HLSC617 - Independent Project

Year

Credit points

Campus offering

Prerequisites

For students enrolled in the MHAdmin: HLSC640 Interpreting Health Research

For all other FHS students: Completion of a minimum of 50cp in a relevant Master degree

Teaching organisation

Unit rationale, description and aim

As future leaders in health care, it is essential for students to be able to apply a theoretical foundation in the leadership and development of independent initiatives in their workplace.

This unit gives students an opportunity to apply a range of advanced knowledge and skills that foster culturally safe, high quality effective health care through the creation of an effective solution to a unique administrative, leadership, educational or clinical challenge.

This unit provides students with the opportunity to critically evaluate the role of evidence–based, ethical practice through investigation of a self–identified area of challenge and opportunity drawn from a clinical/professional issue previously studied in their Master course. The area of study must be measurable, appropriate for the level of the course and extend the topic/issue as it relates to the student’s workplace.

This unit is required by students to ensure the fulfilment of the requirements of their Master course, that is, the Australian Qualifications Framework’s requirement for independent project work in the Master by coursework.The aim of this unit is to provide students with the opportunity to undertake self–motivated study and transition to life–long learning as a self–reliant and critically reflective professional.

Learning outcomes

To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.

Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.

Explore the graduate capabilities.

On successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:

LO1 - Appraise a clinical/professional issue amenable to investigation by project (GA2, GA4, GA6)

LO2 - Access information and apply skills to structure and write a project proposal for the clinical/professional issue (GA3, GA9)

LO3 - Conduct a project (GA3, GA6, GA7)

LO4 - Write and present a project report that evaluates the processes and outcomes of a project (GA9)

Graduate attributes

GA2 - Recognise their responsibility to the common good, the environment and society 

GA3 - Apply ethical perspectives in informed decision making

GA4 - Think critically and reflectively 

GA6 - Solve problems in a variety of settings taking local and international perspectives into account

GA7 - Work both autonomously and collaboratively 

GA9 - Demonstrate effective communication in oral and written English language and visual media 

Content

Topics will include: 

• Self-identified area of study related to coursework units in the Master course:  
• Clinical/professional issue explored in a coursework unit 
• Project required in the workplace (for example, quality initiative, health record audit, updating clinical practice guidelines, developing an educational resource for staff or health consumers) 
• Written proposal: 
• Aims, objectives, expected outcomes, and timeframes for the project 
• Written approval by workplace for project conduct and completion 
• Conduct of the project with the support of the Lecturer-in-Charge of the unit  
• Writing and presenting the project report including evaluation of the aims, objectives, processes and outcomes of project. 

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

Teaching and learning strategies utilised in this unit will support students in meeting the aim and achieving the learning outcomes relevant to this unit as well as to the broader course learning outcomes. 

Modes of delivery in this unit include online, email, telephone and/or face to face communication between the student and the Lecturer-in-Charge of the unit. The student will be supported in meeting the aim, learning outcomes and graduate attributes of the unit and the broader course learning outcomes. The student is respected as an independent learner and will take responsibility for their own learning.  

Students exiting university need significant life-long learning skills to deliver sound, ongoing, evidence-based practice as a member of the health professional workforce. To embed life-long learning skills, students must demonstrate increasing reflective capacity to identify what is being done well and what requires additional work in progressing toward required learning outcomes. Located in the final year of the Master by coursework course, this unit provides students with the opportunity to undertake self-motivated study and transition to life-long learning as a self-reliant and critically reflective professional.  

Assessment strategy and rationale

A range of assessments procedures will be used to meet the unit learning outcomes and develop graduate attributes consistent with University assessment requirements. 

Achievement of the unit objectives will be determined through the student identifying an issue amenable to investigation by project. The assessments tasks of written project proposal and seminar provide a scaffold for the student’s learning, with the final task being the written Project Report.  

These assessments are required to build student knowledge and skills in project work which, by the conclusion of the course, will enable them to graduate the Master course as a self-reliant and critically reflective professional.

Overview of assessments

Representative texts and references

Bettany-Saltikov, J. (2012). How to do a systematic literature review in nursing: A step-by-step guide.  Maidenhead, UK: Open University Press, McGraw-Hill. 

Booth, A., Papaioannou, D., & Sutton, A. (2016).Systematic approaches to a successful literature review (2nd ed.). London: Sage 

Grove, S., Burns, N., & Gray, J. (2013). The practice of nursing research: Appraisal, synthesis and generation of evidence (7th ed.). St. Louis, Mo: Elsevier/Saunders. 

Hoffmann, T., Bennet, S., & Del Mar, C. (2013). Evidence-based practice across the health professions (2nd ed.). London: Elsevier Health Sciences.  

Holly, C., Walmond, S. W., & Saimbert, M. K. (2011).  Comprehensive systematic review for advanced nursing practice. New York: Springer. 

Polit, D.F., & Beck, C.T. (2017). Essentials of nursing research: Appraising evidence for nursing practice (10th ed.). Philadelphia, Pa.: Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.  

Tashakkori, A., & Teddlie, C. (2010). Sage handbook of mixed methods in social and behavioural research (2nd  ed.). Los Angeles: Sage Publications.