Nature and history of evidence-based nursing practice

Unit Rational, Description and Aims Evidence-based practice was introduced into the health care scene and has evolved to become an expectation and a requirement in the delivery of nursing care. This unit will explore the nature and history of evidence-based nursing practice and how to link evidence with clinical reasoning in the provision of person-centred nursing care. The aim of this unit is to support students as an adult and active lifelong learners to understand and engage utilizing the process of evidence-based research that guides applying the best nursing practice. This unit will provide students with the theoretical knowledge and tools required to evaluate various types of evidence, evaluate the standards of evidence and demonstrate its application to inform decision-making and professional interventions in clinical practice, education and management. In this unit, the value and applicability of evidence-based practice in nursing care, the steps of evidence-based practice and critical analysis of available current evidence will be explicitly explored. Unit Learning Outcomes (ULOs) Students who successfully complete this unit are expected to be able to:

ULO 1. Develop clinical questions using the PICO format or related model in relation to a complex health issue or concern within the nursing practice;

ULO 2. Analyze varying understandings of the nature of evidence and the process of evidence-based practice;

ULO 3. Analyze strategies to achieve rigour by discriminating between the different types and levels of evidence and describe the strengths and deficiencies of each;

ULO 4. Apply and justify the most appropriate method required to critically appraise a review of evidence-based nursing research;

ULO 5. Evaluate the literature to identify best evidence-based practice