Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description


CODE IHC3004

 
TITLE Evidence-Based Health Care

 
UM LEVEL 03 - Years 2, 3, 4 in Modular Undergraduate Course

 
MQF LEVEL 6

 
ECTS CREDITS 10

 
DEPARTMENT Faculty of Health Sciences

 
DESCRIPTION All health care professionals, regardless of educational preparation, need to be able to practise within an evidence-based health care system. This necessitates the ability to ask answerable clinical questions; search and appraise relevant research evidence; and integrate these with their clinical judgement and their clients’ preferences and values.

This study-unit exposes the participants to the theory and practice of evidence-based practice and engages them in a discussion about its strengths and limitations. It helps students prepare for their dissertation and base their health care practice on sound evidence.

Study-unit Aims:

This study-unit aims to equip practitioners with the knowledge and skills necessary to carry out evidence based practice within their own clinical setting.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Knowledge & Understanding
By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

- identify the need to ask questions and seek evidence to inform practice;
- search and access the best evidence to answer such clinical questions;
- define the components of evidence-based practice;
- demonstrate awareness of the techniques required to implement evidence-based practice;
- apply evidence to practice; and
- critically discuss the strengths and limitations of the evidence-based approach to clinical practice.

2. Skills
By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

- identify an issue/aspect of practice that requires review;
- formulate clear and answerable clinical questions;
- conduct a systematic search for relevant evidence;
- critically appraise research studies;
- evaluate the effect of the evidence-based approach;
- demonstrate the ability to think and write critically.

Main Text/s and any supplementary readings:

- Ajentumobi, O. (2002). Making sense of critical appraisal. London, UK: Hodder Arnold.
- Crombie, I.K. (1996). The pocket guide to critical appraisal: a handbook for health professionals. London, UK: BMJ.
- Dawes, M., Davies, P., Gray, A., Mant, J., Seers, K., Snowball, R. (Eds.) (2005). Evidence based practice: A primer for health care professionals (2nd ed.). Edinburgh, UK: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone.
- Greenhalgh, T. (2006). How to read a paper: the basics of evidence based medicine. London, UK: BMJ.
- Mayer, D. (20100. Essential evidence-based medicine (2nd ed.). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
- Straus, S.E., Richardson, W.S., Glasziou, P., & Haynes, R.B. (2018). Evidence based medicine: How to practice and teach EBM (5th ed.). Edinburgh, UK: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone.

 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Online Lecture, Online Tutorial and Workshop

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Assessment Due Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Assignment SEM1 Yes 10%
Assignment SEM1 Yes 20%
Assignment SEM1 Yes 70%

 
LECTURER/S Justin Lee Mifsud
Josef Trapani

 

 
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints.
Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice.
It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years.

https://www.um.edu.mt/course/studyunit