Using Research Knowledge course

The course aims to:

• Provide you with a knowledge and understanding of key perspectives and methodologies used in health & social care research.
• Enable you to become a critical consumer of research, and aware of strategies for sharing and implementing findings and developing practice with colleagues, service users and local communities.
• Enable you to critique existing research in a specific topic-relevant field in health and social care.
• Assist you in understanding the rationale and methods for research undertaken within your sphere of interest and for you to be able to understand that research within a wider context.

Who is it for?

This course will be of benefit to practitioners working in health, social care or other human service settings who require the skills and knowledge upon which to critically evaluate and develop practice.

Timetable

Term 1

Sep: Monday 26 September 2022
Oct: Monday 10 and 24 October 2022 
Nov: Monday 7 November 2022

Benefits

The key takeaway from this course is developing a deeper understanding of the research process.

Aspects of data collection will include the nature of variables, sampling regimes, measurement tools, validity and reliability.

Having reviewed how data are collected, the principal methods of displaying both qualitative and quantitative data will be examined, along with an overview of the use of questionnaires, interviews and other techniques. Approaches to data analysis will also be covered.

Central to these discussions will be the role of the researcher and participants in the construction of knowledge, ethics and values within research. The course explores models of conducting and writing research critiques and approaches to the implementation of findings.

By the end of the course you will be able to:

Knowledge and understanding:

• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of a range of primary research perspectives and methodologies.
• Recognise the value of systematic reviews for synthesising and appraising available evidence.
• Discuss and analyse the challenges for translating evidence into practice.

Skills:

• Discuss ethical and legal challenges that must be addressed in evaluating the quality of research.
• Explore ways in which research might enhance the effectiveness of particular aspects of practice or policy.
• Competently Undertake a critique of relevant research articles.
• Demonstrate how specific research literature could expand the evidence base for practice.
• Display critical awareness of the methods used for analysing text-based and numerical data.
• Identify and present a relevant research article to a group, giving consideration to professional and lay audiences.
• Discuss available strategies for the implementation of research findings and consider their relative strengths and limitations.
• Undertake critical appraisal of your field of practice and identify how research might develop contribute to improvement in quality.

Values and attitudes:

• Discuss the importance of critical perspectives in the production of the evidence base for practice.
• Apply principles of beneficence, non-malfeasance, respect for confidentiality and safety in planning and evaluating research studies and audit projects.

Teaching

You will learn via a combination of lectures and workshops comprising interactive activities such as small group work and online group discussion. There will be 22 classroom contact hours over four teaching days.

Assessment

You are required to write a 3,000-word critique of two research papers on a specific topic relevant to your field of practice. The purpose of this assessment is to provide the opportunity to identify research relating to a specific issue in practice and critically evaluate the research methods and design as well as the relevance for practice. The pass mark is 40%.

For CPD students: the course is worth 15 credits, and students will receive a certificate as proof of completion.

This is a Nursing Studies top-up degree programme course. If you wish to complete a top-up degree, please apply directly on the Nursing Studies programme webpage.

If you would still like to complete this course as a CPD student but would like to complete a top-up degree at a later date, please note that you will only be able to transfer a maximum of 30 credits which have been awarded within 5 years prior to the start date of the programme (top-up degree).

Credits

This course is worth 15 credits toward eligible programmes.

Non-EEA students can only apply as part of a programme, not as a stand-alone course.

You must be registered in the United Kingdom as a nurse.

English requirements

If your first language is not English, one of the following is required:

• A first degree from a UK university
• A first degree from an overseas institution recognised by City, University of London as providing adequate evidence of proficiency in the English language, for example, from institutions from Australia, Canada or the United States of America.
• International English Language Test Service (IELTS) a score of 7.0 is required with no subtest below 7.0
• Pearson Test of English (Academic) score 72 required
• TOEFL 100 overall with 24 in Writing, 20 in Listening, 19 Reading and 20 Speaking
• Other evidence of proficiency in the English language, which satisfies the board of studies concerned, including registration with your professional regulator.

The tutor will suggest material during the class.