NURS2172: Dual Diagnosis Co-morbidity and Society

Assessment 2: Creative Written 

Assessment Overview

This assessment requires students to create a portfolio that integrates both creative and analytical components to explore the lived experience of dual diagnosis within a historical or cultural context. The submission demonstrates understanding across theory, policy, epidemiology, and contemporary practice.

Associated Learning Outcomes

By completing this portfolio, students will demonstrate their ability to:

1. Identify various presentations of dual diagnosis

2. Discuss historical and cultural variations in dual diagnosis

3. Describe and analyse patterns and prevalence of harm

4. Review policy and legislation concerning dual diagnosis interventions

5. Critically appraise literature and policy documents on contemporary practice

6. Compare advantages and disadvantages of intervention approaches

7. Evaluate outcomes of health promotion strategies in dual diagnosis populations

Portfolio Structure

Your portfolio must include three components:

Creative Artefact 

Create an original piece representing the lived experience of a person with dual diagnosis in a specific historical or cultural context. Examples include:

• Poem

• Short story

• Reflective narrative

• Painting or drawing

• Collage

• Digital artwork

• Mixed-media piece

Accompany the artefact with a 300-word explanatory statement outlining:

• Your creative choices

• The context represented

• How this artefact reflects the lived experience of dual diagnosis

Analytical Essay 

Your essay must address the following sections:

a. Presentations of Dual Diagnosis

• Identify and discuss at least two different presentations

• Provide clinical examples

• Support discussion with current literature

b. Historical and Cultural Variations

• Compare dual diagnosis understanding and management across two eras or cultural settings

• Link insights from your creative artefact

c. Patterns and Prevalence of Harm

• Present relevant epidemiological findings

• Analyse impacts on individuals, families, and communities

d. Policies and Legislation

• Critically review:

  • One national policy

  • One local (state or health service) policy or guideline

• Discuss implications for clinical practice

e. Appraisal of Contemporary Practice Literature

• Select two recent peer-reviewed articles or policy documents

• Evaluate strengths, limitations, and relevance to nursing care

f. Intervention Approaches

• Compare at least two intervention models (e.g., integrated vs parallel care)

• Discuss evidence, feasibility, cultural appropriateness

g. Health Promotion Strategies

• Evaluate health promotion and harm reduction outcomes

• Use case examples or recent research to support your discussion

Personal Reflection 

Provide a reflective piece considering:

• How the creative and analytical process shaped your understanding of dual diagnosis

• Any shifts in your attitudes or assumptions

• How insights gained will influence your future nursing practice

Brief Summary of Assessment Requirements

This assessment requires students to develop a Creative Lived Experience Portfolio that examines dual diagnosis within a chosen cultural or historical context. The portfolio consists of three integrated components:

1. Creative Artefact – an original work (poem, short story, narrative, or visual artwork) representing the lived experience of a person with dual diagnosis. A 300-word explanatory statement must accompany the artefact to justify creative choices, describe the context, and explain how the piece reflects lived experience.

2. Analytical Essay (1,500 words) – a structured academic analysis addressing:

   • Various presentations of dual diagnosis with clinical examples

   • Historical and cultural variations

   • Patterns and prevalence of harm

   • Review of national and local policies/legislation

   • Critical appraisal of contemporary practice literature

   • Comparison of intervention models

   • Evaluation of health promotion strategies

3. Personal Reflection (200 words) – a reflective discussion on how the creative and analytical tasks shaped understanding and attitudes regarding dual diagnosis, and how these insights will influence future nursing practice.

The assessment aligns with key learning outcomes such as identifying presentations of dual diagnosis, evaluating interventions, analysing harm patterns, reviewing policies, and critiquing literature.

How the Academic Mentor Guided the Student

The academic mentor supported the student through a clear, structured, and scaffolded process, ensuring each component of the assessment was addressed logically and meaningfully.

1. Understanding the Task Requirements

The mentor first helped the student break down the assessment into its three major parts artefact, essay, and reflection. This ensured clarity on expectations, word limits, learning outcomes, and assessment purpose.

2. Developing the Creative Artefact

The mentor guided the student in:

• Choosing a historical or cultural context relevant to dual diagnosis

• Selecting an appropriate creative medium (poem or narrative)

• Embedding emotional, social, and clinical aspects of lived experience

• Writing the 300-word explanation connecting creative choices to theoretical concepts

This step ensured that the artefact meaningfully connected to later essay discussions.

3. Structuring the Analytical Essay

The mentor organised the essay into seven clear sections aligned with the assessment brief. For each section, they guided the student as follows:

• Presentations of Dual Diagnosis: Identify two clinical scenarios, integrate literature, and highlight complexity.

• Historical & Cultural Variations: Compare two time periods or cultural settings and relate these insights to the artefact.

• Patterns & Prevalence of Harm: Use epidemiological reports to analyse impacts on individuals and communities.

• Policies & Legislation: Select one national and one state-level guideline, critique applicability, and discuss practice implications.

• Appraisal of Contemporary Literature: Choose two quality sources, critique methodology and relevance.

• Intervention Approaches: Compare integrated and parallel care, addressing cultural appropriateness and feasibility.

• Health Promotion Strategies: Evaluate harm reduction and prevention strategies through recent research.

This step-by-step guidance helped the student maintain academic flow, integrate evidence, and address all marking criteria.

4. Shaping the Personal Reflection

The mentor encouraged the student to reflect on:

• How creative exploration deepened empathy

• How analysis strengthened understanding of systemic and clinical complexities

• How the assessment process influenced future nursing values and practice

This ensured the reflection was personal yet academically aligned.

5. Reviewing & Integrating Learning Outcomes

The mentor helped the student cross-check that all seven learning outcomes were addressed through the artefact, essay, and reflection. This ensured the final portfolio demonstrated:

• Knowledge of dual diagnosis presentations

• Cultural/historical awareness

• Understanding of epidemiology

• Policy interpretation

• Critical appraisal of literature

• Evaluation of interventions

• Insight into health promotion outcomes

6. Producing a Cohesive Final Portfolio

Finally, the mentor guided the student in bringing all parts together into a polished submission logically connected, evidence-based, and reflective of both academic learning and creative understanding.

Final Outcome

The academic mentor’s structured approach enabled the student to produce a cohesive and insightful portfolio that fulfilled all assessment requirements. The student demonstrated strong analytical skills, creativity, cultural awareness, understanding of harm patterns, critical evaluation of policy and literature, and ability to compare intervention models. The reflective component further showed personal growth and readiness for future nursing practice.

Get High-Quality Academic Guidance: Download the Sample or Order a Fresh Solution

Looking for clarity on how to structure your assignment? Our professionally written sample solution is available for you to download and use as a reference. It provides a clear example of academic formatting, research depth, and writing quality to help you better understand what a strong submission looks like.

However, it’s important to remember that this sample is strictly for learning and reference purposes. Submitting it as your own work can lead to plagiarism penalties at your university. To maintain academic integrity, always create your own original submission — or choose the safer option of ordering a fresh, custom-written assignment tailored to your topic and guidelines.

When you order a personalised solution, you get:

• 100% original, plagiarism-free content written by qualified academic experts

• Custom work based on your instructions, rubric, and university requirements

• Thorough research, proper referencing, and high-quality academic writing

• On-time delivery, even for urgent deadlines

• Full confidentiality and secure service

Whether you need guidance or complete support, we’re here to make your academic journey easier, safer, and stress-free.

Download the reference sample below or place an order for a fresh solution crafted just for you.

[Download Sample Solution] [Order Fresh Assignment]