BIOB1060 Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) in Health Care Course description

The course is divided into two parts. Part 1 is carried through in the third semester and includes  knowledge of pathophysiological processes, such as inflammation, infection, cell damage, cell death and cancer development is essential to understanding disease processes. Characterising the disturbances in the biological processes, which take place in connection with disease, forms the basis for laboratory diagnostics. Analysis of biochemical markers and cells from different organs is important to the diagnosis and treatment of patients, and the medical laboratory scientist is key in the completion of these analyses.

Part 2 of the course is a project in interdisciplinary communication, interaction and supervision, which is carried through in the fourth semester.  

All aids are permitted, as long as the rules for source referencing are complied with.

Passed first year of the programme or equivalent.

On successful completion of the course, the student has acquired the following learning outcomes classified as knowledge, skills and competence:

Knowledge

The student

• can define what EBP is and recognizes the rationale for EBP and shared decision making
• knows the steps of EBP
• is familiar with the levels in the S-pyramid and acknowledges the difference between single studies and systematic reviews
• knows the characteristics of a scientific article, e.g. IMRAD
• can explain the purpose and characteristics of qualitative and quantitative studies and syntheses of studies, e.g. systematic reviews
• understands the principles for critical appraisal and knows how to use check lists for different study designs, clinical guidelines and professional procedures
• knows different types of categorical and continuous measures of association and effect, and key graphical presentations ;

Skills

The student

• can identify different types of professional/clinical questions, such as questions about treatment, diagnosis, prognosis, experiences and etiology
• can, for each type of clinical question, identify the preferred order of study designs
• can formulate searchable professional/clinical questions using e.g. PICO;and variations of PICO
• can construct and carry out an appropriate and simple search strategy for professional/clinical questions from the top of the S-pyramid ;

General competencies

The student

• can critically assess health claims in the media
• can discuss the importance of user knowledge, clinical experience, and summarized research in clinical decision-making;

Work and teaching methods include lectures, seminars, group assignments, in-depth assignment and project work.

The teaching methods the flipped classroom and team-based learning (TBL) are used for parts of the course. Digital learning resources or group assignments will be made available to students in advance, and the time they spend at the university will be used to work on assignments and group work. Seminars are held in connection with an in-depth assignment where the groups address different cases within laboratory medicine and give an oral presentation of their own assignment.

The interdisciplinary project is carried out in groups including students from other health science programmes, for example supervision of blood sample collection. A course in supervision will be organised before the project. The project is carried out in the fourth semester.

In order to be permitted to take the exam, the following must have been approved: 

• Part 1, one mandatory seminar with oral presentation of in-depth assignment
• Part 2, a minimum of 80 per cent attendance in scheduled project work
• Part 2, a completed course in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the use of a defibrillator

Project examination, consisting of a group assignment with up to 7 students, based on a case with a health claim in the media. The assignment will include the levels of the EBP model. The assignment is submitted as a written paper of 1500 words (+/- 10 prosent) according to further specified criteria.;

Each group decides whether their assignment is to be submitted in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or English.

Resit exam: If the assignment is given the grade fail, the group can submit a revised version once. ;

If this attempt fails, the group is entitled to a third and final attempt. In a third attempt, the group must choose a new health claim and submit a new examination paper.;

Combined assessment:

• Part 1 - Pathophysiology and laboratory diagnostics: Supervised individual written exam, 3 hours
• Part 2 - Interprofessional project work: Written report from project in groups of 3-5 students, 1,500-2,500 words. The report is submitted at the end of the project. 

Students must pass both parts of the exam to pass the course.

Resit exam: If the student(s) is(are) awarded a fail in one part of the exam, this part must be retaken. Groups that fail Part 2 (project work) are given one (1) opportunity to submit a reworked version.

In order to be permitted to take the exam, the following must have been approved:

• oral presentation of a bachelor’s project in groups, up to 25 minutes per group

Written bachelor’s thesis in groups normally comprising 3-4 students, up to 9,000 words.

Resit exam: If the bachelor’s thesis is awarded a fail grade, the students have the right to submit a reworked version of the thesis once.

Grade scale A-F