92790 Evidence-Based Practice

Subject level: Postgraduate

Handbook description

This subject aims to expand students' understanding of, and commitment to, the development of evidence-based nursing and midwifery practice. Students are given the opportunity to develop a broad understanding of quantitative approaches to nursing research without becoming preoccupied with statistical analysis. Having completed the subject, students are able to evaluate research findings and extract their clinical relevance.

Subject objectives/outcomes

On successful completion of this subject students should be able to:

1. discuss the place of 'best practice'
2. turn a clinical issue/problem into a searchable question
3. locate relevant primary and secondary research literature
4. understand those research designs most commonly associated with evidence-based practice, particularly focusing on evidence for interventions and treatments
5. examine the place of various forms of research evidence in supporting practice
6. appreciate the role of evidence hierarchies in clinical decision making and guideline development
7. appraise published research, systematic reviews and guidelines
8. explore the process of developing practice guidelines from relevant research findings
9. discuss the role of nursing research in nursing practice development
10. debate the advantages and disadvantages of evidence-based nursing practice from the perspective of nurses, managers and policy makers — and the implications of these for implementation.

Contribution to graduate profile

The major purpose of this subject is to expand students' understanding of, and commitment to, the development of evidence-based nursing practice. The subject provides an opportunity to develop a broad understanding of evidence obtained through primary research methods and secondary methods such as systematic reviews. A further focus is the challenges surrounding the implementation of evidence-based practice. This involves opportunities for exploring relevant professional and political issues.

Content

The content of this subject has been organised to reflect the process underpinning evidence-based practice.

If we wish to base our practice on evidence we must be clear about what question(s) we want to find evidence to address. When seeking evidence with regard to treatments or interventions we need the clearest possible understanding of the problem, for whom the problem exists, all possible interventions or treatments and the desired outcomes. We then need to know what databases of research output we have access to (need to have access to) in order to complete a comprehensive search for relevant research. Next we have to get our hands on the 'best' available research evidence. We must then evaluate the evidence and judge the applicability of the evidence in our specific context. Lastly, we need to establish a means of bringing about practice change on the basis of relevant research findings.

• Turning problems into searchable questions
• Searching strategies, relevant data bases, searching the web
• The most common forms of research literature available (systematic reviews, narrative reviews, primary research, evidence-based guidelines)
• Various research designs (randomised controlled trials, cohort studies, case studies, descriptive work), and their relationship to different levels of evidence
• Judging the rigour of research
• Statistical concepts underpinning judgements concerning the 'significance' of the findings
• Making the link between statistical and clinical relevance
• Judging the relevance of the findings to those in our care
• Individual, professional, legal, institutional and societal issues surrounding the use of evidence-based practice.