Introduction (approximately 100 words)
1.1 As with any assignment you should commence with an introduction to signpost the intent of the assignment to the reader.
1.2 A statement of confidentiality should be provided which includes baby, parents,staff, unit and hospital.
Provide a scenario/event on an aspect of care provision to an infant requiring intensive care and/or his/her family (approximately 100 words)
2.1 A succinct description of the scenario should be provided with a clear rationale
provided, linking to your topic choice.
The themes identified from your topic need to be identified and realistic in number to allow in-depth critical discussion within the allowed word limit (approximately 100 words)
3.1 It may be your topic literature search results in a large number of themes to potentially discuss.
However it is important that as you have only 2000 words forthis assignment, that you limit the number of themes discussed to enable in-depth critical discussion/analysis and comment on the merits of the literature.
Depending on topic choice, this could be as little as one theme up to 3 three themes maximum.
3.2 Seek advice from module leader to determine the number of themes that can be realistically discussed.
Main body of your essay (approximately 1500 words)
This section must address the module specific learning outcome below.
4.1 Learning outcome 3: critically discuss the range of evidence and research
underpinning the care of the intensive care baby and family
In other words you need to critically discuss and analyse your chosen topic/themes with evidence-based literature and critically comment on the merits (strengths and limitations) of the research used and consider its implications to neonatal practice.
Prior to discussing your themes it may be necessary to provide a context for the topic which may include definitions and statistics, in other words set the scene. Within each theme research literature should be used to critically structure and underpin discussion.
As discussed in your ‘reading literature critically’ workshop, your presentation of the research literature should include the type of study, type and number of patients, families or units (sample size and characteristics), how data was collected and findings. Strengths and limitations of the study considered should be supported by research methods literature. Implications of the literature to practice should be considered.
5. Conclusion (approximately 200 words)
5.1 Care given in scenario/event should be evaluated in light of the literature reviewed and personal learning should be identified.
5.2 Briefly discuss whether the care given in your scenario was evidence based from the literature reviewed and discuss your personal learning from completing this review and how you could use the knowledge gained from exploring the research literature to improve and/or enhance your future practice and possibly of your team/Unit.
5.3 Provide a summary of your main discussion points.