The Written Submission of Practical Work

Steve Lazar

Options available

8 criterion audit National Project Marking Schedule

Summative Assessment Website

www.nosa.org.uk

What is Audit?

Concrete Experience

Reflection

Make Hypothesis

Test Hypothesis

What is Audit?

Audit is about introducing or measuring change

8 criterion audit

Choice of topic: Choose an area where changes can

be demonstrated Ensure that all the practice agree that

it is a worthwhile area for study

Criteria and Standards

What is an audit criterion? Simply put it is a statement of the

quality of care that is to be measured Make certain that no more than three

criteria are chosen Cite evidence for choice Keep them short, simple and focussed

Standards

May need to be flexible Logical explanation required for

choice

Teamwork

Audit should not be carried out in isolation

Plan an exit strategy to allow for change to take place and be evaluated

Sampling Stick with the same sampling method for

both data collections Intervention or change? The Registrar is not being assessed on their

ability to sample scientifically. A general rule of thumb is that a small

group of patients should be randomly chosen (say, 15-50) to audit.

Data presentation

Ensure data is presented in terms of whole numbers (25/50) and percentages (50%).

Ensure the data presented is relevant to the criteria being measured.

Avoid presenting irrelevant data. Compare 1st and 2nd data collections

with the standard(s)

Demonstrating change

Try and provide an explicit example of change taking place. For example, if a new protocol is introduced then attach this as an Appendix

Give any change that is introduced time to bed in before attempting a 2nd data collection.

Presenting the submission

Ensure the final written report is compiled in a way that allows easy comparison with the eight criteria contained in the marking schedule.

It may be an idea for the trainer to critically assess the completed audit project using the marking schedule before submitting the project.

Choices of Project for NPMS

Questionnaire Study Notes Review Literature Review Clinical Case Study Research Study Plan for new service in the practice Discussion Paper

Administration details

5 copies of the project A floppy

disk

3 first level markers

Marking details

Descriptors on grid

18 or more

No less than 2 on any criterion

The project must be based in and relevant to primary care

How to structure the project

Make the aims clear and keep

them simple

Use appropriate references, a

minimum of 6 is suggested

Clear, repeatable method

Relate results to aims and methods

Summarise findings and

evaluate implications

Appropriate conclusions

What should be in a project protocol?

Introduction

Title The project question Reasons why it is important and

interesting

Existing literature

What is already known What methodologies are appropriate

Method

Which one? Who are the subjects? Sampling/recruitment? Data collection?

Results

Form Presentation

Conclusions

Relate them to the project question Compare to current knowledge Evaluate significance