Faculty of Health

Module Learning Outcomes/Objectives:  The student should be able to:

• Evaluate the need for an evidence base for professional practice in health care.
• Demonstrate a critical understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of different forms of evidence.
• Conduct a critical appraisal of published research in health care.
• Evaluate the nature and contribution of systematic literature reviews and understand the role and nature of meta-analysis.

Module session dates

E-learning module so no attendance required.
(Launch 18 January 2013)

Module aims
• To develop the student’s understanding of the role of evidence based practice and enable the student to select and implement strategies for gathering and evaluating evidence
• To encourage the student to analyse the practical and political ramifications
of evidence-based healthcare in the contemporary health care arena

Entry requirements
Candidates should normally have undertaken a module in research methods and statistics at undergraduate level. Additionally, they should normally have undertaken the postgraduate Research Methods in Health module.
Excluded combinations: Literature searching and synthesis (PTY-40038), Clinical effectiveness (CLM-40072) and Healthcare technology assessment (MTE-40035).

Module content
Conceptual issues around EBP; Forms of evidence and their strengths and weaknesses; Narrative and systematic reviews, meta-analysis; Clinical Measures; Evaluation and rating of published research; Exploring and evaluating sources of evidence e.g. MEDLINE, CINAHL, Cochrane Library; The randomised controlled trial and its alternatives; Outcome measures, standards, guidelines; Getting evidence into practice; The political implications of evidence based practice.

Teaching Format

Delivered electronically BUT students must commit to participating and checking regularly the Keele Learning Environment

Assessment Type:                                                                                    

An essay of 4000 words examining the principals and application of evidence based practice.