THE UNIVERSITY of EDINBURGH

DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2018/2019

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : School of Health in Social Science : Nursing Studies

Undergraduate Course: Evidence and Research: Avenues of Inquiry (NUST08013)

Course Outline
SchoolSchool of Health in Social Science CollegeCollege of Humanities and Social Science
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 8 (Year 1 Undergraduate) AvailabilityAvailable to all students
SCQF Credits10 ECTS Credits5
SummaryThis course will provide students with an introduction to basic research approaches and methods which allows them to critically evaluate avenues of inquiry and the evidence base. The initial part of this course will give attention to how best to access appropriate research literature and demonstrate how to conduct and report a search strategy. Key characteristics of common research approaches and methods will be identified. The common features and differences of qualitative, quantitative and mixed approaches and methods will form the basis of this introductory course. Students will be introduced to the notion of asking questions, being critical and seeking evidence for practice. Consideration will be given to the ethical dimensions, research governance and user involvement in gathering evidence and ways of evaluating its rigour.
Course description The Healthcare Quality Strategy (Scottish Government 2010) requires healthcare professionals to deliver safe, effective and person centred care. To do this, nurses must engage with the evidence base generated through research in health and social care. Research has therefore become a key part of nursing and its importance is reflected in the changes to nurse education which have taken place in recent years.

This course introduces students to basic research concepts and approaches in health and social care and their relationship and relevance to evidence based practice. Furthermore it provides students with opportunities to consider the social, political, ethical and personal contexts of research from the perspectives of nurses, patients, carers and health care professionals.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements None
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisitesNone
High Demand Course? Yes
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2018/19, Available to all students (SV1) Quota:  None
Course Start Semester 2
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 100 ( Lecture Hours 11, Seminar/Tutorial Hours 5, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 82 )
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 0 %, Coursework 100 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Additional Information (Assessment) Course paper confined to within 2,500 - 3,000 words (100%).
Feedback Formative feedback is given on student's written search strategy in the tutorials in weeks 6 and 7.

Summative feedback is given via Lean on the course paper as detailed above.
No Exam Information
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. Understand the essentials of research in health and social care and its relationship to evidence based practice.
  2. Be able to describe and discuss the social political ethical and personal contexts of research.
  3. Understand and have the ability to address the major philosophies and assumptions underlying research approaches and methods which inform clinical practice.
Reading List
None
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Not entered
KeywordsNot entered
Contacts
Course organiserProf Pam Smith
Tel:
Email: Pam.Smith@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMiss Morven Sutherland
Tel: (0131 6)51 3972
Email: Morven.Sutherland@ed.ac.uk
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