The Written Submission of Practical Work Steve Lazar

Options available  8 criterion audit  National Project Marking Schedule

Summative Assessment Website 

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 Projectfor 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