The assessment provides the student with the opportunity to critically evaluate effectiveness of clinical nursing leadership (CNL) and discuss how they may apply effective CNL as a new graduate registered nurse in the clinical practice environment.

Discussion Paper Topic:

Using current academic research and evidence-based literature, critically evaluate the effectiveness of clinical nursing leadership (CNL) on patient and staff outcomes, and discuss how, why and where you could apply effective clinical nursing leadership as a new graduate registered nurse in the clinical practice environment.

Student Directions:

Carefully read and understand the discussion paper topic, student directions and the Discussion Paper Marking Criteria and Standards Guide provided to assist you in the construction your discussion paper.

- The work is to be structured as a formal essay, with a relevant introduction, body of work, and conclusion, with no headings or subheadings. The work is to be written in the third person, apart from the section where you are required to discuss how, why and where you personally could apply effective clinical nursing leadership as a new graduate nurse in the clinical practice environment, which necessarily will require a first person style. Where academic literature is used to support points in this section, third person style will need to be reverted to. Please try to avoid using pronouns in the third person style.

- Ensure you adequately and appropriately define and describe all major terms, including clinical nursing leadership and effectiveness (including identifying the criteria used to evaluate CNL effectiveness in relation to patient and staff outcomes).

- Adequately and appropriately use at least eight (8) recent (i.e. from 2006) .peer reviewed, academic , research /evidence-based journal articles, (preferably from nursing management and leadership journals) to adequately support critical evaluation and discussion.

- References must be: in the APA style, adequately and correctly given, both in text and in the final reference list

- The work is to conform to the conventions of academic writing, with logical flow of ideas, clarity and conciseness of expression, non- discriminatory use of language, and consistently accurate spelling, grammar, punctuation, and sentence and paragraph construction.

- The discussion paper is to be typed. Typing must be legible, at least 12 font, double spaced, with 3cm wide margins and printing on one side of the page only.

- There is a word limit of 1500 words. Use your computer to tell you the length of your essay and how many words you have written. Do not include the reference list at the end of your essay in the word count.