Nursing Inquiry: Evidence-Informed Practice

Curriculum Guideline

Effective Date:
Course
Discontinued
No
Course Code
NURS 2217
Descriptive
Nursing Inquiry: Evidence-Informed Practice
Department
Nursing
Faculty
Health Sciences
Credits
3.00
Start Date
End Term
Not Specified
PLAR
No
Semester Length
15
Max Class Size
36
Contact Hours
4 hours/week
Method(s) Of Instruction
Lecture
Seminar
Learning Activities

It is the intent of faculty to facilitate student learning, and promote critical inquiry, reflection and analytical reasoning through a variety of learning processes such as lecture, seminar, group discussion and presentation.

Course Description
In this course students are introduced to the nature of nursing knowledge and evidence-informed practice. Students will examine the role of research in a practice profession, the philosophical and historical foundations of knowledge creation, and are introduced to the relationships among research, theory, education and practice. In addition, students are introduced to their role as research consumers. Students will demonstrate their understanding of evidence-informed practice by critically appraising nursing research and determining its applicability to nursing practice.
Course Content

In this course, the nature of nursing knowledge, the development of an evidenced –informed practice, and the role of research in nursing are the foci of discussion.  Concepts and essential content that will be addressed relative to these topics are listed below.  In addition, the core curriculum concepts are integrated in this course.  

Nature of knowledge

  • Ontology
  • Epistemology
  • Theoretical perspectives
  • Support theories
  • Theoretical and conceptual frameworks
  • Philosophical beliefs
  • Paradigms/worldviews
  • Deductive and inductive reasoning
  • Hypothesis
  • Critical inquiry

Evidenced-informed knowledge and practice

  • Evidence-based vs. evidence-informed practice
  • Electronic database
  • Computer database
  • Scholarly literature
  • Strategies for reviewing the literature
  • Conducting systematic reviews
  • Integrative review
  • PICO
  • Critique
  • Analysis
  • Critiquing criteria
  • Evidence hierarchy
  • Research consumer
  • Rigor

Role of research in nursing

  • Research utilization
  • Quantitative research
  • Qualitative research
  • Mixed methods research
  • Meta-analysis
  • Data
  • Research process
Learning Outcomes

At the end of this course, the successful student will be able to:

  • Demonstrate an understanding of evidence-informed practice with an emphasis on identifying a clinical problem, formulating relevant and specific clinical questions, searching for scientific evidence and evaluating evidence at a beginning level.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of fundamental ways of knowing in nursing.
  • Demonstrate application of critical thinking skills and critical reading skills.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the contribution of nursing research to health promotion in nursing practice.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the role of research consumer, the role of nurse in health care research, and the research process, at a beginning level.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the foundational concepts and theories that underpin nursing research.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of philosophies (worldviews/paradigms) of research and science.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the theory-practice-research link in the creation of new knowledge for nursing practice.
Means of Assessment

The course evaluation is consistent with Douglas College Evaluation Policy.  A course evaluation schedule and other course evaluation information are provided on the Instructor’s Course Outline which is available to students at the beginning of each semester.  This is a graded course. 

Textbook Materials

Textbooks and Materials to be Purchased by Students: 

A list of recommended textbooks and materials is provided on the Instructor’s Course Outline which is available to students at the beginning of each semester. 

Prerequisites

NURS 2111 AND NURS 2112 AND NURS 2113 AND NURS 2114 AND NURS 2116

Students in the BSN program are required to maintain a passing grade of 65% (C+) in all courses in order to progress in the program.

Corequisites
Which Prerequisite