Assessment Task: Supplementary Written Assignment

Purpose

This assessment will enable students to articulate their knowledge and  understanding of the management of patients with chronic illness and disability. The task provides students with an opportunity to gain insight into the impact chronic illness and/or disability has on the consumer’s life. Students are expected to plan person-centered care and patient education. Students must apply health behaviour theory and models of nursing to demonstrate critical thinking, clinical reasoning, and the principles of caring for people with a chronic illness disability.

Task

From the case study below, select one (1) condition affecting Emily. Outline the pathophysiology of the chosen condition and identify how the condition impacts on Emily’s independence and quality of life. Identify one (1) relevant care priority for Emily. In reference to the care priority, outline and discuss one (1) SMART goal and one (1) health education plan (that incorporates considerations of a health behaviour theory) relevant for Emily to meet the SMART goal developed.

Case Study

Emily is a 25-year-old graphic designer residing in Sydney, Australia. She was involved in a high-speed motorcycle accident nine months ago, resulting in a moderate traumatic brain injury (TBI). As a result of her TBI, Emily has difficulties with memory, attention and executive functioning. She also experiences frequent headaches and occasional dizziness. At age 19, Emily was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. Her Crohn’s was well managed before the accident, however the stress and physical trauma from the accident triggered a flare-up, which has led to frequent episodes of abdominal pain, reduced appetite and fatigue. These symptoms have led to Emily having reduced energy levels, which is impacting on her ability to complete everyday tasks.

Written Assignment © Australian Catholic University 

Emily lives with her partner, Simon, in a single-story home. Before the accident, Emily worked full-time as a graphic designer. Currently, she is on medical leave, with plans to gradually return to work as her recovery progresses. However, due to her struggles with short-term memory loss and decreased attention span, she is concerned about her ability to perform daily work-related tasks. Emily is an avid motorcyclist and yoga enthusiast, however, Emily has temporarily ceased these activities. She now engages in light stretching exercises and enjoys reading and digital art as part of her therapy. Emily has found the sudden changes to her lifestyle and health challenges have led her to feel low in her mood, affecting her sleep and relationship with Simon.

Structure

The written assignment should follow the below paragraph structure:

Introduction: Briefly introduce Emily and state the one (1) health condition (chronic illness or disability) you will focus on in the assignment. Introduce the care priority and the sequence of information to be presented in the assignment (max 10% of word count).

Paragraph2: Provide an overview of Emily’s current health status and relevant social and biographical data.

Paragraph3: Provide a brief overview of the pathophysiology of your one (1) chosen chronic condition or disability. Briefly state how the pathophysiology of the condition links to Emily’s experience.

Paragraph4: Detail where Emily sits on the Roper Logan Tierney Model of dependence/independence in relation to activities of living i.e. how does the condition or disability affect Emily’s life? How might it also affect Simon’s life?

Paragraph5: Outline your priority of care for Emily. Be specific, explaining the priority in depth and identifying why it is priority.

Paragraph6: Outline a SMART goal you have developed to meet the identified priority of care. Why was this chosen? How will the SMART goal address the priority?

Paragraphs 7 & 8: Outline the health education you as a nurse can provide Emily (and Simon) which will help her/them to achieve the SMART goal and therefore address the priority. Identify and concisely outline a health behaviour theory that you as the RN, would utilise in your education plan to support behaviour change/achievement of the SMART goal. Discuss how you would use this health behaviour theory to support behaviour change/achievement of the SMART goal. The health behaviour theory may include but not be limited to the health belief model, theory of planned behaviour, transtheoretical model, health promotion model etc. Provide a detailed education plan that contains specific information about the exact education you will provide (e.g., What exactly will you say to Emily? How/where/why it will be conducted? What equipment will be required? What legal and ethical matters will you need to consider (e.g. considerations from the NDIS Code of Conduct / Registered Nurses Code of Conduct)? How will the education be evaluated?). The content of the education plan will need to be specific, detailed, and relevant to Emily. It will need to contain more than generalised statements such as “provide brochures” or “educate Emily about her medication” or “direct Emily to a website” or “refer Emily to a physiotherapist”.

Paragraph 9 - Conclusion: Summarise what you have discussed in your assessment. What are the key or important ‘take home’ points you will outline to Emily? (max 10% of word count).

Written Assignment © Australian Catholic University 2025

Summary of Assessment Requirements

The assignment focuses on applying nursing knowledge to a real-world case study involving Emily, a 25-year-old woman with a history of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and Crohn’s disease. The assessment aims to evaluate students’ ability to:

• Understand and articulate the pathophysiology of a selected chronic illness or disability affecting Emily.

• Analyze the impact of the condition on Emily’s independence, daily living, and quality of life.

• Identify a priority of care for Emily.

• Develop a SMART goal and a detailed health education plan incorporating a health behaviour theory to achieve the care goal.

• Demonstrate critical thinking, clinical reasoning, and patient-centered care planning.

• Follow a structured academic format: Introduction, health status overview, pathophysiology, model of dependence/independence, care priority, SMART goal, health education plan (with health behaviour theory), and conclusion.

• Use evidence-based references and adhere to legal, ethical, and professional nursing guidelines (e.g., NDIS and RN Code of Conduct).

Key Pointers to be Covered:

1. Introduction: Introduce Emily, the chosen condition, care priority, and outline the assignment flow.

2. Health Status: Provide relevant biographical and social context.

3. Pathophysiology: Explain the selected chronic illness and link it to Emily’s symptoms.

4. Dependence/Independence: Apply the Roper-Logan-Tierney Model to describe Emily’s abilities and limitations.

5. Care Priority: Identify and justify one critical care focus.

6. SMART Goal: Develop a measurable, achievable goal addressing the care priority.

7. Health Education Plan:

   • Provide detailed, patient-specific education steps.

   • Integrate a health behaviour theory to support behavioural change.

   • Include method, setting, equipment, evaluation, and ethical considerations.

8. Conclusion: Summarize key insights and “take-home” points for Emily.

Step-by-Step Academic Mentor Guidance

The academic mentor guides the student in completing the assignment effectively:

1. Understanding the Case Study:

   • Mentor encourages the student to read Emily’s case carefully and identify all relevant medical and social information.

   • Student selects one primary condition (e.g., Crohn’s disease) to focus on.

2. Introduction Writing:

   • Mentor advises a concise paragraph introducing Emily, the selected condition, the care priority, and a roadmap of the assignment.

   • Emphasis on clarity and 10% word count allocation.

3. Health Status Overview:

   • Mentor guides the student to summarize Emily’s TBI and Crohn’s flare-up, including functional limitations, daily activities, and psychosocial impact.

4. Pathophysiology Section:

   • Mentor helps the student explain the chosen condition’s pathophysiology in simple terms.

   • Links symptoms to pathophysiological mechanisms (e.g., inflammation in Crohn’s leading to fatigue and abdominal pain).

5. Dependence/Independence Analysis:

   • Student is guided to apply the Roper-Logan-Tierney Model, mapping activities of daily living and how Emily’s independence is affected.

   • Consider the impact on her partner, Simon, in providing care.

6. Care Priority Identification:

   • Mentor helps select a priority, e.g., managing fatigue and energy levels, and justify why it’s critical to improving quality of life.

7. SMART Goal Development:

   • Mentor guides the student to create a specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound goal addressing the priority.

   • Example: “Emily will engage in daily light exercise for 20 minutes, five days a week, over four weeks to improve energy and reduce fatigue.”

8. Health Education Plan with Behaviour Theory:

   • Mentor helps the student choose a relevant health behaviour theory (e.g., Health Belief Model).

   • Student outlines practical steps: discussions with Emily, goal tracking, environmental adjustments, monitoring progress, and involving Simon.

   • Ethical, legal, and professional considerations are highlighted.

   • Mentor ensures student provides specific, actionable education steps, not generic advice.

9. Conclusion:

   • Mentor encourages a concise summary highlighting key points: Emily’s condition, priority care, SMART goal, and educational interventions.

   • Reinforces the practical application for Emily’s daily life.

Final Outcome and Learning Objectives Covered

By following this process:

• The student produces a cohesive, well-structured assignment meeting all academic and professional requirements.

• Demonstrates understanding of chronic illness impact on daily living.

• Shows ability to develop patient-centered care plans and apply theoretical models.

• Practices critical thinking, clinical reasoning, and evidence-based nursing.

• Integrates ethical and legal principles in patient education.

• Achieves the learning outcomes: understanding patient care complexities, linking theory to practice, and applying SMART goal-setting and health behaviour theories in nursing interventions.

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