guide to Creating the Professional Portfolio (PDF).

Document: Practicum Project Plan Overview (PDF).

Required Media

The Importance of Professionalism & Communication

What does it mean to exhibit professional behavior and appearance in the practicum Setting? Drs. Lynn Parsons and Jeanne Morrison provide tips for respecting the health care site’s culture through appropriate dress, mindset, and communication, (5m).

The transcript

Female Speaker: I always tell students that when they’re out in the practicum setting, they may be looking for their future job. But those professionals that they’re working with are also looking at them. It’s very important to know what the culture is of the organization, especially if you’re going into the organization for the first time. So, the relationship between you and your preceptor is extremely important. Ask your preceptors what are the accepted practices in this organization? Know what the dress code policy is. If you’re working in mental health, it might be off-putting to wear a lab coat, whereas if you’re working with a nurse exec in the operating room setting, you might be expected to wear scrubs.

Female Speaker: We’ve always heard it’s a cliché-dress for success. But that is so important. You are a guest at the facility, and they’re going to be looking at you.

Female Speaker: It’s always in good taste not to wear loud makeup and big jewelry. Know what the policy is for piercings and nail polish. That shows respect of the organization and understanding their culture and ways of doing things.

Female Speaker: When you go into that site, you are a guest in that facility. Your behaviors and what you do in that facility in a reflection on not only on you. But on Walden. When you tell somebody, you’re going to be there, be there on time. When you’re not going to be there, let them know as well. Think of it as a job. Many of you may not even know the people at the site. Some of you , it’s your place that you work, but you’re on a different unit.

So everything you do is a reflection on you and possibly may affect even how you get employment if you are wanting employment in that facility. Be respectful. Remember, these people don’t know you. So when they ask you do something, work it out and help them out. Also, be motivated. Look for experiences that will help you achieve your objectives.

Female Speaker: Early in the course, there will be a call conference between the students, the preceptor, and the professor. And the main purpose of this call is to refine what your project focus will be. So when you’re on the call is to refine what your project focus will be. So when you’re on the call, know in advance what you want to do.

Because after that call is done, you’ll have approval to move forward on your project. And you don’t want to waste time saying, oh, I have three ideas. Come to the table with what you really want your idea to be. Already have a conversation with your preceptor so when the calls is over, you’ll know what you’re doing.

Female speaker: To talk about what it’s like to be a student at Walden, what you’re going to be learning in the practicum experience. Many of your preceptors have never taken an online course or even taught in an online course, So we must want to make sure they understand the process. During the practicum experience, communication is so valuable between the preceptor, the student, and the faculty member.

Female Speaker: The instructor has established office hours, know what those office hours are and follow them. Also, share those hours with your preceptor along with your professor’s contact information.

Female Speaker: Your faculty member also can set up a time to talk with you at a regularly scheduled time or an approved time by your faculty member. Your preceptor- you should be keeping in constant contact with them. Every time you’re on-site, let them know. Stop by their office. Let them know you’re there.

Female Speaker: I like receiving emails from students. If they’re stuck, that’s a very quick way to get in touch with me or any professor. Another mode of communication the student might want to look at is some professors like text messaging. I like that myself. If it’s not office hours, and it’s an emergent situation, or if you’re stuck and just having a simple question answer would allow you to move forward with your work, go ahead and call your professor. They might have a few minutes to speak with you. And if they can’t, they’ll call you back.

Female Speaker: Communication between the three individuals is so important because this is teamwork. This isn’t just the student, the faculty, or the preceptor. It’s all three of you working together.

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The Practicum Project

The Practicum Project offers an Opportunity to examine a problem or issue in the practicum setting. Drs Lynn Parsons and Jeanne Morrison share successfully topic ideas from the past and recommendations for carrying out a truly useful project within the time frame. (3m).

The Transcript

Practicum Project

Female Speaker 1: It’s a win-win situation for the site and it’s a win-win situation for the student.

Music Playing: I don’t know of any leader that works in a hospital or a clinic or a health care facility that doesn’t have a stack of to do list. So ask the preceptor, what do you have that I could help you win? Needs to be a leadership project and it needs to be beneficial for you as well, but start with your preceptor. Ask your preceptor.

To give you just a few short examples of projects I can do- I’ve seen nurses look at decreasing pain medication. What can we do other than just give pain medication? Students have looked at that. We’ve seen students look at the transport from maybe emergency room and how fast it gets to the floor. There’s also rounding. There’s also communication, there’s staff scheduling, there’s all kinds of things.

Female Speaker 2: Developing mentor programs for new graduate nurses, handoff communication, retention initiatives for nurses in practice, developing new job descriptions for positions such as director of the operation room suite. The possibilities are endless. Talk to your preceptor. The preceptor will have an idea of what needs to be done for the organization.

Female Speaker 1: You will be doing this project in about 9 to 10 weeks, so don’t think of an big global project like you’re going to write the whole accreditation process, you’re going to solve the nursing shortage around the world. Think specific.

Female Speaker 2: You’re going to want to have something that’s doable within a reasonable time frame, so I would avoid and recommend that the students stay away from projects that need IRB approvals. Because IRB approvals sometimes can take months and you don’t have months to work with.

A great practicum is one that the organization can use. You don’t want to do something theoretical that they can take and work with and put into practice.

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The Practicum Project Content Attribution

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Assignment 1 Part: Identifying a Focus for the Practicum Project (Conference Call) 2 Pages APA Format 7th ed.

Consider the following scenario:

1. MSN student Maria entered her practicum unsure of what her project would be. At her site, she noticed that shift changes were challenging for the hospital staff nurses, particularly because of the patient care and risk information that needed to be conveyed to multiple people during this time. It seemed like shift changes were prolonged and inefficient. Moreover, the site had recently experienced a safety incident because vital information had been missed during transition of care. Earlier in her program, Maria had read about huddling as an evidence-based method for improving quality and safety. She wondered if huddling would work as an initiative in her practicum setting to address these issues.

Photo Credit: Getty Images

2. What needs do you see at your practicum site? How might you improve care for patients? What inefficiencies or redundancies do you observe? What does the nursing research say about an issue? What kinds of topics are you passionate about? Each one of these questions could be a pathway for your Practicum Project. For this Assignment, you will coordinate a conference call with your Preceptor and Faculty Member to discuss the practicum and ideas for your Practicum Project.

To prepare for the call:

· Review the information related to the Practicum Project in the College of Nursing Practicum Manual for MSN Specializations. The project may take up to half of your practicum hours to complete, and it must be completed on or before Day 7 of Week 9. Due to the limited time frame, your project should not include surveys, focus groups, collection of data, or any activities that require Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval.

· Think about the current circumstances at your practicum site. What problems, situations, issues, or potential areas for improvement would you like to address through your Practicum Project?

· Discuss your Practicum Project ideas with your Preceptor and select one to discuss with your practicum Faculty Member at the call conference. The topic should relate to a specific, significant need at your practicum setting. Remember, when considering a project topic, you should also be able to identify a body of literature that will guide and support your work.

· Prepare any questions that you or your Preceptor have about practicum expectations and be ready to discuss them on the call. Questions may relate to Assignments, use of the Meditrek system, and communications among student, Preceptor, and Faculty as the term progresses.

· Coordinate a conference call with your Preceptor and Faculty. Reach out to your Faculty for alternative arrangements as needed.

Assignment 2 Part: Professional Experience Plan(2pages) APA 7th ed.

1. For this Assignment, you develop a Professional Experience Plan (PEP) to outline how your involvement in the practicum will contribute to your growth as a professional and allow you to hone your specialization knowledge and skills. The PEP consists of two or three objectives related to professional development that you will address during your practicum experience.

Photo Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto

To prepare:

· As necessary, review the information related to developing objectives provided in last week’s Learning Resources.

· Revisit the objective(s) you crafted for last week’s Discussion, and reflect on the ideas exchanged in the forum. Refine the objective(s) as needed for the practicum experience, making sure they reflect the higher order domains of Bloom’s Taxonomy (i.e., Application level and above). Note: You will be submitting two to three professional development objectives as part of this Assignment.

· Think more deeply about areas for which you would like to gain Application-level experience and/or continued professional growth. How can your experiences in the practicum help you achieve these aims?

· Discuss your professional aims and your proposed practicum professional development objectives with your Preceptor to ascertain if the necessary resources are available at your practicum site.

· Download and save the Professional Experience Plan Template provided in this week’s Learning Resources.

To complete your Professional Experience Plan:

· Record the required information in each area of the Professional Experience Plan Template, including two or three objectives you will use to facilitate your professional development during the practicum. Include your intended Practicum Project focus.

· Include the breakdown of the 144 hours between the practicum experience and the project. Consult your Faculty and Preceptor if less than 50% of the hours is needed for either the practicum or the project.

· As the term progresses and the hours between the practicum and project need to be adjusted, consult your Faculty. Include the rationale for editing hours in the Practicum Experience Journal.

By Day 7

Submit your completed Professional Experience Plan (PEP) for Faculty review and approval.

Once approved, you may download a copy of the PEP for your records. You can share an approved copy with your Preceptor. The Preceptor is not required to sign this form.

Submission and Grading Information

To submit your completed Assignment for review and grading, do the following:

Please save your Assignment using the naming convention “WK2Assgn2+last name+first initial. (extension)” as the name.

Click the Week 2 Assignment 2 Rubric to review the Grading Criteria for the Assignment.

Click the Week 2 Assignment 2 link. You will also be able to “View Rubric” for grading criteria from this area.

Next, from the Attach File area, click on the Browse My Computer button. Find the document you saved as “WK2Assgn2+last name+first initial.(extension)” and click Open.

Click on the Submit button to complete your submission.

Grading Criteria

To access your rubric:

Week 2 Assignment 2 Rubric

Submit Your Assignment by Day 7

To participate in this Assignment: Week 2 Assignment

Master of Science in Nursing

NURS 6600: Capstone Synthesis Practicum Nurse Executive

Professional Experience Plan

Course Description

Students in this course apply the MSN curriculum experience by translating knowledge into practice through participation in professional activities and the development of a culminating project. Students apply theory, principles, and concepts related to the nurse executive specialization in order to enhance nursing practice and promote positive social change. Because their project is enacted at a practicum site, students have the potential to make a substantive impact within an existing healthcare organization. Students conclude the course with a professional portfolio representing their development as nurse executives.

Note: This course requires a minimum of 144 practicum hours.*

*Students will divide hours in half: 72 hours in practicum and 72 hours in project-related activities. Students may alter the division of hours in the practicum and project after consulting with their Preceptor and Faculty. The change of hours should be reflected in the journal entries submitted in Weeks 3, 7, and 11.

Complete each section below.

Section 1: Quarter/Term/Year and Contact Information

Quarter/Term/Year:

Student Contact Information

Name:

Street Address:

City, State, Zip:

Home Phone:

Work Phone:

Cell Phone:

Fax:

Email:

Preceptor Contact Information

Name:

Organization:

Street Address:

City, State, Zip:

Work Phone:

Cell Phone:

Fax:

Email:

Section 2: Professional Development Objectives

Refer to the instructions in Weeks 1 and 2 to create practicum professional development objectives that meet the requirements for this course.

Objective 1:

Objective 2:

Objective 3:

Note: Practicum professional development objectives should also be listed in your Practicum Experience Journal.

Section 3: Projected Timeline/Schedule

Estimate how many hours you expect to work on your practicum each week. Per the practicum guidelines, you may use half your hours for professional development and up to half for your Practicum Project (i.e., 72 hours to accomplish your practicum professional development objectives and 72 hours to complete your Practicum Project objectives). If you determine that hours need to be divided differently as the term progresses, consult with your Preceptor and Faculty. If approval is given to alter the division of hours, this work should be reflected in the journal entries.

This timeline is intended as a planning tool; your actual schedule may differ from the projections you are making now.

I intend to complete the 144 practicum hours according to the following timeline/schedule:

Section 4: Preceptor-Approved Project Focus

Include the focus of your Practicum Project here for Faculty approval.

Section 5: Signatures

Student Signature (electronic): Date:

Practicum Faculty Signature (electronic)**: Date:

** Faculty signature signifies approval of the Professional Experience Plan (PEP).

Submit your PEP on or before Day 7 of Week 2 for Faculty review and approval.

Once approved, you may download a copy of the PEP for your records. You can share an approved copy with your Preceptor. The Preceptor is not required to sign this form.

© 2020 Walden University 3

• Professional Portfolio
  • The purposes of a Portfolio are to do the following:
• Documentation and Evidence
  •  End-of-Program Outcomes Evidence Chart
  • End-of-Program Outcomes Evidence Chart
  • Final Reflection
• Q&A
  • Why am I being asked to develop a comprehensive Portfolio?
  • Is my Portfolio graded?
  • When is my Portfolio due?
  • What are the contents of the Portfolio?

Walden University – College of Nursing

Professional Portfolio

NURS 6600 (add section #) Capstone Synthesis Practicum – Nurse Executive

Month Day, Year

Your full name

Address

City, state, zip

Area code and telephone number

Email address

Your position

Agency where you work

City, State Table of Contents

Program of Study [Insert Page Number]

CV or Résumé ……………………………………………………………………………………

Portfolio Assignments from each of the following courses:

NURS 6002/6003: ………………………………………………………………………………..

NURS 6050: ……………………………………………………………………………………….

NURS 6051: ………………………………………………………………………………………

NURS 6052: ……………………………………………………………………………………….

NURS 6053: ……………………………………………………………………………………….

NURS 6201:

NURS 6211:

NURS 6221:

NURS 6231:

NURS 6241:

NURS 6600 ………………………………………………………………………………………..

Continuing Education (CE)

Other Non-Electronic Documents ………………………………………………………………….

End-of-Program Outcomes Evidence Chart

Final Reflection…………………………………………………………………………………….

Insert Program of Study

Use this as a Sample: Curriculum Vitae/Résumé

Student First Name and Last Name

4524 Street Avenue Jackson, WI 54214

262-555-1212 (home) 262-555-1212 (cell)

studentsemail@yahoo.com

Objective

To obtain a _________ position that will utilize my _________ and _________ skills. (Used only in a résumé.)

Qualifications (if résumé)

· Thrives in a multitask environment

· Excellent computer skills

· Hardworking, independent, and reliable

· Able to grow with company through versatility and adaptability

Education (first if CV)

Full Degree Name Month/Year–Present

Concentration (if any)

School Name

City, State

Expected graduation date:

Full Degree Name 7/1999

Concentration (if any)

School Name

City, State

Employment History (first if résumé)

Company, Title 03/2004–Present

Company, Title 02/2002–03/2004

Company, Title 04/2001–06/2001

Company, Title 06/2000–12/2000

Licenses and Certificates

RN License

ID #

Date

Awards and Honor

Employee of the Month 9/2010

References Available Upon Request

– 2 –

Insert course Portfolio Assignments here.

(Include the title page and references with each Portfolio Assignment.)

Table 1

Continuing Education (CE) – Optional

Table 2

Other Non-Electronic Documents

List those documents for which you do not have electronic versions (meeting programs, evaluation forms, certificates, etc.) below.

You may add additional artifacts as you deem necessary.

End-of-Program Outcomes Evidence Chart

Final Reflection

• NURS 6600 Practicum Project Plan Overview
• Project Planning Guidelines
• Practicum Project Plan

DHA Prospectus Form

Students | Complete your doctoral prospectus within this form. Write your responses in the white spaces using a scholarly tone and include in-text citations and APA reference entries where appropriate. You can click on underlined terms and headings for descriptions, resource links, and examples located in the Appendix. For additional prospectus information and resources, refer to the Doctoral Research Coach. Complete the Research Design Alignment Table within this form using the information from earlier sections and self-assess your research design alignment. Submit this completed form into MyDR for formal evaluation and feedback when your committee chair indicates that you are ready to do so.

Student’s Name | Click or tap here to enter text. Student ID | Click or tap here to enter text.

Program and Specialization* | Click or tap here to enter text. Submission Date | Click arrow to select a date.

*Remember that your study focus must be within the realm of your program and specialization area.

Evaluators Only | Complete this section and provide feedback on responses and rubric scores in the form where noted.

Committee Chairperson Name: Click or tap here to enter text. Overall Assessment: Choose score.

Second Committee Member Name: Click or tap here to enter text. Overall Assessment: Choose score.

PhD Program Director: Click or tap here to enter text. Overall Assessment: Choose score.

Research Design Alignment Table | Using an alignment table can assist with ensuring the alignment of your research design.

Research Design Alignment Table Video Tutorial (YouTube) | Doctoral Research Design Alignment Appointments or Office Hours

Note. At prospectus stage, not all items in the table below can be identified (e.g., data points, data analysis). Please complete the items that you have identified in this prospectus form. During proposal development, you will revisit this form to adjust, as needed, and finalize your research design.

Note. The information in the first column must align with all rows, and each individual RQ row must show alignment across the columns for that row.

Once your Research Design Alignment Table is completed, reflect on your design alignment. Ask yourself:

1. Is there a logical progression from the research problem to the purpose of the study?

2. Does the identified framework ground the investigation into the stated problem?

3. Do the problem, purpose, and framework in the left-hand column align with the RQ(s) (all rows)?

4. Does each RQ address the problem and align with the purpose of the study?

5. Does the information across each individual row match/align with the RQ listed for that row?

5. By row, will the variables listed address the RQ?

5. By row, will the analysis address the RQ?

5. By row, can the analysis be completed with the data points that will be collected?

Appendix

The Doctoral Prospectus

The Doctoral Prospectus is a brief document that provides preliminary information about your doctoral research and is used in two ways:

1. It serves as the tentative plan for developing the proposal and is evaluated to ensure doctoral-level work (e.g., feasibility, alignment, etc.).

1. It provides information used to assign the committee University Research Reviewer.

Prospectus approval from the committee chair, second committee member, and a program-level designee is required for you to move forward and work on your proposal. The plan is subject to change, and parts of your research design may need to be adjusted after you complete your exhaustive review of the literature during proposal development.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

Title

Example

The Relationship Between Nurse Leader Self Efficacy, Burnout, and Intent to Leave

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

Supporting Literature

Probably the most important step in the research process is searching recent, peer-reviewed literature and reading articles related to the general area you want to investigate. The area is based on an identified social problem. As you read and learn, you will narrow your focus. This is how you will identify a discipline-specific research problem.

[Note: Scholarly, empirical articles and how to find them.]

First, you’ll need to determine your search terms or keywords and the databases you should search. As you conduct your search of the literature, stay organized by keeping a search log.

Example for this Form

The keywords and databases searched included hospital nurse leader retention, nurse leader intent to leave employment, nursing burnout, nursing stress and nursing turnover in the databases MedLine, PubMed, and NIH.

As you read and evaluate literature, you also need to organize your research. A literature review matrix is one way to help you visualize what has and hasn’t been done in your field. It will help you understand the scholarly works related to your area of interest. The importance of organizing and recording your review of literature cannot be overstated. You will refer to your notes as you write, so start on the right track from the beginning!

[Suggestion: If you keep your search log in an Excel workbook, use the second tab in the same workbook for your literature review matrix.]

For this prospectus form, include the complete, APA reference entry and (a) an in-text citation; (b) what they studied; (c) what they found; and (d) why this is important in relation to your study. This evidence provides the justification for your research problem. These sources provide justification that this problem is meaningful to the discipline or professional field. The background literature must include the following:

1. 3-5 credible sources within the last 5 years that all talk about the same professional practice problem

1. Reference entries related to the framework

1. Reference entry related to the Nature of the Study.

1. Additional reference entries that support and justifying the research problem.

[Note: During proposal development, you will conduct an exhaustive review and synthesize your sources, rather than summarize.]

Supporting Literature Examples

Justification Literature

William, C. & Looker, H. (2020). The influence of frontline manager job stress on burnout, commitment, and turnover intention: A cross-sectional study. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 49, 1800-1833. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2015.09.006

(a) William and Looker (2020); (b) studied the relationship between nurse manager job strain, burnout, lower organizational commitment, and higher turnover intention; (c) they found that there is a positive relationship amongst high turnover, job strain and burnout; (d) this in important in relation to my study because establishes direct relationship between an operational problem and conditions influencing the problem.

Heido, S., Bron, P., Frazer, K., & Wing, C., (2019). Factors influencing nurse leader’s intent to stay or leave employment: a quantitative analysis. Journal of Nursing Management, 23, 105-106. https://doi.org/10.1111/ 12252

(a) Heido et. al, 2019; (b) studied the prevalence of nurse leaders intending to leave their jobs; (c) they found that up to 40% of nurse leaders will leave their jobs in the next two years as a result of burnout and work dissatisfaction; (d) this is important in relation to my study because it supports the currency and significance of the operational problem.

Adral, J., Link, A., & Bog, T. (2018). Predictors of occupational stress, health and well-being in nurse managers: A cross-sectional survey study. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 12, 81-92. https://doi.org/10.1016/ ijnurstu.2017.05

(a) Adral et al., (2018); (b) studied predictors of occupational stress with nurse leaders; (c) they found that nurse leaders are making the difficult decision to leave their jobs while reporting increasing levels of burnout due to increasing occupational stressors; (d) this is important in relation to my study because it provides justification of the operational problem and future magnitude of the problem.

Wing, C. & Lasky, H. (2019). The influence and impact of frontline manager job strain on burnout, commitment, and turnover intention: A cross-sectional study. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 18, 1500-1533. https://doi.org/10.985/j.ijnurstu.2015.09.006

(a) Wing & Lasky (2019); (b) studied the causes and influences nurse leader burnout and commitment; (c) they found that job strain and stress had a direct relationship to nurse leaders commitment to employment and intent to leave employment; (d) this is important in relation to my study because it provides justification that an operational problem exist with job stress, burnout and intent to leave employment for nurse leaders.

Supporting Literature

Teal, Y., Zack, S., Gate, X. Andrew, Z., Wang, S., Link, H., Lang, Y., Goatz, L., Lutz, L. & Donalds, Z. (2020).

General self-efficacy modifies the effect of stress on burnout in nurses with different personality types. BMC Health Services Research, 81, 367-385. doi: 10.1186/s12913-018

(a) Teal et al., (2020); (b) studied self-efficacy as one type of self-influence that moderates burnout in professionals who serve others; (c) they found that increasing self-efficacy may serve as a protector against burnout or a way to heal from existing burnout; (d) this is important in relation to understanding the connection between protecting and healing from burnout that results with intent to leave employment.

Figueroa, C., Harrison, R., Chauhan, A., & Meyer, L. (2019). Priorities and challenges for health leadership and workforce management globally: a rapid review. BMC Health Services Research, 1, 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-019-4080-7

(a) Figueroa et al. (2019); (b) studied challenges healthcare leaders are facing with workforce management; (c) they found that health care executives are challenged with sustaining a health services leadership workforce that provides safe, accessible, high quality, people-centered care across the health care services continuum; (d) this is important in relation to my study because it supports the social health problem facing healthcare administrators.

McFitz, G., Jackvilee, D., Vickson, M., & Williams, L. (2019). Surviving workplace adversity: a qualitative study of nurses and midwives and their strategies to increase personal resilience. Journal of Nursing Management, 24, 123-131. https://doi.org/10.1111/jonm.12293

(a) McFitz et al. (2019); (b) studied how strategies used by nurses and midwives to increase personal residence to workplace stress; (c) they found that nursing professionals can survive workplace adversity using their own internal self-motivation, self-organization, and involvement in support networks; (d) this is important in relation to my study because it support the positive impact intrinsic motivation, organization and support network may have mitigating the negative effects of burnout.

Framework Literature

Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. New York, NY: W.H. Freeman and Company.

(a) Bandura (1997); (b) studied the ability a person to regulate one’s own level of motivation and behavior; (c) he found that individuals who could regulate one’s own motivation and behavior were defined by their destiny whereby and not external environment that might cause them to fail; (d) this is important in relation to my study because it establishes a frame work that connects the conditions surrounding employment burnout and to possible intent to leave employment.

Nature of Study Literature

Creswell, J. & Creswell, J. (2018). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods (5th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

(a) Creswell & Creswell (2020); (b) published textbook on quantitative linear regression research design; (c) found how a Pearson correlation can help to understand the magnitude or impact of one variable on another; (d) this is important in relation to determining a statistical significance between the dependent and independent variable in the study.

AONL (2019). American Organization of Nursing Leadership. Database for nursing employment, job satisfaction, self-efficacy and retention. Retrieved from https://www.aonl.org

(a) AONL (2019); (b) the AONL houses secondary data on nurse leaders; (c) will provide access to secondary data collected from nursing managers using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI-HSS) and Leader Efficacy Questionnaire (LEQ); (d) it is important in relation to my study because it will provide data points for the dependent and independent variable to be analyzed.

Rubric Standard | Justified > Is evidence presented that this problem is significant to the discipline and/or professional field?

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Problem

Social Problem

The situation or issue being experienced by a population or within your discipline that prompted you to search the literature to find out more is sometimes called a social problem. It is the issue that students see “on the ground” so to speak. The social problem is often what prompts students to think about a topic of interest. Usually such a topic is one that students identify with, sometimes having personally experienced some aspect of the problem as it exists in the world.

Social Problem Example

The issue that prompted me to search the literature is that hospital executives are challenged with sustaining a health services leadership workforce that provides safe, accessible, high quality, people-centered care across the health care services continuum.

Research Problem

A research problem is a focused topic of concern, a condition to be improved upon, or troubling question that is supported in scholarly literature or theory that you study to understand in more detail, and that can lead to recommendations for resolutions. It is the research problem that drives the rest of the dissertation: the purpose, the research questions, and the methodology.

Research Problem Example

In one sentence, the specific research problem is that hospitals are struggling to retain nurse leaders as a result of increasing levels with nursing burnout due to increasing occupational stressors.

Gap

The need to address an identified gap in the research literature must be clear and there must be current relevance to the discipline and area of practice. Keep in mind that a gap in the research is not, in and of itself, a reason to conduct research. The gap relates to the rubric standard: Meaningful.

Research Gap Example

Although researchers have investigated this issue, there is very little or no literature on the role self-efficacy plays with the nurse leader burnout, employment stressors and intent to leave employment.

Rubric Standard | Meaningful > Has a meaningful problem and gap in the research literature been identified?

Rubric Standard | Original > Does this doctoral study have potential to make an original contribution?

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Purpose

To address your stated research problem, what is the purpose of your study? Will you describe, compare, explore, examine, etc.? Be sure to clarify your variables/concepts of interest. For example: In quantitative studies, state what needs be studied by describing two or more factors (variables) and a conjectured relationship among them related to the identified gap or problem.

Purpose Example

The purpose of this quantitative study is to examine the relationship amongst the dependent variable of nurse leader employment retention and the independent variables of nurse leader burnout, occupational stress and self-efficacy.

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Framework

The framework includes the theories and/or concepts relevant to your topic. Align the framework with the problem, purpose, research questions, and background of your study. This theoretical or conceptual framework is the basis for understanding, designing, and analyzing ways to investigate your research problem (data collection and analysis). Provide the original scholarly literature (citing original authors) on the theory and/or concepts, even if it is more than 5 years old. Please do not cite secondary sources.

Example Theoretical Framework

The theories and/or concepts that ground this study include Bandura’s (1997) theory of self-efficacy, focusing specifically on one’s perception of how well one can achieve something that appears beyond their reach.

Next, explain how these theories and/or concepts relate to your research problem, purpose, and the nature of your study. Your topic/approach should align with the identified framework so that you will either build upon or counter the previously published findings on the topic.

Example Connection for the Conceptual Framework

The logical connections between the framework presented and my study approach include Bandura’s (1997) theoretical work which shows that an individual can influence their own self-efficacy. Further, subsequent research application of Bandura’s theory offers guidance that increasing self-efficacy may serve as a protector against burnout (Teal et al., 2020).

Rubric Standard | Grounded > Is the problem framed to enable the researcher to either build upon or counter the previously published findings on the topic?

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Research Question(s) and Hypotheses

List the overarching question and/or a series of related questions that are informed by the study purpose, that will be used to address the research problem. A research question informs the research design by providing a foundation for the generation of null and alternative hypotheses in quantitative studies.

Research Questions Example

RQ1 – Based on nurse leaders high self-efficacy ratings, what is the relationship between nurse leader burnout, occupational stress and intent to leave?

H₀1 – Based on nurse leaders high self-efficacy ratings, there is no statistically significant difference between nurse leader burnout, occupational stress and intent to leave.

H1 – Based on nurse leaders high self-efficacy ratings, there is a statistically significant difference between nurse leader burnout, occupational stress and intent to leave.

RQ 2 – Based on nurse leaders low self-efficacy ratings, what is the relationship between nurse leader burnout, occupational stress and intent to leave?

Ho2 – Based on nurse leaders low self-efficacy ratings, there is no statistically significant difference between nurse leader burnout, occupational stress and intent to leave.

H2 – Based on nurse leaders low self-efficacy ratings, there is a statistically significant difference between nurse leader burnout, occupational stress and intent to leave.

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Nature of the Study

Explain the systematic approach (research design) you plan to use to address your research question(s). Examples of study design are as follows:

Quantitative—for experimental, quasiexperimental, or nonexperimental designs; treatment-control; repeated measures; causal-comparative; single-subject; predictive studies; or other quantitative approaches

Research Design Example

To address the research questions in this quantitative study, the approach I plan to use will include a linear regression research design (Creswell & Creswell, 2018). Once there is an understanding of the relationship between variables, further analyses could be done to compare variables while controlling for different factors utilizing analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). A Pearson Correlations can also help to understand the magnitude or impact of one variable on another to help pinpoint the correlation between independent variables and dependent variable (Creswell & Creswell, 2018).

Reference entry for the work on which this approach is based:

Creswell, J. W., Creswell, J. D.  (2018). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods (5th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Then, for your planned research design, present the type of data you will need, and a list of possible secondary data sources that could be used to address the proposed research question (s). At this point, you should have an idea of the type of data needed to address your research question(s). Identify the data source and how the data will be accessed. Possible secondary data sources, by program, are available on the Center for Research Quality website. [Note. This is your tentative plan, so keep in mind that things might need to be modified during the proposal stage—particularly after you have completed your exhaustive review of the literature.]

Data Source Example

For my planned research design, I will need to request access to the American Organization for Nursing database where the secondary data exist for the Maslach Burnout Inventory Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS) and Leader Efficacy Questionnaire (LEQ).

Next, provide the specific data points that you plan to use to answer your research question(s). Data points are the specific variables or type of information that you will use in your analysis. For example, items on a survey or types of interview questions (not the actual survey or interview questions). When using secondary data, you must ensure the data include the dependent and independent variables or data points that you need to address your research question.

Example

The MBI-HSS will provide data points for nursing leader burnout, occupational stress and intent to leave and LEQ will provide data for nursing leader self-efficacy ratings.

Finally, provide information on limitations, challenges, and/or barriers that may need to be addressed when conducting this study. These may include access to participants, access to data, separation of roles (researcher versus employee), instrumentation fees, etc. If you are thinking about collecting data on a sensitive topic or from a vulnerable population, an early consultation with the Institutional Review Board (IRB; IRB@waldenu.edu) during your prospectus process is recommended to gain ethics guidance that you can incorporate into your subsequent proposal drafts and research planning. [Note. Find more information on research ethics and potential “red flag” issues on the IRB Guides and FAQs.]

Example

Limitations include participant responses may vary from one organization to another that is not captured in the existing dataset. Also, the statistical analyses include multiple variables from two different scales. Both challenges can be overcome; however, the researcher must take time to work through the challenges when conducting the study. The researcher has consulted with an instructional specialist from Walden’s Center for Research Quality (CRQ) and will continue to work with committee mentors and CRQ tutors during the doctoral study process.

Rubric Standard | Feasible > Can a systematic method of inquiry be used to address the problem; and does the approach have the potential to address the problem while considering potential risks and burdens placed on research participants?

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Significance

Here you explain how your study addresses the meaningful, discipline-specific issue that you identified and will therefore contribute to your field, discipline, professional practice, etc. contributing to positive social change. Detail how your findings might support professional practice or allow practical application (answer the So what? question).

Example

This study is significant in that it will add to the growing body of knowledge on self-efficacy, burnout, occupational stress and turnover of nurse leaders. Depending on the results, healthcare leaders can implement strategies to support the development of self-efficacy in nurse leaders or encourage healthcare leaders to look at variables or strategies to reduce burnout and turnover for nurse leaders. Providing nurse leaders with the skill to develop higher levels of self-efficacy may reduce turnover while stabilizing the patient care environment, creating social change.

Rubric Standard | Impact > Does this doctoral study have potential to affect positive social change?

Rubric Standard | Objective > Is the topic approached in an objective manner?

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My Doctoral Research (MyDR)

If you have not done so already, you should familiarize yourself with the MyDR system. The MyDR system was designed to assist you and your committee in navigating your doctoral research journey, from the very beginning through the final approval. The various landing pages in MyDR will track your progress and will serve as a central location for resources to support that progress. There is a process flow tool in which you exchange and store faculty evaluations of and feedback on your work as you progress along that journey.

You will be entered into the MyDR system when both your committee chair and second member nominees are approved by the academic program. At that point, you will be able to access MyDR from the homepage of your dissertation completion course in Blackboard. The first document that you will submit for approval in MyDR will be your prospectus.