NR 537 Week 5 Rubric Development

Name

Chamberlain University

NR-537: Assessment & Evaluation in Education

Prof. Name

Date

Understanding Rubric Development for Health Care Policy Assignments

Rubric development plays a crucial role in shaping the academic success of nursing students. It provides a structured evaluation system for assessing student performance in assignments, ensuring clear expectations and consistent grading. In this article, we will explore the rubric development process for a health care policy paper assignment as part of NR 537 Week 5, focusing on how students can successfully meet the required standards and achieve their learning outcomes.

The Importance of Rubric Development in Nursing Education

In nursing education, written assignments are essential tools for fostering students’ ability to research, synthesize information, and propose evidence-based solutions. One of the key assignments in NR 537 is the health care policy paper, where students must analyze current health care policies, propose improvements, and design an action plan for implementation. This assignment not only assesses students’ knowledge but also hones their critical thinking, research, and policy-making skills.

Learning Objectives for the Health Care Policy Paper

The primary goal of the NR 537 Week 5 assignment is to enable students to evaluate and propose improvements for a health care policy. By the end of the assignment, students should be able to:

Select and assess a public health care policy: Students will identify a relevant policy, analyze its effectiveness, and examine its impact on public health and community-based care.
Develop a comprehensive action plan: Students will propose viable solutions to identified policy issues and create a detailed action plan for implementing changes.

These outcomes emphasize the importance of evidence-based decision-making and advocacy in health care policy.

Key Components of the Rubric for Health Care Policy Papers

The rubric for the health care policy paper outlines specific criteria for assessing both the content and format of the students’ work. There are two main categories: content criteria and format criteria.

Content Criteria

The content of the paper is evaluated on three primary components:

Identification of Health Care Policy and Its Concerns: Students must define the selected policy, describe its scope, and identify key concerns related to public health and nursing. A thorough analysis of the policy’s impact on different population groups is essential, along with the identification of at least eight related issues. A strong paper will provide a comprehensive overview, showcasing the student’s ability to critically assess the policy’s effectiveness.
Student-Identified Solutions and Arguments: This section requires students to propose solutions to the identified health care issues. The rubric values well-reasoned arguments supported by evidence and critical analysis. Students must describe their proposed solutions in detail, explaining how these measures could improve health care delivery and align with nursing practice.
Development of an Action Plan: The action plan is a central part of the assignment. Students must design a plan for implementing their proposed solutions, detailing the stakeholders involved, potential challenges, and methods for overcoming barriers. A well-developed action plan demonstrates a student’s ability to translate policy analysis into actionable steps.

NR 537 Week 5 Rubric Development

Format Criteria

In addition to content, the format of the paper is equally important:

Argument Logic, Construction, and Presentation: This criterion assesses the clarity and logical flow of the paper. The student must present a clear argument, with well-organized content that supports their thesis. Logical structure and coherence are crucial for ensuring that the paper is both persuasive and easy to follow.
APA 6th Edition Citation and Format: Correct formatting and citation are essential in academic writing. This rubric criterion evaluates how well students adhere to APA 6th edition guidelines for referencing sources, citation accuracy, and overall paper structure. Using current, evidence-based sources (preferably from the last five years) is crucial for supporting the policy analysis.

Performance Levels and Scoring

The rubric uses four performance levels to assess student work: exceptional, good, satisfactory, and unsatisfactory. Each level corresponds to a specific percentage range and scoring criteria, with a total of 180 points available:

Exceptional (90% and above): Papers that meet or exceed all expectations, demonstrating comprehensive analysis, well-reasoned solutions, and clear presentation.
Good (80%-89%): Papers that fulfill most criteria, with minor gaps in analysis or detail.
Satisfactory (70%-79%): Papers that meet basic requirements but lack depth or clarity in some areas.
Unsatisfactory (below 70%): Papers that fail to meet key criteria, with significant gaps in analysis, argumentation, or formatting.

Rubric Descriptors: Breaking Down the Criteria

Each rubric criterion is further broken down into specific descriptors that define the quality of student work at each performance level. For example:

Identification of Health Care Policy and Its Concerns:
- Exceptional: The student provides an in-depth analysis, covering all relevant aspects of the policy and its impact on the nursing field, with clear identification of the affected population and detailed concerns.
- Good: The student provides a general overview with most of the key aspects, though it may lack depth or miss a few minor details.
- Satisfactory: The student provides a basic definition but lacks comprehensive analysis or misses key concerns.
- Unsatisfactory: The student provides a vague or incomplete discussion with minimal relevance to nursing or public health.
Student-Identified Solutions and Arguments:
- Exceptional: The student offers well-supported, innovative solutions with clear arguments, demonstrating a deep understanding of nursing advocacy and policy-making.
- Good: The student provides solid solutions and explanations, though some details may be lacking.
- Satisfactory: The student offers basic solutions, with limited detail and analysis.
- Unsatisfactory: The student provides weak or poorly explained solutions with minimal analysis.

Conclusion:

The NR 537 Week 5 rubric development is a critical tool for guiding nursing students through the process of analyzing and improving health care policies. By following the rubric’s content and format criteria, students can ensure their work meets the highest standards and demonstrates a thorough understanding of policy issues and solutions. A clear, structured approach to rubric development not only helps students achieve better grades but also enhances their ability to contribute meaningfully to health care policy discussions and advocacy.

References

Abuatiq, A. (2019). E-learning in nursing: tool development for evaluating virtual patient learning systems. Teaching And Learning In Nursing, 14(4), 291-297. doi: 10.1016/j.teln.2019.06.010

NR 537 Week 5 Rubric Development

Angra, A., & Gardner, S. (2018). The graph rubric: development of a teaching, learning, and research tool. CBE—Life Sciences Education, 17(4), ar65. doi: 10.1187/cbe.18-01-0007