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Module Specifications.

Current Academic Year 2024 - 2025

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Date posted: September 2024

Module Title Research Methods for Healthcare
Module Code NS5138 (ITS) / NUR1008 (Banner)
Faculty Science & Health School Nursing, PsyT & Comm Health
Module Co-ordinator-
Module Teachers-
NFQ level 9 Credit Rating 10
Pre-requisite Not Available
Co-requisite Not Available
Compatibles Not Available
Incompatibles Not Available
Coursework Only
Description

Module Aim: This module is structured on the 7-step process of evidence-based practice by Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt (2019), the first four steps of which will be completed in this module with the final three steps being completed in Module NSXXX (EBP Project/Organisational Development Module). Students will be introduced to the fundamental concepts, skills for, and relevance of evidence-based practice (EBP) in healthcare, preparing them for their role in clinical decision-making. This module will provide students with the knowledge, competence and tools necessary to integrate evidence into their clinical practice, achieve better outcomes for their patients/clients, improve the patient/client experience, enhance clinician experience, and potentially lower costs of healthcare, thereby contributing to the achievement of the aims of Sláintecare (2017) . Furthermore it will enable them complete the groundwork for their EBP project in NSXXX. Students will be required to actively engage in challenge-based learning, navigating the first four steps of the EBP process. In so doing, they will have the opportunity to identify gaps in service and care delivery in their specialist area, articulate relevant clinical questions using an appropriate format such as PICOT; develop a search strategy to find the best available evidence; and learn to match their clinical question with the most appropriate study design. Research methods and the research process will be explored to enable students to engage with research data. They will learn and use the skills of critical appraisal of primary evidence (quantitative and qualitative) and pre-appraised evidence (e.g. systematic reviews, evidence-based practice guidelines) and evidence synthesis, facilitating their understanding of how evidence can be used in clinical practice. This will enhance their health literacy, thereby enabling them to make evidence-based practice decisions, and improve patient outcomes, care and service delivery, in keeping with the principles of Sláintecare (2021) . An overview of EBP implementation models will be provided.

Learning Outcomes

1. Define EBP, outline its principles and core components, and critically discuss the contribution of a spirit of enquiry and a supportive organisational culture to the advancement of specialist practice through EBP implementation.
2. Construct searchable, answerable clinical questions using an appropriate question-framing format such as PICOT to improve patient care and healthcare practice.
3. Critically discuss the facilitators and inhibitors of EBP implementation and the contribution of EBP to the advancement of specialist practice.
4. Apply the concepts and tools of EBP, including types of evidence, methods of critical appraisal, interpretation and synthesis of evidence, and the use of electronic databases to access evidence.
5. Evaluate research paradigms and research methods relevant to evidence-based practice.
6. Critically discuss the role and contribution of best available evidence to clinical decision-making.
7. Evaluate a range of EBP implementation models.



Workload Full-time hours per semester
Type Hours Description
Lecture36No Description
Tutorial8No Description
Independent Study206No Description
Total Workload: 250

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Definition, core components, history and evolution of EBP.

The steps of the EBP process.

Facilitators and inhibitors of EBP implementation.

An introduction to EBP implementation models.

EBP skills
Asking a searchable, answerable clinical question; systematically searching for the best available evidence; critically appraising relevant primary and pre-appraised evidence to determine their applicability to practice; synthesising a body of evidence to contribute to a clinical decision (in conjunction with clinical expertise and patient values/preferences).

Overview of basic statistics to enable interpretation of study findings.

Research methods
The research process; underpinning philosophical paradigms; a comprehensive overview of a range of quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods research approaches.

Assessment Breakdown
Continuous Assessment100% Examination Weight0%
Course Work Breakdown
TypeDescription% of totalAssessment Date
Professional PortfolioSTEP 0 of the EBP Process: Discuss the concept that is EBP and, reflecting on students’ own practice and organisational culture, critically discuss the contribution of a spirit of enquiry and a supportive organisational culture to the advancement of specialist practice through EBP implementation. (1000 words15%n/a
Professional PortfolioStep 1 of the EBP Process: Construct a clinical question relevant to students’ own practice using PICOT format demonstrating critical consideration of each of the five components. (500-1000 words)20%n/a
Professional PortfolioStep 2 of the EBP Process: Undertake a search for the best available evidence and illustrate the search strategy used, the evidence selected and the underpinning rationale for the selected evidence.(1000 words)20%n/a
Professional PortfolioStep 3 of the EBP Process: Critically appraise, evaluate and synthesise the selected evidence and discuss its role in informing the clinical decision to be made (2000 words).45%n/a
Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories:
Resit category 1: A resit is available for both* components of the module.
Resit category 2: No resit is available for a 100% continuous assessment module.
Resit category 3: No resit is available for the continuous assessment component where there is a continuous assessment and examination element.
* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a Continuous Assessment/Examination split; where the module is 100% continuous assessment, there will also be a resit of the assessment
This module is category 1
Indicative Reading List

  • Melnyk, B.M. and Fineout-Overholt, E.: 2019, Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing and Healthcare: A Guide to Best Practice., 4th, Wolters Kluwer., Philadelphia.,
  • Aveyard, H. and Sharp, P.: 2017, A Beginners Guide to Evidence-Based Practice, 3rd, McGraw Hill OU Press., Berkshire,
  • Hall, H.R. and Roussel, L.A.: 2020, Evidence-Based Practice: An Integrative Approach to Research, Administration, and Practice., 3rd, Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC., Burlington,
  • Godshall, M.: 2016, Fast facts for evidence-based practice in nursing : implementing EBP in a nutshell., 2nd, Springer Publishing Company., New York, New York,
  • Rycroft-Malone, J. and Bucknall, T.: 2010, Models and Frameworks for Implementing Evidence-Based Practice: Linking Evidence to Action, Wiley Blackwell., West Sussex.,
  • Kent, B. and McCormack, B.: 2010, Clinical Context for Evidence-based Nursing Practice, Wiley Blackwell., West Sussex.,
  • Bick, D. and Graham, I.D.: 2010, Evaluating the Impact of Implementing Evidence-Based Practice., Wiley Blackwell., West Sussex.,
  • Polit, D.F. and Beck, C.T.: 2018, Essentials of Nursing Research: Appraising Evidence for Nursing Practice., 9th, Wolters Kluwer., Philadelphia.,
  • Houser, J.: 2018, Nursing Research - Reading, Using and Creating Evidence., 4th, Jones and Bartlett., MA, USA.,
  • Wallace, M. and Wray, A.: 2021, Critical Reading and Writing for Postgraduates., 4th, Sage., London.,
Other Resources

49608, Website, 0, Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine, University of Oxford, https://www.cebm.ox.ac.uk/, 49609, Website, 0, Cochrane Ireland, https://ireland.cochrane.org/, 49610, Website, 0, Cochrane Library, https://www.cochranelibrary.com/, 49611, Website, 0, Evidence Synthesis Ireland, https://evidencesynthesisireland.ie/, 49612, Website, 0, Fuld Institute for EBP, The Ohio State University, https://fuld.nursing.osu.edu/, 49613, Website, 0, Health Information and Quality Authority, https://www.hiqa.ie/, 49614, Website, 0, Joanna Briggs Institute, The University of Adelaide, https://jbi.global/, 49615, Website, 0, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (UK), https://www.nice.org.uk/, 49616, Website, 0, National Clinical Effectiveness Committee, https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/90221b-clinical-effectiveness/?referrer=http://www.health.gov.ie/national-patient-safety-office/ncec/# https://twitter.com/ncecireland?lang=en, 49617, Website, 0, Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing (Journal):, https://sigmapubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/17416787, 49618, Website, 0, Evidence-Based Nursing (Journal), https://ebn.bmj.com/,

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