Overview
This unit will introduce you to the principles of evidence-based practice (EBP) and develop your key skills for conducting EBP within clinical settings as an Allied Health Professional. You will be introduced to models of EBP that can be used to guide clinical decision making at an individual patient level and also at a service delivery level, and be required to identify the impacts of EBP on current practice across a variety of fields. During this unit you will gain experience in developing clinically answerable questions, performing information searches, undertaking critical appraisal and synthesising information.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Pre-requisite: ALLH11009 Research Methods for Health Professionals
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 1 - 2024
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of 'pass' in order to pass the unit. If any 'pass/fail' tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully ('pass' grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the 'assessment task' section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Unsolicited Student Feedback - Discussion Forum
It would be helpful to have a video that outlines and explains the assessment tasks to accommodate auditory learners, in addition to the written instructions.
It is recommended that in addition to written instructions, the Unit Coordinator create a short instructional video for assessment tasks that outlines and explains the assessment requirements to support the auditory learners in the student cohort.
Feedback from Unit Evaluation
This unit builds upon previous first year units and has helped students to become more effective and efficient at critically reviewing different types of evidence.
It is recommended that this unit continue to expand on content taught in Year 1 and the content in this unit continues to focus on developing students' knowledge and understanding of critical appraisal and its important role in ensuring evidence-informed practice as a health professional.
- Formulate a clinical research question using the PICO (Population-Intervention-Comparison-Outcome) format
- Plan, carry out and evaluate information searches to address specific clinical questions
- Critically appraise and evaluate the quality of original research within health professions using established critical appraisal tools
- Present a synthesised evaluation of a clinical topic using information acquired from multiple sources
- Demonstrate knowledge of fundamental evidence-based practice concepts.
N/A
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Presentation - 40% | |||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 40% | |||||
| 3 - Online Quiz(zes) - 20% | |||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Communication | |||||
| 2 - Problem Solving | |||||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | |||||
| 4 - Information Literacy | |||||
| 5 - Team Work | |||||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | |||||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | |||||
| 8 - Ethical practice | |||||
| 9 - Social Innovation | |||||
| 10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | |||||
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks.
Additional Textbook Information
Whilst not a required text, students may find the following text helpful:
- Title: Evidence-Based Practice Across the Health Professions
- Authors: Hoffman, Bennett and Del Mar
- Edition: 3rd ed.
This text is available for hire via our CQUniversity Library
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- Zoom
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 7th Edition (APA 7th edition)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
s.alley@cqu.edu.au
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Online Content Quiz 1 Due: Week 6 Monday (15 April 2024) 9:00 am AEST
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Online Content Quiz 2 Due: Week 11 Monday (20 May 2024) 9:00 am AEST
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This unit consists of lectorial videos, H5P activities and tutorials.
Lectorials are a series of short pre-recorded videos that provide fundamental knowledge.
H5P activities consist of various types of activities and are usually situated between lectorial videos, as they are designed to help reinforce your theoretical knowledge and understanding.
Tutorials are designed to enable you to apply your theoretical understanding in a practical manner.
It is expected that you work through all lectorials and H5P activities prior to attending your weekly tutorial.
IMPORTANT:
You can attend the weekly tutorials live (online via Zoom) or if you are unable to attend the live tutorials, you can engage with the tutorial recording, which is uploaded to the ALLH12006 Moodle page within 2 working days. It is NOT a requirement of this unit that you attend the live weekly tutorials. However, it is strongly encouraged.
The weekly tutorials have been scheduled for a Friday afternoon from 3.30 pm - 5.30 pm AEST.
To access the weekly tutorial (live zoom link and recording), simply click on the 'VIRTUAL CLASSES | WEEKLY TUTORIALS' tile, located on the ALLH12006 Moodle Page.
1 Online Quiz(zes)
For this task, you are required to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of important content delivered throughout the term by completing two online content quizzes in the allocated timeframes, as detailed below:
- Quiz 1: This quiz will assess content covered during weeks 1 - 5: Due Week 6 (Monday 15th April 2024) 9:00 am AEST
- Quiz 2: This quiz will assess content covered during weeks 6 - 10: Due Week 11 (Monday 20th May 2024) 9:00 am AEST
Each quiz will open two (2) weeks prior to the due date, as listed above.
You should engage with ALL learning materials and resources, readily available via the ALLH12006 Evidence-Based Practice for Health Professionals Moodle page.
2
Other
Please refer to the Task Description section above.
You will receive an immediate mark upon the competition of each quiz. Further insight (e.g., which specific questions you got correct and incorrect) will be available once the quiz is closed for all students.
Students are required to answer 40 multiple choice or true/false questions per quiz, and will be allocated 60 minutes to complete each quiz.
This assessment task has a combined (cumulative score from Quiz 1 and Quiz 2) minimum pass mark of 50%. Thus, you must pass this assessment task to be eligible to pass the unit.
Please refer to the ALLH12006 Evidence-Based Practice for Health Professionals Moodle page for additional information.
- Demonstrate knowledge of fundamental evidence-based practice concepts.
2 Written Assessment
For this task, you are required to:
- Develop an answerable research question that is consistent with the PICO format
- Develop a detailed search strategy
- Carry out a systematic information search, using at least three (3) electronic academic databases, available through the CQUniversity Library
- Critically appraise one (1) journal article reporting a Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT), using the appropriate CASP tool. This journal article should report original research and not be a review of any nature.
Please refer to the ALLH12006 Evidence-Based Practice for Health Professionals Moodle page for additional information, including a detailed task description.
Week 7 Monday (22 Apr 2024) 9:00 am AEST
Week 10 Monday (13 May 2024)
NOTE: If your assessment is not submitted in accordance with the due date, grades and feedback will be returned three (3) weeks after submission date.
For this task, you will be graded against the following criteria:
- PICO Question - Identification of all PICO elements relevant for an RCT, development of research question
- Search Strategy - Selection of academic databases and search strategy
- Section A of CASP - All elements of Section A (Are the results of the trial valid) of the CASP tool
- Section B of CASP - All elements of Section B (What are the results) of the CASP tool
- Section C of CASP - All elements of Section C (Will the results help locally) of the CASP tool
- Formatting and Layout - In accordance with task sheet instructions
- Academic Writing - Formal, objective clear and concise language
IMPORTANT: It is a requirement of this assessment task that you provide a PDF copy of the Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) that you critically appraised as a part of your assessment submission. Without this document, your assessment cannot be graded, thus a fail mark will be awarded as you have not met the requirements of this task. It is your responsibility to ensure you include this information within your assessment prior to completing your assessment submission.
This assessment task has a minimum pass mark of 50%. Thus, you must pass this assessment task to be eligible to pass the unit.
Please refer to the ALLH12006 Evidence-Based Practice for Health Professionals Moodle page for additional information, including a detailed criteria sheet.
- Formulate a clinical research question using the PICO (Population-Intervention-Comparison-Outcome) format
- Plan, carry out and evaluate information searches to address specific clinical questions
- Critically appraise and evaluate the quality of original research within health professions using established critical appraisal tools
- Present a synthesised evaluation of a clinical topic using information acquired from multiple sources
3 Presentation
For this task, you are required to:
- Select an allied health research topic of interest (it can be the same allied health topic you used for your PICO assessment task)
- Investigate how a treatment / diagnosis / prognosis / patient care approach has changed based on EBP, and the impact it has had on the quality of patient care
- Present an 8-10 minute pre-recorded presentation, using audio, visual and a PowerPoint presentation
Please refer to the ALLH12006 Evidence-Based Practice for Health Professionals Moodle page for additional information, including a detailed task description.
Week 12 Monday (27 May 2024) 9:00 am AEST
Please refer to the Task Description section above.
Your assessment will be returned to you within three (3) weeks. NOTE: If your assessment is not submitted in accordance with the due date, grades and feedback will be returned three (3) weeks after submission date
For this task, you will be graded against the following criteria:
- Summarise the background of the condition or issue
- Discuss the history of the treatment / diagnosis / prognosis / patient care approach
- Detail the changes to the treatment / diagnosis / prognosis / patient care approach based on EBP (or the failure to apply EBP) and highlight the research that has informed these changes
- Argue the benefits and risks of the current treatment / diagnosis / prognosis / patient care approach
- Make recommendations for future research required to inform the current treatment / diagnosis / prognosis / patient care approach
- Use appropriate referencing throughout presentation
- Ensure PowerPoint formatting is consistent
- Use a variety of presentation skills to engage the audience
This assessment task has a minimum pass mark of 50%. Thus, you must pass this assessment task to be eligible to pass the unit.
Please refer to the ALLH12006 Evidence-Based Practice for Health Professionals Moodle page for additional information, including a detailed criteria sheet.
- Formulate a clinical research question using the PICO (Population-Intervention-Comparison-Outcome) format
- Plan, carry out and evaluate information searches to address specific clinical questions
- Critically appraise and evaluate the quality of original research within health professions using established critical appraisal tools
- Present a synthesised evaluation of a clinical topic using information acquired from multiple sources
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
