Overview
Completion of a policy analysis: The aim of this paper is for students to complete a policy analysis demonstrating independent nursing scholarship and the ability to translate findings into practice.
This paper will prepare MNSc students to navigate the complex landscape of healthcare policy. Research emphasizes the importance of nursing in health policy and the need for policy education in nursing. This paper better prepares students to develop the knowledge and skill to critique policies with the potential for clinical impact and high translation to practice value.
About this paper
| Paper title | Policy Analysis |
|---|---|
| Subject | Nursing |
| EFTS | 0.2500 |
| Points | 30 points |
| Teaching period | 1st Non standard period (19 January 2026 - 6 November 2026) (On campus) |
| Domestic Tuition Fees ( NZD ) | $3,353.00 |
| International Tuition Fees | Tuition Fees for international students are elsewhere on this website. |
- Prerequisite
- NURS 441, NURS 442, NURS 443, NURS 444, NURS 445, NURS 446, NURS 447
- Contact
- More information link
- View more information on the Department of Nursing website
- Teaching staff
Convenor: Associate Professor Virginia Jones
- Teaching Arrangements
This paper is delivered via regular online tutorials.
- Textbooks
Textbooks are not required for this paper.
- Graduate Attributes Emphasised
Critical Thinking, Research, Self-motivation, Scholarship, Communication, Lifelong learning
View more information about Otago's graduate attributes.- Learning Outcomes
This paper fosters critical thinking by requiring the student to evaluate the effectiveness of existing policies and their impact on healthcare delivery thus, developing the ability to make informed decisions and advocate for evidence -based policy changes. Students will be required to undertake a qualitative analysis of a chosen policy. This will involve examining the language, communication, and narratives surrounding the policy in order to understand how it is constructed, contested, and implemented. Students will develop their own analytical frameworks or methodologies tailored to the specific objectives of their qualitative analysis. This involves making decisions about which linguistic and discursive elements to focus on, how to interpret them, and what insights to draw from the analysis. The development of these frameworks constitutes independent research as students engage in critical thinking and theoretical synthesis to guide their analysis.
At completion of the paper students will be able to:
- Assess current disciplinary concerns and determine nursing research priorities and select a current policy to investigate.
- Master advanced knowledge and theoretical understanding in an aspect of nursing.
- Build a coherent argument for undertaking the policy analysis based on the synthesis of existing knowledge.
- Carry out ethically sound research using appropriate method of investigation and analysis.
- Analyse, argue, and reach conclusions which are informed by independent enquiry and other available information.
- Evaluate the implications of the findings for clinical practice and communicate orally appropriate, well supported recommendations for nursing practice/healthcare.
- Disseminate results as appropriate.
Overview
Completion of a policy analysis: The aim of this paper is for students to complete a policy analysis demonstrating independent nursing scholarship and the ability to translate findings into practice.
This paper will prepare MNSc students to navigate the complex landscape of healthcare policy. Research emphasizes the importance of nursing in health policy and the need for policy education in nursing. This paper better prepares students to develop the knowledge and skill to critique policies with the potential for clinical impact and high translation to practice value.
About this paper
| Paper title | Policy Analysis |
|---|---|
| Subject | Nursing |
| EFTS | 0.2500 |
| Points | 30 points |
| Teaching period | 1st Non standard period (18 January 2027 - 5 November 2027) (On campus) |
| Domestic Tuition Fees | Tuition Fees for 2027 have not yet been set |
| International Tuition Fees | Tuition Fees for international students are elsewhere on this website. |
- Prerequisite
- NURS 441, NURS 442, NURS 443, NURS 444, NURS 445, NURS 446, NURS 447
- Contact
- More information link
- Teaching staff
Associate Professor Virginia Jones
- Teaching Arrangements
This paper is delivered via regular online tutorials.
- Textbooks
Textbooks are not required for this paper.
- Graduate Attributes Emphasised
- Scholarship, Communication, Research, Self-motivation.
View more information about Otago's graduate attributes. - Learning Outcomes
This paper fosters critical thinking by requiring the student to evaluate the effectiveness of existing policies and their impact on healthcare delivery, thus, developing the ability to make informed decisions and advocate for evidence-based policy changes. Students will be required to undertake a qualitative analysis of a chosen policy. This will involve examining the language, communication and narratives surrounding the policy in order to understand how it is constructed, contested and implemented.
Students will develop their own analytical frameworks or methodologies tailored to the specific objectives of their qualitative analysis. This involves making decisions about which linguistic and discursive elements to focus on, how to interpret them and what insights to draw from the analysis. The development of these frameworks constitutes independent research as students engage in critical thinking and theoretical synthesis to guide their analysis.
At completion of the paper students will be able to:
- Assess current disciplinary concerns and determine nursing research priorities and select a current policy to investigate.
- Master advanced knowledge and theoretical understanding in an aspect of nursing.
- Build a coherent argument for undertaking the policy analysis based on the synthesis of existing knowledge.
- Carry out ethically sound research using appropriate method of investigation and analysis.
- Analyse, argue and reach conclusions which are informed by independent enquiry and other available information.
- Evaluate the implications of the findings for clinical practice and communicate orally appropriate, well supported recommendations for nursing practice/healthcare.
- Disseminate results as appropriate.