module specification

This module will enable students to recognise the value of research evidence to nursing and interdisciplinary practice. Students will be able to identify useful and relevant sources of evidence and develop effective and refined research strategies to search for, and access literature. Through a range of learning and teaching strategies, students will develop the skills to read, appraise the quality of different types of evidence, for the implementation of evidence-based practice from their field of practice. 

Students will explore the importance of patient and service user choice and preference in ascertaining the acceptability of implementing research findings and consider alternatives to promote best practice in delivering care.

As part of the module assessments, students will chose a focus topic for a small literature review highlighting the professional, clinical and conceptual relevance to nursing practice. This in turn will inform the development and refining of a clinical research question appropriate to the student’s field of practice.

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By the end of the module the student will be able:

• Develop and formulate an answerable clinical research question relevant to their field of practice.
• Explore differential research methodologies related to qualitative and quantitative enquiries.
• Undertake and conduct an advanced database search strategy to review the literature comprehensively and systematically to analyse and appraise evidence on a chosen research question.
• Understand, interpretate and apply descriptive statistics.
• Advance evidence-base knowledge in relation to quality of care/ service improvement to inform policy/guidelines and standards of professional practice.
• Critically appraise the literature using defined appraisal schemes and evidence.
• Understand the fundamental ethics of research
• Plan for a dissertation and understand the role of a research supervisor.

This module will be lecture-led. Students will have the chance to workshop and advance their database search strategies through specialised library support. Research acquisition and in-module activities through guided workshop activities will be intermittently blended. Guided independent homework and referenced study activities will also be introduced throughout the module to help students further their critical insight and acumen.

1. Identify from a wide range of evidence a research topic to explore and examine from their professional field of practice
2. Develop, formulate and refine an answerable clinical question relevant to an aspect of their of clinical and professional practice.
3. Conduct a structured search strategy to identify relevant academic literature, this will include primary research, related policy and standards of professional practice.
4. Critically appraise a small literature review and synthesise core components of findings, including ethics, use of appropriate appraisal tools to inform quality/service delivery and effectiveness in nursing care.

Available at NR5051 Working with the Evidence Base and Beyond | London Metropolitan University