NR451 Week 5 iCARE Paper Assignment: Interprofessional Teams and Patient Outcomes

Course: NR451 RN Capstone Course | Institution: Chamberlain University College of Nursing
Assignment Type: Written Paper (Week 5) | Points Possible: 200
Due Date: Sunday, 11:59 p.m. MT, end of Week 5
Format: APA 7th Edition | Length: 3 pages (body), excluding title page and references

Brief Overview and Answer-First Summary

The NR451 iCARE Paper asks students to examine how interprofessional collaboration improves patient outcomes by applying four nursing actions: compassion, advocacy, resilience, and evidence-based practice (EBP). Students select a current or past clinical work setting, describe whether interprofessional teams exist, and explain one nursing action for each iCARE component that supports team function, unit culture, and patient results. A scholarly nursing article from the CINAHL database serves as the required evidence source. The paper follows APA 7th edition format with specific headings, a title page, approximately three pages of body content, and a reference list. The grading rubric evaluates introduction depth, each iCARE component analysis, summary integration, mechanics, organization, and correct use of CINAHL literature.

Assignment Purpose and Course Outcomes

The purpose of this paper is to explore interprofessional teamwork and its impact on patient outcomes through the lens of nursing supportive actions. The iCARE components; compassion, advocacy, resilience, and evidence-based practice; provide a structured framework for analyzing how nurses contribute to collaborative care environments.

This assignment enables the student to meet the following course outcomes:

• CO 1: Applies principles of nursing, theories, and care philosophies to self, colleagues, individuals, families, aggregates, and communities throughout the healthcare system. (PO 1)
• CO 6: Plans clinical practice activities that integrate professional nursing standards in accordance with the Nursing Code of Ethics and the American Nurses’ Association (ANA) standards of practice. (PO 6)

Getting Started: Preparing the iCARE Paper

Interprofessional teams are part of practice trends developing across all aspects of care delivery. For this assignment, consider your own work environment or a recent clinical setting. If you are not currently employed, look to a past workplace or clinical practice area. Reflect on the concept of interprofessional teamwork and its relationship to patient outcomes.

Apply the components of the iCARE concept to interprofessional teams in a short paper. The body of the paper should be three pages, excluding the title page and references page. Use the recommended APA 7th edition template provided in the course resources.

iCARE Components

• Compassion
• Advocacy
• Resilience
• Evidence-Based Practice (EBP)

Required Elements and Headings

Use the following headings in your paper. Do not include an “Introduction” heading; instead, use the title of your paper as the heading for the introduction section, consistent with APA 7th edition guidelines (see page 61 of the APA Manual, 7th edition).

Title of Paper (Introduction Section)

Explain the type of work setting you are discussing and whether interprofessional teams are currently present. If interprofessional teams are present, indicate a team function that could be improved. If interprofessional teams are not present, indicate what type of team you think might be possible in the setting.

Compassion

Describe a nursing action item related to compassion that could contribute to interprofessional team support. Explain how this might impact the culture of your unit or organization and possible impact on patient outcomes.

Advocacy

Describe a nursing action item related to advocacy that could contribute to interprofessional team support. Explain how this might impact the culture of your unit or organization and possible impact on patient outcomes.

Resilience

Describe a nursing action item related to resilience that could contribute to interprofessional team support. Explain how this might impact the culture of your unit or organization and possible impact on patient outcomes.

Evidence-Based Practice

Describe a nursing action item related to EBP that could contribute to interprofessional team support. Explain how this might impact the culture of your unit or organization and possible impact on patient outcomes.

Summary

Include a summary statement of how iCARE components can support interprofessional teams and patient outcomes. Address how you may be able to influence this process of support for interprofessional teams overall in your unit or organization.

References

List any references used in APA 7th edition format. At least one scholarly nursing article from CINAHL is required. Additional scholarly sources are optional.

Scholarly Source Requirements

• Select one scholarly nursing article from CINAHL as a required resource for your paper.
• When searching CINAHL, limit your search term to one component you wish to emphasize, such as “Resilience” or “Compassion.” Searching for the term “iCARE” will not produce useful results.
• Additional scholarly sources may be used but are optional.
• Use APA format for all citations and references throughout the paper.
• Paraphrase throughout. One short quote is permitted.

APA Formatting and Paper Mechanics

• Use APA 7th edition format throughout the paper.
• Include a title page in general APA format.
• Use headings that follow APA format.
• Use 12-point font, double spacing, 1-inch margins, and indented paragraphs.
• Ensure the body of the paper is approximately 3 pages.
• Use only one short direct quote; paraphrase all other content.
• All sources cited in the text must appear on the reference page.

Academic Integrity Notice

All required Chamberlain papers, discussions, and written learning activities are subject to submission for detection of plagiarism to Turnitin or other anti-plagiarism software. Chamberlain’s philosophy is Integrity Matters. Use all resources within your course and consult your instructor if you have questions or need assistance. By submitting this assignment, you pledge that all content contained is your own original work except as quoted and cited appropriately, and that you have not received any unauthorized assistance.

Grading Rubric: Week 5 iCARE Paper

Criteria	Excellent (100%)	Good (88%)	Satisfactory (80%)	Needs Improvement (40%)	Unsatisfactory (0%)	Pts
Introduction Work setting and interprofessional team features described	Thoroughly describes work setting and interprofessional team features	Describes work setting and interprofessional team features	One element missing or lacks detail	Two elements missing and lack detail	Introduction is missing	25
Compassion Nursing action described for team support, culture, and outcomes	Clearly identified and thoroughly explained all three elements	Identified and satisfactorily explained all three elements	Identified but one element missing or lacks detail	Lacked more than two elements or detail	No marks	25
Advocacy Nursing action described for team support, culture, and outcomes	Clearly identified and thoroughly explained all three elements	Identified and satisfactorily explained all three elements	Identified but one element missing or lacks detail	Lacked more than two elements or detail	Nursing action and support elements missing	25
Resilience Nursing action described for team support, culture, and outcomes	Clearly identified and thoroughly explained all three elements	Identified and satisfactorily explained all three elements	Identified but one element missing or lacks detail	Lacked more than two elements or detail	Nursing action and support elements missing	25
Evidence-Based Practice Nursing action described for team support, culture, and outcomes	Clearly identified and thoroughly explained all three elements	Identified and satisfactorily explained all three elements	Identified but one element missing or lacks detail	Not sufficiently identified or one element missing	Nursing action and support elements missing	25
Summary Explains how iCARE supports teams and outcomes; addresses influence	Key points and nursing influence thoroughly described	Most key points described	Some key points described	Lacks details of key points	Summary is missing	35
Mechanics and Organization Logical structure, grammar, spelling, professional wording	Excellent mechanics and organization with minimal errors	Good mechanics; few errors noted	Fair mechanics; some errors noted	Poor mechanics; many errors noted	Very poor; difficult to follow	20
APA Format Citations, references, title page, headings, font, spacing, margins	Excellent APA formatting with minimal errors	Good formatting; few errors noted	Fair formatting; some APA errors noted	Poor formatting; many APA errors noted	Very poor; numerous APA errors	20
CINAHL Article Requirement Required source from CCN Library used	0 points deducted; CINAHL article used	20 points (10%) deducted if required CINAHL article not used				0
Late Deduction	0 points deducted; submitted on time	1 day late = 10 deduction; 2 days = 20; 3 days = 30; 4 days = 40; 5 days = 50; 6 days = 60; 7 days = 70; Score of 0 if more than 7 days late				0
Total Points Possible						200

Sample iCARE Paper Excerpt: Introduction and Compassion Section

In a busy medical-surgical unit at a community hospital, interprofessional rounds already include nurses, physicians, case managers, and physical therapists, yet communication gaps between shifts often fragment care continuity. The iCARE framework offers a practical lens for strengthening these teams. Compassion, the first component, involves more than kindness at the bedside; it requires intentional actions that build trust among team members and honor patient preferences across disciplines. A nurse on this unit might initiate a daily “huddle” that invites the patient and family to share concerns before the interprofessional team finalizes the plan of care. This simple action signals that the patient is a partner, not merely a recipient of services. Straughair and Machin (2021) found that compassion in nursing practice strengthens therapeutic relationships and increases both patient and staff satisfaction. When nurses model compassionate communication during team interactions, other professionals often mirror that behavior, gradually shifting the unit culture toward shared respect and transparency. Over time, this cultural shift may reduce readmission rates because patients feel heard, understand their discharge instructions, and adhere more closely to follow-up plans.

Building Team Trust Through Advocacy and Resilience

Advocacy in an interprofessional setting means the nurse actively represents patient preferences when the patient cannot attend rounds or express complex needs independently. For example, a nurse might maintain a one-page “patient preference summary” that travels with the chart and is reviewed at each team meeting, ensuring that dietary restrictions, spiritual needs, and code status wishes remain visible to every discipline. Abbasinia et al. (2019) analyzed patient advocacy in nursing and concluded that advocacy functions as a moral obligation that protects autonomy and bridges power differences between patients and providers. This practice reinforces a patient-centered culture where each team member sees the individual behind the diagnosis. Resilience, meanwhile, sustains these efforts during high-stress periods such as understaffed weekends or surge capacity events. A nurse could champion a peer-support check-in at the start of each shift, giving team members space to voice stress before entering patient rooms. Odom-Forren (2020) emphasized that nursing resilience during crises like COVID-19 depends on both individual coping and organizational support structures. Resilient teams communicate more clearly, make fewer errors, and retain staff longer, all of which translate into safer, more consistent care for patients.

Evidence-Based Practice as a Cultural Anchor

Students often ask how one nursing action can realistically shift an entire unit toward evidence-based practice. The key is to embed EBP into routine team workflows rather than treating it as an optional add-on. A practical approach involves the nurse identifying one clinical question from recent patient cases, such as “which turning protocol best reduces hospital-acquired pressure injuries in immobile adults?” and presenting a brief, five-minute journal summary during the next interdisciplinary huddle. Sonğur et al. (2018) demonstrated that patient safety culture and evidence-based practice performance in nursing are positively correlated, meaning that units scoring higher on EBP implementation also report stronger safety climates. When nurses consistently bring peer-reviewed evidence to team discussions, physicians and allied health staff begin to expect data-informed decisions, and the organization gradually normalizes inquiry over tradition. This shift matters because patients receive interventions backed by current research rather than outdated habit, which directly influences complication rates, length of stay, and overall satisfaction scores.

• Start your CINAHL search with a single component term like “resilience” or “compassion fatigue” rather than the phrase “iCARE” to locate relevant peer-reviewed nursing literature.
• Link each nursing action to at least two of the three required impacts: interprofessional team support, unit culture change, and measurable patient outcomes.
• Use the APA 7th edition template provided in the course shell to ensure correct heading levels, spacing, and page layout before submitting to the Dropbox.
• Keep direct quotes under 40 words and limit yourself to one short quotation; paraphrase with proper in-text citations for all other source material.

Research, Writing, Citation and Referencing Guide

Why This Matters in Practice

Interprofessional collaboration is not an abstract ideal; it is a clinical necessity in contemporary healthcare. Hospitals with strong team-based care models report lower adverse event rates and higher staff retention. The iCARE framework gives nursing students a concrete vocabulary for articulating their role within these teams. Compassion builds rapport, advocacy protects vulnerable patients, resilience prevents burnout, and EBP ensures that care decisions reflect the best available science. Together, these components prepare RN to BSN graduates to lead from the bedside rather than waiting for administrative mandates.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the required length for the NR451 iCARE paper?
The body of the paper should be approximately three pages, excluding the title page and references page. Use 12-point font, double spacing, and 1-inch margins in APA 7th edition format.

Does the iCARE paper require a CINAHL article?
Yes. One scholarly nursing article from the CINAHL database is required. Failure to use a CINAHL article from the CCN Library results in a 20-point (10%) deduction. Search using one component term such as “advocacy,” “resilience,” or “compassion” rather than “iCARE.”

Can I use my current workplace for the iCARE paper setting?
Yes. The assignment asks you to consider your current work environment or a recent clinical setting. If interprofessional teams are present, describe a function that could be improved. If they are not present, describe a type of team that might work in that setting.

How many references are required for the iCARE paper?
At minimum, one scholarly nursing article from CINAHL is required. Additional scholarly sources are optional but often strengthen the paper. All sources must be cited in the text and listed on the reference page in APA 7th edition format.

What headings should I use in the iCARE paper?
Use your paper title as the introduction heading (do not write “Introduction”). Then use Compassion, Advocacy, Resilience, Evidence-Based Practice, Summary, and References as the remaining headings, formatted according to APA 7th edition guidelines.

 Reading and References

The following peer-reviewed sources align with the iCARE Paper topic and are verifiable through academic databases. Students should locate one article from CINAHL and may use additional sources as needed.

1. Abbasinia, M., Ahmadi, F., & Kazemnejad, A. (2019). Patient advocacy in nursing: A concept analysis. Nursing Ethics, 27(1), 141-151. https://doi.org/10.1177/0969733019832950
2. Antonsdottir, I., Rushton, C. H., Nelson, K. E., Heinze, K. E., Swoboda, S. M., & Hanson, G. C. (2022). Burnout and moral resilience in interdisciplinary healthcare professionals. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 31(1-2), 196-208. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.15896
3. Odom-Forren, J. (2020). Nursing resilience in the world of COVID-19. Journal of PeriAnesthesia Nursing, 35(6), 555-556. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jopan.2020.10.005
4. Sonğur, C., Özer, G., Gün, Ç., & Top, M. (2018). Patient safety culture, evidence-based practice and performance in nursing. Systemic Practice and Action Research, 31(4), 359-374. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11213-017-9430-y
5. Straughair, C., & Machin, A. (2021). Compassion in nursing: Exploring the perceptions of students and academics. Nursing Standard, 36(7), 45-50. https://doi.org/10.7748/ns.2021.e11720

Write a three-page nursing paper applying the iCARE framework to interprofessional teamwork in clinical practice. This Chamberlain University NR451 Week 5 assignment guide covers introduction, compassion, advocacy, resilience, EBP, summary, and APA formatting requirements.

Next Assignment Preview: Week 6 EBP Change Process

Following the Week 5 iCARE Paper, Chamberlain NR451 students typically advance to Week 6 Assignment: Evidence-Based Practice Change Process, worth 225 points. In this assignment, students apply the ACE Star Model of Knowledge Transformation to identify a clinical practice issue, gather evidence, and propose a nursing intervention change. The Week 6 Discussion often addresses Transformational Leadership, asking students to summarize generalist and advanced practice roles, explain how transformational leaders alter unit culture, and describe their own leadership strengths within interprofessional teams. Early preparation for the EBP Change Process includes selecting a PICOT-friendly topic, verifying that peer-reviewed literature exists in CINAHL, and reviewing the ACE Star Model discovery, evidence summary, translation, integration, and evaluation phases before drafting the required change process form.