Please pay close attention: This is a component of a DNP project to which I am having a bit of trouble
describing certain sections. The Project is a Process Improvement Implementation of a diabetic foot self assessment tool, to assist with early diagnosis and treatment of possible foot complications for better
patient outcomes. There will be no patient interactions. There will be a survey administered to nurses
and doctors who disseminate the tool to patients and their findings. Only a small subset of patients will
receive the tool, maybe 25 patients to see if the tool was helpful and if they utilized it.
The project purpose ( does not need to be re-stated) The Purpose of this process improvement
project is to develop a simplistic tool that can be utilized to determine or recognize early warning
signs of potentially harmful complications of Diabetes related to one’s feet.
The sections to be completed are:
Instrumentation – This will be a survey to poll nurses and doctors who disseminate the
self-management tool)
This section explains the instruments used to measure your outcome of interest and
to answer your research question. This section should explain the rationale and appropriateness for
each instrument selected to measure elements of your project that either influence the outcome or measure the outcome. Include specific information on the validity and reliability of the instrument(s) you are using and the process the developed used to ensure that the instrument measures what it is intended to measure, each time the instrument is used. Include the statistical results from the psychometric testing of the instrument if it is a questionnaire or survey. If your instrument is a questionnaire or survey,
describe the items on your instrument(s) and discuss how they represent the attributes of your outcome of interest. When explaining the presence of selected crucial items in the instruments, reasons for the
particular conceptual structure of those items and why this particular structure was chosen over other
alternatives should be discussed.
Data Collection
In this section, the process for collecting data is clearly described using the “who,
what, when, where, and how” of the process.
Data Analysis Methods
Data analysis plans should relate to the purpose of your study (to describe, to
explore, or to compare) and be described in detail. The data management plan should be a
comprehensive step-by-step review of how the data will be handled from data collection to data destruction. Attention should be given to the delineation of data security in regards to the collection and
maintenance of the data. To ensure confidentiality and protect participants from a data breach,
information on the use of unique identifiers or anonymous responses should be provided.
Ethical Considerations
The procedures for the protection of human participants should be stated. Ethical concerns are important, particularly in reference to planning, conducting, and evaluating research.
The project should present minimal risk to participants pertaining to experimental treatment or
exposure to physical or psychological harm. A paragraph must be inserted that states the study is deemed to be one of minimal risk to participants and that the probability of magnitude of harm or discomfort anticipated during this project will not be greater than any ordinarily encountered in daily life or during the performance of routine physical or psychological examinations or tests.
Internal and External Validity
Validity is the criteria for how effective the design is in employing
methods of measurement that will capture the data to address the research questions. There are two
types of validity: internal and external. Using a research resource, identify potential threats related to
your design and methods.
Conclusion
The conclusion reminds the reader of the major points covered in the methods section and prepares the reader for the next section.