• Identify an aspect of contemporary nursing where there is scope for improvement in practice.
• For example, this could be an aspect of care delivery, care organisation, assessment or evaluation, there are endless possibilities.
• Consider your experiences in clinical practice.
• Your academic supervisor will help you to refine your ideas.
• Ensure that the focus of your essay is specific to one aspect of contemporary nursing and one specific clinical area.
• Provide a rationale for your choice.
• For example, did you consider the needs of service users and carers, current policy drivers and the results of published research when choosing your topic?

• Consider the evidence base.

• What does the research say about your topic?
• What influences this currently? (Why are things the way they are?)
• What are the suggested improvements and how are these supported in the research?
• You must demonstrate evidence of critical thinking.
• Do not accept practice or the evidence base without engaging in critical thought.
• Is there conflicting research?
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of the research in relation to your chosen aspect of
contemporary nursing?
• What is the significance of the findings? What are the challenges? You must support your
judgements with reasoning.
• Make links to other themes within the module.
• For example, how does your topic relate to decision making, innovation and/or leadership theory?
• Leadership, to evoke trust in the team to only take 45 minutes of nap time
• Clinical Supervision
• Innovation In Healthcare
• Critical Thinking Skills
• Decision Making
• NHS change model