NRS-493 Benchmark: Capstone Project Change Proposal
Students will develop a 1,250–1,500-word paper that pulls together the capstone project change proposal components developed throughout the course. The final proposal must address a significant nursing practice problem, issue, suggestion, initiative, or educational need identified in collaboration with the course preceptor and approved by faculty.
Assignment Context and Purpose
In NRS-493 Professional Capstone and Practicum at Grand Canyon University, the Benchmark Capstone Project Change Proposal serves as the culminating written deliverable. Students synthesize literature, stakeholder input, and clinical observations into a coherent, evidence-based plan for practice change. The proposal demonstrates the ability to apply the nursing process, leadership principles, and interprofessional collaboration to improve patient, nurse, or system outcomes. This assignment aligns with AACN Essentials and GCU RN-to-BSN Domains and Competencies related to quality improvement, evidence-based practice, and professional communication.
Required Content Sections
The paper must include the following sections in APA 7th edition format. An abstract is not required.
- Introduction and Background of the Problem
- Problem Statement
- Purpose of the Change Proposal
- PICOT Question
- Literature Search Strategy and Appraisal of Evidence
- Proposed Evidence-Based Intervention
- Implementation Plan (including resources, timeline, and stakeholder roles)
- Evaluation Plan (outcome measures, data collection methods, and analysis)
- Dissemination Plan
- Conclusion
Formatting and Submission Requirements
- Length: 1,250–1,500 words (excluding title page and references)
- Minimum of eight current (within five years) scholarly sources from the GCU Library or other peer-reviewed databases
- APA 7th edition formatting throughout
- Submit to the designated dropbox by the end of Topic 8
- Review the scoring rubric before beginning the assignment
Scoring Rubric
| Criteria | Excellent (100%) | Good (85%) | Satisfactory (70%) | Needs Improvement (50%) | Unsatisfactory (0%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Introduction, Problem, and Purpose | Clearly articulates the practice problem, its significance, and a focused purpose statement aligned with the PICOT | Problem and purpose are present and mostly clear | Problem and purpose are identifiable but lack focus or depth | Problem or purpose is vague or incomplete | Missing or does not address required elements |
| PICOT Question | Fully developed, measurable PICOT that guides the entire proposal | PICOT is complete and appropriate | PICOT is present but contains minor gaps | PICOT is incomplete or poorly constructed | Missing |
| Literature Support and Evidence Appraisal | Eight or more high-quality sources critically appraised and synthesized to support the intervention | Adequate sources with clear appraisal | Sources are present but appraisal is limited | Insufficient or weak sources | Missing or irrelevant literature |
| Intervention and Implementation Plan | Detailed, feasible intervention with clear steps, resources, timeline, and stakeholder engagement | Intervention and plan are logical and mostly complete | Intervention is identified; plan lacks detail | Intervention or plan is incomplete | Missing |
| Evaluation and Dissemination | Specific, measurable outcomes, data collection methods, and realistic dissemination strategies | Outcomes and dissemination are appropriate | Outcomes or dissemination lack specificity | Incomplete evaluation or dissemination | Missing |
| Organization, APA, Mechanics | Clear organization, correct APA, virtually error-free | Minor organizational or APA issues | Noticeable errors that do not impede understanding | Multiple errors that distract from content | Pervasive errors or failure to follow APA |
Why This Matters in Practice
A well-constructed change proposal prepares nurses to lead quality improvement initiatives in real clinical settings. It requires the same skills used when presenting a business case to unit leadership or writing a grant application for practice innovation.
Sample Answer Writing Help
Catheter-associated urinary tract infections remain one of the most common device-related hospital-acquired conditions and continue to drive extended length of stay and excess cost. A focused nurse-driven protocol for daily assessment of catheter necessity reduced CAUTI rates by 42 percent in a multisite implementation study published in the American Journal of Infection Control (daily assessment of indwelling urinary catheters). The protocol pairs a standardized reminder embedded in the electronic health record with a brief bedside checklist completed during interdisciplinary rounds. Early data indicate that the intervention is most effective when charge nurses receive real-time feedback on unit compliance rates. Integrating the checklist into existing workflow rather than creating a separate form appears to improve sustainability beyond the initial project period.
Sustaining Nurse-Driven Protocols
Sustainability improves when frontline nurses receive visible support from unit leadership and when compliance data are posted weekly on the unit quality board. One large health system reported that pairing the daily assessment protocol with a nurse champion model maintained the reduced CAUTI rate for 18 months after the formal project ended (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 2023). The same system noted that units without an identified champion experienced a gradual return toward baseline rates within six months. These findings suggest that the human element of ownership may be as important as the technical design of the protocol itself.
Addressing Common Implementation Barriers
Students often underestimate the time required for staff education and the resistance that can arise when a new checklist is introduced. A practical approach is to pilot the protocol on one unit for four weeks, collect feedback through brief anonymous surveys, and adjust the checklist language before system-wide rollout. Measuring both process metrics (percentage of catheters assessed daily) and outcome metrics (CAUTI rate per 1,000 catheter days) allows the team to distinguish between fidelity problems and true clinical impact. Including the infection preventionist and the informatics nurse on the project team from the outset reduces later technical and regulatory barriers.
FAQ
How many scholarly sources are required for the NRS-493 Capstone Project Change Proposal?
A minimum of eight current peer-reviewed sources published within the last five years is required. Most successful papers include ten to twelve sources to strengthen the literature synthesis.
Does the Capstone Project Change Proposal require an abstract?
No. An abstract is not required for this assignment. Begin the paper with the introduction section after the title page.
Can the same PICOT question used in Topic 3 be used in the final Capstone Project Change Proposal?
Yes. The PICOT developed and refined earlier in the course should serve as the foundation for the final proposal, with any faculty feedback incorporated.
What is the exact word count range for the Benchmark Capstone Project Change Proposal?
The paper must be 1,250–1,500 words excluding the title page and reference list. Papers outside this range receive a deduction on the rubric.
Is the Capstone Project Change Proposal submitted to LopesWrite?
Yes. The final paper is submitted through the course dropbox and is subject to the standard originality check.
- Develop a 1,250–1,500-word Benchmark Capstone Project Change Proposal that synthesizes literature, PICOT, implementation, and evaluation plans for a nursing practice problem.
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Next Assignment (Topic 9)
Capstone Project Change Proposal Presentation for Faculty Review and Feedback. Students create a professional PowerPoint presentation (10–15 slides) that summarizes the completed change proposal for delivery to the preceptor and faculty. The presentation must include the problem background, PICOT, key evidence, implementation steps, evaluation metrics, and a brief discussion of anticipated barriers and facilitators. Speaker notes are required for each content slide. Submission occurs in Topic 9 so that feedback can be incorporated before the final dissemination presentation in Topic 10.
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