Coursework – 100% total mark 3,000 words (+/- 10%)
Assignment Brief:
Define a clinical question using a PICO (Population; intervention; control; outcome) that will help address an area of clinical uncertainty that you have come across in your recent practice. Perform a simple literature search for the easily accessible evidence that relates to your question and explain where the material identified fits within the hierarchy of evidence. With the help of a critical appraisal tool and using the example of one of the papers you have identified, demonstrate your understanding of the important aspects that need to be addressed in the critical appraisal process. Having critically appraised your chosen paper, consider how it will inform your clinical practice with regards your PICO.
When writing your assignment you should include:
Introduction –
Outlining the clinical question under investigation (using a PICO), the rationale for its selection and a brief description of how you identified the evidence (this is not a systematic review).
Main body-
This should discuss
- The type of research that has been identified that addresses the clinical question and where it fits within the hierarchy of evidence and how this affects the reliability of the results.
- A critical appraisal of one of the pieces of evidence you have identified using a recognised critical appraisal tool.
- Include in the discussion the relevance of the different aspects of the study assessed by the critical appraisal process (e.g. randomisation, recruitment, power calculation etc) and their impact on the validity reliability and transferability of the results.
- Discussion of how the paper you have considered in detail could influence your practice and how it may impact on the multi-disciplinary team.
Evaluation and conclusion –
This should summarize the five steps to the process of evidence based practice and include your reflection on how you applied it to your clinical question.
Approximately twenty references are required which must be quoted both in your essay and in a reference list at the end of your work. This number is a guide only and the key issue is to ensure that all information is supported by appropriate references.
Please make sure you follow the Harvard referencing system which is described in the student guide.
