7KANP004 - Patient Safety and Cultural Variance

Summative Assessment Guidance

For faculty guidance on the assessment process (including deadlines, submission dates,

formatting requirements etc.), please see your module Keats page

Word limit: 3000

Title: A critical evaluation of a patient safety incident in healthcare

Identify and critically evaluate a single patient safety incident from practice (this can either

be from your own experience or from a published cases study, which must be appropriately

referenced).

Please read this guidance in conjunction with the assessment rubric.

It is suggested that students consider the following headings and approximate word count

for each section to structure their assignment:

1. Introduction and background: (500 words)

• the patient safety incident – key points (what should happen? what actually

happened? where? who was involved?)

• the local and/or national context for this type of incident (e.g. what category

of incident is it? is it a well-recognised risk? etc.)

• how was this incident detected and critically evaluating this in the context of

risk management systems in patient safety?

• a consideration of the level of harm to the patient

2. Review: (400 words)

• a critical appraisal and evaluation of the approaches that were used or might

be used to investigate this patient safety incident in practice (which tools and

techniques were used/might you use and why)?

3. Findings: (900 words)

• presentation and critical evaluation of possible findings from an investigation

using SIEPS or another appropriate model appropriate to understanding a

complex system, providing the rationale for the choice of model and with a

focus on identifying the system and human factors which contributed to the

patient safety incident

• a critical evaluation of the cultural influences at play (this may be

organisational or wider cultural influences) including safety culture

• a critical evaluation of the likely impact of the chosen patient safety impact

on patients (and their wider social network) and staff

• presentation of key potential learning and actions that might be used to

inform safety improvement activities in response to this patient safety

incident

4. Safety Improvement: (800 words)

• a critical appraisal of an appropriate quality improvement methodology and

how this might be applied to support delivery of safety improvement

activities in response to this patient safety incident

• a critical evaluation of some of the barriers and facilitators of change in terms

of safety improvement as it relates to this patient safety incident, including

the application of one relevant theory or model of change to support the

analysis

• a critical evaluation of who, why and how patients, staff and other

stakeholders might be engaged in safety improvement activities in response

to this patient safety incident

5. Conclusion (400 words)

• a synthesis of the key issues raised in the assignment, that demonstrates an

acknowledgement of the importance of culture when considering patient

safety

• how key issues raised may relate to future developments in patient safety

• some critical reflection on the student’s own learning and how this might

contribute to the student’s on-going professional development in their

current and/or future role

6. Presentation and references:

• in the APA 7

th

format https://libguides.kcl.ac.uk/reference/authordate

Important considerations:

• You may not use the patient safety incident that was chosen for your formative

assignment - choose a new incident

• Confidentiality must be protected and anonymity adhered to throughout the

assignment – do not include any information that could identify those involved.

Avoid identifying institutions by name, where possible.

• Tables, figures and appendices are not included in the word count – however,

please use these judiciously and ensure that the content is fully discussed and

evaluated in the accompanying prose.

• Write in the third person – to include any personal reflections in the conclusion.

• Ensure full referencing and formatting in accordance with faculty guidance.