Project Proposal - Coursework (Coursework Sample)

Project Proposal
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Date of Submission

Executive Summary
Cycks University is located in Miami Florida and offers undergraduate and postgraduate programs in engineering, medicine, law, and business. The department of medicine at the University appreciates the need to develop simulation lab. Hence, the department proposes to the administration the idea because of the need to improve on the quality of education in the healthcare industry. The project will also benefit students by equipping them with the required skills in the real world. It should be noted that a rough estimate of the funds required for developing the lab amounts to $ 3 million dollars. These funds will be obtained from the institution or external sources. The project will also require space, skilled personnel, and equipment. The project has goals, which must be achieved because the project will be evaluated to monitor its performance.

Organizational Information
The Cycks is a University based in Miami Florida and is a leading institution globally. It is notable that the institution has programs such as engineering, medicine, law, and business. It follows that the organization has different faculties, which are under one administration. John McMahan who was an engineer from founded the institution in 1944 after living Stanford to pursue start his own institution. Since then the organization has developed into a leading center of research in engineering, law, medicine, and business. This owes to the reality that the institution has produced renowned scholars and professionals in different fields. For instance, the institution has produced young entrepreneurs who are now among the top 100 richest people in the world because the entrepreneurs ventured in social networking. Evidently, the institution produces quality graduates because it offers quality education. Thus, it is important that Cycks University continues to improve on its quality of education.
The department of medicine and health sciences from Cycks University recognizes the need to improve on the quality of education. As a result, the department proposes to the Administration office of the university to develop a simulation lab for its students. A simulation lab could be elucidated as a laboratory designed to imitate the actual environment of a real laboratory. The lab depicts actual activities of a real laboratory using imitations. As the head of the department, I advocate the development of the lab because it will benefit institution greatly. It is important to make this proposal to the administration because the proposal must be accepted by the administration before it can be implemented. Further, the administration will provide funding or suggest possible solutions to my department. For example, the administration can advise the department to seek for its sources of funding. Alternatively, the same administration can fund the project partly.
Background
Simulation-based learning is the replication of some aspects of reality to better manipulate, understand, and predict actual behavior. Additional terms linked to simulation based learning include a controlled environment, guided or immersive experiences, a recreation, or surrogate of reality (Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science, 2007). Thus, simulations take forms such as videotaped interactions, role-playing, computer-based learning modules, demonstrations, online activities, case studies, standardized patients, plastic body parts, and virtual reality applications. It follows that simulation training can provide learners with real life experiences. For instance, leaners can gain opportunities to learn about different body postures used in real life experiences using plastic body parts. This owes to the fact that a recent study revealed that most health professional educators use the full mannequin patient simulation to teach their students. As evidence, the Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science (2007) reveals that 80 percent of educators use the full mannequin patient simulation.
As aforementioned, simulation labs are meant to imitate actual clinical environments. Consequently, they provide opportunities for leaners to exhibit their skills and knowledge. Simulation labs also provide students with opportunities to practice critical thinking and effective decision-making. It is critical that several studies argue that simulation training permits the agenda to focus on the needs of leaners and not patients’ needs. This owes to the reality that students use the labs to perfect their skills instead of using patients for their first real life experiences. In fact, Decker, et al., (2008) argues that simulation labs provide safe learning environments to prepare for critical and rare occurrences. The author further asserts that simulations training provide objective feedbacks to students. It follows that simulation labs equip leaners with the ability to perfect their practical skills before they are required to apply the skills on actual patients.
Statement of Need
According to Titzer et al., (2011), the cost of healthcare has escalated to an unsustainable level devoid of a sequential upturn in patient safety. Moreover, the cost of healthcare is growing at a rate of seven percent. The same author further reveals that patient safety is only improving by between 1 and 2 percent annually. It follows that neither safety nor the cost are within acceptable levels. Clearly, the healthcare industry is experiencing barriers hindering the provision of healthcare effectively. It is critical that Squires (2012) cites some of the barriers to the provision of effective healthcare as ineffective collaboration and communication among healthcare professionals. Additionally, the same author reveals that the American healthcare profession is full of inexperienced young graduates and interns. This is another reason why the American Healthcare is performing poorly compared to other sectors. As a result, Titzer et al., (2011) advocated an improvement in health care education.
It is clear that American Universities must improve their quality of education especially in the healthcare industry. This owes to the truth that some of the problems in healthcare could be solved by improving on the quality of graduates produced by American Universities. As Wilson and Rockstraw, L. (2012) argue, introducing simulation-based training can help institutions improve on the quality of graduates. It is evidenced by the fact that Nehring and Lashley (2010) argue: simulation based learning provides students with an experience of interactive an active learning without putting patients at risk. Additionally, Decker, et al., (2008) argues that simulation provides opportunities to practice critical and rare events in a safe and monitored environment, affording limitless practice without jeopardizing patients. It follows that introducing a simulation lab within the institution will improve on the quality of healthcare graduates. This is because the lab will allow students to graduate knowing their expectations in the field.
It is also notable that simulation-based learning has a potential for increasing the speed of acquiring clinical skills. According to Hicks et al., (2009), simulation based learning allows leaners to repeat the same procedures severally. It follows that a simulation lab will mold leaners because it is consistent with leaning theory. Simply put, the program will allow students to practice theoretical knowledge gained from class. In fact, as opposed to internships, the program will allow students to repeat procedures to perfection. It is critical that Hicks et al., (2009) further argues that simulation-based learning promotes teamwork. As evidence, situational themes can emphasize on understanding communication and collaboration. Further, the training requires students to work win small groups, which improves on their ability to work in teams. Therefore, embracing simulation based learning will not only enable students to perfect on their practical skills, but it will also improve on their ability to work in teams.
It crucial to highlight that working with patient simulators equips students with the capacity to visualize physiological processes that are otherwise difficult to understand in didactic classes. Simply put, the learning process allows students to improve on their decision-making and critical thinking skills. Moreover, simulation-based learning involves the use of computers as an essential tool to the learning exercise (Jeffries and Battin, 2012). . Considering that current students grew with computers, implementing the program will make learning an interesting experience for students. It follows that the institution should transform the learning process to accommodate the generation X and Y students. According to Bauman (2013), these students prefer to apply technology in their daily lives. Therefore, introducing simulation based learning will meet their desire to apply technology not only in their extra-curricular lives, but also in their academic lives. Evidently, embracing simulation based learning will improve the learning process of students by including technology, improving their practical skills, promoting collaboration, and perfecting practical skills.
Proposed Plan
It is clear that the problems in the American health care industry require higher learning institutions to produce graduates who can tackle the problem effectively. As a result, the department of medicine from Cycks University proposes the development of a simulation lab for the institution. The simulation lab will have the following goals and objectives. First, the lab must be accredited with the Society for Simulation and Healthcare. The goal must be met after the first year of operation after completion of the simulation lab. By doing so, our department will be ...