Aveyard H (2014) Doing A Literature Review in Health and Social Care A Practical Guide (3rd edition) Maidenhead, Open University Press
Parahoo K (2014) Nursing Research: Principles, Process and Issues (3rd revised edition) Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan
Webb, C and Roe, B.H. (2007) Reviewing Research Evidence for Nursing Practice: Systematic Reviews. London, Blackwell

Library and IT resources
Personal computer with e mail access and access to printer
TV / DVD player
Internet access
Module lecturers
Lecture rooms with computer, e mail access, internet access, power point projector, and sound projection
Blackboard,

Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities: (50 hours)
30 Lead lectures
15 hours Student presentations
5 hours group tutorials

Guided Independent Study: (250 hours)
50 hours Literature search
50 hours Preparation for interactive lectures, seminars and tutorials
50 hours Carrying out individual work
100 hours Assessment preparation

The aim of this module is to enable you to prepare for the registered nurses role in enabling evidence based practice/ service development. This includes :
- developing a systematic and critical approach to identifying areas for development or improvement in practice,
- accessing, critically reviewing and summarising related contemporary research and evidence,
- providing a creative approach to the development of evidence based solutions and implementation of related change.

In order to achieve this the indicative module content will focus on three themes:

Quality, practice and service development
An introduction to contemporary approaches to health service/nursing quality and service improvement reinforcing the relationship between clinical governance and patient safety. An introduction to tools and processes including approaches to audit and process mapping. Critical incident analysis.
Patient and public/service user and carer involvement in governance and research

Change theory and management
An introduction to change management, organisational culture, change theory and strategies.
The role of the registered nurse as change agent within the multi disciplinary team

Research and Evidence based practice
The application of philosophy and values to research and evidence based practice.
The utility of evidence and concepts of trustworthiness, reliability, validity and rigor.
Principles of research ethics and the role of NRES.
Approaches to Literature review
Judging the ethical integrity of the evidence.
Comparative utility of quantitative and qualitative research designs
The value of statistical evidence in the understanding of health and social care research.
Research governance.
Project management.

(Assessing all learning outcomes)

The presentation of an extended review of available/appropriate evidence related to an issue taken from the student's area of practice. The review will include a critical rationale for the problem to be investigated, including quality and safety issues and changes required in order to meet the needs of individuals or groups within the student own care setting. Students should demonstrate their ability to understand the utility of different research designs, provide recommendations, discuss and select a suitable change theory, and provide planned detail relating to how the application of evidence may facilitate changes and improvement in care delivery.

(6000 Words)

Additional Assessment Details (including formative feedback / assessment):

Formative assessment will involve group discussion, seminar involvement and the use of group tutorials to clarify, explore and discuss the focus of the issue used for the assignment and subsequent changes in practice.

Enrolment on the RN/ BSc or Dip Nursing Practice
Successful completion of NMC outcomes for entry to branch programmes
Access to practice placements