ASSESSMENT 3 BRIEF

Subject Code and Title AHS205 The Australian Healthcare System within a Global
Context

Assessment Research Essay

Individual/Group Individual

Length 2,000 words (+/- 10%)

Learning Outcomes This assessment addresses the Subject Learning Outcomes

outlined at the bottom of this document.

Submission Due by 11:55pm AEST Sunday of module 6.1 (week 11).

Weighting 40%

Total Marks 100 marks

Context
Healthcare has major resource implications in terms of human, time and financial resources, and is
increasingly influenced by environmental and overall sustainability concerns. Healthcare systems,
priorities and politics vary globally, impacting on the management of preventative and interventional
healthcare.
In this essay, you will examine local and global health issues and the healthcare systems and
resources in place to manage those issues. This includes consideration of the political, sustainability
and financial influences on the design, development and delivery of those health care systems and
programs. Finally, you will consider the potential impact of the chosen health issue on Australia’s
healthcare system and identify an innovative initiative that contributes to reducing or avoiding this
issue.
Instructions
• Select one (1) topic from one (1) of the following five categories.
1. Communicable (infectious) diseases
 HIV/AIDS
 reappearance or resurgence of ‘old’ diseases (e.g., HTLV-1 virus or TB or measles)
2. Non-communicable diseases
 diabetes
 cardiovascular disease and stroke
 perinatal morbidity and mortality (mother and infant)
3. Resource/management issues
 inadequate supply of resources (e.g., vaccines)
 antibiotic resistance

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 4. Environmental issues
 natural disasters (e.g., flood or tsunami or fire or earthquake)
5. Trauma
 violence as cause of death and injury (e.g., domestic or political/war)

• Research the topic you have chosen. Find studies/research/journal articles/government and
international health agency reports relating to the topic. These peer-reviewed articles will help
you support your line of reasoning.
• Address the following questions in your essay.
 Discuss the characteristics of the health issue selected.
 How is this issue managed within Australia?
 Compare Australia’s approach to how it is managed globally, in one (1) country where
it is a major issue.
 What political and financial influences affect how this issue is managed in Australia and
in one other country? (this can be the same country as above or you can choose
another country). Consider using gross domestic product (GDP) and per 100,00
population for comparison.
 Identify which international agencies are involved and briefly describe their role?
 Identify and describe a local (state/ province) community initiative that has been
developed in response to this health issue. Include the nurse's actual or potential
role in the initiative.

• Write your essay in 2,000 words (+/-10%), drawing from external resources and from the
subjects learning resources.

Guide to essay structure

This is an analytic essay in which you are asked to investigate, discuss, and analyse the topic. To do
this clearly, you are required to break the topic into its different elements and discuss these in
separate paragraphs or sections. Plan your essay so that is readable, clear and logically sequenced,
and with a distinct introduction, body and conclusion.

Introduction
- Introduce and provide background information on the topic (the health issue you have selected).
- Overall assessment of the topic (thesis).
- Overview of elements to be discussed (structure).

Body paragraphs: (a new paragraph for each element discussed).

- Begin with a sentence outlining the element (topic sentence); this is the main point of the
paragraph and the rest of the paragraph should relate back to it.
- Following sentences expand the discussion and provide evidence to support the topic sentence.
Do not simply present evidence, but analyse it at each stage, always relating it back to your
assessment question(s).
- Concluding sentence that also links to next paragraph.
- Suitable headings and subheadings can be used for this research essay.

Conclusion
- Summary of the main points of the body.

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- Restatement of the main point of assessment or point of view (as stated in the introduction).

AHS205_Assessment_3_Brief_ Module 6.1 Page 3 of 5

Submission Guidelines
- Be formal and objective in your writing.
- Be analytical and demonstrate critical thinking.
- Keep to the set word limit.
- Answer all questions in your essay.
- Use in-text references to support your ideas.
- Use information from academic texts and credible sources only (e.g. WHO).
- Format in-text references and the reference list according to APA 6th ed. referencing style.
Please see the Academic Skills page on Blackboard for information on referencing in APA 6th ed.
Style.
- Proofread your work to check that each paragraph links to the previous or the thesis and that it
is easy to read.
- Check your spelling, grammar and punctuation.
- Use a size 12 font (Times New Roman, Calibri or Arial).
- Include a footer with your name, student number and page numbers.
- Include a cover page with your name, student number, subject name, title of assessment,
learning facilitator’s name and the final word count (not including referencing).

Submission Instructions

Check your essay’s similarity report using SafeAssign before final submission (exclude your cover
page). Submit your Research Essay (including cover page and SafeAssign similarity report) via the
Assessment link in the main navigation menu in AHS205 The Australian Healthcare System within a
Global Context. The learning facilitator will provide feedback via the Grade Centre in the LMS portal.
Feedback can be viewed in My Grades.

AHS205_Assessment_3_Brief_ Module 6.1 Page 4 of 5

Assessment Rubric
Pass Credit Distinction High Distinction
Assessment Fail (Unacceptable)
(Functional) (Proficient) (Advanced) (Exceptional)
Attributes 0-49%
50-64% 65-74% 75 -84% 85-100%

Analysis of essay Attempts to respond to Health issue declared. Heath issue declared. Health issue declared and Health issue declared and
questions questions/tasks arising Responds with an Responds appropriately to briefly introduced. succinctly introduced.
explicitly from the essay approximate degree of the essay questions. Responds appropriately to Responds appropriately and
questions, but does not relevance to the essay Identifies key components of the essay questions. insightfully to the essay
success in addressing key questions, but may not the topic. Argumentative response questions.
40% elements of the questions. explicitly or accurately Line of reasoning/thesis is clearly articulated Redefines the essay
Does nor identify clearly identify key components of consistently pursued through throughout analysis. questions to construct an
the health issue, or there the topic. the body of the essay. appropriately focussed
is a radical mis-match Line of reasoning/thesis is Line of reasoning/thesis may thesis or line of reasoning.
between the declared not explicitly pursued in the need to be more explicitly Argumentative response
health issue and essay body of the essay or is nor articulated, refined or clearly and consistently
content. consistently pursued. clarified. articulated.

Inadequate research basis. Research basis just Solid research basis. Strong research basis. Extensive research basis.
Adequate research basis Materials inappropriate or adequate. Resources generally relevant Resources reflect Resources highly pertinent
and appropriate relevant to the discipline Relevance of some sources to the topic and appropriate current/relevant critical to the topic.
research effort and/or the health issue. to the discipline/health to the discipline/ health issue. debates within the Resources reflect
Does not exhibit issue debatable. Exhibits awareness of issues discipline/health issue. current/relevant critical
awareness of source May not exhibit awareness of source credibility, but Exhibits clear awareness of debates within the
30% credibility. of indicators of source uneven application. issues of source credibility discipline/health issue.
credibility or reliability. and reliability. Exhibits acute awareness of
issues of source credibility
and reliability.

Organisation and Does not achieve Essay format attempted, Essay format generally Effective essay Highly effective essay
presentation appropriate essay format. but effective structure not successfully achieved, but construction. construction.
Key elements missing, eg. achieved. required refinement. Effective articulation of Effective articulation of
20% introduction, conclusion, Editing for relevance of Articulation of relevance of relevance of content. relevance of content.
body paragraphs, etc. content needs work. content reasonably effective.

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 Overall argumentative
structure needs work.
Logical sequencing of ideas
needs work.
Argumentative
paraphrasing needs work
Integration of quotations
needs work.
Overall argumentative
structure reasonably
effective.
Logical sequencing of ideas
reasonably effective.
Argumentative paragraphing
reasonably effective.
Integration of in-text
references reasonably
successful.
Clear argumentative
structure.
Logical sequencing of ideas.
Clear relationship of
paragraphing and
development of ideas,
albeit needs some
improvement.
Successful integration of
argumentative text and in-
text references.
Effective argumentative
structure.
Logical and coherence
sequencing of ideas.
Relationship of
paragraphing and
development of ideas
effective.
Successful integration of
argumentative text and in-
text references.

Correct citation of
academic sources
10%
Referencing and/or
acknowledgement of
sources absent or
seriously deficient.
Citation of sources,
including reference list,
attempted, but
elements missing.
Inaccurate formatting
and/or not following
APA 6th style of
referencing.
Citation of sources,
including reference list,
generally complete and
formatting generally
following APA 6th style of
referencing, but some
errors present in applying
conventions.
Correct citation of
sources, including
reference list, following
APA 6th ed. style of
referencing. A few
minor errors present.
Full and correct citation
of sources, including
reference list, following
APA 6th ed. style of
referencing.

Assessment rubric adapted from: McEntee, J. & Research Skill Development. (2009). Adaptation essay rubric draft V2. University of Adelaide. Retrieved from https://www.adelaide.edu.au/rsd/
The following Subject Learning Outcomes are addressed in this assessment
SLO a) Explain key features of health and social care systems impacting on nursing and health service delivery and practice; including global
trends and demographic factors.
Explain the role of key factors influencing the design, delivery, operation and access of health care systems; including politics, culture,
SLO c)
ideologies, policy, resources and funding.
Describe local and global issues which affect the sustainability and management of healthcare systems; including a demonstrated
SLO d)
understanding of the sustainable development goals.
Demonstrate understanding of universal health coverage and health financing; including equity in access to health services, quality in
SLO e)
health services and protection against financial risk in accessing health services.
SLO f) Explore and identify innovative ways to meet the healthcare needs of local and global communities.

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