Critically evaluate own professional conduct in prioritising people, practicing effectively, preserving safety and promoting professionalism and trust with increasing confidence.

	Assessment Brief
Module title	Practice Learning 3 (Year 2)
Module code
Assessment task title	Professional Discussion
Summary of assessment task and rationale	Completion of a 20-minute professional discussion analysing an episode of care for a caseload of service users.
Word limit and guidance on submission	20-minute discussion.  It is permissible to exceed the stated time limit by up to 10%, without penalty
Weighting	This assessment task comprises 100% of the total assessment for this module
This assessment has a 7-day submission window: NO	This assessment is exempt for the 7-day extensions due to the nature of the assessment being undertaken during practice placement.
Submission deadline for assessment	See assessment schedule
Deadline for applying for a deferral to the next assessment point	See assessment schedule
This assessment is eligible for in-year reassessment:	No
Feedback and provisional marks release date	See assessment schedule
Learning outcomes that will be assessed	Critically evaluate own professional conduct in prioritising people, practicing effectively, preserving safety and promoting professionalism and trust with increasing confidence. Independently and confidently participates in the assessment of needs and leads the planning of person-centred care. Critically analyse own role in this. Independently and confidently participates and critically analyses the delivery and evaluation of person-centred care. Independently and confidently participates and critically analyses the procedures for planning, provision and management of person-centred care. Independently and confidently participates and critically analyses the improvement of safety and quality of person-centred care. Independently and confidently participates and critically analyses in co-ordination of person-centred care. Through supervised active participation complete medicines management and skills outlined from Annexe A and B critically evaluating own confidence and competence.
For Apprenticeships: Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours linked to the assessment	Not applicable
In-module support opportunities including formative feedback	Information on assessment to be provided at Module launch. Students to speak to Module leader if further support is required

Guidance on the completion of the assessment task

In order to successfully complete your assessment at the first attempt you must:

Critically appraise an episode of care for a caseload of service users.

Introduce your practice experience.

Explore and analyse your practice experience in detail evidencing how you achieved the NMC professional standards for practice and behaviour, highlighting evidence-based practice.

Your discussion must be supported with relevant physiological, psychological, sociological, pharmacological and nursing literature as necessary.

Your discussion should highlight your leadership and organisational skill. 

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tools

For this assessment task, you are NOT permitted to use artificial intelligence tools.

Sample Answer

Introduction (Approx. 2 minutes)

During my second-year placement, I was based on a busy medical ward in an NHS hospital that provided care for older adults with multiple long-term conditions. One particular episode of care that stood out involved a 79-year-old male patient admitted with community-acquired pneumonia, who also had a background of type 2 diabetes and early-stage dementia.

I chose this episode because I played a key role in assessing his needs, planning his care, and supporting both the patient and his family through daily interventions. This situation challenged me to apply a wide range of knowledge and skills while working collaboratively with the multi-disciplinary team (MDT).

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Analysis of the Episode of Care (Approx. 14 minutes)

1. Prioritising People

From the beginning, I made sure the patient felt listened to and respected. Although he had mild confusion due to dementia, I used short, simple sentences, maintained eye contact, and always spoke slowly and clearly. This helped to reduce his anxiety.

I noticed early signs of discomfort in his facial expression and body language. Even though he struggled to verbalise pain, I used the Abbey Pain Scale to assess him. This helped us start pain relief sooner. This reflects the NMC standard to prioritise people and deliver care with compassion.

2. Practising Effectively

I completed his initial nursing assessment using a person-centred approach. I included both physiological factors, like temperature, oxygen saturation and blood glucose levels, and psychological ones, such as mood and cognition.

Evidence-based practice was central to this. I referred to NICE guidelines on the treatment of pneumonia and worked with the nurse in charge to ensure his oxygen therapy and antibiotics were given promptly. I also used the NEWS2 tool regularly to monitor deterioration. My communication with the MDT was clear and accurate, showing my growing confidence in safe and effective clinical judgement.

Continued...