NRS 420 Evidence-Based Practice and Research

The nursing profession is a scientific discipline grounded in sound and tested evidence. Nurses utilize this evidence to establish best practices for safety, high-quality, and cost-effective patient care. This course provides the student an opportunity to gain an understanding of how evidence-based practice and nursing research align to support the implementation of best practices in the clinical area. Students will explore research methodologies, develop a scientific question, and utilize the electronic databases to discover evidence. They will apply their knowledge of research methodologies to critically appraise literature. Through written assignments and discussion forums, students will strengthen their synthesis of evidence to make a best practice recommendation.

Credits

4

Prerequisite

Admission to the BSN program, NRS 400 and STAT 234Z and WR 123 or WR 227Z

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

1. Utilize appropriate databases and resources to conduct comprehensive literature searches for relevant evidence

2. Examine implications of informed consent, confidentiality, and the ethical treatment of research participants

3. Develop a scientific research question utilizing the PICO(T) format

4. Differentiate research designs and methodologies

5. Employ efficient search strategies to retrieve credible evidence from the electronic database

6. Critically appraise evidence in peer-reviewed research

7. Synthesize findings from a body of evidence to contribute to evidence-based decision making