Clinical Inquiry & Nursing Research

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

Students are expected to participate in self-directed study and group work throughout the semester to achieve a total time commitment of 170 hours.

NURS50003 - Nursing Science 1 and NURS50004 - Nursing Assessment & Care.

Students can only undertake this subject if they plan enrolling in NURS90059 - Nursing Research, during Semester 1 of the following year.

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It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student’s participation in the University’s courses. Students who think their disability will impact on meeting this requirement are encouraged to discuss this matter with the Course Coordinator and the Disability Liaison Unit.

This subject is designed to meet the needs of nurses to retrieve, critically appraise and utilise nursing and other related research as an evidential base for practice. This subject provides an overview of research methodologies that will equip students with a broad appreciation of the many aspects of clinical research, including ethical and quality issues. The subject will develop student skills and knowledge necessary to understand the purpose and principles of evidence based practice (EBP) in order to undertake a team-based research project in the following year. Students will gain an appreciation of both qualitative and quantitative research methods and the fundamental differences in these approaches.

At the completion of the subject students will be able to:

• discuss the purpose of EBP within the healthcare environment;
• describe the key principles of EBP;
• develop searchable questions arising from clinical problems and issues;
• identify common research and evaluation methods and practices;
• demonstrate capacity for information seeking, retrieval and evaluation;
• demonstrate an understanding of critically appraising reseacrh using relevant appraisal frameworks, critical thinking and analytical skills;
• demonstrate skills in formulating and planning a research project.

1. 2,000-word critical appraisal of a recent research article relevant to nursing (40 %) – Due in week 4
2. 3,000-word group research project plan, including data collection tool (50% Group mark, maximum of 6 per group) – Due week 12
3. Peer assessment of group participation (10%) – Due week 12

In order to pass this subject, you must achieve a pass mark in assessments 1 and 2.

Schneider, Z., Whitehead, D., Elliot, D., Lobiondo-Wood, ZG., & Haber, J. (2007). Nursing & Midwifery Research: Methods and appraisal for evidence based practice (3rd ed.). Sydney: Mosby Elsevier.

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This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

At the completion of this subject, students should be able to demonstrate:

• the capacity for information seeking, retrieval and evaluation;
• critical thinking and analytical skills;
• an openness to new ideas;
• planning and time management skills;
• the ability to work effectively in a team;
• the ability to communicate knowledge through classroom and web-based discussions and written material.

This subject has a multi-media tutorial component delivered via the University's on-line Learning Management System (LMS). Students must have access to appropriate computer facilities and the Internet.