Interpreting Health Research

• • Theoretical and philosophical positions in health inquiry
  • - positivist approach
  • - critical approach
  • - interpretive approach
  • Research approaches in health related inquiry
  • - qualitative research approaches
  • - quantitative research approaches
  • - mixed methods research approaches
  • Relevance of theories, conceptual models/frameworks
  • - health inquiry and practice
  • Health inquiry approaches for practice improvement
  • - quality improvement
  • - clinical audit
  • - evidence-based practice
  • - research
  • Reflective practice; critical thinking; decision making and health inquiry
  • Ethics in health inquiry activities in the person-centred care environment
  • Analysing clinical issues/problems related to quality and safety
  • - formulating health inquiry questions
  • Data base searching – use of information and communication technology
  • Critical reading, analysis and synthesis of relevant literature

In order to enrol in this subject, you must be accepted into one of the following degrees:

Additional requirements

No additional requirements

An understanding of evidence-based practice and different research approaches is fundamental to research inquiry in any scientific discipline. Thus, this subject is essential in providing an opportunity for students who are health practitioners, to ask, acquire, interpret, analyse, synthesise, and integrate evidence to facilitate ongoing improvement in healthcare practice. Additionally, an understanding of the principles and philosophical positions underpinning different research approaches in health care is essential for postgraduate students to critically evaluate research literature, and to undertake health inquiry, workplace projects or health research.

This subject addresses issues of evidence-based knowledge development and the methods and processes that health disciplines apply to health inquiry, project and research processes within a person-centred care environment. Ways to evaluate solutions to complex clinical issues/problems in the health care environment and formulate a relevant question/topic are addressed. In addition, students will develop skills to search for, read and interpret relevant literature, along with approaches to analysis and synthesis of literature as a preparatory step in writing a literature review for a proposed health inquiry, workplace project or health research.

This subject aims to develop confidence and competence in the application of evidence-based practice and interpretation of health literature.

In order to pass the unit, students are required to complete and submit all three assessment tasks. To pass the unit, students must achieve a cumulative mark of at least 50% across all assessment tasks. Assessment items are aligned with learning outcomes and weekly content to ensure that students demonstrate their achievement of each learning outcome. The successful study of interpreting health research requires incremental learning. This unit is designed to reflect this, and hence mastery of early concepts will be necessary to understand later concepts. The first assessment task is a quiz which is designed to assess comprehension of philosophies of research approaches and applications in a health context. For the second assessment task, students are asked to identify a healthcare practice problem/issue of professional relevance, conduct a literature search, and collaborate with peers in an online discussion forum and peer review process to reflect on their practice problem/issue. In the third assessment task, students are required to draw from their work in Assessment tasks 1 and 2, to develop a preliminary research proposal for a project or research study to address the identified clinical problem/issue. Students are required to develop skills in the use of information and communication technology to effectively conduct literature searches, and to demonstrate critical reading, analysis and synthesis of relevant literature.

• Quiz/Test Enables students to demonstrate their ability to comprehend philosophies of research approaches and apply to the health context. (20%)
• Online Discussion & Peer Review Enables students to work individually & collaboratively with peers in an online environment, to reflect on their practice and identify a healthcare practice problem/issue, through critical reasearch readings (40%)
• Written Proposa:l Enables students to demonstrate the ability to identify a practice problem/issue, critique & analyse relevant health research, construct an introduction & background statement, consider ethical , propose aims & questions (40%)

For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).