Availabilities:

2018 unit offering information will be available in September 2017

Unit Summary

Unit type

PG Coursework Unit

Credit points

12

AQF level

9

Level of learning

Introductory

Former School/College

Former School of Health and Human Sciences

Unit aim

Introduces students to an evidence-based approach to clinical and public health practice. Students are taught how to frame a relevant clinical or public health question, search and appraise the available evidence, and use this to develop appropriate responses in day-to-day practice and policy setting.

Unit content

Topic 1 Introduction to evidence-based practice 
Topic 2 Framing the question and finding the evidence 
Topic 3 Qualitative research in evidence-based practice 
Topic 4 Questions about effects of interventions 
Topic 5 Questions about diagnosis 
Topic 6 Questions about prognosis 
Topic 7 Critical appraisal of systematic reviews and meta-analyses 
Topic 8 Questions about clinical guidelines 
Topic 9 Implementing evidence into practice

Learning outcomes

Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.

GA1: , GA2: , GA3: , GA4: , GA5: , GA6: , GA7:
On completion of this unit, students should be able to: GA1 GA2 GA3 GA4 GA5 GA6 GA7
1 examine the role of evidence-based practice in informing decisions in clinical and public health practice
2 frame clinical and public health research questions and identify the best evidence for answering those questions
3 identify and search the most appropriate data sources for evidence related to research questions
4 evaluate differing research methodologies and methods utilising appropriate appraisal tools
5 critically appraise appropriate evidence to answer research questions
6 use critical appraisals to consider implications for practice
7 plan a strategy to change healthcare practice based on results from critical appraisal/s

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

  1. examine the role of evidence-based practice in informing decisions in clinical and public health practice
    • GA1:
    • GA3:
    • GA4:
    • GA5:
  2. frame clinical and public health research questions and identify the best evidence for answering those questions
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
    • GA5:
  3. identify and search the most appropriate data sources for evidence related to research questions
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
    • GA5:
  4. evaluate differing research methodologies and methods utilising appropriate appraisal tools
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
    • GA5:
  5. critically appraise appropriate evidence to answer research questions
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
    • GA5:
  6. use critical appraisals to consider implications for practice
    • GA1:
    • GA3:
    • GA4:
    • GA5:
  7. plan a strategy to change healthcare practice based on results from critical appraisal/s
    • GA1:
    • GA3:
    • GA4:
    • GA5: